Just bought a 05 SRT-10

[INSOMNIAC]

I just bought a brand new 05 SRT-10 today. I had to drive the Viper through heavy traffic coming home and it was very exhausting.
I thought I would post a thread about how happy I was with my new Viper and how I loved the car but that didn't happen here.

I have a 550 HP 2003 Corvette Z06 and I had my mind set on selling the vette and buying an 05 SRt-10. I test drove the SRT-10 twice before I bought it.
I parked the Viper right next to my Z06, drove the Z06 and then drove the Viper again. I sat in the Z06 for a while and then sat in the Viper as long as I could resist to the heat.
I want to give the Viper back to the dealer. Can I do it or do I have to **** it up? I called the manager at the dealer and left him a message.

Has anybody returned a car back to the dealer the day after they bought it?

Please comment.


ART

 

[SRTRICKY]

Do what I did keep both! The heat issues are gone if you upgrade the exhaust and get some high flow cats. Give the car a chance!! I agree with you the Vette is more comfortable but the Viper is just a beast to drive and is a lot more exclusive!

 

[Casey]

Swap out the exhaust and it will be much better.

Then sell the Zo6, take the change and let Heffner's Performance throw a TT kit on it! You'll feel alot better then!

 

[Y2K5SRT]

I had to drive the Viper through heavy traffic coming home and it was very exhausting.

The car is not designed for "heavy traffic" unless you are talking a track. It is out of it's element. Get it out on the open highway, some nice twisties, and other settings fit for the Viper. Heavy traffic ain't it.

I sat in the Z06 for a while and then sat in the Viper as long as I could resist to the heat.

The car is meant to be driven, not as a place to hang out. It heats up more than most at a standstill, but is pretty reasonable once under way. A/C works great too.

I want to give the Viper back to the dealer. Can I do it or do I have to **** it up? I called the manager at the dealer and left him a message.

Has anybody returned a car back to the dealer the day after they bought it?

I suspect this will be difficult to do, but who knows. It would appear that the Viper is definitely not the right car for you. Best of luck on the transaction.

 

[SnakeEye]

Getting rid of the excess cabin heat is as easy as dumping the stock exhaust and crossover err heater and having the Corsa Track System installed.

 

[INSOMNIAC]

I was already thinking of installing full length headers, high flow cats and Corsa track exhaust with nice tips. That would probably lower the cabin heat, huh.

After letting the car sit for a while, I opened the hood and touched the intake. It was freaking hot. Even the air filters up front are very hot. Correct me if I'm wrong but you don't want an engine hot on the intake side. Maybe the stock radiator is not enough or the stock thermostat needs to be changed. You can drive the hell out of a stock Z06 and put your hand on the intake immediately and to your surprise you will find it's not hot at all. Probably a bigger, better radiator and a lower degree thermostat might help?

The driver side is very tight. You sit in a twisted position. Your legs are twisted to the left. The pedals are very small and very close to each other. I stepped on the brake couple times trying to step on either the clutch or gas. And the dead pedal is a joke. How do you fix the problem with the pedals? The seat only moves front-back and the back can be tilted. That's it. I'm 6' and 180 lbs. I'm not that big but still I feel very umcomfortable and confined while driving the Viper. Especially in the legs.

The interior needs a lot of modification. The climate control *****. The stereo needs to go. You will say hey, it's designed for track not for comfortabke driving but the what's up with the funny electric adjustable pedals. I mean before putting electric adjustable pedals in the car, put electric height adjustable seats, road computer, etc.

Oh well.

 

[PRVT JET]

Not to be a ****, but if you are that picky about things, the Viper is not for you! It will bug the hell out of you about the dumbest things that the factory could have fixed. To me, all those things are gone with a turn of a key!

 

[TCKTPLZ]

The driver side is very tight. You sit in a twisted position. Your legs are twisted to the left. The pedals are very small and very close to each other. I stepped on the brake couple times trying to step on either the clutch or gas. And the dead pedal is a joke. How do you fix the problem with the pedals? The seat only moves front-back and the back can be tilted. That's it. I'm 6' and 180 lbs. I'm not that big but still I feel very umcomfortable and confined while driving the Viper. Especially in the legs.

