Initial ownership impressions/thoughts/questions (long)

[cruser]

I have owned the car for a little over a week now and have some thoughts and questions about the car. The car is a '97 blue/white GTS that is bone stock w/ almost 6k miles on it. My thoughts will be a little scattered so I will number them to try and organize things a little.

1) At idle I seem to have some clutch chatter. I have the lumpy idle and love it, but if the clutch is disengaged it will chatter. Is there a cure to this or is it common?

2) This car is way too quiet!! At idle I get a nice lope, but driving down the road with the windows up it is way too quiet. I will soon be getting belanger headers/hi-flow cats/belanger cat-back to remedy this, but I thought the car would be much louder stock.

3) My brakes squeal like a [******]! This will be one of the first items I get to once work slows down a little. It is embarrassing having such a nice car and coming up to a stoplight and the brakes squeal like some pos.

4) Is there anyway to program the alarm not to honk when activated or turned off? I am not a huge fan of being the center of attention and I don't want people to think I am trying to get them to look at the car by having the horn honk. On that same note, I am a little suprised in how little attention the car gets. Like I said earlier, I don't like the attention so I am glad, but most people don't even give it a second look. Maybe I am just used to myself, because whenever I would see one I would be practically climbing out of my car to get a better look. Maybe I just don't realize it, though. I am not looking for the reaction of every car or person on the street.

5) The pedals are a little harder to get used to than I thought they would. I have caught myself on more than one occasion pressing the brake at the same time as the gas. Any tips on this, or do I just need to get used to it. I am also having a hard time getting comfortable in the car. My left leg hits the dash quite a bit when I go to shift gears and I am not comfortable in the car yet. I am not that tall, around 6'1-6'2, but maybe I still need to get the lowering kit?

6) Alright now for the driving impressions. For reference the higher hp cars I have are a ZR-1 and used to have a ~530hp RX-7. I will honestly admit I am a little disappointed. I don't know if I am used to the hp in the high rpm range as in the ZR-1 and the rotary RX-7, but it seems to run out of breath. I also thought the torque would be more blatant. The cars gets up and goes, but it doesn't seem to start screaming until around 3k rpm. Maybe my expectations were off, but I thought with all the torque on hand it would just slam you back in your seat at almost any rpm. Hopefully the mods I am having installed that I listed above will help with this problem. First gear and second gear are hella fun, though. I enjoy driving through town in first gear and stabbing the throttle. It produces wheel spin, but a very controlled spin, if that makes sense. I have also been having fun running second gear up to about redline, letting off the gas until around 4k rpm then hitting it again.....what a rush!!! I haven't really pushed the handling limits yet at all. I want to get to know the car much better before I try anything like that. No need in putting the car into a ditch already.

That is enough rambling for now. Any comments or suggestions would be greatly apprectiated. I am still in the phase where I giggle like a school girl everytime I leave for work or come home and see it sitting there. Does that ever go away?

--------------

Ryan
'97 Blue/White GTS

 

[GR8_ASP]

Comments in blue below.

I have owned the car for a little over a week now and have some thoughts and questions about the car. The car is a '97 blue/white GTS that is bone stock w/ almost 6k miles on it. My thoughts will be a little scattered so I will number them to try and organize things a little.

1) At idle I seem to have some clutch chatter. I have the lumpy idle and love it, but if the clutch is disengaged it will chatter. Is there a cure to this or is it common? <font color="blue">Neutral gear rattle. It was made better in later years with a cam change and trans lube change from ATF to synth gear lube. Not a problem beyond the noise. </font>

2) This car is way too quiet!! At idle I get a nice lope, but driving down the road with the windows up it is way too quiet. I will soon be getting belanger headers/hi-flow cats/belanger cat-back to remedy this, but I thought the car would be much louder stock. <font color="blue">Agree. Good choices. </font>

3) My brakes squeal like a [******]! This will be one of the first items I get to once work slows down a little. It is embarrassing having such a nice car and coming up to a stoplight and the brakes squeal like some pos. <font color="blue"> You may want to investigate EBC Greens. A solution for both squeal and dust. If you haven't discovered the dust issue yet you will soon enough.</font>

4) Is there anyway to program the alarm not to honk when activated or turned off? I am not a huge fan of being the center of attention and I don't want people to think I am trying to get them to look at the car by having the horn honk. On that same note, I am a little suprised in how little attention the car gets. Like I said earlier, I don't like the attention so I am glad, but most people don't even give it a second look. Maybe I am just used to myself, because whenever I would see one I would be practically climbing out of my car to get a better look. Maybe I just don't realize it, though. I am not looking for the reaction of every car or person on the street. <font color="blue"> Don't know </font>

5) The pedals are a little harder to get used to than I thought they would. I have caught myself on more than one occasion pressing the brake at the same time as the gas. Any tips on this, or do I just need to get used to it. I am also having a hard time getting comfortable in the car. My left leg hits the dash quite a bit when I go to shift gears and I am not comfortable in the car yet. I am not that tall, around 6'1-6'2, but maybe I still need to get the lowering kit? <font color="blue">No problem here. But the offset is difficult at first. </font>

