The fastest quarter mile Viper is an automatic. You can see it on YouTube. There are many different types of automatic transmissions. The one Mark installs is not your grandmother's tranny. I doubt that any of the posters above have ever driven a Viper with the type of transmission Mark described so their analysis of how much fun it would or would not be is not based on actual experience but the assumption that a stick is always more fun. For a road course car that assumption is probably nearly always correct ( Although some of the automatic clutch paddle shifting cars are very good on road courses) but not necessarily for straight line activity. With that said, you have indicated that the 30K is too much for your pocket book so that ends the issue.
A Prospective Convert
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ViperStaring
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Thanks Bobpantax. For $30,000, I'll keep at it until I'm an expert at stick. That said, the only way to find out is to buy a stick Viper, let it sit in the garage for a while, and just bite the bullet and make it work. My three other (younger) brothers all drive stick, I'm sure with the Viper already in my garage I'll have no other choice but learn the darn thing. I mean, it is only driving, and I love driving, and there is no way I can't learn it, too. 
ViperStaring
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It's time the world sees a Viper stalled in traffic! More than once, too!
Not a bad plan but when you buy the Viper, buy an extra clutch. Stop and go traffic in a hilly area is going to reduce the normal clutch life.
Thanks Bobpantax. For $30,000, I'll keep at it until I'm an expert at stick. That said, the only way to find out is to buy a stick Viper, let it sit in the garage for a while, and just bite the bullet and make it work. My three other (younger) brothers all drive stick, I'm sure with the Viper already in my garage I'll have no other choice but learn the darn thing. I mean, it is only driving, and I love driving, and there is no way I can't learn it, too.
vancouver-gts
Viper Owner
Bobpantax , I'm sure Marks' tranny is a masterpiece , but even if it was gold plated ,I wouldn't want it in my Viper.
If one wants a performance car with plush amenities and easy every day driving , Aston Martin offers both auto or manual .For the very reason I wouldn't buy a Jag , because it's all auto now. Friend drives a Maranello with a stick
, another have a F430 with paddle shift 
.
Bobpantax , I'm sure Marks' tranny is a masterpiece , but even if it was gold plated ,I wouldn't want it in my Viper.
If one wants a performance car with plush amenities and easy every day driving , Aston Martin offers both auto or manual .For the very reason I wouldn't buy a Jag , because it's all auto now. Friend drives a Maranello with a stick
Watch these videos. I believe that both of these cars are auto. I don't think that an auto stick is always,necessarily for every day easy driving. You and I are writing about different types of automatic transmissions. Apples and oranges.
Lee Saunders record Heffner TT Viper run. - Car Videos on StreetFire
YouTube - Worlds Fastest Viper
YouTube - Viper twin turbo 1900 hp 7.99 1/4 mile
Dads Toy
Enthusiast
as much as I want to own a Viper, I would not have one in San Fransisco. I grew up there and even back in the 70's, traffic is so bad that you would burn out clutches on a very regular basis. I had a 68 vette with a 4 speed and went through several clutches and brakes on the hills like Lumbard street. I used to take anywhere from an hour to 2 1/2 hours to drive from Presideo to San Rafael which was only 17 miles. bumber to bumper traffic going 3 miles an hour will surely over heat a viper.
get an automatic vette or better stick with a nice mercedes.
get an automatic vette or better stick with a nice mercedes.
Burntrubber
Viper Owner
Hate to say it but the viper is not for your curent situation. get a automatic vette. I drove mine alot and sometimes liked it, but it was mostly difficult to live with. no cup holders, creature comforts, etc.
and really stop comparing any benz to this car. its not really fair to one or the other. vette, 6 series, cts-v coupe are more along the lines of what you want
and dont kid your self your that your going to drive it slow, i personally averaged around 10mpg in the viper
and really stop comparing any benz to this car. its not really fair to one or the other. vette, 6 series, cts-v coupe are more along the lines of what you want
and dont kid your self your that your going to drive it slow, i personally averaged around 10mpg in the viper
ViperStaring
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Nice videos, Bobpantax. I had a blast watching them!
I also found this video.
Burntrubber is probably right: I am quite used to the creature comforts offered by the two SLK generations that the Viper may feel too raw for me. On the other hand, Dad's Toy's experience is most startling. I am lucky that I live on the East Bay and mostly drive during non-commute hours. That said, to counter any delusions on my part, I am going to start observing keenly just how many stop-traffic situations I do get myself into on a regular basis. I will also check out the Vipers to get a first-hand feel of the lack of amenities.
Everyone here have been very helpful. You guys are a great crowd! Thanks.
I also found this video.