The interior needs a lot of modification. The climate control *****. The stereo needs to go. You will say hey, it's designed for track not for comfortabke driving but the what's up with the funny electric adjustable pedals. I mean before putting electric adjustable pedals in the car, put electric height adjustable seats, road computer, etc.

Just a question, no flame intended, but if you find this much wrong with the car, why did you buy it? A lot of what you mentioned should have been identified within your two test drives.

 

[INSOMNIAC]

Just a question, no flame intended, but if you find this much wrong with the car, why did you buy it? A lot of what you mentioned should have been identified within your two test drives.

You have a very solid point here

Guys don't get me wrong here. I love the way the car looks. It just looks awesome. I like the V10 big engine. I have problems with what's inside.
I didn't feel this uncomfortable while test driving it. It could be bacause of heavy traffic.

I didn't get ******* the Viper as it had 4 miles when I picked it up and needs the break in period. My Z06 with 550 HP seemed to pull harder than the SRT-10 but then once I modify the SRT-10 it would be even better.

I guess I can make it work for me by investing some $$ in the Viper and modifying the hell out of it.

 

[SRTRICKY]

So you went for two test drives but it didn't come to you to maybe just maybe take one into the same type of trafic pattern you will be in regularly? The pedals, the feel on the inside with your legs being twisted, etc. like TCKTPLZ said could have easily been figured out by just sitting in the car not even driving it!

 

[SnakeEye]

I didn't get ******* the Viper as it had 4 miles when I picked it up and needs the break in period. My Z06 with 550 HP seemed to pull harder than the SRT-10 but then once I modify the SRT-10 it would be even better.

3.55's really wake the car up, if you need more you could always look at Paxton for north of 750hp...that should help you dwell less on the Corvette.

 

[monnieh]

The driver side is very tight. You sit in a twisted position. Your legs are twisted to the left. The pedals are very small and very close to each other. I stepped on the brake couple times trying to step on either the clutch or gas. And the dead pedal is a joke. How do you fix the problem with the pedals? The seat only moves front-back and the back can be tilted. That's it. I'm 6' and 180 lbs. I'm not that big but still I feel very umcomfortable and confined while driving the Viper. Especially in the legs.

The interior needs a lot of modification. The climate control *****. The stereo needs to go. You will say hey, it's designed for track not for comfortabke driving but the what's up with the funny electric adjustable pedals. I mean before putting electric adjustable pedals in the car, put electric height adjustable seats, road computer, etc.

Just a question, no flame intended, but if you find this much wrong with the car, why did you buy it? A lot of what you mentioned should have been identified within your two test drives.

This guy must be execmalibu's cousin.

 

[vincent_esq]

When I first bought my viper last December, I was pretty disappointed in it myself. I had never been offered an opportunity to test drive it. I sat in it for a couple minutes twice, but that's it. Physically speaking, I am the opposite of you, Art. I am 5'4" and 135lbs. Thus, coming from an acura nsx, which fitted me like a glove. I had views everywhere and the car was freaking comfortable. It behaved like a honda accord most of the time, and with some mods, sounded like a tiger when you wanted to. Going into the viper, I felt blind and REALLY short. I barely had a rear view. But then again, there is really no rear view no matter how tall you are. Even at 5'4", my head was only about 3-4" from the soft top. It was freaking hot inside the car even in December weather, and the radio sucked like you say. Guess what, Corsa track will make the heat go away 70%. With the top up, and AC on (AC not that great), but will cool you comfotably. With the top down, as long as you are moving at least 10mph, you can adjust the wind to go down your face and body with the visors. I installed the RB-1 navigation and a cd changer, new $100 speakers and it sounds very decent. I have gotten use to my seating (still feels the nsx has much better seating) and feel that DC should have included seat height adjusters. However, I CAN NEVER GO BACK. My GOD, the grin on me everytime I drive it. The looks from everyone..... and then, everyone wants to race you. I use to have to prove myself in the nsx because the integras and preludes loved to try to race me. In the viper, I don't feel the need to prove to anyone anything. I love seeing the mustangs and vettes trying to provoke me.
Give it sometime. Mine is an "almost" daily driver, and I've had a couple of traffic jams, and they were really draining like you say. However, they are really not made for traffic jams like Chris says. I have a feeling that in a couple weeks of ownership, you will accept the few shortcomings of the viper and accept all of the "greatness" that it has to offer. I can honestly say that I have never been so happy with such a purchase as my viper, but it took me a couple of weeks to fully appreciate it. Good luck.

