My dreams of owning a Viper... Crushed today with a 20 min test-drive!

[Sam 01 RT10]

Just my .02...
I've owned many fast cars over the years, including a heads/cam 98 T/A that made almost 400rwhp. When it came time to buy a new toy, it was either a Z06 or a Viper. To me, the choice was easy. I personally enjoy the hand built nature of the car, and the fact that EVERY time I drive it, I get compliments, smiles, people wanting to look inside, etc. Out here, most people never give a Vette a second look.

I didn't think the car sounded mean enough either, so I added high flow cats, and ditched all the mufflers.

Lastly, I feel awesome just driving the car, and marvel at the fact that the car even exists, given the nature and economy at Chrysler when the car was developed. I'm driving a piece of history, one of less than 300 Red RT/10's built in 2001. How many red 'Vettes were there?

 

[Cobra4B]

Lee do you pay attention... I have a Z06 corvette, used to have a Cobra! Since when does a viper have 2x the torque of a Z06? Hmmm... 500/400 is?

Why do you guys alway say oh look there's so many of your car and so little of mine. You act like everyone can afford a corvette. Go travel to a third world country where people have never seen these stupid cars and barely make enough to survive. It'll put things in perspective.

I didn't come here to start [******], but I did have a ****** experience in a viper today and was very dissapointed because I really liked the car. I did bash the car some and you guys (saying I'm immature) turned to bashing mostly me as a person instead of my car. I posted links to this thread on a few vette forums and the consensus is that some of you guys really have your ******* in a ***! I've never met a person who said they didn't want or didn't like a viper!

As fore the Z06 being a luxury sports car... go ride in a SL55 mercedes, that's a luxury sports car. The Z weighs in at only 3040 (w/ 1/2 a tank of gas at the drag strip) and has most everything stripped. I agree that the new c5 vert auto w/ the magnetic ride suspension is a luxury sports car, but a Z for sure is a track car made street legal. Any of you going to VIR this next weekend? I am.

As for what is a better track car... yeah a stock viper has more power, but it is heavier, has a more flexible chassis, worse brakes, and worse weight distribution. Now I AM starting [******], power isn't everying when road racing (but it makes it very fun)... stopping and turning are a little bit important.

As for the pedals and all. When I had the seat in the way back position the pedals weren't too close. I could just get it engaged all the way.

I was seriously considering a used rt/10, I miss my vert somewhat. BUT, now for the price difference I'll just keep modding my Z. I'm sure the viper is the ticket if you want attention, but I got my ride to race. Plus it's somewhat affordable. Crap I'm 22 and not rich.

 

[BADVENOM]

So if this your conclusion why bother with the viper community, take your vette mentality and share it with your vette forum buddys where it would be appreciated, not here...Sayonara..

 

[BIGBADCJ]

yea turns good doesnt it....i bet your used to that "active handling" hell you dont even have to drive the car it does all the work for you. dont get a viper till you've stripped your training wheels.

 

[Qualitywires.com]

Hey Cobra...go away and go play with your small snake while you're at it hairy palm boy!

 

[SNKEBIT]

yea turns good doesnt it....i bet your used to that "active handling" hell you dont even have to drive the car it does all the work for you. dont get a viper till you've stripped your training wheels.

I wasn't gonna voice an opinion until you said the vette was a better track car,,,,,,,,,, maybe it is for you because you haven't learned how to drive a "track" car yet!!!!!!! Take all that fancy **** of that vette and try to track it,,, Wrong board to be even 'remotely' viper bashin'. Get some experience in a real car,(and life), then come back and bash. Until then youngun', take a hike!!!

 

[BADVENOM]

Hey everyone I tracked this little [******] down on the corvette forum, hes a regular over there and was probably just here to antagonize us..heres some particulars on him from the vette forum..

