how long before you were comfortable?

[redlightrich]

hi all, i have had my gts for about 10 months now, and put on about 1000 miles. I am still not completely confident when i am driving this car. dont get me wrong, i am not scared of it, just still dont feel quite ready to "push it hard". i ordered up a set of new pilot sports (by the way are they a good choice?) as the original tires are hardening and almost 8 yrs old. i have driven other cars hard much sooner, but they were not as precise, or require the skill this car seems to ask of its driver. i drove it a while today, and am aware of traction loss due to cold weather, but could not pass the opportunity as in nj, our salt free days are numbered. i was wondering how long most people took to get used to their viper. thanks, rich.

 

[carguy07]

Took about 1,500 miles to feel good in the car. Your right, you can feel confident in other cars in 30 minutes.

 

[SNKEBIT]

1k in 10 months???? wow!!! I think I had that in the first month... The new tires will help but you really should go and practice somewhere. Preferably a performance driving school like Viper Days. I grew up with big-block Mopar muscle cars and was kinda prepared for what the viper was capable of,,,, a Hemi-cuda with a shot of nos that can turn corners!!!! Best way to descibe a viper. Only ya don't have to "tweek" it every time ya go for a cruise!!!! The only time you'll be able to really see what the Viper is capable of is go to the track, period. It'll give ya alot more confidence on the highway as well.

 

[Casey]

I got comofortable as soon as I added the 2" Seat lowering kit to my GTS!

Didn't take me too long to get used to it, maybe a couple weeks, 500 miles or so.
Tires, brakes, weather will all play a MAJOR factor in that!

Good luck, and put some miles in it! Geez...

 

[redlightrich]

before my viper i had a 70 440-6 superbird yellow, 70 t/a challenger blue , a z06 and a host of other performance cars so i am no stranger to performance, but the snake is unlike any other. i guess i just need more time getting used to it. btw, the viper would make all my previous cars including the 440-6 bird look silly.

 

[gen2rt]

I agree with snkebit. Best thing for me was taking it to the track. I was able to try things that would've gotten me in trouble $$ on the street.

Jack

 

[ViperRay]

Like SNKEBIT said above....VIPER DAYS!

 

[SNKEBIT]

before my viper i had a 70 440-6 superbird yellow, 70 t/a challenger blue , a z06 and a host of other performance cars so i am no stranger to performance, but the snake is unlike any other. i guess i just need more time getting used to it. btw, the viper would make all my previous cars including the 440-6 bird look silly.

that's why I said a Hemi-cuda with a shot of NOS that could turn!!!!!!!

gotta drive it lots more!!!!!!

 

[Fiorano]

I agree, take the car to a viperdays event. You will gain much appreciation for the cars limits and how it should be driven. Plus, if you screw up, you likely won't damage anything.

 

[PDCjonny]

hi all, i have had my gts for about 10 months now, and put on about 1000 miles. I am still not completely confident when i am driving this car. dont get me wrong, i am not scared of it, just still dont feel quite ready to "push it hard".

I know exactly what you mean. I had a '04 ZO6 that I felt totally comfortable in after a week. This '98 GTS is a whole different animal. Add to that the fact that the tires are a little old, the streets are a little cold and I'm not even thinking about pushing it till I get new rubber under me, and the weather warms up. On a side note, the hardeast thing for me to get used to coming off the Vette is the feel of the accelerator pedal in the Viper, it has almost no resistance. I can hardly feel it under my foot. I wish it had a little more back pressure (for lack of a better term)

 

[mystic]

i was comfortable in it the first day i owned the car...and i bought the car already supercharged. I've owned many fast cars before this so it wasnt much of a change

 

[Steve 00RT/10]

I consider the Viper kind of like electricity. The potential is there for real bad things to happen real quick if you make a hasty move. It's innocent enough if you're careful, but make a mistake and the results can be quickly catastrophic.

When we picked the car up at the factory in March of 2000, our car's team leader leaned in and told me 2 things: "Remember the hood is another 3 feet past where you can see" and "Watch out for 2nd gear" The 2nd gear part is so true.

Since then I have a 3 day driving school, several track events, many autocrosses, and over 44,000 miles under my belt. Like electricity, the Viper commands respect full time. Like anything...the more experience you have driving a Viper, the better and more at ease you should be. I put 1000 miles on our car the first 3 days we owned it. I'm not sure 1000 miles in 10 months is enough to attain that confidence. I agree totally with all that recommend a driving school and/or a Viper Days event. If not either of those, look for some autocrosses to do.

Get out there and drive that Snake!

Steve

 

[garolittle]

I never was really comfortable with my '94 RT/10. I feel right at home with my '01 RT/10, however. A little older ... a little wiser, etc.

 

[FrankBarba]

Hey Red,
Come with me to a NASA High Performance Drivers Education event. We can get you very comfortable with your car. This is where i let me SNAKE stretch its skin. We'll start slow & progress. If you need my credentials, let me know in a PM

 

[Viperfreak2]

While you still have 'old' tires, and track events aren't an everyday thing, I suggest a parking lot. Something out in the country, late at night. I found that practicing burnouts, and trying to feel the cars breakaway points were critical in keeping my car in one piece during agressive driving on the street. The first time I spun the RT-10 it scared the crap out of me, and it took a LONG time to feel comfortable in a Viper again. The SRT is much easier to control at the limit than the other two. Kinda boring unless the tires (run flats) are cold. Then it's worse!

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

At 100 miles a month you will never feel comfortable.

 

[Tomcat]

Come to the Viper Days event in Pittsburgh. Lots of support and instruction from fellow Viper owners.

 

[joe117]

What they said about the tires is correct and critical.

My advice would be not to push it at all with those eight year old tires.

You will have a completely different feeling when you get decent rubber on it.
Until then just take it easy.