Bruce H.
Enthusiast
I’m not sure how I became aware that there was a new Viper, but ever since I’ve been strangely drawn to it. I wasn’t looking to buy another car, and I definitely don’t need another high performance sports car as I already have three collectibles that I love and rarely drive. I’ve enjoyed track days on road courses for over 10 years as a way to appreciate their performance, 15-20 days for a number of years. Naturally a car’s track worthiness has become a key factor, and the Viper a prospective candidate.
I have a close group of track friends, and while we all have slightly differing budgets and preferences, we all share the same passion for performance. We’re all advanced drivers, some race or instruct, and we’ve all enjoyed dicing it up on track with previous Gen Vipers, and countless Corvettes, Porsche and European exotics. I’ve respected the Vipers as beautiful and highly capable, marveled at the accomplishments of the ACR, but never actually wanted to own a Viper…but that’s all changed over the months I’ve been following the Gen V’s introduction and subsequent refinement.
My first exposure to it must have been around the time of publication of the Motor Trend comparison with the ZR1. I seldom look at car magazines but bought the Feb 2013 C&D for the Lightning Lap results that my friends were discussing, which also happened to have a Viper/ZR1 comparo in it. Then I joined the VCA in March ’13 as an “Enthusiast” to learn as much as I could. It’s been a long and winding process to get to where I am today.
This forum, and a few on-line reviews have been the extent of my research. Much of it provided reasons to avoid, or perhaps hold off, buying one. Where I thought I would find information and encouragement from the brand’s most fanatic supporters on this forum, instead I found fairly widespread and deep disappointment from those previous Gen owners seemingly intent to eat their young. It was apparent that they saw the Gen V completely differently than I did, and it took me a while to figure out why. I now understand where some are coming from, and completely understand the needs of the drag race enthusiast,those who want even more power, and those who want the ability to mod theirs. I’m personally more interested in road course performance, and whether it’s enjoyable for limited street use.
The next challenge to finding useful information was to identify and disregard the determined trolls who seize every opportunity to bash the car relentlessly, and took pleasure in doing so…often while claiming they “like” the car. I’d never experienced that on other forums before, but since discovered the same caliber of troll on the Corvette forum. It’s seems unfortunate to the forum, the brand, and those seeking information like me that so many of them are previous Gen Viper owners. If they don’t like the Gen 5 they are entitled to their opinion, for whatever reason, but should have the decency to not impose their negativity on those in the Gen V forum that use it to share and contribute to the enjoyment of the Gen V. Moving on…
What really encouraged me was the Motor Trend testing of the pre-production T/A at Laguna Seca in May, and the retesting of the production SRT and GTS. Not only did the T/A take back the record, but they all performed much better than their first test. I have very little faith in most automotive reviewers, but a lot in Randy Pobst as an accomplished race car driver, and an insightful reviewer of performance cars. He’s very impressed with the Viper both publically and privately.
So I’ve decided to purchase the 2014 Viper T/A (if I can find one), an extensive performance option package for the SRT. That decision was made after considering a wide variety of new and used sports cars. In the end, there are many sports cars that offer terrific performance, and you know which ones are always in the top group. A track enthusiast would be undoubtedly thrilled with any one of them, and you really can’t fault those that cost well over $100k or those costing much less. Styling is what initially attracts me to a car, and I’m a life-long sucker for a curvaceous and **** body. Angular and creased designs leave me cold, as do models that are so popular that their otherwise appealing styling is all but lost. The Viper has such clean and simple lines, and a purity of design that is extremely rare today. It also has a purity of purpose, and is both uncompromising and unapologetic about it. They didn’t design it for everyone’s taste or budget, but for the few that appreciate it as one of the most uncompromising driver’s cars that you can buy today at any price. I’m buying it for that unparalleled driving experience (as I'm sure previous Gen buyers have as well)…and I couldn’t care less about the various little criticisms pertaining to the car itself that some dwell on here. Some of those who were seriously in the market to buy a high-end sports car have been enjoying their Vipers and telling us all about it, and I’m sure others have bought something else and are on other forums praising those.