 

[INSOMNIAC]

When I first bought my viper last December, I was pretty disappointed in it myself. I had never been offered an opportunity to test drive it. I sat in it for a couple minutes twice, but that's it. Physically speaking, I am the opposite of you, Art. I am 5'4" and 135lbs. Thus, coming from an acura nsx, which fitted me like a glove. I had views everywhere and the car was freaking comfortable. It behaved like a honda accord most of the time, and with some mods, sounded like a tiger when you wanted to. Going into the viper, I felt blind and REALLY short. I barely had a rear view. But then again, there is really no rear view no matter how tall you are. Even at 5'4", my head was only about 3-4" from the soft top. It was freaking hot inside the car even in December weather, and the radio sucked like you say. Guess what, Corsa track will make the heat go away 70%. With the top up, and AC on (AC not that great), but will cool you comfotably. With the top down, as long as you are moving at least 10mph, you can adjust the wind to go down your face and body with the visors. I installed the RB-1 navigation and a cd changer, new $100 speakers and it sounds very decent. I have gotten use to my seating (still feels the nsx has much better seating) and feel that DC should have included seat height adjusters. However, I CAN NEVER GO BACK. My GOD, the grin on me everytime I drive it. The looks from everyone..... and then, everyone wants to race you. I use to have to prove myself in the nsx because the integras and preludes loved to try to race me. In the viper, I don't feel the need to prove to anyone anything. I love seeing the mustangs and vettes trying to provoke me.
Give it sometime. Mine is an "almost" daily driver, and I've had a couple of traffic jams, and they were really draining like you say. However, they are really not made for traffic jams like Chris says. I have a feeling that in a couple weeks of ownership, you will accept the few shortcomings of the viper and accept all of the "greatness" that it has to offer. I can honestly say that I have never been so happy with such a purchase as my viper, but it took me a couple of weeks to fully appreciate it. Good luck.

I think I'm in the same boat you were.

And it's not a fair comparison here either. On one hand I have my 03 Z06 which I modified the hell out of it. And on the other hand Viper SRT-10. Stock vs stock SRT-10 is better hands down.

As you said, I think it will take me a little time and some nice weather cruises to get used to it.

Now, it just needs to stop raining in San Francisco.

 

[INSOMNIAC]

This guy must be execmalibu's cousin.

Hey, who is execmalibu?


"That guy"

 

[LW VIPER]

I just bought a brand new 05 SRT-10 today. I had to drive the Viper through heavy traffic coming home and it was very exhausting.
I thought I would post a thread about how happy I was with my new Viper and how I loved the car but that didn't happen here.

I have a 550 HP 2003 Corvette Z06 and I had my mind set on selling the vette and buying an 05 SRt-10. I test drove the SRT-10 twice before I bought it.
I parked the Viper right next to my Z06, drove the Z06 and then drove the Viper again. I sat in the Z06 for a while and then sat in the Viper as long as I could resist to the heat.
I want to give the Viper back to the dealer. Can I do it or do I have to **** it up? I called the manager at the dealer and left him a message.

Has anybody returned a car back to the dealer the day after they bought it?

Please comment.


