I tired of people crying

[mach4444]

about how rough and stiff vipers ride and about how they handle.
Is it just me or has the rest of the world been wussified?

sure it doesn't ride like a Lincoln, but its not supposed to.
I put a lot of miles on my car (53,000 in 4 years) and I am still loving it.

the ride is not overly stiff and the seats are superb. A great place to spend a few hours.

me and my girl did a 500 mile trip Saturday and she was very surprised at how comfortable it was for the long haul (her first time in the car for more than 30 mins or so).

Maybe I am just jaded from a lifetime of fast cars and bikes, but I just don't get it.

It came to a head tonight when I ran into a guy with a new zr1 getting gas.

he loved the look of the vipers but thought they rode "to hard to be usable anywhere but at the track".

which version snake did he test drive?

NONE, he was going by what OTHER people have said and what he has read.
he heard they beat you up and leave you soaked and exhausted.

He couldn't be more wrong.

so while we are talking a very attractive brunette comes over and asks me what kind of car I was driving.
its a 2000 viper, I say. "its so beautiful".
yea, I know that's one of the reasons I bought it. after some small talk she heads on her way.

MR. zr1 says" I had this car for 6 weeks and not 1 woman has asked me what I was driving, has that happened before?"

pretty much every time I go out, its a Viper......

and it rides perfect........

 

[johniew398]

I own a 2008 Viper ACR and a 2009 ZR1. I'll take the Viper any day for pure fun and the ZR1 if I was going on a long road trip.

I have had one person taking a picture of the ZR1 and can't count the # of times people take a picture of the Viper.

 

[goldcup]

Im with you my wife just got a new Navigator and every time she or my Corvette friend rides in the car whine whine whine!!!!It is nothing for me to spend 10-12 hours in my GenII on a saturday with only breaks for gas and bathroom,best chiropractor/psychologist known to man.

 

[Viper ACR]

I agree, so many reports say how harsh the Viper is .I love it and doesn't bother me one bit and I have a horrible back . I have pain meds for back pain that I take when I work long days . But I never need to use them on Viper trips . My back doesn't bother me at all . Its no better or worse then the zo6 I had . Personally I like the ride and interior of the SRT more than the Z or my GTS . It feels a bit tighter which I enjoy . Don't feel like I am gonna slide around the cockpit when I'm cornering hard .

 

[97snk]

I always tell the people who ride with me that it's a race car and was meant for racing not luxury. They don't whine much after that...

 

[eucharistos]

it is better from the driver's seat,

and i warn people sometimes that it is a street legal race car

but yes, "the rest of the world been wussified"

i think vipers fit like a glove, i can drive mine all day long




"put on your bike helmet, we are approaching a speed bump"

 

[TrackAire]

Went to a EuroSunday event this weekend with the wife, put on about 150 miles of driving. She made the comment on how smooth the car rode...I always thought it rode a lot smoother than I really expected when I first got the beast. And honestly, the seats look like they would kill you after 30 minutes, but they have been awesome. Next to my H1 seats, these are the most comfortable seats of any of my current vehicles.

What was cool was the higher than normal number of waves, thumbs up and smiles that other motorist were giving us. My wife was really not expecting this much positive attention.

Considering the size of the low profile tires and the handling capabilites of the Viper, it rides very smooth.

Cheers,
George

 

[RTTTTed]

After driving cross-continent 3 times in my 01 GTS, once in my 98 GTS and 3,000mi. home from Phoenix, Az. in my ACR I can tell you that the ride is perfect! I've never felt that I'm gonna roll or 'fall' off the road like whenever I drove the wife's Excape. I also insisted that the escape 'go away' after hitting a little Deer and getting $7,000 damage that the insurance co. wouldn't believe that hitting a Deer would burn out the $4,500 electronic transmission. Stupid little tiny ABS braking system wouldn't stop the POS. Now I either drive one of my Vipers, my Stealth R/T TT or the Wife's new Dodge Ram. I also hit a Moose and 3 Deer in my Ford F150 (although Deer damage was usually only $250.

Don't have to hit Deer or Moose in my Dodge's. They ALL ride great and stop on a dime, not like those junker Lincolns and Fords. My motto is "Don't hit them, drive a Dodge and Dodge 'em". Seriously!

My wife has "motion sickness issues" and driving passenger seat in my Viper's has gifted her with being able to look into her lap and play with my Nav system now. I say the car rides Perfect and she says it rides worse than a 1 ton. See, Perfect!

4,000+ mi trip to SLC for VOI 11 this fall.

Ted

 

[BolsOut]

I'm still tickled about how pleasant the ride is in my car. Its not Lexus Smooth, but it surely aint bone-jarring either.

Anyone who complains just aint EVER gonna get it.

 

[Roy]

why do people buy sportscars at all, if they don't want a bumpy ride. Cadillac has a zr1 engined coupe, this is smooth and fast, go buy that stupid thing if you want fast smoothness!
If you want the ride to stay on the road in curves, be fast on the track and just be fast, with the excitement of wind, noise and power, buy a Viper.
End of story.

 

[swexlin]

I drive a 04 Ram 3500 CTD as my daily driver!! I had no issues at all driving home 250 miles, or 100 miles at a stretch in the Viper. Lack of cruise control doesn't bother me, as I rarely use it in my Charger SRT8 or the truck anyway.