Burntrubber is probably right: I am quite used to the creature comforts offered by the two SLK generations that the Viper may feel too raw for me. On the other hand, Dad's Toy's experience is most startling. I am lucky that I live on the East Bay and mostly drive during non-commute hours. That said, to counter any delusions on my part, I am going to start observing keenly just how many stop-traffic situations I do get myself into on a regular basis. I will also check out the Vipers to get a first-hand feel of the lack of amenities.
Everyone here have been very helpful. You guys are a great crowd! Thanks.
vancouver-gts
Viper Owner
Seen those videos before .Pretty cool if you're into dragracing
.I guess I could put a Lenco 2 spd in my Viper too and better the quarter times
. Left the drag racing thing long time ago. I prefer watching road racing and especially hate Nascar 
Seen those videos before .Pretty cool if you're into dragracing
I guess I could put a Lenco 2 spd in my Viper too and better the quarter times
I prefer road racing and standing mile events, but I got a kick out of the videos. I also drove a NASCAR vehicle at Homestead for thirty laps and had a blast. Lee Sanders' car and his skill set are part of what the Viper nation is about. You know that there is someone out there right now who is undoubtedly building an even more powerful, faster Viper monster. And that is the way it should be.
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I don't think that a clutch every 20 or 30 thousand miles is too bad. Racing uses a lot more clutches than a street tired traffic car.
Unless you're a really bad driver I don't think that hills have any relevence to a Viper. It's not like a Toyota where you have to give more throttle and slip the clutch because there's a hill.
I don't think that an automatic vette is worth the money - a base model covette doesn't compare to any supercar - because it's a base model vette. Obviously THAT would not be comparable to any SL in anyway.
Saw an SLR at "Race the Base" (1.8mi. speed trials) and the owner was dissappointed in the performance of his car. I thought that his car was probably modified as he did manage to keep up to a 665rwhp Paxton 2003 Viper? Maybe the massive money difference between a $50,000 Viper and his hundred of thousands of dollars SLR was what was disappointing to him? He could have bought my $50K (US) and owned one of the fastest cars at the event since there was only about 7 cars in the 800rwhp range and I think only 2 were Ferrari.
Ted
Unless you're a really bad driver I don't think that hills have any relevence to a Viper. It's not like a Toyota where you have to give more throttle and slip the clutch because there's a hill.
I don't think that an automatic vette is worth the money - a base model covette doesn't compare to any supercar - because it's a base model vette. Obviously THAT would not be comparable to any SL in anyway.
Saw an SLR at "Race the Base" (1.8mi. speed trials) and the owner was dissappointed in the performance of his car. I thought that his car was probably modified as he did manage to keep up to a 665rwhp Paxton 2003 Viper? Maybe the massive money difference between a $50,000 Viper and his hundred of thousands of dollars SLR was what was disappointing to him? He could have bought my $50K (US) and owned one of the fastest cars at the event since there was only about 7 cars in the 800rwhp range and I think only 2 were Ferrari.
Ted
viperbilliam
Enthusiast
An automatic Viper can be fun to drive just as an auto Corvette can be. It's not anywhere worth 30K to put in though. Do learn the stick. The Gen III has a long travel stiff clutch - not the easiest to learn. Gen IV has a much shorter lighter clutch. Ditto for the transmission shifters. But, Gen III is a simpler car and I believe more reliable than the Gen IV. That's not to say Gen IV isn't reliable - it is, especially compared to a Corvette. Just don't modify it (motor-wise) to avoid potential problems that may be hard to fix. You might have a conversation with Jorgensen about this. Overall, if you could afford it, I would get the Gen IV and don't mess with the motor. Those Sunday drives will be a blast in this car. I lived in SF a long time ago; you are so fortunate to be able to live in one of the finest cities in the world. There's lots of great driving roads all over just outside your door (like going south on 35 and then to 9)! You do have to avoid enthusiasm when heading into a steep hill SF is famous for or you will smack your front end.
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ViperStaring
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Thank you very much for your words of wisdom and encouragement. I met with head Viper Maurice Liang yesterday at the Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, CA, to watch the Formula Drift practice, and I got a chance to sit in his 08 Viper SSG SRT-10. I floored it slightly at neutral and was pleasantly surprised by the fact that the engine noise was nowhere near the frightening level of the 2007 Ford Shelby GT-500.
Maurice also told me that the tremendous torque of the Viper makes the car less vulnerable to stalling even in the hands of a stick-learner like me.
I am going back today for the race and will take lots of picture to share with the group.
Maurice also told me that the tremendous torque of the Viper makes the car less vulnerable to stalling even in the hands of a stick-learner like me.
I am going back today for the race and will take lots of picture to share with the group.
ViperStaring
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Clarification: Maurice's Viper is his personal ride and is not in the race. Thanks.
