OK... So I need to know how bad are viper really.

[lilgookiemonsta]

Thanks for the response. Those threads are very interesting indeed I had read them already. I searched for all threads that discuss the DD and the traction control subjects before posting however I still wanted to post my question because it's more in the lines of whether all in all the Viper is a good car to own or not than on whether it's a good daily driver or not. I think that point has already been established. The viper is not an ideal daily driver and I'm fine with that. But despite that fact it looks like from what people is responding that if I really want to I could still use it often.

This is a Viper forum, of course we all think it's a damn great car to own! If you want pure excitement, adrenaline, and rawness, look no further. If you're looking for the smaller things such as interior amenities, take a look at some 911's.

 

[TonyCool]

To the OP, are you really serious? To the responses so far, have you been suckered into another of the many BAIT questions that show up every now and then???

I know similar subjects have been discussed before but as I mentioned on another post I still wanted to ask because I knew I'd get new information that wasn't on the other threads I read, and because I had some specific questions more in the lines of whether it's likely I would regret buying a viper or not. As I said before I'm not asking whether the car is good or not for daily transportation on all weather conditions. I'm asking if it's so bad that their own owners would recommend not to get one.

OK, I'll bite on the off chance that someone new to the breed really is serious.

Thanks a bunch for biting on and yes I'm serious.

If you're so worried about the drivability of the Viper in all conditions, search the site. You'll find every type of driving experience that you can imagine... Snow, Ice, Desert, Rain, Mountains, Flats, Florida (is there really such a place where you can LITERALLY drive 365 days a year?).

I'm not really planing to drive the car on all weather conditions, specially not in snow. I just want to make sure that if it's been months that it has been raining and I really want to take the car out for a drive, providing that I'll be very careful I would be able to do it without killing myself. Around here we get between 3 and 5 months of sunny days. And I can't stand thinking the car would be at the garage 7-9 months a year. If that's the case why even bother spending this much money.

This car is not for the faint of heart ... it was never intended to be an EVERY man's (sorry, maybe woman's) car. The maintenance costs ARE high ... the gas costs ARE high ... the ride can be rough at times ... it's NOT quiet ... it ISN'T 'Your Father's Oldmobile'. It never was intended to be! Vipers either take your heart or you shouldn't go there in the first place. Your first one becomes your mistress and you'll take every chance you have to spend time with her and you'll never reget a single moment of those stolen 'short drives'. "I'll be back in a minute" becomes your mantra, though you KNOW that's not going to be the case as you grab your keys.

I completely get what you are saying. The other day I was reading some thread where they were discussing viper vs z06. A viper owner said if you have to ask get the vette. The guy asking took it the wrong way but I understood what he was saying the vette might be almost as fast, more comfortable, cheaper to maintain and the most reasonable option between the two but knowing all that I'd still take the viper over a c6 Z06 any day of the week. Not that the z06 is not a great car but it's just not a viper.

If you've ever rounded a corner knowing that it was going to be you and the machine and coming out of it, you smiled ... and actually mentally thanked the vehicle you were in for sticking with you ... then maybe you're ready to move up to the Snake. If you're looking for quiet, calm comfort, get something else and save yourself the pain of having to let it go for pennies on the dollar when you have to DUMP it to pay the mortgage.

Owning a Viper is not for everyone, but if it's in your blood and you can appreciate the pure power and performance, you can't come CLOSE to it for twice as much money! I've had mine for about a year and a half after wishing for one for over a decade and my wife still has to come out to the garage occasionally just to tell me it's time to relax and let it go for the night.

There's NOTHING like it for twice the money and if you ever go there, having thought it through, you'll never regret it.

you'll never regret it...

That's all I needed to hear.

 

[TonyCool]

- Oil Change: $100, if you do it yourself; $350-800 if you take it to a stealership.
- Tires: $1000 minimum, for OK brands. The really good ones are about $2K for a set of 4.
- Insurance: for me (1 ticket in 20 years; 3 vehicles; $500 ded.) it's about 2X what a brand new 4x4 with full coverage runs.

