Gen I vs Gen II vs Vette

[LW VIPER]

Why watch out for a low mileage garage queen? I bought one, so I'm curious as to what the problem(s) are in doing so?

Larry
'96 Black RT/10 with Silver Stripes
Bought a month ago with 8,500 miles on it. Now about 9,400 miles.

 

[SNKEBIT]

Exactly!!!!!!!!

 

[Jeff Torrey]

Larry- You may not have any problems. Some times gaskets dry up and leak from lack of use. Those repairs can get expensive.

 

[Newport Viper]

Maverick-Granada-Mustang-Vette, now Viper. It's natures way...

 

[Snakester]

I followed the Mustang, Corvette, Viper upgrade path as well.
It's simply moving up the automotive food chain, from the more common, practical, affordable, and quick Mustang to the very rare,WILD, pricey, and blazingly fast Viper!

-Dean.

 

[Stu Man]

I owned two C5 Corvettes. They were a '99 Hatchback & '01 Convertible. I gave them both up for a GTS '97 Viper. Yes, you give up the creature comforts the C5 had, but in my oppinion, no other car will do. I liked my two C5's but there is a world of difference between a Vette and a Viper. I have also owned sports cars since I was in college. I wouldn't trade my Viper for any other car. I just love it. I also agree, it is a street legal race car.

My only advice is, if you are looking for a decently fast car that is a daily driver go C5. If you are looking for a raw sports car with lots of low end HP & TQ go with the Viper.

The C5's were to refined for me. It was like driving a fast Lexus.

To me the difference between the C5 and the Viper is like going from a slow 56K internet connection (C5 Corvette) to cable internet/high speed internet (Viper). Once you have the high speed internet you won't want to go back to the slow 56K connection.

Good Luck

 

[snampro]

I haven't been on here for a while and I thought I'd update this thread. I bought a 2004 Corvette Commemorative Edition about a month after this thread (March 2004)and guess what...I have now sold it and will be purchasing a Viper soon. I got to drive a 2001 RT/10 last weekend through the mountains and am so in love. I am glad, however, to have owned my 'Vette because it served as an excellent training tool. When I took the RT/10 out last weekend I was in total control, able to handle the car in a slide and push it hard through the corners. So, good bye Corvette training wheels, hello ultimate performance Viper...

 

[got one]

Welcome! Good luck in your purchase.

 

[PDCjonny]

I'm a Vette to Viper person also. I have had two Vettes that I bought new, an '02 coupe and a '04 Z06. Loved them both in their own ways. The Z was of course more powerful than the coupe. Then one day I took a drive out to the Chevy dealer I had purchased both Vettes from because I wanted to see a new C6. I pulled into the lot and off to the side was a red '98 GTS someone had traded in. I had only owned the Z06 for 4 months, but I knew instantly I was sitting in the WRONG car. I though that Viper was the most beautiful, stunning drop dead car I had ever seen. So did everyone else at the Chevy dealership, since people pulling in would walk over to ogle the Viper, ignoring the new c6's right there next to it. That sold me. Need less to say everyone thought I was nuts trading in a new car for a 6 year old car.

Anyway, I traded the Z back to the dealer and bought the Viper and never regreted it, despite having to put a considerable amount of money into the Viper for mechanical fixes. I still get excited to take a drive in the Viper almost a year later the coolness has not worn off. How many cars can you say that about?

 

[FinalEd357]

If you go with the Vette, you will likely regret it and end up selling it at a loss to buy a Viper anyways. Ask yourself what you like about each car, pretend you've got a week to live and this will be your last car. Live it up! Get the Viper!

 

[Matthew Klinger]

would rather spend 50K on a 2000-2002 GTS/RT10 any day than 50K on a new C5.

If your looking for a certain color... find it and go for it, thats what I did and thats what many on here did.

Good luck either way

 

[Need4Speed]

Did the exact same here, absolutely NO regrets whatsoever. In about 2-3 more years I might pick up a 00 C-5 coupe w/ like 55K on the clock for about $17K as a daily driver. They depreciate so much. Viper will never leave my side.

 

[Anaconda]

I recommend getting a 2000, because they tend to be cheaper. They don't have forged pistons, and they don't have ABS, so you can get a good deal. I did.

And also, since like half of Vipers are red, you can usually get a better deal on a red car, than say Steel Gray or something.