ART

Might be too early to make that decision. I've gone from Vette to Viper to Vette to Viper. While the Z06 is far more civilized than our SRTs, once you have driven the Viper a couple of thousand miles, and gotten used to it, I suspect you are going to love it.

In our State there is no "cooling off" period, which means that once you drive the vehicle off the lot, it's yours, and you will lose money bringing it back. However, review your contract carefully, as you might have the ability to take it back. Certainly don't put any more miles on it until you know.

 

[TCKTPLZ]

This guy must be execmalibu's cousin.

Hey, who is execmalibu?


"That guy"

http://vca2.viperclub.org/forums/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB14&Number=542560&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1

He is a disgruntled, one-handed CAPS CLOWN that shifts with his d**k. (Inside joke )

On a more serious note, I don't really see what most people find uncomfortable about these cars. I have driven many types sportscars, including C3, C4, and C5 Vettes, and out of all of them, I find the Viper just as comfortable.

Articles in magazines try to make this car out to be some untolerable POS. They chide the interior, handling, quality, etc. After reading a few articles you start to believe that perhaps it could be true, but one you drive it and get to know the car this is not the case.

For instance, people often say the AC in these cars are crap. Well, I live out it the middle of nowehere in the driest and hottest part of the U.S. and I think the AC is just fine. So fine in fact that when I go out for summer drives to Death Valley I take my snake instead of my convertible. The AC blows nice and cold and the hardtop prevents the sun from beating down on my head. Sure the sills might get a little hot, but going 150+ mph seems to make you forget about that.

Give the car a chance. It will never be the cruiser that your Vette is, but if you give it try and attempt to understand what the car is you certainly will have a lot more fun with it than with any Vette.

 

[Muzz B Yellow]

I find the Viper rides like my Dodge One Ton Dually Turbo Diesel.....Love IT!

 

[Herc]

Much more comfortable than my 97 Porsche TT, talk about
tight foot well and small pedals. I am 6'2 and all of the
Vetts I have driven were tight on the inside. If you are
tall get the 1" seat lowering kit, great. If you have a
problem with the heat, I got the RT free flow cats and the
Corsa track with a CCI 3 disk insert for the db. Drove it
hard the other day and could put my hand on the side sill
without being burned, almost cool, it also made a BIG
difference in the inside temp. I have owned 6 different
911's, from Andial 79 Turbo to 97 TT and my 05 Viper is
my favorite.


Herc

 

[Sellshomesdrivesviper]

I was never given the chance to test drive it, and it arrives today, so please don't spoil my day.

 

[2charmed]

I have had both Vipers and Z06s, (I currently have two Z06s, one heavily modified and one close to stock)

I recently sold my SRT-10, I was really looking forward to the Coupe, until there was no HP bump.

As for your concerns, you have a BIG BLOCK with 500 + street legal HP! I have two OLD BIG BLOCK Vettes and they BOTH RUN VERY HOT!

As for the pedals being close, and sitting slightly to the side, that's because it's a street legal race car! I wish the pedals were CLOSER in my Zs!

As for fitting in the Viper, it depends on how big you are? I am 5 10 and fit just fine, the SRT seemed easy enough to drive to me? It does not have quite as many creature comforts as the Z, and it does not have traction control, but in traffic that should not matter, at least it's a Convetable which you can't get in the Z!

As for returning it, I doubt the dealer will take it back, they don't have to, it's now a used car. If you can afford it, keep both, they are different animals and enjoyable in their own ways!

Best Wishes,

2Charmed

 

[ViperInBlack]

Art:

You note several things which are important to anyone considering the purchase of a Viper.
a. It can be driven daily but 80% of those responding to a survey said that they would not use it for that purpose
b. The Viper should never (yet continues to be) compared to a Corvette which has more grand touring characteristics and is meant for a broader audience
c. 75% of those who buy a Viper Convertible are going to race it "occasionally"; the average Corvette convertible buyer will never see the track nor did the average purchaser of a Corvette convertible ever consider doing so.
d. Driving a Viper is not passive experience. You refer to it as feeling beat up after the drive, and that is not an uncommon subjective report.
e. As recently as two years ago in this City, getting a test drive in a Viper with cash in hand was not possible, especially if it was a non-Dodge dealership with a used GTS or RT/10.
f. If you live in high traffic congestion, the Viper is unpleasant to drive. Even if you eliminate the cabin heat (quite easy), it is not a comfortable cabin for rush hour commutes.