6) Alright now for the driving impressions. For reference the higher hp cars I have are a ZR-1 and used to have a ~530hp RX-7. I will honestly admit I am a little disappointed. I don't know if I am used to the hp in the high rpm range as in the ZR-1 and the rotary RX-7, but it seems to run out of breath. I also thought the torque would be more blatant. The cars gets up and goes, but it doesn't seem to start screaming until around 3k rpm. Maybe my expectations were off, but I thought with all the torque on hand it would just slam you back in your seat at almost any rpm. Hopefully the mods I am having installed that I listed above will help with this problem. First gear and second gear are hella fun, though. I enjoy driving through town in first gear and stabbing the throttle. It produces wheel spin, but a very controlled spin, if that makes sense. I have also been having fun running second gear up to about redline, letting off the gas until around 4k rpm then hitting it again.....what a rush!!! I haven't really pushed the handling limits yet at all. I want to get to know the car much better before I try anything like that. No need in putting the car into a ditch already. <font color="blue"> I think that is the feeling that drives mods over time. Every year it seems like what I had last year just won't do anymore. </font>

That is enough rambling for now. Any comments or suggestions would be greatly apprectiated. I am still in the phase where I giggle like a school girl everytime I leave for work or come home and see it sitting there. Does that ever go away?
<font color="blue"> Hope the giggle phase is not lost in time. I still sit in the garage and just look and smile. Life is good! </font>
--------------

Ryan
'97 Blue/White GTS

 

[CAS]

1 - NGR chatter. Have heard of it and I've read somewhere you can get new bushings for the linkage.

2 - For the lumpy cammed cars I think straight pipes (headers, exhaust) sounds absolutely amazing. It's LOUD and truely exotic. But, the Belangers are loud and it sounds like your system should be nice and freed up after your install.

3 - EBC Green brake pads. Call Jon B at Partsrack. (Check site sponsors). No squeal and no brake dust.

4 - I think you can hold both buttons on the fob till the lights flash and turn the horn "off".

5 - I'm 6'5" tall and don't have a problem. Sounds dumb but play with the seat until you get the right combo. The lowering kit gives you headroom, not legroom.

6 - I'm suprised that you're not more impressed with the torque of the car, especially coming from rather high-revving motors that make most of their power up top. The headers/exhaust will free up a lot of torque (the cammed cars are real reponsive to exhaust mods). I don't know if you have K&amp;N's and smooth tubes. It's the most common mod for the Viper. If you need TORQUE there are several aftermarket engine builders that can go various routes to make big power.

Hope this helps!

Clint

 

[Ron Hickey]

This may be obvious, but you do know that the pedals can be adjusted (up and down) with the knob under the steering wheel?

 

[fe155]

I bought my 2002 gts in january and drove it from new jersey to san diego , so i had time to get adjusted to things and figure out what i wanted to change.It had 800 miles on it and no trans chatter now it has 5500 and i hear it sometimes. The newer vettes i had did it also but are not as noticeable because the trans is in the rear. I also installed the adjustable seat lowering kit then used longer bolts and spacers to get the angle i wanted.
Also got the clutch pedal adjustment part which lowers the pedal closer to the brake and allows the clutch to grab quicker . also got rid of the skip shift that your car may not have and a B&amp;M short throw shifer. You will get used to the pedal and seat angles but these mods make it better. I felt that way about the power also but ive had 400 hp cars thats why . The v10 has different kind of feel than the v8 like the vette . the vette engine make a great sound and roars right now when you get on it , but like you said over 3000 rpms you start to feel the power come on . Thats why i went to 3.45 gears though now i feel it a lot sooner. I had a testarossa with about 400 hp sounds like a lot but same thing it likes the high rpm better . I put the supercharger , rockers , tubes , rear muffler delete but will be adding headers and prob a 3" corsa and high flow cats. Wish i did the heads when i had the manfold off , but for now im ok with the power it has and you know thats never enough once you get used to it . good luck

 

[Viper Specialty]

Cruser--

Answer to number 6:

3.55 gears!!! I dont have them, but my buddy does, and let me tell you... WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!! We even dyno'd our cars and they put down the same HP, but the feel was SO different. I would be running out right now to buy them if it wasnt for the Roe S/C in the future plans. The EPA ***** and some people couldnt handle it... those are the top 2 reasons they didnt come from the factory with them.

 

[genXgts]

Hey Ryan, most of the items have been correctly addressed, be glad we have the cam that can force a little neutral gear rattle as the solution in later cars was to soften up the cam specs to solve the problem!?!?!

Quick fix for the exhaust if the timeline on the full exhaust will be a while is to drop the rear ****, quick 10 horse gain and a huge improvement over stock sound, nothing wild as a full setup, but a quick $100 improvement to tide you over.

enjoy that thing, any pics??

take care,

 

[V10 MOJO]

ebc greens.

yank the horn fuse, problem gone as for irritatign sounds issues

offset becomes tolerabel and eventually you wonder why all other cars dont have this lovely irritating quirk

giggles never leave, enjoy em

cant help you with the torq situation you have, mine is a friggin milkshake machine for the cervical spine every damn day and i love it, LOL

 

[cruser]

Thanks guys for all the responses, I appreciate the help and acceptance of the noob.

