Considering 03-05 SRT10

[e93]

I currently drive a BMW 335i convertible. I wanted a well-rounded car to avoid the need for a daily and a weekend car, but the BMW is too soft for my tastes. The chassis flex is fairly noticeable and it's sluggish due to the heavy curb weight. So, I plan to keep a daily driver and trade the BMW for a less practical weekend car.

Sports car wise, I've had a S2000, C5 Z06, C6, and a Lotus Elise. The S2000 was probably my favorite since it felt nearly as nimble as the Elise without all of the comfort sacrifices. The only reason I'm not considering another is due to the lack of power. The Corvettes had impressive acceleration, but I never really felt connected to the road.

I've never driven a Viper, but its always been a dream car and seems to be the next step for me while I'm still single and in my 20s. The other options I've considered in the same price range are:

08-09 BMW M3
05-06 Porsche 997 Carrera S
06-08 Corvette Z06
10 Jaguar XKR

I just wanted to get your opinions on the Viper and what made you decide to go with it. Are there any major reliability issues on a <50k mile SRT10 from the 03-05 era? I assume that the simplicity of the Viper will reduce the number of reliability headaches associated with cars like the Porsche, BMW, and Jaguar.

Thanks!

 

[King_]

The S2000 was probably my favorite since it felt nearly as nimble as the Elise without all of the comfort sacrifices. The only reason I'm not considering another is due to the lack of power.

Don't forget the fact that S2000's are now cheap enough that any ******* can afford, which really *****. Stickers and wrong offset wheels are now the norm. That's one reason why I'm looking into a viper. A beautiful vert with power!

 

[ViperCobra]

Raw Power and Very Seldom you see them on the street

 

[Synergy]

You won't be disappointed!

 

[Green viper 1]

I currently drive a BMW 335i convertible. I wanted a well-rounded car to avoid the need for a daily and a weekend car, but the BMW is too soft for my tastes. The chassis flex is fairly noticeable and it's sluggish due to the heavy curb weight. So, I plan to keep a daily driver and trade the BMW for a less practical weekend car.

Sports car wise, I've had a S2000, C5 Z06, C6, and a Lotus Elise. The S2000 was probably my favorite since it felt nearly as nimble as the Elise without all of the comfort sacrifices. The only reason I'm not considering another is due to the lack of power. The Corvettes had impressive acceleration, but I never really felt connected to the road.

I've never driven a Viper, but its always been a dream car and seems to be the next step for me while I'm still single and in my 20s. The other options I've considered in the same price range are:

08-09 BMW M3
05-06 Porsche 997 Carrera S
06-08 Corvette Z06
10 Jaguar XKR

I just wanted to get your opinions on the Viper and what made you decide to go with it. Are there any major reliability issues on a <50k mile SRT10 from the 03-05 era? I assume that the simplicity of the Viper will reduce the number of reliability headaches associated with cars like the Porsche, BMW, and Jaguar.

Thanks!

The viper is gonna be a big difference from the 335i you have now, the z06 you had before doesn't even compare I would suggest you go test drive one. I think the viper is different from any car on the road it's not for everyone

 

[Allan]

If you need a 'car', don't get a Viper.
The other vehicles you listed are cars that you can use in daily life.
The Viper is either a track weapon, or something you use to scare children and old ladies with.
Also can be used to scare yourself on occaision, .....this sometimes happens without you planning it.

 

[MoparMap]

I can't vouch for exact models of the cars on your list, but I have driven several that are similar. My mom has a 99 standard C5 Vette and it's a nice commuter vehicle. Fun when you want it to be, but otherwise fairly docile and good gas mileage (if you care). My mom drove a C5 Z06 that one of her old bosses used to have and she wasn't all that impressed with the power. Said it didn't seem like it had that much more punch than hers. Granted the C6 offerings have more power, but I have a feeling they might have a similar restrained feel.

I had a 2000 XKR for about a year that I bought for a commuter. Since I drive ~50 miles a day I figured why not do it in comfort. It was a pretty nice ride, though still a little stiff because of the sporty suspension, but not bone shaking. It also had all the bells and whistles which I've never had (up til then I drove old muslce cars) that will definitely spoil you like seat heaters, auto climate control, cruise control, power everything, and the best stereo I've ever heard in a car. Granted I've never had power anything in a car, so it spoiled me at least. My main complaint though was that it was just boring to drive every day. You can only get them as an automatic, and I really like rowing through the gears to feel more connected to a car. On top of that, with the supercharger it just didn't feel sporty unless you really pushed it and got the boost going. I think the automatic just compounded the issue. If you put your foot down you would just kind of sit there and wait for the downshift and the power.