- 5 minutes of driving my 2006 SRT-10 Viper coupe = weekend of hot tub shopping with Lezley Zen and Lichelle Marie.

I'm betting that even adding all of this costs together for several years you won't even get close to the price of a ferrari or lamborghini am I correct. But the viper will still eat any of them for breakfast. At least when after I learn how to drive it.

 

[Zentenk]

The only reason I don't drive my Viper everywhere is because... OTHER PEOPLE.

People can get real annoying, also a bit uncomfortable leaving the car parked out somewhere with some jealous F's. I also am real obsessed with cleaning it, so driving in the rain/wet roads would piss me off on a daily basis.

Driving in the rain was not a problem except for deep grooves and puddles that hover the wide rear tires.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[TonyCool]

This is a Viper forum, of course we all think it's a damn great car to own! If you want pure excitement, adrenaline, and rawness, look no further. If you're looking for the smaller things such as interior amenities, take a look at some 911's.

You would be surprised on how many ex-viper owners who decided to move to more practical sport car say bad things about owning a viper. Porsche's are not for me. I could do a Corvette but never a Porsche for me they are just overpriced fast beettles.

 

[pathoguy]

My commute to work is 15 minutes on a quiet country road (55 mph limit), therefore I rarely do any city driving. The A/C is frigid and way better than on the 02 GTS I had. I drive it about 1/2 the time and leave it alone if the weather forecast is 50+% rain.

I drive around the speed limit (which seems to aggravate a lot of folk), never street race, and know how easy it is to lose the rear. You do have to drive it responsibly (no showing off) and it definitely changes the behavior of other drivers.

 

[swexlin]

Oil Change: $100, if you do it yourself; $350-800 if you take it to a stealership.

Huh? Not sure what dealer you're using, but mine charges less than $100 for and oil/filter change on my Viper. I've never heard of ANY dealers charging that high,

 

[Kevan]

I'm betting that even adding all of this costs together for several years you won't even get close to the price of a ferrari or lamborghini am I correct. But the viper will still eat any of them for breakfast. At least when after I learn how to drive it.

Yeah. Service for the Viper isn't even in the same ballpark as a Euro exotic.

With the Driver Mod (REQUIRED for the Viper), they'll hang with the big boys with power to spare.
PUHLEASE TAKE SOME DRIVING CLASSES!
There are tracks near you with awesome instructors.
The classes are worth EVERY penny.

Huh? Not sure what dealer you're using, but mine charges less than $100 for and oil/filter change on my Viper. I've never heard of ANY dealers charging that high,

I need to correct myself:
The $800 jobbie was an oil change, a fluid check (did not add any), and tire pressure check (did not add any). Sorry for any confusion.

There are plenty of stories from the Ram SRT-10 guys getting bent over at dealerships.
When the lot driver at my local 5-star dealership couldn't find reverse, I stopped taking my vehicles there.

 

[swexlin]

The $800 jobbie was an oil change, a fluid check (did not add any), and tire pressure check (did not add any). Sorry for any confusion

Wow! Neither my Cummins, SRT8, nor the Viper are ever over $100, and all that rest of the stuff is free! I had all this, plus a brake fluid change last year on the Viper, and the bill wasn't over $250. She's getting all this done tomorrow, as a matter of fact (regulare service, plus PA inspection, plus a clutch fluid change).

Of course, the Service Manager at my dealer owns an SRT10 Ram himself.

 

[viper067]

I need to correct myself:
The $800 jobbie was an oil change, a fluid check (did not add any), and tire pressure check (did not add any). Sorry for any confusion.

I would find a new place too

Coolant, Brake, Differential, Transmission, Oil & Filter still doesn't get me to $800

 

[Ryan SRT10]

I live in AL and the A/C is more than enough. Tires aren't cheap but your driving usually determines how long they last to some extent. Gas mileage is also heavily dependant on the right foot. I change my own oil and it's about $70. Parking is easy and long as you don't try to pull the front end over the curb. The side sills aren't a problem, you shouldn't touch any exhaust. If it's raining, then nailing the gas isn't smart on any vehicle. The lack of traction control and all the other electronic aids is why we love Vipers. The Viper is a man's car, if you drive one and don't like it then a giant Milwaukee Best Lite can should fall on you!