As I said before thats why he did it..heres his post on the corvette forum and I quote..
Yeah I know! So what if you run 10's you're still driving an ugly Mustang. At least some of the guys acknowledge some of the things I've said. I knew it'd piss 'em off that's why I posted it.
_______


Cobra4B
Cruise-In III Veteran




1471 posts [100%]
Virginia Beach Virginia

 

[Supercharged Vipermad]

Cobra.....if you are in Va. Beach....drop me a note! You can NOT get your first impression of a Viper from someone who doesn't live and breathe them!!! Not trying to knock the dealership....but I can get Bugeater, George Murray, (maybe) John Slaughter and hook you up with some good stuff! Do you auto-cross, or only road course?

 

[Yellow Fever]

check out Cobra boys Signature ..Typical of Vette owners >> Ya gotta love the Ken King Boot and Console strip

Mods Completed: removed BSMs, hurst w/ yellow Ken King boot and console strip, clear vortex w/ black power coupler, 2-tip stingers, homemade partition, Z06 brake screens, power antenna, CAGS disabler, rocker rails, custom painted bumper, black front signal covers, 18in black powdercoated CCWs w/ Kumhos

 

[hutch]

I am looking to purchase a Viper GTS and have looked at the ZO6. Both are good cars but different and both have their place. I don't want to stir up anything BUT. Why do the corvettes walk away with the T-1 championships in SCCA? Just looking for a answer not trouble. I still want the Viper no matter what the answer is.

 

[SNKEBIT]

O.K. Then................
any of that stuff fit my viper?????

 

[ViperJoe]

BUT, now for the price difference I'll just keep modding my Z.

There, like I said earlier, do what YOU want to do, good decision!

Good luck!

 

[ViperRay]

Looks like a lot of poser mods for a track guy

 

[fred]

No denying that the Vette is just plain....well...plain. IMHO

 

[Gerald Levin]

Cobra4B, what is amazing is that you have been lurking on this site since 07/02 and you personally have posted 31 times and then you come back again to tell us how much the viper sux. And you wonder why we're mad? You've never noticed how infatuated we are with our cars? You are obviously without a clue (AND without a viper), so enjoy your oblivious life with your vette.

 

[BADVENOM]

If you look at my reply to this cobra kid you'll see that he came onto this site for the sole purpose of stirring everyone up..and NOT to give an objective opinion or review of his so called viper test driving experience..Hes probably on the vette forum right now as I copied his exact words from that forum..let it go..lets enjoy our own experiences and share them with real prospective buyers..NOT PHONEYS!

 

[fred]

Well said Adam 96!!

 

[BIGBADCJ]

I am looking to purchase a Viper GTS and have looked at the ZO6. Both are good cars but different and both have their place. I don't want to stir up anything BUT. Why do the corvettes walk away with the T-1 championships in SCCA? Just looking for a answer not trouble. I still want the Viper no matter what the answer is.

there are 2000 scca events, we cant win em all.

 

[cstegall]

Well, you gotta admit he did crank up one he__uva thread . Almost 1000 views and 75+ posts.

CStegall

 

[garolittle]

Hey ... I heard a that Cobra Boy just purchased the new Vipair system for his Neon.

 

[garolittle]

... or was that a Vette?

 

[SNKEBIT]

Hey ... I heard a that Cobra Boy just purchased the new Vipair system for his Neon.

You just had to say that,,,, didn't ya????????

 

[Birvini]

1. First I was shocked w/ how cheap and ugly the interior is! Makes the vette look like a Bently. The layout and dash design was butt compared to the vette (which has gerat ergonomics and looks IMO).

Yep, that's what's important in a track car.

Nice try!

 

[Cobra4B]

I'm surprised that for having such great cars you guys are very defensive and thin-skinned. God forbid I post my experience on a board where people would have the most knowledge about the car and be able to give feedback. Many of you jumped on the bashing bandwagon and didn't think or address the points I made.

In conclusion, this thread has gotten a bit out of hand. I didn't inted to step on your egos, but I was calling the car as I saw it. Vipers don't ****, they're fricken' awesome (if you're shorter or have the car modded). If they're stock and you're 6'4" they plain **** to drive and don't live up to an expectation that's been in the works for 10 years.
I posted this thread on here directly from the vette forum because I wanted to see how viper owners dealt w/ the shortcomings I dealt w/ today (not to stir you all up, but I knew it would). I could have re-worded it to be more viper site friendly, but I didn't...

