Considering Viper GTS or Modified Z06 Vette

[Toque]

Guys/Gals:
Just a question for you all to get your opinion.

I should be able to put together 50K by the end of the year (If it all works out). I am considering 2 Options.

1.) Corvette Z06 - Get it modified to over 500Hp cause too many cars are now 400Hp.

2.) 2000-2001 Viper GTS

I can't afford a new Viper, or don't like the new Corvette Design, so there out of my option list.

I am extremely busy with work, and will only be able to have time to drive the car 3000 ish miles a year. I also have kids on the way. Wife wants me to get my dream car so she is OK with this (THANK GOODNESS !). She tells me that I better choose the car I REALLY want because We both agree I will not be able to afford another for a very long time (paying off house, 2 trucks, college funds etc...)

Some factors/concernsI have on both.
1.) Reliablity of either car.
2.) Cost of ownership of either car

There is a Viper Club, and a few Corvette Clubs local here in Dallas that both appear to be good to get into.

I'm looking for something special that will be just as attractive, and fun to drive today as it will be 10 years from now. Neither car is intended to be an "investment". I plan to drive when I get time.

BIG QUESTION.....
Which car would you want 5-10 years from now ? (be honest)

The wife and I are going to Las Vegas in April and I plan to rent a GTS and go out for the day to see how I like it.

My Web Page ---> http://mysite.verizon.net/res0aae8/webpage.html

Toque

 

[SRT 10 2004]

Didnt you post this on the other Viper messege boards too? I owned a 2003 Z06 and now have the SRT-10 Viper, however I cant believe you are even asking this question. Even if all things were equal, the Viper is still way better looking and a classic. Vettes are a dime a dozen and no one cares if you drive one. The vette is a driver friendly car, easy to handle, and you can even let your wife or secratary drive it too no problem. The Viper takes some skill to drive fast and is a blast to drive. I would get the Viper over the z06

 

[BADVENOM]

If you want to blend in with the rest of humanity get a modified vette. If you want something that sets you apart the the viper is the obvious choice!!HANDS DOWN!

Adam

 

[NatRT10]

I've had one of each. I've had a supercharged C5, a 2002 Z06 and now a Viper. The Vette is much easier to live with on a daily basis, but since you're only going to drive it 3,000 miles per year, that doesn't matter. For a weekend car to have an absolute blast, you can not beat a Viper. Also, don't buy a car just because other people look at it. Buy the car YOU like. Although I have to admit, it's AMAZING how many people stop what they're doing just to see the Viper drive by. That happened occasionally when I had my Vettes, but it happens all the time in the Viper.

Have you considered an RT/10 Viper? While there is no doubt in my mind that the GTS is a meaner looking car, the RT/10 does have the benefit of open air driving with the same performance. Just thought I'd throw that in...

Good luck with your decision.

 

[YouWish]

The Viper is a "chain-saw" the Vette a "****-eater" what would you want to cut down a tree? You can put 1000 hp in that Vette and you still have a 35,000 a year production car that everybody drives. Never should someone take a Vette over a Viper if they can afford a Viper(if your a man that is). Once you take the GTS for a ride you will think "man that was dumb of me to post this question" Just buy the GTS and post pictures!!!

 

[Fast Freddy]

well as u can see from my sig below i own both cars. based on your criteria, etc. i would have to say the viper is definately the way to go for you. good luck!

 

[Docta Vipa]

I own a highly modified yellow 2001 Z06 and also a 2001 yellow Viper GTS ACR. No question at all - get the Viper!

 

[2MANYTOYS]

You say in your post "you want something special" if so then the Viper is the only choice.

 

[AmericanMuscle]

I, as a Vette owner, say go for the Viper if you can afford it. The Gen I and Gen II Vipers look awesome. To me, a Vette looks awesome too. While there are 35,000 Vettes made each year, that's still a minute number in the total spectrum of things. I, being in Dallas, see quite a few Vettes, but when I get outside of the big city, I don't see many and the Vette turns plenty of heads. I think I turn more heads in the Vette because I don't fit the bill of the normal Vette driver (i.e. young). You honestly can't go wrong with either car, but I would love to have a Viper myself. Hopefully in a few years, I will have a garage with both a Vette and Viper.

By the way, Gen III is not a big hit with me personally, but to each his own.

 

[SapphireGTS]

Drive both. Whichever one gives you the biggest hard-on, buy it.

I love both cars. Viper is more fun.

 

[RavenFan_94]

Well you are asking a biased audience. My Viper is soon to be 8 years old and there is no question about which car you want to own 5 years from now. The styling is timeless.

