CEJ
Enthusiast
IDM, what body style is most appealing to you? Don't focus on performance, both will be fun to drive. Which one will you enjoy seeing parked in your garage?
Help Me Choose 02 GTS OR 03+ Viper
- Thread starter IDM
- Start date
IDM, one negative of the Gen3/4 is that the general population mistakes it for a corvette. Especially from a distance.
Those complaining about the Gen2's power or brakes must not know much about cars or be the kind of people that like to keep there cars stock.
Like Ataim said; You can always add more power, better brakes, ect...
So, lets focus on the stuff you can Not change/improve:
1. Styling
2. One is Coupe. The other a convertible
Some people simply crave for the open air on a nice day. If you pick the Gen3 based on being able to drop the top pleae first make certain that you Are that type of person. Many people like the "idea" of having a convertible, but in reality dont as it is made apparetent every beautifull day i see verts of all makes driven around with their tops up.
Those complaining about the Gen2's power or brakes must not know much about cars or be the kind of people that like to keep there cars stock.
Like Ataim said; You can always add more power, better brakes, ect...
So, lets focus on the stuff you can Not change/improve:
1. Styling
2. One is Coupe. The other a convertible
Some people simply crave for the open air on a nice day. If you pick the Gen3 based on being able to drop the top pleae first make certain that you Are that type of person. Many people like the "idea" of having a convertible, but in reality dont as it is made apparetent every beautifull day i see verts of all makes driven around with their tops up.
Those complaining about the Gen2's power or brakes must not know much about cars or be the kind of people that like to keep there cars stock.
Like Ataim said; You can always add more power, better brakes, ect....
Or maybe someone who is buying a new to them car doesn't want to have to dump many additional thousands into it to get it almost up to par with a Gen 3.
Just a thought.
Ray W
Enthusiast
Well the ZR-1 has been gone for a couple of months now. Replaced it with a Jaguar supercharged XJL. So it ranks behind the Gen 4 for me. It is an excellent car in everyway except for exclusivity and value.
JoelW
Enthusiast
IDM, one negative of the Gen3/4 is that the general population mistakes it for a corvette. Especially from a distance.
Those complaining about the Gen2's power or brakes must not know much about cars or be the kind of people that like to keep there cars stock.
Like Ataim said; You can always add more power, better brakes, ect...
So, lets focus on the stuff you can Not change/improve:
1. Styling
2. One is Coupe. The other a convertible
Some people simply crave for the open air on a nice day. If you pick the Gen3 based on being able to drop the top pleae first make certain that you Are that type of person. Many people like the "idea" of having a convertible, but in reality dont as it is made apparetent every beautifull day i see verts of all makes driven around with their tops up.
If you want to put the top down Gen 3 or 4 is the only way to go. If you want a coupe, you can buy by style but ABS brakes really help out and I'd recommend the car you buy has them. You need a lot of stopping power to go with all the GO power.
CEJ & Dom and all others thanks so much.
I really have always loved the GTS, to me the Gen 3 looks like a mercedes or Corvette like someone said. Im sure with some HREs and other touches it would look incredible but it just doesn't have the smooth curves of hte GTS that I fell in love with. As far as brakes and power Im sure I can take care of that with some large calipers in front and even long tube headers and an intake would probably be a noticeable difference. Im coming from a 700rwhp Corvette so 450-500hp at the engine is going to feel like my car on 1-2 psi vs 12psi and I realize that. Im not getting this car to mod it like crazy as far as I know right now. I just want to drive it and enjoy being a Viper owner finally. What a wonderful car!
I really have always loved the GTS, to me the Gen 3 looks like a mercedes or Corvette like someone said. Im sure with some HREs and other touches it would look incredible but it just doesn't have the smooth curves of hte GTS that I fell in love with. As far as brakes and power Im sure I can take care of that with some large calipers in front and even long tube headers and an intake would probably be a noticeable difference. Im coming from a 700rwhp Corvette so 450-500hp at the engine is going to feel like my car on 1-2 psi vs 12psi and I realize that. Im not getting this car to mod it like crazy as far as I know right now. I just want to drive it and enjoy being a Viper owner finally. What a wonderful car!
Gus Strakes
Enthusiast
I have an '02 FE, and an '06 SRT/10 (VOI9), and here's my take (IMHO):
- The SRT is white with Blue Stripes, absolutely my favorite color combination.
- The SRT is newer, seems to have better build quality.
- The SRT has a better interior.
- The SRT has more horsepower.
- The SRT has better brakes.
- The SRT is better handling.
- The SRT is more refined.
- The SRT is more rare (1 of a 100, the FE is 1 of 360).
- The SRT had a higher MSRP.