In the end I sold it to get my 04 Viper. Mine had ~43k miles when I bought it and I'm just a tick shy of 50k now after having it for almost 4 months. The car is rock solid and hasn't given me any real issues aside from tearing through the stock rubber motor mounts (which aren't too hard to replace and were probably gone when I bought the car but I didn't know to check at the time). I drive it pretty much every day, rain or shine and it does just fine, no leaks or anything. It had a brand new set of PSS tires on it when I bought it though, which probably helps the rain part a lot. It will actually dig pretty hard in the wet, it doesn't wash around much at all if you drive it normally. I bought the car in early January and have driven it in all kinds of temperatures from mornings in the 20's to afternoons near 80 and it does just fine. It drives like any other car, you just have to be smart and know when to get off the power. At the first sign of the back tires spinning I'm off the throttle. You don't ride out wheelspin in these cars, that's a recipe to put the back end in front of you in a hurry. It rides pretty rough, is moderately loud (depends a lot on exhaust), and can be uncomfortable to sit in for long periods to some people (I love mine and think it's dang comfortable, but I'm also 6' and 170 lbs), but don't let anyone tell you it can't be a daily driver. It's all about what you are willing to put up with. I used to drive my 67 Dart to work every day with no A/C, could barely hear the radio over the exhaust, and no overdrive so it was screaming 4k rpm all the way down the highway, but I had a smile on my face the whole time because it's my car and I've done a ton of work to it and I love it.

The Viper does beg to be tracked though, and it will encourage you to drive it much faster and harder than local law enforcement tend to appreciate. If anything the only thing I don't really like a lot about my car is this fact. The car really shines when you push it, but it's limits are way beyond what is safe and legal in public settings. I'll admit I push it every once in a while, but I make sure I don't do it when other people are around. I might hit triple digits every now and then, but it's pretty much only when there isn't another car in sight (because you can almost guarantee the only other car on the road is going to be a police car). I don't want people thinking I'm an irresponsible exotic car driver and I don't want to give the car a bad name (or reputation in the town). I plan to try to get it out to a track one of these days, I just haven't had the chance and the tracks are just now starting to open up with the weather around here.

 

[swexlin]

My 03 just turned 30,000 miles. I bought it 3 years ago last week, and have put 7200 miles on in that time. I do ocassionally have it out in winter (clear roads, but cold), and sometimes get caught in the rain. Everything Mopar Map said is correct. Bottom line: respect the car, and learn to drive it, and it will reward you. Tell it to do something stupid...and it will do something stupid!

 

[Viktimize]

My advice is buy yourself a JB4, a BMS dual cone intake, front mount intercooler, and some downpipes. Now you have an extra 120hp or so. Throw on some sway bars if you still have an issue with the supposed chasis flex. The 3-series is one of the best all around cars ever built, and you even have the best modable engine BMW has on the market.

I'm currently selling one of my E46's to add a 335i to my driveway next to the Viper. I love the Viper but no way would I drive it daily. The 335i with bolt ons is reliable and runs neck and neck with an M3. But at a much cheaper price tag, especially considering you're going to take a depreciation hit selling your car.

 

[Sonoman]

A Viper is not really a good daily driver, IMO. I used a Porsche 911 as a daily for 7 years and I would recommend that. To me, a Viper is just too radical for daily use, and it's really not in its element just puttering around in traffic, getting groceries, sitting in parking lots, etc. In the motorcycle world, they have bikes that are considered "hooligan bikes"-- lots of fun and power to wheelie with ease, quick handling, low weight, etc.-- but no storage, no wind protection, stiff suspension... you get the picture. A Viper is a Hooligan car. While I can be so relaxed I'm half asleep in my daily, in the Viper I am wide awake. It's a lot of fun as a weekend/pleasure vehicle, and I suppose if you daily drove it the thrill would die down, but do you really want that? I remember when my 911 became "not special" after months of daily use, then when I picked up a ****** (GF gave me hers) for going to work the Porsche became something to appreciate again.

