How does the drive experience stack up in 2013

[former345bhpLS1]

Hello,

I am a long time reader of the board (since 2000 I think), but I generally just read posts and learn more about the car. As my handle implies, I am a former C5 owner, but my best friend owned a red 1997 GTS from 1999-2003. During that time I completely fell in love with the car and had the privilege of putting about 3000 miles on it in the driver's seat. Since 2000 I have been dedicated to the idea of buying a Gen 2 GTS and having finished a long education (Orthopaedic spine surgery) I am finally getting to a place where it is affordable.

The big question is what is the ownership experience like after so many years. Is maintenance a big challenge with hard to find parts? Also, the car felt brutally fast back then, what's the seat of the pants impression like now that AMG mercedes run sub-4 second 0-60s? I figure that the responsiveness of the engine, the noise, and the vibration makes the car feel faster than the new generation of twin turbo V8s with electric steering and 300 lbs of sound deadening.

In any case, those of you who own newer sports cars as well, how has the perspective changed? My friend currently has a 2009 Z06 and that car doesn't feel as fast as I thought the 97 GTS did (likely my rose colored glasses). The Z06 is a great car, but it also doesn't seem to be as much fun. I'm torn between looking for a nice Gen 2 and holding out for a Gen 5 in a few years. The numbers are not so important to me, the priority is a fun and involving drive.

Thoughts? And thank you for tolerating the long post.

Best,

Nick

 

[Indy]

I've had two C5s, and the Viper is a completely different animal. It's absolutely brutal and raw. It might not be as fast as some modern sportscars (if you can call 4s 0-60 slow), but it's still a beast. Is it fun: YES! Is it involving: Probably more so than most cars out there
Buy a Gen2 now. You probably wont lose a lot of money if you decide to sell it in a few years.

 

[Viper Grenade]

Buy a Gen 2 and do a TT kit on it. A Twin Turbo Gen 2 is simply crazy. With over 1200hp, who cares if you add 200lbs in sound deading material to make it a bit more comfy, it's still going to be stupid fast. Then you can kick the crap out of that AMG, on the way to the bank to deposit the rest of the money you saved.

I had a C5 Z06, it's was junk.

 

[BlackSnake99]

I have a GTS with a Roe supercharger and I wouldn't trade it for any more modern sports car. The raw brutality of the original Viper is what I like. Rest assured that it is still as much fun as it was in 2000. Your question is akin to asking if driving a 427 Cobra is as much fun as it was 15 years ago. Certain things never go out of style.

 

[dru282]

I think you answered your own question. The experience doesn't change. You remember how it felt compared to other cars. I was always a vette guy but there is nothing like driving a gen 2. Just look at what you said in your question. There is your answer.

 

[dru282]

I think you answered your own question. The experience doesn't change. You remember how it felt compared to other cars. I was always a vette guy but there is nothing like driving a gen 2. Just look at what you said in your question. There is your answer.

 

[gage]

I think this is my first post... But either way I think I'm in a unique position to help you out. I just got myself a '97 GTS last week and its got some mild mods but nothing crazy, mainly a catback... so it's not far off from how it would be in 97.

My car before this was a 2006 GTO. 400hp, still couldn't touch the GTS in performance but I supercharged it. The car had a good motor for it and put down 551rwhp and 508rwtq (over 500tq from 2500rpm to 5500rpm). It would smoke the tires through third gear and would be alot of fun. But if you weren't in boost, the car was a kitten. Engine was still stock so the cam was nice and friendly, the exhaust setup I did wasn't aggressive so it only wailed if you hit the loud pedal, etc. I also lost traction control since the GTO TC system was junk and would just disable itself if you hit the gas lol

My Viper for now may be a bit less in the HP department, but the personality is totally different. The car is a beast all the time. There is no split personality. The Viper doesn't take its medication. It is always crazy, always ready to go. I love cars in general and wouldn't begrudge an AMG/Lambo/Vette but I really don't think they will come near the raw craziness of a Viper. So you have to ask yourself if you want that craziness. After a year of research I decided I did, and am very glad I took the plunge

 

[Indy]

Don't forget. The C5 has traction control, stability control (later years) and ABS. In the Viper, your right foot will have to do the job of these systems (unless you get a 01+ for ABS). It's much closer to a pure race car. Although I have to say, for a daily driver, the Vette is a no brainer to drive

 

[MoparMap]

Yeah, there's just something about cars I found out when looking around myself. I had purchased a 2000 Jaguar XKR to commute to work with and was plenty happy when I got it. I'm used to old cars (like 40 years old, lol), so the Jag was light years ahead in technology and had all the options I've never had, heated seats, automatic climate control, cruise control, power windows and locks, awesome stereo, etc.. It's main curse was that it was an auto (can't even buy a stick shift). The other thing was that it was just too plain if you drive it around normally. If you stood on it and got the boost going it would liven up and feel sporty, but for regular driving it was just kind of bland. Looked at replacing it with a new Challenger and test drove both a 5.7 and a 6.4 Hemi. The 5.7 had the same sort of issue, it was just plain docile driving around normally. The 6.4 on the other hand always felt like it was tugging at the reins a little, like it was just egging you on to go faster. In the end the Challenger just felt like too big a car and I'm used to 2 seaters, so I started looking for a Viper. My mom's 94 has that same tug at the reins feeling, it just always wants to go fast. My 04 feels a little more refined, but still pretty much brute force. What always gets me with driving the Vipers is that they feel so slow around corners, in a good way. I'll take a country highway with 40 mph corners and if you drive them at 40 you'd think you were driving 20 in a school zone. The car feels right at home plowing around them at 60, it's just so planted.

 

[DrumrBoy]

As was suggested earlier, buy a Gen 2 now.....try it for a while.....it'll get under your skin either in a good way or a bad way, but in either case you'll have your answer and won't lose much (if any) money if you decide to sell it. For me, I have a C3 big block (drives like a truck, big stinky carb etc), a C5Z and a C6Z and a pair of GTSs. I could part easily with the C6Z as its a nice car but I'm not attached to it the way I am to the GTS. I also like the C5Z but its nothing like the GTS in terms of seat of the pants excitement. Get one, and make your own call!