I love 'em both, but with that said, if I could only keep one, it would be the FE ...... for me, it's all about the pedigree.
- The SRT is white with Blue Stripes, absolutely my favorite color combination.
- The SRT is newer, seems to have better build quality.
- The SRT has a better interior.
- The SRT has more horsepower.
- The SRT has better brakes.
- The SRT is better handling.
- The SRT is more refined.
- The SRT is more rare (1 of a 100, the FE is 1 of 360).
- The SRT had a higher MSRP.
I love 'em both, but with that said, if I could only keep one, it would be the FE ...... for me, it's all about the pedigree.
v10enomous
Enthusiast
If it's strictly a weekend toy then the GTS is the way to go. Quite a few 02 FE's have come on the market lately. There was even an FE ACR up on the block a little ways back. They are listing them higher than what you see for 03 to 05 cars but it doesn't seem that they are changing hands. If you want a car that you can take on regular overnight weekend trips and enjoy open air cruising then the Gen3 is the way to go.
ZYellow01RT
Enthusiast
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I drove both and decided on the Gen 2. Was never any doubt for me.
CEJ
Enthusiast
C'mon...buy 'em both! And a 4-post lift so the Mrs can still park in the garage.
DrTaco
Viper Owner
IDM, I think you already answered your own question...
"I like the look of the 02 body"/ "I have always wanted a GTS". Sounds like you're just trying to make yourself change your mind by being "practical" in your thinking (if you can even use that word when talking about Vipers). I went through the same things you are when I was looking to buy, until I realized it was the GTS that got me going. I love the rawness of it all, and the lack of anything fancy. Things like ABS are overrated in a car like a Viper...if you don't know how to drive without ABS then you shouldnt be going that fast in the first place. In my opinion, if you're always chasing "better", you'll be buying a newer car model every year.
I figure in 20 years when I'm getting into my fancy smancy flying hovercraft self-driving car I'll still think of my 96 as "better", because it is the exact opposite of my hovercraft. Good luck on your search~
"I like the look of the 02 body"/ "I have always wanted a GTS". Sounds like you're just trying to make yourself change your mind by being "practical" in your thinking (if you can even use that word when talking about Vipers). I went through the same things you are when I was looking to buy, until I realized it was the GTS that got me going. I love the rawness of it all, and the lack of anything fancy. Things like ABS are overrated in a car like a Viper...if you don't know how to drive without ABS then you shouldnt be going that fast in the first place. In my opinion, if you're always chasing "better", you'll be buying a newer car model every year.
I figure in 20 years when I'm getting into my fancy smancy flying hovercraft self-driving car I'll still think of my 96 as "better", because it is the exact opposite of my hovercraft. Good luck on your search~
Silver04
Enthusiast
Tellin you man gen3 all the way..
Dont look at pictures. Find a way to see em both side by side in real life and then tell me which is nicer
I loved my gen2 but theres really no comparison.
Btw... Drive a srt for a few days and see how many people think its a vette or a jag. SRT10 vipers have been graceing magazine and video game covers for 10 years now. People know exactly what they are and thats the new viper.
Only people who ever say srt10s look like vettes are gen2 owners.
Im on many differant car sites from bmws to camaros gtrs nsxs mustangs ect. The srt is held in ahigher requard than the gts. Thats the honest truth.
Is the gts simply amazeing for mid 90s technology. Yes it is. But when your driving her it will become very apparent thatmuch of the body was desighned back in 89. From huge huge huge gaps in the exterior to a hood that dosent close right tointerior peices that brake simply because your arm rested on it to headlights that no way were on a 80k car back in 02.
I loved the raw torque of my 99 but I feel that I was in love with a car before I actually knew it from pictures and 90s racing.
When I actually purchased my 99 I traded ina 51k c5 that had heads and cam at 400 rwhp. I couldnt belieave I now owned a 77k viper. Surely for 77k this car had to be amazeing at close to 30k more than the c5.
Nope. Almost died scrubbing speed from a 140 mph blast when I realized the cheap vette had much better brakes than the near 80k snake. Then there were many other little surprises that made me realize that lusting for this car in the mid 90s might as well have been a differant world compared to mid 2000s when I bought it. Yes the exterior shell looked just like the pictures from a distance. But man does the door opener look old. Man are those gaps huge between body panels.
Its a viper and I want you to get one. Just dont expect miricals out of the nearly 20 year old desighned gts. I stress this again. Much of the gts is based off of the gen 1 wich was desighned in the late 80s to early 90s with some tweaking for the gts model in the mid 90s.
The srt10 on the otherhand is a bonafied supercar. You can park it ne, t to a new lambo ect and it still looks like a newly desighned vehicle. Theres no surprises everything is world class. From the brakes to handling. While the interior still has a ways to go to compare to a ferrari it is much better than the gts.
