Dustman
Viper Owner
On a 1600 mile road trip last week we (well, the wife) counted 176 Vettes and NO (not even 1) other Viper .......... 'nuff said 
Why a new Viper over Z06/ZR1?
- Thread starter commonsense
- Start date
commonsense
Viper Owner
Now I don't want to upset anyone with what I'm going to say here. I respect anyone that owns a Viper. But as someone who had never driven one until a couple of months ago, I think I can bring a new perspective/opinion to this discussion. By the way, I'm a past technical writer/director for the Ducati, Moto Guzzi, and Triumph motorcycle owners clubs and a pretty good mechanic. OK, they're not cars, but I think I have a better than average appreciation of technical things.....
For years and years I had read that Vipers were crude, blunt instruments. I've owned a Honda S2000 since the first year. And I owned an EVO IX MR (MUCH better than the current one, by the way). I've driven practically every new sports car and a lot of exotics over the last 8 years. Couldn't find anything I liked better than the S2000 and/or EVO. But I kept telling people that if they made an S2000 with 600 hp I'd be happy!
Anyway, I read some review on the new '08 Viper and they said something like 'fits like a glove' or is 'snug like an S2000' or something similar. Made me curious. And when I read that the '08's had a bunch of improvements I set out to drive one. Luckily, a local dealer had a new 08 coupe that he would let me drive. Best of all, they sent me out with a 21 year old salesman!
Anyway, I had about a 25 mile drive, most of it on one of my favorite curvy roads in the area. Sort of like five miles of the 'Tail of the Dragon!' To make a long story short, when I got back I couldn't find ANYTHING I didn't like about the car. I knew I was in trouble.
Steering....quick/positive/no bump steer/great feel. Body roll......absent. Turn in......surprisingly quick. Transitions.......ditto. Ergonomics--just like my S2000.....I'm not fooling here, drive one! Power? Fogetaboutit. Ride comfort....surprisingly good. Noise? Just right. Visibility......pretty good (convertible turned out even better). Seat comfort....great.
So, I wanted one. But here comes the rub. You guys with pre 08's don't get mad, please. Another dealer had an 05 convertible just back off lease. 5500 miles and just like new. He wanted $30K less than an '08. Oh boy, I thought. Gonna save a lot of money! Took another long drive and you know what? Didn't like it. Wouldn't buy one. Would have kept the S2000 instead.
Now I'm not saying you can't fix these problems. But it would cost a bunch of money and you'd still be missing a lot on the '08's. Here goes. Biggest issue was the tremendous heat rolling in the cockpit....and this was a 75 degree day. Another deal breaker was the tires. The car just went clip clop and porpoised. I know it's the run flats now, but they would absolutely have to go. Turn in on the 08 is much crisper. The 05 felt clumsy by comparison. The clutch on the 05 was much heavier and lacked the feel of the 08. The throttle was sticky and imprecise on the 05. And, finally, the shifting of the 05 lacked the refinement of the 08.
What I'm getting at is this. If someone hasn't driven an 08, their impressions and descriptions of what it's like to drive a Viper are out of date. My 08 feels positively 'sophisticated' to me. There's no lack of refinement whatsoever. Other than the hassle of getting in and out I see no reason why this couldn't be an everyday driver.....if that's what you want.
I went through this same deal with my 05 EVO compared with my 06 MR. There were twenty or thirty significant improvements to the 06 MR. It felt like a totally different car. The 05 crashed over bumps. The 06, with Bilstein suspension, glided over them.
Don't get mad at me, but I feel it's the same with the 08 Vipers compared with the earlier ones. Yes, I could have improved the 05 but at what cost? New tires, new exhaust, new clutch? And you still wouldn't have all the engine improvements (not just power but reliability improvements), stronger transmission, etc.
My point here is to gonabite......drive an 08 before you say the vette is a better driver.
goldcup
Enthusiast
Spoken only as the president of the Corvette club could, otherwise some fine points although it would seem that the latest performance figures go to the Viper and not the Corvette.Not by much though, unless the ACR is brought into the comparison and then there is no comparison.Love the Corvette would like to have one as my daily driver.
johniew398
Enthusiast
Why?
Because I was going to buy a ZR1 and the lowest price I have seen is about $40k over list. NO THANKS.
So, I won't say I picked a Viper over a Z06 though as I kept my Z06:
Because I was going to buy a ZR1 and the lowest price I have seen is about $40k over list. NO THANKS.
So, I won't say I picked a Viper over a Z06 though as I kept my Z06:
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Sure is a lot of vette pilots, at least when you consider this is a Viper forum. I guess they might just wannabes?
Anyway, Viper ACR is the world's fastest road coupe stock. It doesn't compare well at all to my Gen 2 Viper GTS.
I have over 800 crank hp and another 100-300hp with a Nitrous Kit. I've put 16,000mi on it this year while getting 20mpg.
My GTS is equipped with equivalent brakes to the ACR. My GTS has nav, Bluetooth Stereo, Sirius, HIDs, exhaust, etc. etc.
