Gen V as a DD?

[saladfingers]

Hi everyone, I'm brand new to this forum. I own a 14' ZL1 Camaro and love it, but I've always wanted a Viper and a local dealer has one sitting in the showroom that's been there for a long time. A good friend is the sales manager and he says the owner of the dealer wants to get rid of it badly. I have two kids, hence the 4 seater, but this might turn into a deal too good to pass up. This would be my DD, which I've read the Viper is not well suited for. I get it, the Viper is built for one thing, going fast, but for those of you who drive it a lot, is it really that bad? To be specific, I commute 2-3 days a week, 100 miles round trip with most of those miles on the highway. I've sat in the Viper, but have never driven one. I also live 10 minutes from awesome twisty roads so I will be taking the car out for aggressive spins just like I do with the ZL1 now. The Viper would get driven in an environment it was meant for, short of a racetrack. Is the DD sacrifice too much? Not worried about gas mileage, my ZL1 gets about the same as the Viper. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[saladfingers]

Re: Gev V as a DD?

Sorry about the post title, obviously I mean Gen V, not Gev V......silly.......

 

[saladfingers]

Corrected

 

[MoparMap]

It all comes down to what's comfortable for you and what you want to tolerate. I DD my 04 5 days a week as long as there isn't snow on the roads and have no problems. I've driven through pouring rain and 20 degree temperatures without issue, you just have to be smart about it. If you drive the car like a normal car it's not going to kill you or itself. Pushing it in sub-optimal conditions (ie. cold tires on a cold day) is a recipe for problems, but if you have any restraint at all you shouldn't have any problems.\

Frankly I think my car is very comfortable. I like how the seats hug me and the suspension is firm without being too harsh. Some bumps will remind you that you have kidneys, but for the most part I doubt it would be much worse than your Camaro. I drive 50 miles round trip a day and like it. My back and legs get a little tired on longer highway trips, but nothing too bad. Your build can have a lot to do with that. The guy I bought mine from could hardly stand to drive it 50 miles, but he had a stockier build and wide shoulders and commented that the seat bolsters pressed into his back.

If anything the gen 5 is the most driveable one you could buy. They have made great improvements each generation on "comfort" and usability, so I wouldn't hesitate to use one regularly. I've got 83,000+ miles on my 04 and aside from the notorious leaky oil cooler lines I've had next to no problems. These cars are built so strong that you can't wear them out.

 

[FLL-B/W-GTS]

Any Viper is NOT a long term Daily Driver....They are Brutal Machines for fun and track duty.. Get you a Viper for that and a cheap car to actually drive for you and your family....I know,tried it three times with new Vipers and after a coulpe weeks they are a real pain in the axxxs to DD. Bought Trucks for DDs..

If you have never drove one,you must be use to a Viper or it will hurt you or worse....

 

[Bobpantax]

I agree.The Gen V is a whole different level of snake. Other than watching the front fascia when parking and keeping in mind that it is a high performance vehicle, there really is no problem as long as you do not mind shifting in traffic and you do not need to use valets for parking

.

It all comes down to what's comfortable for you and what you want to tolerate. I DD my 04 5 days a week as long as there isn't snow on the roads and have no problems. I've driven through pouring rain and 20 degree temperatures without issue, you just have to be smart about it. If you drive the car like a normal car it's not going to kill you or itself. Pushing it in sub-optimal conditions (ie. cold tires on a cold day) is a recipe for problems, but if you have any restraint at all you shouldn't have any problems.\

Frankly I think my car is very comfortable. I like how the seats hug me and the suspension is firm without being too harsh. Some bumps will remind you that you have kidneys, but for the most part I doubt it would be much worse than your Camaro. I drive 50 miles round trip a day and like it. My back and legs get a little tired on longer highway trips, but nothing too bad. Your build can have a lot to do with that. The guy I bought mine from could hardly stand to drive it 50 miles, but he had a stockier build and wide shoulders and commented that the seat bolsters pressed into his back.

If anything the gen 5 is the most driveable one you could buy. They have made great improvements each generation on "comfort" and usability, so I wouldn't hesitate to use one regularly. I've got 83,000+ miles on my 04 and aside from the notorious leaky oil cooler lines I've had next to no problems. These cars are built so strong that you can't wear them out.

 

[orlanderlv]

I rarely drive my actual daily driver which is a loaded C350 Mercedes. The only reason I bought it was because I didn't think I would drive my Viper that much but I love driving the Viper. The Mercedes is much more comfortable but the fun factor of the Viper means I can't remember the last time I drove the Mercedes more than a couple miles at a time.