Im sorry for ranting but these two are in differant leagues when it really comes down to it. Onlything they have in commonis the word viper.
Flamesuit activated
Dont look at pictures. Find a way to see em both side by side in real life and then tell me which is nicer
I loved my gen2 but theres really no comparison.
Btw... Drive a srt for a few days and see how many people think its a vette or a jag. SRT10 vipers have been graceing magazine and video game covers for 10 years now. People know exactly what they are and thats the new viper.
Only people who ever say srt10s look like vettes are gen2 owners.
Im on many differant car sites from bmws to camaros gtrs nsxs mustangs ect. The srt is held in ahigher requard than the gts. Thats the honest truth.
Is the gts simply amazeing for mid 90s technology. Yes it is. But when your driving her it will become very apparent thatmuch of the body was desighned back in 89. From huge huge huge gaps in the exterior to a hood that dosent close right tointerior peices that brake simply because your arm rested on it to headlights that no way were on a 80k car back in 02.
I loved the raw torque of my 99 but I feel that I was in love with a car before I actually knew it from pictures and 90s racing.
When I actually purchased my 99 I traded ina 51k c5 that had heads and cam at 400 rwhp. I couldnt belieave I now owned a 77k viper. Surely for 77k this car had to be amazeing at close to 30k more than the c5.
Nope. Almost died scrubbing speed from a 140 mph blast when I realized the cheap vette had much better brakes than the near 80k snake. Then there were many other little surprises that made me realize that lusting for this car in the mid 90s might as well have been a differant world compared to mid 2000s when I bought it. Yes the exterior shell looked just like the pictures from a distance. But man does the door opener look old. Man are those gaps huge between body panels.
Its a viper and I want you to get one. Just dont expect miricals out of the nearly 20 year old desighned gts. I stress this again. Much of the gts is based off of the gen 1 wich was desighned in the late 80s to early 90s with some tweaking for the gts model in the mid 90s.
The srt10 on the otherhand is a bonafied supercar. You can park it ne, t to a new lambo ect and it still looks like a newly desighned vehicle. Theres no surprises everything is world class. From the brakes to handling. While the interior still has a ways to go to compare to a ferrari it is much better than the gts.
Im sorry for ranting but these two are in differant leagues when it really comes down to it. Onlything they have in commonis the word viper.
Flamesuit activated
mnc2886
Enthusiast
Twister-
You make some very good points. I will say this. I see the Gen 2 Viper as a better "canvas" for me. Sure, the body construction isn't perfect, it isn't as fast, interior is lame, and the lights on the vehicle are very dated. However, think about the 69 Camaro. Back in 69, it wasn't anywhere close to where some of the restorations and custom projects have brought it today.
I hope for the same thing on a GTS when I get one. It will be my "canvas" that I restore to my version of Viper perfection.
I can tell you this....Most people will take a clean, restored, custom 69 Camaro over the new one. I hope for the same success with my ideas for my future Viper.
You make some very good points. I will say this. I see the Gen 2 Viper as a better "canvas" for me. Sure, the body construction isn't perfect, it isn't as fast, interior is lame, and the lights on the vehicle are very dated. However, think about the 69 Camaro. Back in 69, it wasn't anywhere close to where some of the restorations and custom projects have brought it today.
I hope for the same thing on a GTS when I get one. It will be my "canvas" that I restore to my version of Viper perfection.
I can tell you this....Most people will take a clean, restored, custom 69 Camaro over the new one. I hope for the same success with my ideas for my future Viper.
If you want a GTS, buy a GTS. I own a GTS and have also driven an SRT. I put 6K miles on my GTS last year and loved every single mile. I'm also sure I would have enjoyed an SRT-10 just as much.
Both cars drive fine, the performance is the same to the average driver, and both have a decent ride. I've had people comment on how GOOD the brakes are in my GTS. It's all relative.
I do have to say owning a Viper may make driving your other vehicles quite dull.
Both cars drive fine, the performance is the same to the average driver, and both have a decent ride. I've had people comment on how GOOD the brakes are in my GTS. It's all relative.
I do have to say owning a Viper may make driving your other vehicles quite dull.
IDM:
I'm in the Tampa area if you want to get together one day. I'll be glad to help another vette owner to come over to the dark side.
PM me and we can get together.
Is your Silver '01 Vette a ZO6 w/ a supercharger?
I apprecaite that, no it's a candy red stock body except for 19&20" HREs (too bad the Viper has a 6 lug pattern). I really appreciate that and will take you up on it.
Fatboy 18
Enthusiast
Gen 2 hit every button for me.
