DD Vipers

[ViperStaring]

Does any one of us drive a Viper as a daily driver?

 

[dave6666]

Yes there are those that drive their's daily. I carry a lumber chain and long travel jack for muddy roads. Others carry umbrellas and NAV systems.

 

[ViperStaring]

Thank you Dave6666 for your input. You drive your Viper through muddy roads? Is there a picture of it we can look at? Thanks.

 

[Ratical2]

You might find this thread interesting:

http://forums.viperclub.org/rt-10-gts-discussions/628309-poll-daily-driver-yes-no.html

 

[MoparMan]

I daily drove my GTS for a couple of years and now daily drive my SRT-10 coupe.

Why do you ask?

 

[ViperStaring]

That's a good question. I recently started thinking about buying a Viper in the near future as my replacement for my Mercedes SLK 350. So I came to the Forum to try to learn as much about model years and features as possible. Then I found some threads discussing the difficulty of driving a Viper.

I have never thought any car company would design a car unfit for daily driving, and I was very concerned about that aspect. Plus the fact that although I practiced stick several times recently, I have never owned a stick vehicle before, let alone drive one every day.

Based on what everyone has told me this far, the Viper is a definite DD to some, and not at all to others. What polarization.

Ratical2, your URL suggestion is most helpful. Thank you very much.

 

[MoparMan]

Then you might be interested to know that my GTS was the first stick car I ever owned. I had driven my brother's toyota pickup with a stick once as a college kid so I really had no experience with a stick prior to buying the Viper. the SRT10 is easier to drive every day because it gets less attantion and is in general a better car. Also, keep I mind that I live in Vegas where we don't get a lot of rain or snow so its easier to have the Viper as a daily car. However, both Vipers have been in rain and light snow at one point or another.

 

[Bigsalgt]

Does any one of us drive a Viper as a daily driver?

Do a search on the topic! Plenty of threads on this very topic. Keep in mind what your Mercedes was built for vs what any Generation Viper was built for. Two very different vehicles to compair.

 

[ViperStaring]

Ratical2 alerted me to a previous thread that talks about this quite extensively. Thanks for chiming in.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

Not to be a smartazz but if you have to ask then the Viper is not for you. And if you're coming from a Mercedes then the Viper is probably really really not for you.

For the record I have 120,000 miles on my 98. But I also have no desire to own any other car, including a Mercedes.

 

[bluesrt]

this dude needs to go or dudette

 

[RTTTTed]

He's got another thread with a lot of advice in it already.

I spoke to a guy that owned a Mercedes SL 330 (I think) and he was going to buy a Ferrari California. I explained that Ferrari said that they built the car for women and it was less hp etc. He didn't care, he was OK with a car designed for a girl - because it was a Ferrari girl's car.

To each his own. Whatever makes him happy.

 

[Twister]

I could dd my srt pretty easily...the only problem is it gets to much attention..kind of annoying ay times.........although hearing people exclaim "holy crap man thats not a vette thats a viper" never really gets old

 

[viperbilliam]

What are you looking for in a daily driver? Everyone has different thresholds or tolerances. It also depends on your commute. If it's heavy bumper to bumper, you won't be able to appreciate the Viper at all (hard to appreciate anything in this but there are better vehicles for this).

 

[Burntrubber]

i DD may 96 GTS for about 3 months when I had it.

I here genIV are the easiest to drive, A/C works best

 

[ViperStaring]

A very good point. I get a good deal of attention driving the SLK350. Now that my SLK350 has been in the body shop for severe vandalism in a hotel parking lot over a week, I've been driving the Hertz loaner car Toyota Corolla S, I find the "blend in and disappear" feeling among fellow drivers quite relaxing. But that also means I am just as slow as the next car, and can be frustrating for the inability to pass the absent-minded driver in front from time to time.

I don't drive during the commute hours, and even though I drive during non-commute hours predominantly, there are bound to be traffic spots along the highway. When I test drove a stick 2010 Ford 5.0 GT, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the car would just roll on 1st gear, even without me stepping on the gas. I was told that was due to the torque of the car. With the Viper, it should be the same. If so, I can handle SF traffic.

As for the Mercedes model, the SL is the big roadster and the SLK the smaller one. Current SL models are the SL550 and SL63 and SL65, all $100k+. The SLK350 and SLK55 are more affordable.

 

[bluesrt]

if you try to roll on in first in a viper---the car will cough-spit venom and stall

 

[plumcrazy]

the attention you get in a viper is great..... its what we're all looking for

 

[Newport Viper]

I DD a '95 for 61,000 miles

I am now DDin a '04 for the last 43,000 miles.

No biggie...

 

[viperbilliam]

the attention you get in a viper is great..... its what we're all looking for

It isn't for me. It's just between the road and me is what the Viper is about.

 

[fastandloud]

DD mine....sold my heavily modded Mustang that I used as the primary DD just because it didn't do 'it' for me every day the way the Viper does.
It's a Viper and I love it but at the end of the day it's just a car that won't make me a rich man when/if I sell.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

the attention you get in a viper is great..... its what we're all looking for

LOL Plum your sarcasm is showing your age.

 

[thompsonracing]

Where are you located? Notice how all of the people who daily drive their Vipers are from FL, CA, TX, NV etc. All fair-weather locations. There's no way I could DD my Viper in PA.

Roads are aweful, weather is unpredictable, and traffic is out of control. City streets around here ****. My car is lowered and I struggle to make it down some streets.

I've been cut-off countless times as people look at the car and have been hit in the rear once while stopped at a light. People do not respect these cars.

Make sure you live and work in an area that "accepts" the Viper.

 

[escapedan]

Where are you located? Notice how all of the people who daily drive their Vipers are from FL, CA, TX, NV etc. All fair-weather locations. There's no way I could DD my Viper in PA.

...

Make sure you live and work in an area that "accepts" the Viper.

Good point. I have been considering dd my '06 coupe for a few months now, but I am concerned about the perception of my co-workers. I'm not sure it's all that appropriate for my job/company, but thats more of a personal thing.

On a side note, I just did a 2,700 mile road trip in 5 days and the car performed to perfection. Actually very comfortable for long hauls.

 

[musclenutz]

I drive a used 05 Ranger with a four ****** as DD, but like to take the GTS on drives through the country .The Ranger gets about 30 mpg and if i scratch it,i don't worry to much . I love driving the Vipers as much as possible though. When i drive the gen 1,my wife is skiddish because the sound and torque scares her a bit. I would be afraid to leave either parked in a parking lot though cause stuff happens .

 

[vancouver-gts]

I am concerned about the perception of my co-workers. I'm not sure it's all that appropriate for my job/company, but thats more of a personal thing.

Screw the co-workers .The majority of my colleagues are green/tree huggers.I tell them the Viper is a hybrid , burns rubber and gas They given up on me long time ago ,since I drive a Navigator to work ,hehe.

 

[jdeft1]

I'll DD my old '94 when I win that Voodoo ACR......

Yeah.

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

I now have 107K in my '94 due to a 102 mile daily commute.

Next car is one of the 2 or 3 dark green 2008 (or 09?) ACRs to commute with.

 

[RapidTransit]

Once a week if weather permits....not really a DD. If you don't drive it ..it will go stale and need more love and $$$$$$!

 

[RTTTTed]

I've put 3,000miles on my Stealth R/T TT and 9,000mi on my Vipers this summer so far. I'll be adding another 4,000miles to the Viper in the next few weeks. I try not to drive it if I expect more than a little snow and ice.

Does that qualify as DD? A few times the last few years I atually drove a Viper here for less than 400 miles!

Ted