Does anyone drive in the rain?

[Blazin' Blue Viper]

Do any of you guys drive your Vipers even though you know it will rain. The one regret I have about the Viper is that I will absolutley not drive it if there is even a 1% chance of rain. I will always see people in there Porsches and Vettes driving around in the pouring rain seemingly without a care in the world. I wish I could bring myself to driving the car in the rain. I don't think I could stand to see it get that filthy. Vanity? ......maybe.

 

[DodgeViper01]

When I first purchased the vehicle, it was my daily driver so I did all the time. Now I try to avoid it but if it happens, oh well. Only rain and it will not kill the car but the only reason I rather not is because the car becomes a pain to clean.

 

[V10SpeedLuvr]

Short answer- No.

I have been out and had rain pop up unexpectedly maybe 3-4 times, but then I just find somewhere to pull under a overhang and pop the top on as soon as I see a drop of rain

 

[00SVTdubs]

it is just a car. I drove my 735rwhp-855rwtq SAE 03 cobra in the rain with bfg drag radials all the time. I probably wouldnt drive a viper with dr's on it because of the big tire tread. On streettires, I wouldnt hesitate. Ive ridden in a 800rwhp TT viper in the rain with streettires, it drives just like any other car

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

Yes. Found all the leaks in the Gen 1 soft top and car stays outside 100% of the time. Might get some speaker drip while driving, but otherwise fine.

 

[YouWish]

Never!!! Snakes don't like water...unless it's a watersnake. LOL I'm just like you I never drive my Viper if there is a chance of rain,it's just not worth it to have to clean every inch of my baby,just nice sunny days/weekends.

 

[DodgeViper01]

Never!!! Snakes don't like water...unless it's a watersnake. LOL I'm just like you I never drive my Viper if there is a chance of rain,it's just not worth it to have to clean every inch of my baby,just nice sunny days/weekends.

Love that answer.

 

[SEASNAKE]

Maybe your snake doesn't like water, but the seasnake gets wet quite often...I've been driving daily for 9 years. Maybe some day I'll turn a Viper into a garage queen.

I don't drive in ice or snow.

 

[MoparMan]

Yep - mine's a daily driver so I drive it rain or shine.

 

[Leslie]

yehp, drive it all the time, if it happens to rain-so what

handles great!

 

[SuperSaiks]

Hell no, I don't even wash my viper anymore with water, just a quick wipe with either the car duster followed up with zaino using a microfibre cloth.

 

[ViperJames]

Yes. Found all the leaks in the Gen 1 soft top and car stays outside 100% of the time. Might get some speaker drip while driving, but otherwise fine.

This has been my only concern not driving in the rain. I used to drive my 69 Camaro with balled rear tires in the snow all winter long. Never had a problem.

 

[MacManInfi]

All the time. Daily driver, though I am in SoCal so it doesn't rain that often. It does get dirty as hell, all over too when it rains, but so what. More intimate time on the weekend, cleaning everything.

 

[ViperJoe]

OH MY...........! Absolutely NOT! NEVER EVER EVER!

Because mine is a clean under as it is on the top and I want to keep it that way, but also because the chances for an accident increases in the wet especially with bozos that can't drive in the dry, let alone the wet!

 

[jcaspar1]

All the time. It is not bad for rainy winter driving. Just stay off the throttle. The windshield angle is such that you often don't need the wipers on the freeway and of course, the heater works great. I have found that the dirt actually washes off. It gets much dirtier at the track than in the rain!

 

[CROM]

Put my first 350 miles on the GTS in torrential downpours driving from upstate PA to VA.

 

[IEATVETS]

I never drive in the rain but I did get caught in it one time last summer in my Gen1. I always watch the weather report and if there is a chance of rain, the snake stays in the garage.

 

[Leslie]

All the time. It is not bad for rainy winter driving. Just stay off the throttle. The windshield angle is such that you often don't need the wipers on the freeway and of course, the heater works great. I have found that the dirt actually washes off. It gets much dirtier at the track than in the rain!

what you said about the windshield angle-that is SO true! I have gotten caught in some SERIOUS downpours in the Viper, and have rarely had to use the wipers

 

[SERPENT INDY]

not if I can help it....hate the cleanup.....about drowned in my first 94(second was waterproof)...had to drive with a stack of towels on our legs and still got soaked....but, it was still a Viper and still fun...

 

[ViperTony]

I'll drive in the rain if need be but more often caught in a few sudden rain showers here and there. Don't worry, the paint on the Viper won't wash off. The wipers work too. If you don't mind a quick detail after your car gets soaked then have fun with it. It's just water...or is it acid-rain???

 

[V10SpeedLuvr]

Here's why I don't drive in the rain (I'm sure most people are the same)

1. Gen 1 Vipers aren't waterproof

2. Vipers are not overly fun to drive in the rain (handling-wise)

3. I don't trust other people driving in the rain

My car getting dirty has nothing to do with it. I'll gladly wash my car if it gets dirty, but in the rain, getting dirty is the farthest from my worries

 

[ViperJohn]

I have driven quite a bit in the rain, the car handles pretty good, even at high speeds (>100 mph). If you throw some RainX on your windshield, you will never need your wipers. The only reason I turn mine on is that I find their sequence of operation amusing.

 

[RedEnuf93]

No.
Gen 1 leaks like a old wooden boat...

I have actually washed my car only 3-4 times in 6 years!

 

[Warfang]

I have driven quite a bit in the rain, the car handles pretty good, even at high speeds (>100 mph). If you throw some RainX on your windshield, you will never need your wipers. The only reason I turn mine on is that I find their sequence of operation amusing.

ha! My intern is a total computer geek with not much interest in performance cars... rides in my car every now and then and never showed much interest until I turned my wiper on one day. "Oooo... that's coool."

I've never had a problem driving in the rain... don't think I would in Chad's case though. Good tip I learned here is to drive one gear higher than you normally would in the rain.

 

[Sam Vipeme Brasile]

It's just water the car won't melt!!!!! Been to a few VOI's when it rained and it didn't stop me from enjoying myself (Indy, Orlando, Las Vegas, St.Louis, Nashville, Dallas). Yes the car leaks but I keep plenty of towels in the trunk. Our club did an auotcross event in October this year it was raining and we still had a great time, slip, slidding away!!!
The only draw back driving in the rain is getting it to look pretty again.
I look at it this way the season is short I'm enjoying myself no matter what!!!!


Life is not the destination, but the ride!!!!!!!!

 

[Randy]

Sure, I'll drive in the rain, but not if I have a choice. I've put literally thousands of miles on my old Gen I Viper in the rain (and yes, it leaked), and a couple hundred on my Gen II - usually when driving cross country.

However, if I have the choice, I have other vehicles that are more appropriate to driving rain in the qualities of traction, value, looks, and risk from other drivers losing control...

 

[Bonkers]

Nope...

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

whenever I can! [image]

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[Viper Scot]

My 1996 RT-10 has arrived in the UK and will be heading up to Scotland shortly. Although I never drove it in the rain while it was in California, I might need to lower my standards a bit if I'm ever going to get the chance to drive it in Scotland! At the moment it's down near London and I'm trying to organise transporting it up to Inverness (about 600miles away). I'm thinking of flying down to London next week then driving the car back up north. However, that might be foolhardy at this time of year... The alternative is a very expensive quote from a transporter, although I'm looking for cheaper offers.

 

[Andrew2KRT10]

No me. Not worth it, not fun