I dont like the newer Vipers Straight cut sides and being honest I dont care for the dash layout in the later cars. Sorry guys, we all have different tastes.
I dont like the newer Vipers Straight cut sides and being honest I dont care for the dash layout in the later cars. Sorry guys, we all have different tastes.
Paul Hawker
Enthusiast
If you live in Tampa you are going to want the SRT because the air conditioning works.
In GTS the A/C shuts off everytime you get on the throttle, and tends to ice up in humid conditions. The A/C must work full blast to just keep the interior liveable. It will not cool down a hot car in hot humid conditions.
The A/C in the SRT works much better, and will be appreciated.
In GTS the A/C shuts off everytime you get on the throttle, and tends to ice up in humid conditions. The A/C must work full blast to just keep the interior liveable. It will not cool down a hot car in hot humid conditions.
The A/C in the SRT works much better, and will be appreciated.
1992 - 1995 Gen 1 RT/10 Roadster only
1996 - 2002 Gen 2 RT/10 and GTS
2003 - 2005 Gen 3 SRT Convertible only
2006 Gen 3 SRT Coupe and Convertible
2008 - 2010 Gen 4 SRT Coupe and Convertible
2013 Gen 5 Coupe only (I believe)
As an aside, you should consider picking up a copy of the Viper Buyer's Guide. While it primary covers the Gen1's and 2's, it was published in 2004 so it covers the years you're looking for.
1996 - 2002 Gen 2 RT/10 and GTS
2003 - 2005 Gen 3 SRT Convertible only
2006 Gen 3 SRT Coupe and Convertible
2008 - 2010 Gen 4 SRT Coupe and Convertible
2013 Gen 5 Coupe only (I believe)
As an aside, you should consider picking up a copy of the Viper Buyer's Guide. While it primary covers the Gen1's and 2's, it was published in 2004 so it covers the years you're looking for.
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Honestly you park a 03 vert and 10 vert side by side and they are the same car. slightly differant hood and slightly differant wheels.
other than that they mirror eachother. Thats the lure of the 2003 to me. for around 40K you can get very close to the same experience as a brand new 91k 2010.
hood wheels and 90 HP are the things you get for another 50K.
The srt in its self is such a rare car. less than 10k made from 03-10. that the 03 will get every bit the same attention as the the 2010
GTS and rt10 defiently turn heads as well no doubt. A red GTS viewed from the 3 quarter rear view zooming down the freeway is a sight to see. Theres no doubt about that it is simply a beautiful desighn. the rt10 as well looks low in sinister from the rear.
But theres a differance from seeing them in pics or watching them zoom down the road and actually owning one. Atleaste for me. Im a perfectionist as far as exterior and man oh man trying to get that gen2 hood lined up perfectly over the headlights is simply insane. From the factory they are quite off.
All in how you look at it. If you compare a 96 gts to a 96 vette and 96 supra or even the 96 nsx then the GTS is simply on another level desighn wise. They all look boreing in comparison. even the mighty nsx
other than that they mirror eachother. Thats the lure of the 2003 to me. for around 40K you can get very close to the same experience as a brand new 91k 2010.
hood wheels and 90 HP are the things you get for another 50K.
The srt in its self is such a rare car. less than 10k made from 03-10. that the 03 will get every bit the same attention as the the 2010
GTS and rt10 defiently turn heads as well no doubt. A red GTS viewed from the 3 quarter rear view zooming down the freeway is a sight to see. Theres no doubt about that it is simply a beautiful desighn. the rt10 as well looks low in sinister from the rear.
But theres a differance from seeing them in pics or watching them zoom down the road and actually owning one. Atleaste for me. Im a perfectionist as far as exterior and man oh man trying to get that gen2 hood lined up perfectly over the headlights is simply insane. From the factory they are quite off.
All in how you look at it. If you compare a 96 gts to a 96 vette and 96 supra or even the 96 nsx then the GTS is simply on another level desighn wise. They all look boreing in comparison. even the mighty nsx
EllowViper
Enthusiast
GEN-II and GEN-III all have the same tail lights....if that helps your choice.
DrTaco
Viper Owner
Posted this link before, and while owning/driving IS different than just looking at pics, maybe this will help you and/or others in the future decide.
GTS and SRT10 side by side:
http://www.cartype.com/pages/2811/dodge_viper_comparison
GTS and SRT10 side by side:
http://www.cartype.com/pages/2811/dodge_viper_comparison
AbsolutHank
Enthusiast
Close, but not correct. 03-10 Vert tailights are unique...06-10 coupe tail lights are the same as Gen I & II RT/10 and GTS
georgethedog
Enthusiast
Is this still going on? Just get a Gen 3 and be done with it!
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