 

[Chuck B 98 GTS]

Viper! No replacement for displacement

 

[Firecat F7 Viper]

I was kind of in the same situation as you about a year ago deciding on a vette or viper.
I always loved the viper ever since they came out in '92 and always said that eventually I would own a viper.
I almost "settled" for a new corvette around 2 years ago but decided to wait and save one more year to get the dreamcar I always wanted even though I knew I would have to get a used one.
I am so glad I waited and bought my 98 GTS and not a vette. I am not putting down the vette but as far as a car you will still want to own 5-10 or 15 years from now, I would say the viper has it hands down.
Trust me, once you rent that viper in Vegas I am sure your mind will be made up on the spot.

 

[NDW]

Come to the NTVCA club meeting in March, the group is super nice and you will get all of your questions answered.

Check out www.northtexasviperclub.com for the meeting schedule.

I am going to Motorsport Ranch (southwest of Fort Worth) to run the car with quite a few other Vipers this Thursday, Feb. 26th. Come out in the afternoon if you can and I'll give you a ride on the track. www.motorsportranch.com for directions.

Newt

 

[RavenFan_94]

I guess we should be fair. Most of us have probably owned a Vette. I have and will tell you that it is easier to live with. More comfortable, plenty of luxuries you don't get in the Viper. You need to decide what you want out of the car.

If you want a great driver that will treat you well, go for the Vette.

If you want the jaw dropping gawks and shock and awe when you hit the go pedal, you get the Viper. Again, biased opinion.

Good Luck! At the end of the day, neither is an bad choice.

 

[GoldMan]

I traded a highly modified Vette (+$$$) for a Viper, just a few weeks ago...

NO REGRETS !!!!

 

[STUGOTS]

i have owned a few vettes some modified some stock my dad is a huge vette fan and he has owned a ton and just like me some modified some not and i own a 1999 rt/10 i would take the viper over all the vettes at once so if i could own 1000 vettes of any kind and any kind of mods or just 1 viper (i mean if i couldent sell the vettes and but like 500 vipers if i had to stick with my choice) for sure the viper my dad is a die hard vette fan and when i got my viper he dident even wanna look at it let alone drive it so u busted his chops to take it for a spin (which is a huge honor cuz no one drives my car) the same thing i had to do when i got my mustang. he drive the viper and said vettes aint got nothing on this car and he is the biggest die hard vette fan you will ever see he still got his vettes but said the next car is a viper and now he asked me for a spare and takes it whenever he wants i even got him to give my mustang a little credit also its not too bad 315 hp to the wheels so anyway im rambling in case me or any other of these guys in here dident make it clear for ya GET THE VIPER TRUST US

 

[Kurt 97 GTS]

I agree with what NDW said!! Take him up on the ride and do come to one of our NTVCA meetings!!

Let me know if I can help.

 

[speedshftr]

ive had 2 vettes a 98a4 c5 and a 02 z06/ive also had 3 vipers.there is no comparison.
if you want a fast car that rides great and is forgiving get the z06 and turn on the comp handleing and go.
if you want an outragous car with drop dead looks and one that commands respect from the driver, get a viper
the vettes are fast but they lack the tourqe of the v10.i felt i had to have the revs up to go fast all the time.
the viper pulls hard off idle and keeps pulling.it can however bite you quick.i like the v10 cause you must earn its respect and you pretty much know from a 30 ish roll or so that unless your up against a monster,your gonna win.
both cars are very different and i do like both.
with the c5 you can slink around town unoticed and sometimes that is great.with the viper forget it.no matter where you go,youll have questions ect from interested folks.some freinds may get jelous ect.its simple for me the outragous looks and killer acceleration of the v10 wins it for me hands down.
to any prospective buyer such as yourself,i would say.
buy what you like and what makes you happy ,not us the board or anyone else.
try to drive both and decide for your self.if you have any questions youd like to ask me my email is [email protected]

 

[GTSPOWERED]

I was looking at booth Z06 AND A Vipper. what started me off was that my friend has a 1999 hard top Vett and he would allways let me drive it to sway me into buying one. I decied to buy my 1997 Blue / White GTS and now my friend wishes he had a Viper now.

 

[Frank Barefield]

Toque:
I have had 3 corvettes and 2 vipers (a GTS and current RT 10). Reliability and overall cost of the vehicles are very close. Given that it will not be your daily driver, you will be more satisfied with the Viper.
There is no comparison when it comes to the gawk factor. A good example is what happened yesterday. I was out with 2 friends (they were driving their C5s-one with twin turbos). We stopped for an hour to have a beer on the outside deck of a restaurant and during that hour ten groups of people left the restaurant and walked through the parking lot (yes, I kept track because I like to kid the guys I was with). Out of these 10 groups, 7 groups walked over to look at my car and one person went back to his car to get a camera and took photos. They never even gave one glance at the C5s. This always happens when we stop somewhere.
The Viper will be like no car you have ever owned. You will enjoy it even when you aren't driving it.