 

[saladfingers]

Appreciate all of the inputs. Bottom line is the Viper is a machine like every other car. The suspension is not plush like a luxury car and it's not the easiest car to get in and out of, but it will do exactly what you want it to do. The engine has a great warranty and will run just fine cruising down the highway at 2000 rpm or running through the mountains at 5-6000 rpm. It's not an ego thing for me, that left me long ago, I just really love these awesome cars that have been built over the last few years and I want to experience them, the Viper being at the top of the list.......well, at least the "reality" list for me........my dream would be a 918 Porsche or a P1 McClaren, but I don't have that kind of cash so the Viper is where I'm at. I've made up my mind, if I can get the dealer down enough, and convince the wife, I'll do it. I'll post a pic if and when it happens.

 

[saladfingers]

On a totally unrelated note, I've been a bike guy my whole life, since I was 17 I've been riding crotch rockets, and currently still ride a Ducati. The ZL1 is the first true high performance vehicle that I've owned and now has me completely addicted to fast cars. I never realized how much fun they could be. I can only imagine, with the Viper being another level up in performance, how much fun it is!

 

[flyboy999]

I DD my 2013 GTS without any trouble 5 days a week. The car is comfortable and the a/c is phenomenal.

 

[flyboy999]

On a totally unrelated note, I've been a bike guy my whole life, since I was 17 I've been riding crotch rockets, and currently still ride a Ducati. The ZL1 is the first true high performance vehicle that I've owned and now has me completely addicted to fast cars. I never realized how much fun they could be. I can only imagine, with the Viper being another level up in performance, how much fun it is!

I've been in the same boat. I've owned Honda CX 650E, 600 Hurricane (showing my age......), CBR 900RR, CBR 929RR, GSX-R 750 ('88, '96), Kawasaki Ninja ('89, '91), Ducati 900SS, and Ducati 999, and a few others. This car is every bit as quick as the fastest of those bikes, which I believe was the CBR 900RR. Yes, it is sport bike quick, with the stereo blastin, and the a/c coolin. What more could you ask for?

 

[Paul Hawker]

Compared to a sport bike, the Viper is pure luxury. Climate control, tunes, power windows and seats, lots of storage space, easy conversation with passenger, kick off your shoes comfort.

Vipers have a firm, and well controlled ride. Not bone jarring or filling removing at all. The shifter and clutch combination are a joy to operate, and with such a large power band there is not a need to be rowing the shifter all the time.

Driving on the freeways are pretty enjoyable. The seats are comfy and while the car is engaging to the point where you feel a part of the car, the miles can just roll by.

Just don't compare it to a luxury car that isolates you from the road. You drive the Viper and it responds to your inputs. Little lag between action and reaction. Just keep situational awareness and the pleasure becomes apparent.

 

[09 Venom]

to each his own but I believe you read right. not a good daily driver.

 

[kennyhemi]

Any Viper is NOT a long term Daily Driver....They are Brutal Machines for fun and track duty.. Get you a Viper for that and a cheap car to actually drive for you and your family....I know,tried it three times with new Vipers and after a coulpe weeks they are a real pain in the axxxs to DD. Bought Trucks for DDs..

If you have never drove one,you must be use to a Viper or it will hurt you or worse....

"If you have never drove one,you must be use to a Viper or it will hurt you or worse" LOL...That's it shut the assembly line down! Sorry for the sarcasm, I've been gone from this forum for almost 2 years until this month and looks like some things never change.

 

[flyboy999]

For obvious reasons, the Viper isn't necessarily a good DD for everyone. If you have to carry more than one other person for business meetings etc., or if you have to transport items that won't fit in the back, then clearly it isn't going to work for you as a DD. For me, it works perfectly. I don't need to transport anyone else but myself, and all I need to carry in it is a briefcase for Court. And with respect to the "Brutal Machines" comment, the Viper has changed a lot over the years. It's not a "Brutal Machine" at all. My GTS has all the latest tech, comfortable leather seats, a back up camera, good clearance, and a great climate control system. The first time I ever drove a Viper is when I bought it. I had a pretty good idea of what to expect, but this car has exceeded my expectations in every category. It's safe, reliable, and it gets 16mpg in the city, and 25mpg on the hwy provided you aren't driving it hard. Beyond that, I can't think of any other criteria that you need to qualify a car as a DD. It's just a car. You put gas in it and drive it. Pretty simple really.

 

[MoparMap]

... It's just a car. You put gas in it and drive it. Pretty simple really.