For me, the Viper is like an exotic-- it has to be in prime shape and detailed for me to enjoy it. Ever notice how people turn up their nose at a dirty Ferrari? Same thing here-- no one wants to see your grubby, chipped up, bug-splatted daily Viper baking out in the corporate parking lot day after day. It's like a thoroughbred horse not a plow-pulling nag. I dunno, I put a lot of effort and time into the fine details and improvements on this car... just couldn't feel good about thrashing it as a commuter vehicle. Maybe if I had two of them ? Nah, still couldn't do it...

 

[swexlin]

A Viper is not really a good daily driver, IMO. I used a Porsche 911 as a daily for 7 years and I would recommend that. To me, a Viper is just too radical for daily use, and it's really not in its element just puttering around in traffic, getting groceries, sitting in parking lots, etc. In the motorcycle world, they have bikes that are considered "hooligan bikes"-- lots of fun and power to wheelie with ease, quick handling, low weight, etc.-- but no storage, no wind protection, stiff suspension... you get the picture. A Viper is a Hooligan car. While I can be so relaxed I'm half asleep in my daily, in the Viper I am wide awake. It's a lot of fun as a weekend/pleasure vehicle, and I suppose if you daily drove it the thrill would die down, but do you really want that? I remember when my 911 became "not special" after months of daily use, then when I picked up a ****** (GF gave me hers) for going to work the Porsche became something to appreciate again.

For me, the Viper is like an exotic-- it has to be in prime shape and detailed for me to enjoy it. Ever notice how people turn up their nose at a dirty Ferrari? Same thing here-- no one wants to see your grubby, chipped up, bug-splatted daily Viper baking out in the corporate parking lot day after day. It's like a thoroughbred horse not a plow-pulling nag. I dunno, I put a lot of effort and time into the fine details and improvements on this car... just couldn't feel good about thrashing it as a commuter vehicle. Maybe if I had two of them ? Nah, still couldn't do it...

Some excellent points here as well.

 

[MoparMap]

I think some of it probably has to do with what your commute is like as well. For me I drive ~20 miles between a decent sized town and a small town at 6 in the morning, so I have pretty much no traffic to worry about leaving town in the morning and on the highway either way. If you lived in a big city and have parking garages and gridlock to deal with I'd agree that sitting around in that in a Viper will be even more frustrating than usual. Commuting in a city pretty much ***** regardless of what you drive. I don't like seeing my car covered in spray and junk on rainy days either, but I'll usually just put up with it till the weather clears and wash it every weekend. I'll admit that the car has maybe lost just a tad of its sparkle since I drive it all the time, but at the same time the more I drive it the more natural it becomes and the less likely I am to let the car get out of control. I get used to the power and know what to expect, so I'm prepared for what it might do.

 

[Scottsviper]

You are so right. My Viper is my weekend toy I just bought it 2 months ago (08 vert with 4K) And have only put about 150 miles on it. I have a Escalade as my daily driver. You will loose your appreciation for the Viper if you drive it every day. The Viper is a Exotic. I live in Marina Del Rey CA and I am at the Nicest spots in Beverly Hills every weekend for dinner ( CUT, Spago, WP24, Mastro's) And their are Ferrari, Lambo's ,bugatti you name it they are there. And My Viper gets put right in front usually the best spot they have. And everyone walks up and looks at my ride and pays no attention to the others. Kinda funny to me since the other cars are 300K+ A Viper deserves to be treated as that exotic toy that you look forward to getting in. When I see people using a Viper as a daily driver it breaks my heart. A guy in my neighborhood uses his 92 or close year as his daily driver. He never washes it I have seen him hauling lumber in it. I walked up to the car one day while he was in the coffee shop and looked inside. It was filthy the leather was worn and torn and looked like flood car! It breaks my heart seeing a thoroughbred hauling lumber.

A Viper is not really a good daily driver, IMO. I used a Porsche 911 as a daily for 7 years and I would recommend that. To me, a Viper is just too radical for daily use, and it's really not in its element just puttering around in traffic, getting groceries, sitting in parking lots, etc. In the motorcycle world, they have bikes that are considered "hooligan bikes"-- lots of fun and power to wheelie with ease, quick handling, low weight, etc.-- but no storage, no wind protection, stiff suspension... you get the picture. A Viper is a Hooligan car. While I can be so relaxed I'm half asleep in my daily, in the Viper I am wide awake. It's a lot of fun as a weekend/pleasure vehicle, and I suppose if you daily drove it the thrill would die down, but do you really want that? I remember when my 911 became "not special" after months of daily use, then when I picked up a ****** (GF gave me hers) for going to work the Porsche became something to appreciate again.

