LW VIPER
Enthusiast
I have recently read that some people are buying Vipers without having test driven them to determine if they will like the car in advance of the financial committment. I'd like to suggest some alternatives.
1. In California, Skip Barber driving schools use 2003 Viper SRT-10s. For a fairly nominal amount of money, you can get some decent driving instruction, meet some Viper owners (Contact Fred Kinder on these boards, for instance), and drive a Viper for 1/2 of a day.
2. You can also look up Exotic Rentals, and find places that rent Vipers, and rent one for one to two days.
3. There are used SRT-10s at some dealerships, and the dealer will allow you to test drive those. The dealer will not be upset with you if you test drive a used SRT-10 and then buy a new one from him.
There is no reason to buy an $80,000 vehicle before you know if you will like it.
Assuming you do buy an SRT-10, there are some other things to know:
1. The stock run-flat tires do not "hook up" (create adhesion to asphalt) when they are cold. On a turn, with too much throttle, the vehicle's tires frst spin, then grap (create traction). If this happens in an unpredictable manner, the vehicle can end up suddenly going sideways very quickly. Since there is not electronic stabilization, you need to understand CPR, meaning "correct, pause and recover". If you don't know what I'm talking about, don't push the car too hard while it is new to you.
2. The pedals are very close together, similar to racing cars. The first time you need to brake in an extreme situation, you are highly likely to hit the gas pedal at the same time you hit the brakes. In the beginning, it may be a good idea to push in the clutch pedal at the same time you hit the brakes hard, if you are comfortable doing that. Otherwise you may accelerate when you mean to brake.
3. Talk to other owners, or visit here. This car is a throw back to a time that some of us old guys used to drive cars without much electronic sophistication. But with much, much more power, and much stronger brakes. If you are younger, it is unlikely you've been raised on this type of vehicle, and while you probably have superior ooordination, and reflexes, it would be good to build up experience slowly and carefully.
I'm aware that this type of advice makes it clear that I'm an old guy who gave up racing motorcycles because they're dangerous, and who doesn't really race anything. I only go fast when and where it is safe to do so, and I recommend a Skip Barber or other driving course or two, or ten, plus some track days to anyone who wants to drive a Viper quickly. Smooth is worth a lot, and experience is worth even more.
OK Dull lecture over.
1. In California, Skip Barber driving schools use 2003 Viper SRT-10s. For a fairly nominal amount of money, you can get some decent driving instruction, meet some Viper owners (Contact Fred Kinder on these boards, for instance), and drive a Viper for 1/2 of a day.
2. You can also look up Exotic Rentals, and find places that rent Vipers, and rent one for one to two days.
3. There are used SRT-10s at some dealerships, and the dealer will allow you to test drive those. The dealer will not be upset with you if you test drive a used SRT-10 and then buy a new one from him.
There is no reason to buy an $80,000 vehicle before you know if you will like it.
Assuming you do buy an SRT-10, there are some other things to know:
1. The stock run-flat tires do not "hook up" (create adhesion to asphalt) when they are cold. On a turn, with too much throttle, the vehicle's tires frst spin, then grap (create traction). If this happens in an unpredictable manner, the vehicle can end up suddenly going sideways very quickly. Since there is not electronic stabilization, you need to understand CPR, meaning "correct, pause and recover". If you don't know what I'm talking about, don't push the car too hard while it is new to you.
2. The pedals are very close together, similar to racing cars. The first time you need to brake in an extreme situation, you are highly likely to hit the gas pedal at the same time you hit the brakes. In the beginning, it may be a good idea to push in the clutch pedal at the same time you hit the brakes hard, if you are comfortable doing that. Otherwise you may accelerate when you mean to brake.
3. Talk to other owners, or visit here. This car is a throw back to a time that some of us old guys used to drive cars without much electronic sophistication. But with much, much more power, and much stronger brakes. If you are younger, it is unlikely you've been raised on this type of vehicle, and while you probably have superior ooordination, and reflexes, it would be good to build up experience slowly and carefully.
I'm aware that this type of advice makes it clear that I'm an old guy who gave up racing motorcycles because they're dangerous, and who doesn't really race anything. I only go fast when and where it is safe to do so, and I recommend a Skip Barber or other driving course or two, or ten, plus some track days to anyone who wants to drive a Viper quickly. Smooth is worth a lot, and experience is worth even more.
OK Dull lecture over.