My experience and recommendation is to have one or more Vipers in the stable, have another cool (or conservative, your choice) car for daily drudgery, and have fun with the Viper(s) when you have more open road access.

I do not see the Corvette and the Viper...the Viper and the Porsche...the Viper and the NSX (etc etc) as comparable decision. The Viper is in a league of its own, but it is perfectly alright to feel that this is not an experience which interests you. It is not inexpensive.

P.S. If you are going to take a hit on this purchase, why not use it as an occasional driver for a few months, keep the miles down and resell it if you still feel the same way? And best of luck with your decision.

 

[Ken Lally]

These are some great comments, some of the best I have seen...

Insomniac, I can totally relate - I drive barefoot only now 'cause I inadvertantly hit the wrong pedals, I never drive in any traffic, and the heat off the motor warms up my entire garage when I park!

The SRT really has to be a weekend toy, which is why I bought it, I've gotten past the little things that bugged me, and afte 2 Months I still have not seen what the car can do as it only has 250mls on it......

It is beautiful though, and rare on the streets, the eyeballs are on you.

You should base you decision on your driving intentions for the car... daily driver? Sell.

Weekend toy. Keep!!

Ken

 

[INSOMNIAC]

Thanks for all the great comments.

I bought the Viper to be my weekend toy and to go out road racing and drag racing with it. That's what my Z06 is for too. The Z06 with the full length race headers, straight pipes, B&B exhaust, ported heads, wild cam and tons of other goodies is far away from being a daily driver running on 100 octane race gas. That's what the Viper will be soon.

I got in the Viper again last night and took the top down and drove it in the garage. With the top down, the car feels more spacious. At least you can see the rear for a change.

I think I will keep the Viper. Just looking at the Viper from the outside makes me feel good. I'll sell the Z06 and modify the hell out of the SRT-10.

Thanks for all the input. I'll need you guys help on finding the right parts to modify it. So I'll be posting here for a long time.

Now, I need to figure out how to post or upload pics and change my status to Viper owner.

 

[ViperInBlack]

Ken:

I could not agree more. There are those (age and locale) for whom this can be a daily driver, and I suspect with rare exception, you can plot daily use based upon youth and open roads. In order to get the car seven miles to the office last week, my husband took back streets. Nonetheless the traffic was so bad "after" rush hour (deliberately left late) that this seven mile trip took just shy of 45 minutes. We do not see it as a commuter in this section of this City. Our highways are parking lots...ten lanes of stopped vehicles.

It should (have) never be(en) compared to a Corvette or a Porsche which are very docile in stock form; they should be the primary car, and the Viper should be your fun toy.

Where finances permit, I agree with Ricky; keep the Corvette and the Viper.

 

[Lawrenzo]

I'll give you $65K for it, problem solved

 

[dirk989]

Just a few thoughts here.

I have an 04 and yes I use it as a daily driver. I also took it on a 1500 mile round trip with my 8 year old son.

I think the reports of how the ride will beat you up are terribly exaggerated, or maybe the people giving this information would prefer a DeVille. It is a comfortable car to travel in, not plush or soothing, but definitely comfortable.

As for rush hour type traffic, no true sports car handles that well. Anytime you are spending time pushing the clutch and going a few feet at a time it is frustrating. I spent 4 hours in gridlock in Atlanta and it didn't kill me.

No a Viper is not a Vette, nor is it a station wagon, luxury sedan or a Winnebago. It was made for a different mission than any of those. While the Z06 can be made to be an impressive track car, its original focus is oriented far more towards the guy who likes to cruise in psuedo luxury.