This. So much this. Any modern car of the last 10-20 years can qualify as a daily driver pretty easily. Long gone are the days of weekly tuneups and engine out services. Fuel injection has made many cars far more driveable and stability control systems and modern technology has made even some of the wildest cars much more accessible. I'm not saying you need those things for a car to be a good daily, just that there have been significant advances in automotive design in general that have made cars much easier to deal with on a regular basis. Imagine a Hellcat 40-50 years ago. It was called a race Hemi and you had to adjust the valves regularly to keep the thing in good fighting trim. Not to mention they idled like a rodeo bull and fouled plugs regularly if you didn't drive them hard.

With all of that said, you can daily drive whatever you are willing to put up with. I could daily drive an Ariel Atom year round if I didn't care for my own personal health and weather forecasts. One of my coworkers used to daily drive a motorcycle on highway commutes regardless of weather, and having been caught in storms myself on a bike, it's one of the most miserable things you can imagine. If it starts when you turn the key and rolls when you put it in gear, you can drive it regularly.

 

[flyboy999]

Or, you can take the bus, or ride your bicycle. The choices abound.

 

[Nine Ball]

My wife drives our Gen 5 to work 2-3 days per week, if the weather is nice. They can be driven daily, but be prepared for a lot of attention on the roads and the parking lots - even when you don't want it.

 

[flyboy999]

I think Nine Ball has probably hit on the only downside, if there is one to this car. It's not a downside for me, because I enjoy talking to people about the car, and I don't mind waving to the kids who either wave from the sidewalk or out of the back seats of their parent's car. But, if you're the type of person that doesn't like to engage in conversation with people, or you find the attention makes you uncomfortable, then this definitely isn't the car for you, and I wouldn't suggest you DD it. On the other hand, people absolutely love the car, and I think there is a genuine affinity for the car due to the fact that it is American made. I also think people view the driver of this vehicle as more approachable, than perhaps a Ferrari or Lamborghini driver. I could be wrong on that, but that's the feeling I get.

A funny related story. I was coming back from picking up some groceries a few hours ago, and as I pulled into my garage, I saw a red Jeep Cherokee pull up on the street next to my driveway. I was shutting the car down and I saw an RCMP officer getting out of the passenger side, and a plain clothes officer getting out of the driver's side, and they began to walk up my driveway. Being the criminal defence attorney I am, I promptly hit the garage door button on the visor and closed the garage door. I wasn't sure what they wanted, and I know that they need a search warrant if they want to enter the residence. Not that I have anything to hide, but I'm naturally "defensive". I was thinking back to my driving as I came home, and I was certain I hadn't been speeding. So as I came into the house there was the anticipated knock on the front door. I went and answered it, and said, "What's up guys?" "The response was, "We were just wondering if we could check out your car." I laughed and let them in the house to the garage and we had a great visit for about 20 minutes while I popped the hood etc. I live in a small town (pop 5000) and I am familiar with most of the officers from my appearances at Court. They were really cool guys and they just wanted to check out a really cool car. So, again, if you don't like the attention, this car is definitely not for you, and it should definitely not be DD'd.

 

[ViperPete]

I drive my Viper to work regularly. My wife and I put 250+ miles on it the other day and through 3 torrential downpours of rain and the Viper performed perfectly and not once did I become uncomfortable. The ride is forgiving. I have a GTS and run in Sport mode 99% of the time. I never really hit the "race" button. That is a firm ride.

As others have mentioned.... Vipers are legit celebrities. Everywhere I go traffic seems to stop in intersections and take note of the car. Kids wave, take pictures- I can lip-read them saying "wow a Viper". Ownership is so much more than I ever knew. I love... absolutely love.... owning this car. I love the compliments, the high-fives, the ooohs and aahhhhs. I didn't buy it for that, but that's what's going to happen.

Viper's are special cars, and Viper owners are special people.

It's a comfortable car for me. I am 6' and 180lbs.

I have owned it for around 7 weeks now. I haven't had a single person try to "race" me. Even the ricers stay behind and stare.

It is not the easiest car to park. Reversing into a spot is not easy. The rearward visibility is awful. I can never seem to park in a spot straight. I love parking my cars straight. I just can't seem to do it right in this car. I need some of those "grand pa" concave cheater mirrors I guess.... lol.

 

[flyboy999]

Hey, ViperPete, do you have the back-up camera in yours?

 

[MoparMap]

...A funny related story. I was coming back from picking up some groceries a few hours ago, and as I pulled into my garage, I saw a red Jeep Cherokee pull up on the street next to my driveway. I was shutting the car down and I saw an RCMP officer getting out of the passenger side, and a plain clothes officer getting out of the driver's side, and they began to walk up my driveway. Being the criminal defence attorney I am, I promptly hit the garage door button on the visor and closed the garage door. I wasn't sure what they wanted, and I know that they need a search warrant if they want to enter the residence. Not that I have anything to hide, but I'm naturally "defensive". I was thinking back to my driving as I came home, and I was certain I hadn't been speeding. So as I came into the house there was the anticipated knock on the front door. I went and answered it, and said, "What's up guys?" "The response was, "We were just wondering if we could check out your car." I laughed and let them in the house to the garage and we had a great visit for about 20 minutes while I popped the hood etc. I live in a small town (pop 5000) and I am familiar with most of the officers from my appearances at Court. They were really cool guys and they just wanted to check out a really cool car. So, again, if you don't like the attention, this car is definitely not for you, and it should definitely not be DD'd.