 

[YouWish]

Like many Vipers owners I had a Vette before my Viper. So I cruise with the local Vette club from time to time(since there is no Viper club where I live)Same result as the previous story. We go somewhere nice to eat and everytime people are flipping out over the GTS. It has gotten to the point where some members don't want me to hang with them anymore because,I steal there thunder. Geez.

 

[2MANYTOYS]

Like many Vipers owners I had a Vette before my Viper. So I cruise with the local Vette club from time to time(since there is no Viper club where I live)Same result as the previous story. We go somewhere nice to eat and everytime people are flipping out over the GTS. It has gotten to the point where some members don't want me to hang with them anymore because,I steal there thunder. Geez.

The local vette club doesn't invite me now either. I took it to a few meetings and now I'm not included. I got way too much attention.

 

[Toque]

WOW !

Thanks everyone for the reply's. I really am listning to your thoughts and I am beginning to really lean towards the Viper.

I can't wait to test drive one in Vegas when I go in early April. It was my wife's suggestion to rent a Viper! She is Pregnant with our first child, and she still can't wanit for me to get my car. I guess i'm lucky to have her !

NDW, Kurt 97 GTS:
Thanks for the invite ! I would love to go but I am eyeballs deep in work right now. Hence the reason I will not have a ton of time to drive the car when I get it. I work 12-14 hours a day, 5+ days a week. I will however keep an eye on the schedule to see if any events fall on a day I have off. I know a member of the North Dallas Viper Club. I work in the same building at Texas Instruments with him (D Bell). I suppose you know him ?

I will post pictures of me and the wife when we go to Vegas to do my test drive.

Thanks everyone !

Toque
[email protected]

 

[2BADD 4U]

Had a really nice c5, red/tan conv, 6 speed, yea it got looks and was fun, BUT, the Viper is 100 times better, in every way. Vettes are common, people glance, thats about it...you can have 1000 hp and it is still a vette.....Get the Viper and be ready for a LOT of FUN...Guaranteed!!! The only bad part about Viper ownership is....your jaw is going to hurt a little from a constant smile and grin...FACT!!!!

Dave

 

[LW VIPER]

Let me voice a counterpoint. You really need to rent both cars and try them for a weekend. They are very different.
Having owned a 99 C5 convertible, and having test driven an '04 Z06 the day before I bought my Viper, I will tell you that it is easier to drive the Vette quickly, safer to park it without vandalism, has better air conditioning, no interior heat to deal with, the engine doesn't run between 230 and red zone, the seats are far more adjustable, and the top of the windshield doesn't block your view. You get a cup holder, and a top and windows that you don't have to leave at home. You can put a rear tire flat in the trunk without having to stand it up and strap it in. And the car is basically as fast or faster on the streets as most Vipers because the automatic overrides will keep you from sliding the rear end out (as I did yesterday punching it too hard around a corner). The price of entry is easier in every way in a Corvette, particularly the Z06.

If any of the above convinced you, then you should definitely get the Vette.

If you are a nut case like me, you would have been driving your 96 RT/10 yesterday, parking in a client's lot worried about vandalism, with the hard top in the garage, and one eye on the rain clouds coming in. You would also be giving your co-workers rides around the block, and sliding out the rear end on a surface street, and at the end of a very long day, looking at the glow of lights from the instrument panel, cruising the surface streets home, in second or third gear, listening to Springsteen on the CD, bundled up in a leather jacket against the weather and grinning.

If the latter sounds more like you, go ********* and get a 96 with the aluminum rear suspension, the 415 hp 488 torque engine, and not much more. It's a lot of work, and a pain in the butt compared to my former Vette, but I'd go to an SRT -10 for creature comforts before I would go back to my beloved Vette. The displacement and naturally aspirated torque just reaches into my guts somewhere. If you feel the same way, the decision will be made for you.

Oh, yeah, another down side--- I can't take cell phone calls because (1) the steering is too darty; and (2) can't hear the phone ring. : - )

 

[LW VIPER]

Sorry. I just noticed that you said "GTS" not RT-10.
That makes the decision even easier, I suspect.

Having said that, if you are "*********" you might look at a 96 or older RT/10. Yet again a very different experience from the GTS, although less horsepower (same torque).