For me, the Viper is like an exotic-- it has to be in prime shape and detailed for me to enjoy it. Ever notice how people turn up their nose at a dirty Ferrari? Same thing here-- no one wants to see your grubby, chipped up, bug-splatted daily Viper baking out in the corporate parking lot day after day. It's like a thoroughbred horse not a plow-pulling nag. I dunno, I put a lot of effort and time into the fine details and improvements on this car... just couldn't feel good about thrashing it as a commuter vehicle. Maybe if I had two of them ? Nah, still couldn't do it...

 

[swexlin]

Hauling lumber? While I hate to see it, it's nice to know that these cars (especiall a 20 year old Gen 1) can take it!

 

[MoparMap]

Seeing one in that shape makes me feel bad too. I treat all my cars well regardless of how often I drive them or what they might be worth. If there's stretches of rain for a few days or whatnot I might let my car stay dirty, but at the first stretch of nice days I'll wash it. I vacuum it out once a month or so as well, but about the only thing my car ever hauls is me, so it really doesn't see much wear and tear on the interior. I always swear my cars seem to run faster when clean, lol. I just don't like seeing people buy cars that are meant to be driven and then letting them sit around. Sitting around is almost harder on cars than putting lots of miles on them. Fortunately, if I need utility I can usually borrow a truck from my parents or family, but if just need to get myself somewhere I'd rather have fun doing it. Going to work is less of a chore when I get to look forward to driving a Viper every morning . I had a chuckle at the latest Viper magazine where they did some figuring on the average mileage per year for the models through the years. Turned out to be around 3-4k per year on average through all the generations and I've already driven 2-3 times that in 4 months.

 

[Scottsviper]

Yes hauling lumber. I have seen him more than once have 2x4's and 4x4's sticking out the top of the car and hang all the way to the back bumper! I just shake my head. And MoparMap I agree a car should not be just sitting in the garage. I plan on putting a few thousand miles per year on it. Where I live you just can't put miles on a car like a Viper. I can't imagine driving my car in LA traffic. I had a 07 Roush Mustang vert in 06-07 and it was my daily driver. I only kept it for about 15 months. Driving it in LA traffic was brutal!

Hauling lumber? While I hate to see it, it's nice to know that these cars (especiall a 20 year old Gen 1) can take it!

 

[MoparMap]

Ugh, I can't imagine putting up with that kind of traffic on a daily basis, especially in a car like a Viper. I probably would have kept my 00 XKR if I had to deal with that every day. The only time I desire an automatic is when I get stuck in town during busy hours like that. Luckily out here in the midwest I have some room to roam, so I can have a little more fun. It's probably around 5 miles to the highway for me and then 20 miles on the highway to the town I work in. I also work right on the edge of town, so I really have almost no traffic to contend with for 75% of my commute.

 

[dester243]

I've owned a couple of the cars on your list so I'll comment. Just for reference, I've built and owned a couple decent fast Hondas with the quickest one being a 9 second civic hatch.

S2000. If you think the 335 is "slow" then forget the s2000. This is the perfect reason why I sold mine. I had the wife in the car and we were coming out of a clover leaf at the top of 2nd gear. I'm just rowing through the gears, she looks over at the speedo and says "DAMN, we finally hit 80 mph?" That was enough to say bye bye to that car.

Corvette, I bought a 2007 C6Z. It was a great car. Very easy to get in and out of daily. The car is definantly quick. Side by side acceleration/handling. I hate to say it but my c6z was faster with better gearing and aero than my 04 viper vert. Both put down 450 whp on my dyno. The c6z felt boring to me. The power came on very smooth and it just pulled all the way to the rev limiter. The car was very planted all the time. It spun the tires and kicked the rear end out, but it was very controllable.

Lotus elise. I never owned one. I think you can get one in the 20s now. But I've had some friends that own them and WOW. Working on one is a pain in the butt. Even putting one on your average 2 post lift is a hassle as if you rack it wrong, it's going to fall off. It felt TOOOO much like a kit car to me. Fiberglass panels everywhere and I dunno. I think it's a cool car, but again, it wasn't for me.


335. Never owned one also. But if you are considering the M3. I know you can put some $ into your 335 and make it faster and handle better than going to the v8 4.0 powered M3. I know 2008 you can get a convertible (which is nice since the E9X models were hard top convertibles.


As every reiterated. I would say the viper is not a nice car to DD. The convertible like the S2000 will have NEVER limited trunk space.