I think the Viper rides just fine. It's fun.

 

[v10enomous]

The reason I got my GTS is that the previous owner traded it in on a CTS-V after owning the Viper for only a couple of years. The Viper is just not a car for the masses. The Corvette isn't really for the masses either but it's an easier car to drive and own and therefore it has a wider appeal.

My wife loves the way my GTS rides and even though she's not very car savvy, she has come to really appreciate the car.

The Viper has a well earned reputation and that's what people who own them like but that's what others don't like.

It's a Shock and Awe type of car... That's what I like about it.

why do people buy sportscars at all, if they don't want a bumpy ride. Cadillac has a zr1 engined coupe, this is smooth and fast, go buy that stupid thing if you want fast smoothness!
If you want the ride to stay on the road in curves, be fast on the track and just be fast, with the excitement of wind, noise and power, buy a Viper.
End of story.

 

[paul fettig]

Sunday, took my 2001 rt10 out for its Sunday morning walk on the highway. Saw my 65 year old neighbor out for a walk and offered her a ride. Sun was out, sky was clear and the top was down. Took her for a 10 minute ride and she loved it. She commented on how nice the ride was.

My son has a 94 RT10 lowered. I must admit when you ride in that, it is not as nice a ride as my 2001.

In either case, we did not buy these cars for the ride. A good ride was a bonus.

 

[HyperViper]

Might as well get used to the comments of the ill informed. Me, I'm loving my Snake and could care less what other people think.

 

[SquadX]

the ladies love a stiff ride

 

[Dom426h]

I dont think the gen 2 is harsh at all. Prettymuch ANY car with coilovers rides stffer than a viper with stock springs&shocks.

I have eibach springs and adjusted my stock koni shocks to half stiff. Even with this setup it is plenty comfortable for me on the street.

Seats:
My Vipers seats are more comfortable than my wifes mazda3. The 3's seats have a firm bottom that leaves you with a numb a$$ after and hour of driving. The vipers seats are pathetically soft for a sportscar IMO, but i do enjoy them for long trips.

The one place where the Vipers comfort could lack for some is Road Noise, Vibrations & exhaust sound. Especially when were talking about a 96-00 (708cam) with headers and full exhaust. I personally love it for crusing around, showing off, raceing, ect..., but sometimes i just wish i had a switch to flip to stock mufflers to give my ears a break
In contrast, a creampuff(00-02) with stock exhaust, there is no prob in that departement.

It amazes me how drasticaly diff vipers can be. Comparing the above two(modded96-99 to a stock 00-02) is like night and day IMO. Mild to Wild. Wish i could have both
I can see how someone could experience just one then make a judgment on all vipers... I love when im at a carshow and i overhear someone say: "yea, but it sounds like a UPS truck" I walk up and say hold that thought sir. Fire up the beast and make him look like a Fool

 

[wikkid]

Picking up my new to me SRT/10 tomorrow in Florida and driving it home to Chicago. Being 6'3" tall, we'll see how confy it is. I know it wont be as confy as my ZO6, but ive never ******* about a rough ride. I love feeling every crack in the road. Then again im a little nuts to start with LOL

 

[RTTTTed]

comfy is an opinion though. My Stealth TT has Eibachs and GAB shocks instead of the electonic controlled susp (sport/tour settings). My 01 GTS has Eibach springs and my 00 ACR has the stock springs which ride softer than the Eibachs. I love a great handling car.

I drove my Shelby Daytona last month and hated it. "Slushy" is how it rides compared to my other cars.

Ted

 

[Paul Hawker]

Nothing like a nice set of Motons to smooth out the ride.

The rear shocks have only a very little stroke to control the suspension. Better shocks go a long way.

 

[TAILWAG]

stiff ride???????????? I have full motons and eibachs...THAT is a stiff ride, but I would not have it any other way (that sounded weird). The suspension on my 08 Viper makes the suspension on the Z06 feel like a cadillac.

 

[Twister]

stock srt10 suspension rides very nice..But with the lowered eibacs (spelling) it rides pretty hard to me..

 

[RedEnuf93]

I dont really care what other people say about my Viper.
Thats why they are driving a Lexus and I am not.
Period.

 

[Bolt]

I dont really care what other people say about my Viper.
Thats why they are driving a Lexus and I am not.
Period.

Ditto!



I love the hard ride. My other DD is a one ton truck. It does not get much stiffer than that.

 

[swexlin]

I'm the same as bolt. My daily is a 2004 Ram 3500 Quadcab Dually 4x4 Cummins TD! Like he said, not a limo! But FUN!

 

[Mopar488]

Most people that complain about how a Viper rides have never even sat in one. If you want to go the grocery store for milk, a Vette is better. If you want to go balls to the wall and set a record, a Viper is better.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

I dont really care what other people say about my Viper.
Thats why they are driving a Lexus and I am not.
Period.

+1

My mom and dad were surprised at how smooth my 98 drove. And if anyone was gonna be critical it would be my parents.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

Is it just me or has the rest of the world been wussified?

Prepare for more wussification. We now have tire pressure sensors, drive by wire and a cupholder. TC is coming.

 

[SSGSNAKE]

I took my car out for the first time yesterday. The weather in new england is finally good enough. I have had many cars and I think the car is awesom. Rides and handles like a sports car is supposed to. I have had many cars, vets etc. I do not think it rides bad at all The car is great.