Just wanted all the vette wannanbes to know that my trans, diff, and internal engine compnenets are still stock (made by Dodge) eaxcept for my pistons. Although my 440 Duster sounds better than my Viper, I doubt if there is a vette (even a slow one) that sounds comparable to my 10.5@139mph street tired GTS.
Wonder how much it would take to allow a vette to handle over 800hp for over 40,000miles???
Ted
Anyway, Viper ACR is the world's fastest road coupe stock. It doesn't compare well at all to my Gen 2 Viper GTS.
I have over 800 crank hp and another 100-300hp with a Nitrous Kit. I've put 16,000mi on it this year while getting 20mpg.
My GTS is equipped with equivalent brakes to the ACR. My GTS has nav, Bluetooth Stereo, Sirius, HIDs, exhaust, etc. etc.
Just wanted all the vette wannanbes to know that my trans, diff, and internal engine compnenets are still stock (made by Dodge) eaxcept for my pistons. Although my 440 Duster sounds better than my Viper, I doubt if there is a vette (even a slow one) that sounds comparable to my 10.5@139mph street tired GTS.
Wonder how much it would take to allow a vette to handle over 800hp for over 40,000miles???
Ted
goldcup
Enthusiast
INCONCEIVABLE!!!!!!!
Chrissss
Viper Owner
I have owned corvettes and now a Viper. I can tell the you the corvette doesn't have everything the Viper has and a $hitload more. Hardly. The corvette for the money is not a bad car, other than the fact it is a GM and made poorly. I have first hand experience in this area. The corvette for the money is not a bad car, other than the fact it is a dime a dozen and has terrible residual value. The ZR1, not matter what you say, is not faster than the Viper. I also have first hand experience in this area. If you want to listen to the radio, you shouldn't have a viper. If you want your cup holder and heads up display, you shouldn't have a viper. If you need room in your seats so you can move around in the cabin, you shouldn't have a viper. Viper owners drive and own the car for the experience of owning a true performance american made muscle car that has become an icon. Viper is not meant and was never meant to be an everyday driving to the grocery store car. The corvette is. In fact, the VIPER has the style and the performance while the dime a dozen, which watered down version do you have, corvette has the function and the reclining seat? I will be the first to admit, that for the money, and I repeat that for the money, the corvette is a good performance car. But here is another truth, park both cars side by side and see which one gets the attention. Drive them side by side and see which one gets the attention. Drive them both, which I have extensively (owned corvettes for 10 years) and see which one has the true driving experience. If you are honest and just not a corvette lover who bought a Viper because you wanted both, you will have to admit the Viper gives you the driving and WOW experience where the corvette gives you a decent speed wise but bland experience. Now THAT is the reality and the truth.
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JeremyS
Viper Owner
Sweet Color!!!! I saw some pre-release pix of the car shown in that color (computer generated picture I'm sure.) I thought to myself "that is one of the ugliest car colors that I've ever seen." I saw one in person last week in New Jersey @ Buhler Dodge. It was BEAUTIFUL! What a great color! Congrats!
Since we're pointing out the "problems" with the vette, I have to bring this up ... seeing the interiors of the Z06 & the ZR1 - why does my daily driver Subaru Imprezza have a nicer steering wheel than those top-shelf vettes. It blows my mind that the vettes have such crappy looking wheels, no "thumb-pads", just yuck, can't GM take the steering wheel out of the cobalt & put it in the vette ... ditch the stupid Lexus-like HUD & give these cars a nice racing oriented steering wheel. Geesh.
OK, I'm done, otherwise, I love where the vette has gone, great cars, I'd never give up my Viper for one, but props & respect, yep.
OK, I'm done, otherwise, I love where the vette has gone, great cars, I'd never give up my Viper for one, but props & respect, yep.
My point here is to gonabite......drive an 08 before you say the vette is a better driver
Commonsense,
That was the best resonse anyone has written. Most everyone else is offended by my OPPINION. When I get the opportunity I will drive one, and as you have found I hope I find the same... a marked improvement. Thanks for your insight.
As far as the aww factor. Who cares what other people think of my car, unless someone is that insecure that they have to have a car that people oogle at, and get a big head from hearing people talk about their car. Grow up.. be a man or woman on your own without having the car to back you up. I have always thought that was the worst reason I heard from so many viper owners. But look at the attention the car gets. Horrible reason for liking the viper. I like my viper for the way it looks not the way other people think it looks, and that it is 1 of 100 of 15,000 over 16 years.
Commonsense,
That was the best resonse anyone has written. Most everyone else is offended by my OPPINION. When I get the opportunity I will drive one, and as you have found I hope I find the same... a marked improvement. Thanks for your insight.
As far as the aww factor. Who cares what other people think of my car, unless someone is that insecure that they have to have a car that people oogle at, and get a big head from hearing people talk about their car. Grow up.. be a man or woman on your own without having the car to back you up. I have always thought that was the worst reason I heard from so many viper owners. But look at the attention the car gets. Horrible reason for liking the viper. I like my viper for the way it looks not the way other people think it looks, and that it is 1 of 100 of 15,000 over 16 years.
jimsmyth1
Viper Owner
Got to give commonsense credit. I've owned both the 06' Z06 and the viper. Still have two vettes and he's right on every point. If you want a serious street racer, go with the Viper!