I'd like to thank all of those who have tirelessly helped with their great contributions and advice in this forum.
I’m sure the T/A will be everything I expect it to be, and I just hope my local dealer can locate one for me soon!
Bruce
I have a close group of track friends, and while we all have slightly differing budgets and preferences, we all share the same passion for performance. We’re all advanced drivers, some race or instruct, and we’ve all enjoyed dicing it up on track with previous Gen Vipers, and countless Corvettes, Porsche and European exotics. I’ve respected the Vipers as beautiful and highly capable, marveled at the accomplishments of the ACR, but never actually wanted to own a Viper…but that’s all changed over the months I’ve been following the Gen V’s introduction and subsequent refinement.
My first exposure to it must have been around the time of publication of the Motor Trend comparison with the ZR1. I seldom look at car magazines but bought the Feb 2013 C&D for the Lightning Lap results that my friends were discussing, which also happened to have a Viper/ZR1 comparo in it. Then I joined the VCA in March ’13 as an “Enthusiast” to learn as much as I could. It’s been a long and winding process to get to where I am today.
This forum, and a few on-line reviews have been the extent of my research. Much of it provided reasons to avoid, or perhaps hold off, buying one. Where I thought I would find information and encouragement from the brand’s most fanatic supporters on this forum, instead I found fairly widespread and deep disappointment from those previous Gen owners seemingly intent to eat their young. It was apparent that they saw the Gen V completely differently than I did, and it took me a while to figure out why. I now understand where some are coming from, and completely understand the needs of the drag race enthusiast,those who want even more power, and those who want the ability to mod theirs. I’m personally more interested in road course performance, and whether it’s enjoyable for limited street use.
The next challenge to finding useful information was to identify and disregard the determined trolls who seize every opportunity to bash the car relentlessly, and took pleasure in doing so…often while claiming they “like” the car. I’d never experienced that on other forums before, but since discovered the same caliber of troll on the Corvette forum. It’s seems unfortunate to the forum, the brand, and those seeking information like me that so many of them are previous Gen Viper owners. If they don’t like the Gen 5 they are entitled to their opinion, for whatever reason, but should have the decency to not impose their negativity on those in the Gen V forum that use it to share and contribute to the enjoyment of the Gen V. Moving on…
What really encouraged me was the Motor Trend testing of the pre-production T/A at Laguna Seca in May, and the retesting of the production SRT and GTS. Not only did the T/A take back the record, but they all performed much better than their first test. I have very little faith in most automotive reviewers, but a lot in Randy Pobst as an accomplished race car driver, and an insightful reviewer of performance cars. He’s very impressed with the Viper both publically and privately.
So I’ve decided to purchase the 2014 Viper T/A (if I can find one), an extensive performance option package for the SRT. That decision was made after considering a wide variety of new and used sports cars. In the end, there are many sports cars that offer terrific performance, and you know which ones are always in the top group. A track enthusiast would be undoubtedly thrilled with any one of them, and you really can’t fault those that cost well over $100k or those costing much less. Styling is what initially attracts me to a car, and I’m a life-long sucker for a curvaceous and **** body. Angular and creased designs leave me cold, as do models that are so popular that their otherwise appealing styling is all but lost. The Viper has such clean and simple lines, and a purity of design that is extremely rare today. It also has a purity of purpose, and is both uncompromising and unapologetic about it. They didn’t design it for everyone’s taste or budget, but for the few that appreciate it as one of the most uncompromising driver’s cars that you can buy today at any price. I’m buying it for that unparalleled driving experience (as I'm sure previous Gen buyers have as well)…and I couldn’t care less about the various little criticisms pertaining to the car itself that some dwell on here. Some of those who were seriously in the market to buy a high-end sports car have been enjoying their Vipers and telling us all about it, and I’m sure others have bought something else and are on other forums praising those.
I'd like to thank all of those who have tirelessly helped with their great contributions and advice in this forum.
I’m sure the T/A will be everything I expect it to be, and I just hope my local dealer can locate one for me soon!
Bruce
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