When you first sit in the Viper it is easy to notice a lot of rough edges. The cockpit feels uncomfortable and the vision is odd. That feeling comes from the fact that it is quite different from most other things you may drive. When I first bought my Lotus Esprit TT, sight unseen, I sat down and thought it was the most cramped, uncomfortable place I had ever visited. When I sold it, 15,000 miles later, I felt it was the MOST comfortable cockpit I had ever been in. Now I feel the same way about the Viper. When you get used to it and get some seat time I believe your opinion will be drastcally different. For the record I'm about 6'3 and 210 lbs.

Everytime I get a new car my son tells me how he liked the old one better, until he gets used to the new one. Give it some time and I will bet you will react the same way.

Yes, the stereo suxx. Apparently changing the door speakers will help. Face it though, when you do any exhaust work then this car is going to be too loud to be used as a place to sit and enjoy the full aural experience of a fine stereo system.

I happen to think the climate control is very, very good. I've driven in cold weather, and (Omigawd!) even snow and ice. With that big engine heating is not a problem. I've also driven in 100 degree Indiana summer heat. No problems. I've had no problems with maintaining a constant temp and keeping the windows from fogging.

Unless you are expecting the same comfort level as a stretched Maybach, then I'm sure you'll be fine with the Viper. Just give it some time. In the mean time stand back and look at it when the sun or moon hits it just right. Take a nice cruise on a twisty road with the top down. Enjoy.

Dirk

 

[vegas guy]

Insomniac, Give the car sometime. "Vincent esq" and I took delivery of our Vipers around the same time. The first mods we did was to install a Corsa Track exhaust and K&N intake. You can't beleive how much of a difference this will make in the cabin and sill temps. I live in San Mateo and if your going to install your own exhaust I would be happy to show you some tricks that will save you some time and frustration. The more you drive it the more comfortable you will be with the car. My first reaction was "what have I gotten myself into" I took mine out for a run last weekend down 101 and then thru some twisties on 156 it was so much fun to let that dog hunt! Yeah I was a little beat up and sunburned when I got home but what a rush! I can't wait until this weekend.

 

[ViperInBlack]

David is correct. The car feels foreign at first. In my first drive, I sensed that "this thing is hot, has no visibility, wants to wander all over the road, and sounds like a UPS truck," but you get good at it...more skilled...and you feel that it is more of a driving experience. If you use it like Vincent and David, it is really a great experience. Again, it is not a Corvette, nor a Toyota Corrolla.

 

[INSOMNIAC]

I agree with you that I should give it some time. I'm sure once I start modifying it and customizing it to fit me better, most of the problems will go away.

I would like to clarify couple comments though.
- Comparing Viper to Z06 : "Viper should not be compared to the Z06" Well, the whole world is comparing the Viper to the Z06. They are in the same league. Overall the Viper is better looking and better performing while the Z06 is $30k cheaper, more civilised, more comfortable, more technologic.

- Harsh ride : What do you talking about? Viper rides fine for a real sports car. You should see how my Z06 rides with T1 suspension. I lift a tire every time I enter a garage ramp or gas station ramp. I have no problems at all with the way it rides.

- Interior : Z06 has a much better interior. Period. The Z06 doesn't have electric adjustable pedals but it has heads-up display, digital climate control, memory and electric seats, on-board computer, etc. The new one will have a optional Navigation, heated seats, g-meter, etc.

- Looks : Viper is better looking hands down. The new C6 looks ugly and the C5 Z06 won't turn heads like a Viper.

- Performance : Stock vs Stock, Viper is better than the C5 Z06. Better but more demanding handling, better acceleration, more HP, more TQ, better brakes, better rear end, better weight distribution.

- Technology : The Z06 is light years ahead of the Viper in this area. In addition to the cool features like the heads-up display, on-board computer and ECU access, active stability control with competition mode.

- Price : Although the Viper is $30k more than the Z06, it holds its value much better.

So, I will give the Viper some time to impress me. Once I get over my Viper allergies, I will put the twin turbos on it.