I'm looking at buying another viper (had a 94 and a 04) and it surly won't be a DD.) Even getting in and out of it daily is a pain.

If you can, go drive one. It will probably be the most fun you can have in a stock car without spending a ton of $. You can find them in the 40s very easily with higher mileage ones in the high 30s.

 

[02 Graphite GTS]

E93 - There are many reasons why Viper owners are Viper owners. We love the power and torque that it has. We love the styling and the fact that when we hit the streets, it is not a car you see a lot of. There is something about sitting behind the wheel of the Viper that just puts a huge smile on your face. I'll never regret buying one and sure don't see me ever NOT owning one. The Viper venom definitely gets in your blood and no other car will put that kind of passion into your soul. You won't regret it.

Hey Scottsviper, Congratulations on your new Viper. Check out http://www.socalviper.com We have a bunch of great events coming up and would love to have you join us.
Take care and be safe.

 

[NO HEMI]

E93 - There are many reasons why Viper owners are Viper owners. We love the power and torque that it has. We love the styling and the fact that when we hit the streets, it is not a car you see a lot of. There is something about sitting behind the wheel of the Viper that just puts a huge smile on your face. I'll never regret buying one and sure don't see me ever NOT owning one. The Viper venom definitely gets in your blood and no other car will put that kind of passion into your soul. You won't regret it.

YEP, I couldn't have said it better!!!!

 

[Viper Club HQ]

One suggestion is to meet up with a local VCA regional club or VCA members while you are looking.

The bonus would be they might know of a local Viper for sale. Many Vipers are sold by word of mouth.
The Viper would be local for close up inspection, no shipping, meet the current owner, and receive background information and records on the Viper.
Be sure to read up in the new owners area where many of these topics have been discussed.

Happy hunting and hope you will consider the Viper Club of America when you acquire your dream.
While you are researching check out the award winning Viper Magazine at www.vipermagazine.com and link on the back issues area.

 

[slysnake]

We love the styling and the fact that when we hit the streets, it is not a car you see a lot of

It was a nice day today so i went for a little cruze. I saw 10 Vettes on the road and I bet every one of them went home and said, "Hey, I saw a VIPER today!"

 

[malcoll]

A Gen III or Gen IV Viper is an EASY daily driver. Yes it is a bit harsher ride, yes I have to keep it cleaned and maintained....but not a daily driver... it's very easy as a daily driver. I drive mine every day, have for two years. Before it I daily drove a Gen 1 for a number of years....now that was NOT an easy daily driver......

 

[viperbilliam]

For me, I thought it was fine for a DD but only if you live in the southern states. You will spend more time keeping it clean and do remember it doesn't have cruise control. I think the Viper is more reliable than any of the other cars on your list. You do have to be more careful with the throttle when it's cold (less than 60 F).

 

[Sonoman]

That mileage study by Chrysler Engineering in the Jan/Feb 2013 issue of Viper VCA magazine is pretty revealing-- that is, revealing how most owners (by far) do not use their Viper as a DD.

Median usage PER YEAR:

Gen 1: 1,222 miles
Gen 2: 1,536 miles
Gen 3: 1,897 miles
Gen 4: 1,149 miles*


The sample size was not overly large, typically between 15-30 cars per model year, but still, the average is lower than I expected. Lotta garage queens out there! Guys, lets drive 'em a bit more, the 'Vettes are getting lonely out there, missing their heroes .

*Gen 4 sample included some unsold cars, for whatever reason.

 

[malcoll]

That mileage study by Chrysler Engineering in the Jan/Feb 2013 issue of Viper VCA magazine is pretty revealing-- that is, revealing how most owners (by far) do not use their Viper as a DD.

Median usage PER YEAR:

Gen 1: 1,222 miles
Gen 2: 1,536 miles
Gen 3: 1,897 miles
Gen 4: 1,149 miles*


The sample size was not overly large, typically between 15-30 cars per model year, but still, the average is lower than I expected. Lotta garage queens out there! Guys, lets drive 'em a bit more, the 'Vettes are getting lonely out there, missing their heroes .

*Gen 4 sample included some unsold cars, for whatever reason.

This is sad and ridiculous. For these cars to only have such low average annual mileage..... Guys these are not gonna be the rare $6,000,000 Shelby Cobra of the future.. get out and drive them for crying out loud!

 

[Snake#36]

02 Graphite & Slysnake summed it up in a nutshell......but you still need to get in the driver's seat & experience it yourself....everyone wants a Viper but Vipers are not for everyone ....