So you call my mods typical for a vette owner... I think I've done pretty damn well to be 22 and own a Z06 by myself. Crap I'm just getting started w/ the car. Going to do a h/c setup w/ headers and tuning that should put me in the 450 rwhp range. As for needing to do track mods, I just got the car in April and don't have all the extra cash to dump. One of the best things about the Z06 is how good it is in stock form. I plan on adding front brake coolers and SS lines this week for VIR next weekend. I also plan on adding 5-pt harnesses w/ a harness bar. There's not much else I need to do to make it run around a track any better.

Adam, if you're going to spy on me and call me a poser why don't you post the driving events I've done and the Panoz 3-day that I finished this summer.

And like hutch said the FRC's w/ the T-1 suspension setup dominate the SCCA, you all scared him into putting a disclaimer in his post!

Birvini what is important in a track car is low weight (<3100 lbs), good weight balance (51/49), good chassis rigidity (one of the highest on the market, and good brakes. The Z06 has all of that.

Now those of you that are pissed can unwad your ******* and go for a drive in your sweet cars to re-affirm that they're the best in the world. You all out-numbered me and won our little ******* contest.

I thank those that gave objective and informative responses. I actually learned something about getting myself to fit into a viper and plan on giving it a second go.

 

[Matt M PA]

While I have no problem with Cobra4B's observations....I DO question why he brought such comments here. It does seem a bit unusual to go to the VCA site and write how much you disliked a Viper. Seems to me that these points would be loved by those at a 'Vette bored. (Intentional) While some responses were more personal....many area correct that many of the issues you have with a Viper are easily corrected...possibly as easily as adjusting the pedals.

I would suggest that you take one of these guy's offers and meet up with a Viper enthusiast instead of a salesman.

I for one...have never had an interest in anything GM built. Even as a kid I did not care for Corvettes. At least in my area, the owners all seem to have an attitude too. For one to say that the interior in a Viper is lacking, should really take a good look at the Playskool designed 'Vette interior.

 

[BIGBADCJ]

the most important thing in a track car is the driver. not all that bla bla bla. lose the active handling sonny. then see how well you drive. our cars are the best in the world. we dont settle for anything less. i suggest if you word something vette oriented you do viper-friendly

 

[KenH]

Seems like another person that would be happier with a compromise car. Probably not doing anyone a service by encouraging someone like that to get a Viper. Face it, anyone who puts interior appointments at the top of their priority list really should be looking elsewhere as their priorities are obviously out of line with the Vipers.

As far as the current vette being better then the current Viper in any performance aspect, I am not aware of a single one. 0-60, 1/4 mile, top speed, braking, lateral g's etc. all belong to the Viper.

 

[Jim Hodel]

As far as SCCA T1, Gen II Vipers and the current 2004 Z06s are very close in overall road course performance. Driver, vehicle prep, and rules make the difference.

The Z06 does have ABS, and better braking overall, along with continually improved suspension tuning. Vipers are required to run air intake restrictors to reduce their horsepower advantage, so their strength is at least partially legislated away by the rules. Z06s are getting faster and faster. It took 8 years, but I think the latest breed of Z06s are as fast as Gen II Vipers.

FWIW, that doesn't bother me - faster cars are coming out every year. 20 years from Vipers will still be really cool cars. I just do not think the same will be true of similar vintage Corvettes.

Jim

 

[BADVENOM]

Spy on you..Don't toot your horn honey, You weren't that good. I just was curious why a vette gut would come on a viper board inititally to tell his story. Well after alittle investigation and listening to you tell your vette buddys how your performed your experiment on us was alittle much.. byebye so long, we'll see you in a few years when you grow up...

 

[SNKEBIT]

Kid's a rookie!!!!!!!