The exhaust is going to be happening very soon. Hopefully withing the next 2-3 weeks. Just have to get some time off work to make the drive to Seattle and leave my car for a day or two.

On the torque issue, I think my expectations are just set way too high. I have yet to drive a car that scares me in straight line performance. I want to feel my bladder empty. I was highly disappointed in the performance of the ZR-1. If the market hadn't bottomed out so bad on those I would be selling it and buying a s/c in a heartbeat. I guess I just get so hyped up from my only source on high hp cars, the magazines. I know how awful of a source they are, but I don't have any friends around here that are into cars.

EBC pads will be on the purchase list with JonB along with my exhaust and intake goodies. Gears will be a definate as I have heard good things from my buddy Mikey on these too. They will just have to wait a little bit until my bank account stops laughing at me.

Again thanks and keep the info coming. Helps pass the workday.

 

[2BADD 4U]

Cruser....Don't do the gear swap if youre going to do a S/C ...call DLM...or Heffner Performance...do the exhaust

800 rwhp, and hold on, you will empty your bladder

 

[Nexus-6]

Cruser -

For what it's worth, I made the EXACT same observations between my GTS and ZR-1. And I do believe the answer is gearing. (my wife went so far as to insinuate that the ZR-1 was faster...it all comes down to "feel"...of course, I had to pull over and politely ask her to walk home after that. )

They are different beasts and deliver the smiles in different ways...the ZR1 feels like it'll pull forever past 6K and the Viper needs to be shifted at about 5300-5500 to get back into that thick sweet spot down low.

A way I've described it before to some of my non-car friends is that the ZR1 feels like it crests a large hill after 5K and begins running down hill REALLY fast picking up tons of speed, accelerating harder from 5K and up then below! The Viper feels like it heads downhill for a very short period just after 3K, then hits a small uphill climb near 5K...just has to be shifted sooner and more often.

So, no worries - you're not insane.

Enjoy and do look into gears...I keep putting it off but I really need to do it myself too.

 

[MoparMan]

On that same note, I am a little suprised in how little attention the car gets. Like I said earlier, I don't like the attention so I am glad, but most people don't even give it a second look.

That's pretty amazing. Here in Las Vegas my car gets a ton of attention (and we have our fair share of Vipers and other exotics running around town).

 

[Nexus-6]

On that same note, I am a little suprised in how little attention the car gets. Like I said earlier, I don't like the attention so I am glad, but most people don't even give it a second look.

That's pretty amazing. Here in Las Vegas my car gets a ton of attention (and we have our fair share of Vipers and other exotics running around town).

Same thing here - people break their necks trying to get a better look.

 

[riverflyer]

Cruser, I too an a new Viper owner and put down my first impressions earlier, should be a few pages back and I think was titled first impressions. I agree with the torque comment and my other car is sc'ed and puts out about the same hp and a bit less torque than the Viper but it puts you back hard into the seat, which is what I expected from the Viper. After just a couple of hundred miles it seems like the Viper is sneaky fast more than I expected. I think sc'ing might be the answer. Of course gears are a lot cheaper! My car has filters, smooth tubes and hi flo cats with custom resonator and no muffler, but I am still looking for more punch. Looking forward to your posts after the headers etc. go on. And so far the smiles have not subsided one bit for me. Also the attention thing has been off the hook here in N. CAl. In fact way more than I expected and sometimes gratifying, sometimes embarrassing, but I know I will get over it once the road opens up!! John

 

[Bob K]

Cruiser,
Where are you planning on going in Seattle to have this work done? I've had bad experiences with some of the dealers and would recommend you go to Maltby Motorsports in Woodinville. Cam is a Viper tech and works on many of the local club members' cars.

Bob K

 

[cruser]

I am planning on going to Maltby, thanks for the info, though. Do the local Vipers get together ever? I am on Whidbey Island and would love to see some others running around.

 

[ceieio]

cruser - I have seen several Seattle area cars at Timberline Dodge in Portland for work. Ken Klickman and his crew are top notch. You can check references on Ken/Timberline on this board. Nice to have a second source.

Craig

 

[RockStar]

For street driving fun, the answer is definately 3:55 gears. The ACR I just bought has them, and I can't believe the difference!!! Best bang for the buck where torque concerns are.

 

[Bob K]

Cruser,
Our local club has many activities and we would love to have you join us. The next event is a track day on August 3rd at Spokane. Several guys are going to convoy over the day before. On August 9th is the anual picnic at Paul Ronald's home in Olympia. Several of us will convoy down for that. It's a good place to meet many of the club members and view their cars.

Check out the Washington website through the link on this site (can't remember the address).

Bob K

 

[SapphireGTS]

Did you honestly think the Viper would feel as fast as the lighter Rx7 with 100 HP more?

Do some simple bolt ons to make it breathe better and the bottom end tq will start to feel better.

Good luck.

 

[Newport Viper]

Gears =