KenH
Enthusiast
Hi All,
This is my first post. As a working man, who does OK, but is not rich by any stretch, I started my search for my next car a couple of months ago. My daily ride was a 3000GT VR4 which was modified up to about 400HP. With AWD, it was the perfect rainy weather ride, but I needed to up the fun factor.
I looked at the Z06, Saleen Mustang and new M3. Each was relatively practical and not too expensive, but I couldn’t get past the fact that at the end of the day, the Z06 is still a Corvette, the Saleen is still a Mustang and the M3 looks pretty much like every other BMW on the road. I read this message board and did a bunch of searches. One common thread has been that although many of these other cars are more polished and refined, they are simply not a Viper. I thought I understood what those statements meant, but I wasn’t sure. I also gained some hope from this msg. board that it is in fact, at least theoretically, possible to live with a Viper every day (except for snow or ice). I mainly have to deal with rain.
Well I picked up my new ’01 Yellow GTS yesterday and I have been grinning from ear-to-ear ever since. I wasn't giddy before buying the car. This seems to have occured after having spent 24 hours with it.
It already has more rattles when brand new than my old VR4 did at 6 years, but somehow that doesn’t seem very important. I figure if it starts to bother me, a good exhaust upgrade should drown it out nicely.
I discovered that my gently sloping driveway apparently requires slightly more than the 5” of ground clearance the Viper provides in order to transverse. Now that I am attuned into ground clearance, I realize just how many steep driveways and speed bumps there are. I’ll have to watch for these obstacles and remap many of my routes to avoid damaging the skirt, but that seems to matter little.
I took it out to get some car washing gear today and didn’t make it home for 3 hours. I couldn’t seem to get the beast pointed back for home. The Viper seemed to miss every exit and turn, forcing me to travel circuitous routes to try to get to my destination. I had people taking my picture on the freeway, women gawking in adjacent cars, performance cars like Camero SS’s humbly moving over to let me pass and remaining a respectful distance back and crowds gathering at the petstore when I went in for fish food. My VR4 always took me directly home with no fuss, but somehow I don't miss it much.
When I finally got around to washing the Viper, I was amazed at how much brake dust these things put out and how much work it is going to take to keep it looking good as a daily driver, not to mention that the performance brake pads squeal a little at times, but somehow that doesn’t seem to matter much. They are, after all, performance pads.
I’m still trying to figure out where to stick my tire gauge and owner’s manual and my wife has looked vainly for the cup holders and glove box, but that seems of little importance right now.
I passed many Corvettes, Saleen’s, BMW’s, and others on the road today and I couldn’t believe that I had almost bought one instead of the Viper! I would have gone through life not realizing what I had missed, until a Viper went by and then I know I would have felt inadequate and unfulfilled somehow and more than a little jealous, no matter what else I was driving. I barely noticed those other cars, but they sure noticed me.
I washer her (him?) and put it away in the garage for the night and I’m grinning ear-to ear as I write this. I realize that I have difficulty applying the term 'car' to this vehicle as I write this. Only 'Viper' seems appropriate. Those poor ******** in Corvettes and the like don’t know what they are missing (or maybe they do!). I'd write more, but I think I'll go out into the garage and play with the hood and look at the engine one more time tonight before go to bed and get ready to take it into work for the first time tomorrow. Should be fun.....
--- Ken
This is my first post. As a working man, who does OK, but is not rich by any stretch, I started my search for my next car a couple of months ago. My daily ride was a 3000GT VR4 which was modified up to about 400HP. With AWD, it was the perfect rainy weather ride, but I needed to up the fun factor.
I looked at the Z06, Saleen Mustang and new M3. Each was relatively practical and not too expensive, but I couldn’t get past the fact that at the end of the day, the Z06 is still a Corvette, the Saleen is still a Mustang and the M3 looks pretty much like every other BMW on the road. I read this message board and did a bunch of searches. One common thread has been that although many of these other cars are more polished and refined, they are simply not a Viper. I thought I understood what those statements meant, but I wasn’t sure. I also gained some hope from this msg. board that it is in fact, at least theoretically, possible to live with a Viper every day (except for snow or ice). I mainly have to deal with rain.
Well I picked up my new ’01 Yellow GTS yesterday and I have been grinning from ear-to-ear ever since. I wasn't giddy before buying the car. This seems to have occured after having spent 24 hours with it.
It already has more rattles when brand new than my old VR4 did at 6 years, but somehow that doesn’t seem very important. I figure if it starts to bother me, a good exhaust upgrade should drown it out nicely.
I discovered that my gently sloping driveway apparently requires slightly more than the 5” of ground clearance the Viper provides in order to transverse. Now that I am attuned into ground clearance, I realize just how many steep driveways and speed bumps there are. I’ll have to watch for these obstacles and remap many of my routes to avoid damaging the skirt, but that seems to matter little.
I took it out to get some car washing gear today and didn’t make it home for 3 hours. I couldn’t seem to get the beast pointed back for home. The Viper seemed to miss every exit and turn, forcing me to travel circuitous routes to try to get to my destination. I had people taking my picture on the freeway, women gawking in adjacent cars, performance cars like Camero SS’s humbly moving over to let me pass and remaining a respectful distance back and crowds gathering at the petstore when I went in for fish food. My VR4 always took me directly home with no fuss, but somehow I don't miss it much.
When I finally got around to washing the Viper, I was amazed at how much brake dust these things put out and how much work it is going to take to keep it looking good as a daily driver, not to mention that the performance brake pads squeal a little at times, but somehow that doesn’t seem to matter much. They are, after all, performance pads.
I’m still trying to figure out where to stick my tire gauge and owner’s manual and my wife has looked vainly for the cup holders and glove box, but that seems of little importance right now.
I passed many Corvettes, Saleen’s, BMW’s, and others on the road today and I couldn’t believe that I had almost bought one instead of the Viper! I would have gone through life not realizing what I had missed, until a Viper went by and then I know I would have felt inadequate and unfulfilled somehow and more than a little jealous, no matter what else I was driving. I barely noticed those other cars, but they sure noticed me.
I washer her (him?) and put it away in the garage for the night and I’m grinning ear-to ear as I write this. I realize that I have difficulty applying the term 'car' to this vehicle as I write this. Only 'Viper' seems appropriate. Those poor ******** in Corvettes and the like don’t know what they are missing (or maybe they do!). I'd write more, but I think I'll go out into the garage and play with the hood and look at the engine one more time tonight before go to bed and get ready to take it into work for the first time tomorrow. Should be fun.....
--- Ken