I had a similar occurrence the other day with the local police. I was just out running an errand and enjoying the night and there was a cop in front of me at an intersection. We both turned right and he slowed way down, so I passed him (at or under the speed limit). He tucks in behind and flips his lights on. I get the initial "oh crap" feeling, but go over it in my head and can't think of anything I did wrong. I pull over into a parking lot to keep from blocking the main street and shut it off and roll the window down. He gets out of his cruiser, says "I think your rear windows is tinted a little too dark, but now that the formalities are over I just wanted to see the car". I breathe a sigh of relief and proceed to talk with him about the car, pop the hood, offer to let him sit in it, etc. for the next 15-20 minutes. Apparently his dad owned one and I think I've run into him in the past at a car show, but before I had my Viper. Nice guy though.

 

[saladfingers]

One thing that I've read is the pedals are offset to the left. When I sat in the Viper I didn't think about it at the time and didn't check to see if it felt weird. Anybody have any issues with that?

 

[MoparMap]

One thing that I've read is the pedals are offset to the left. When I sat in the Viper I didn't think about it at the time and didn't check to see if it felt weird. Anybody have any issues with that?

It is significantly more pronounced on the first two gens. Gen 3 added the dead pedal and moved them back over to the right a little. You get used to whatever you drive, but the gen 3/4 never struck me as being weird to drive. My mom's gen 1 I have to consciously remind myself as I once started the car with my foot to the floor on the gas thinking it was the brake. Didn't take long to figure out I had the wrong pedal.

 

[flyboy999]

I had a similar occurrence the other day with the local police. I was just out running an errand and enjoying the night and there was a cop in front of me at an intersection. We both turned right and he slowed way down, so I passed him (at or under the speed limit). He tucks in behind and flips his lights on. I get the initial "oh crap" feeling, but go over it in my head and can't think of anything I did wrong. I pull over into a parking lot to keep from blocking the main street and shut it off and roll the window down. He gets out of his cruiser, says "I think your rear windows is tinted a little too dark, but now that the formalities are over I just wanted to see the car". I breathe a sigh of relief and proceed to talk with him about the car, pop the hood, offer to let him sit in it, etc. for the next 15-20 minutes. Apparently his dad owned one and I think I've run into him in the past at a car show, but before I had my Viper. Nice guy though.

It's a little unnerving right? Man oh man, I guess it's just something we're going to have to get used to. Cheers.

 

[flyboy999]

One thing that I've read is the pedals are offset to the left. When I sat in the Viper I didn't think about it at the time and didn't check to see if it felt weird. Anybody have any issues with that?

I had read, before buying the car, that the pedals were offset to the left, and that kind of turned me off the car. Then, I forgot all about it, and bought the car. I drove it for several days, not remembering that I had read that somewhere before the purchase. I didn't even notice it at all, although I looked under the dash and could see how people would make that statement. At the end of the day, it isn't perceptible to me when I get in the car and drive it.

 

[KB Viper]

i use my Gen V as a DD and love it. i have another car and truck but never seem to choose either, i just love driving my Viper.

 

[ViperPete]

Hey, ViperPete, do you have the back-up camera in yours?

Yes I have a backup camera. The camera is good for checking what's behind you, but not very good as a guide to how wide the car is or anything.

TO give an example.... My Viper is about 1 inch wider than my Ram SRT10.... Except on the ram I can see the rear corners of the bed and I am not sitting in the middle of the truck.

 

[MoparMap]

Yeah, a backup camera is great to show you what's behind you, but it doesn't show you what's beside you that you might swing into when you're dodging an obstacle behind you. My parents just got a newer Ram with a backup camera and while it's awesome for hooking up to a trailer or checking immediately behind you, when you're backing out of a driveway next to another car you still have to pay attention. Not saying the camera isn't a welcome addition, just that you need some common sense as well. If you glue your eyes to the screen while backing up you can still hit stuff.

 

[ViperPete]

Here at Nissan, some of our cars have an "Around View Monitor". Front camera, one under each mirror and a rear camera. It's really trick actually. Creates a "top-down" view of the car and you literally have a 360 degree view of the car. Amazing. Wish my Viper had it.