 

[Dom426h]

TonyCool; have you previously daily driven a rear-wheel-drive manual transmission vehicle? What are your current vehicles?

I purposely started with a Miata when i graduated college to master the handling of a 50/50wieght distributed RWD ManualTrans vehicle. Everything i learned directly applied to the viper since it is basically the same car on steroids. My daily driver is a Dodge Dakota that is also RWD/MT. I regularly get the tail out in the rain for practice which directly applies to the Viper since the viper has about as much traction in the dry as my truck does in the rain

If your just going from a FWD automatic vehicle to high powered sports car like alot of people do then dont expect to be able to drive anywhere near its full potential. Performance driving schools will help, but there is no substitute for a solid foundation in performance driving prior to jumping into a hi-powered sportscar.


IMO a Gen3 is dailydrivable. I suggest that you meet up with your local VCA region and go for some rides to form your own opinion

 

[TonyCool]

TonyCool; have you previously daily driven a rear-wheel-drive manual transmission vehicle? What are your current vehicles?

I have driven manual vehicles before but not RWD. My current car is FWD and automatic.

I purposely started with a Miata when i graduated college to master the handling of a 50/50wieght distributed RWD ManualTrans vehicle. Everything i learned directly applied to the viper since it is basically the same car on steroids. My daily driver is a Dodge Dakota that is also RWD/MT. I regularly get the tail out in the rain for practice which directly applies to the Viper since the viper has about as much traction in the dry as my truck does in the rain

If your just going from a FWD automatic vehicle to high powered sports car like alot of people do then dont expect to be able to drive anywhere near its full potential. Performance driving schools will help, but there is no substitute for a solid foundation in performance driving prior to jumping into a hi-powered sportscar.

I'm indeed coming from FWD automatic. And I don't expect to push the car to it's limits more like to the legal speed limits, I'm not planning to do any kind of street racing or showing off. I'm going to investigate if there are performance driving lessons near by...


IMO a Gen3 is dailydrivable. I suggest that you meet up with your local VCA region and go for some rides to form your own opinion

Thanks for the reply

 

[Venomiss]

Since you are from Washington this might be helpful.

Find someone from here to help or ask to stop by their Dyno Day coming up on the 30th.
VCA Home

Someone might have a Viper for sale.... You never know.

 

[eucharistos]

To the OP, are you really serious? To the responses so far, have you been suckered into another of the many BAIT questions that show up every now and then???

OK, I'll bite on the off chance that someone new to the breed really is serious.

If you're so worried about the drivability of the Viper in all conditions, search the site. You'll find every type of driving experience that you can imagine... Snow, Ice, Desert, Rain, Mountains, Flats, Florida (is there really such a place where you can LITERALLY drive 365 days a year?).

This car is not for the faint of heart ... it was never intended to be an EVERY man's (sorry, maybe woman's) car. The maintenance costs ARE high ... the gas costs ARE high ... the ride can be rough at times ... it's NOT quiet ... it ISN'T 'Your Father's Oldmobile'. It never was intended to be! Vipers either take your heart or you shouldn't go there in the first place. Your first one becomes your mistress and you'll take every chance you have to spend time with her and you'll never reget a single moment of those stolen 'short drives'. "I'll be back in a minute" becomes your mantra, though you KNOW that's not going to be the case as you grab your keys.

If you've ever rounded a corner knowing that it was going to be you and the machine and coming out of it, you smiled ... and actually mentally thanked the vehicle you were in for sticking with you ... then maybe you're ready to move up to the Snake. If you're looking for quiet, calm comfort, get something else and save yourself the pain of having to let it go for pennies on the dollar when you have to DUMP it to pay the mortgage.

Owning a Viper is not for everyone, but if it's in your blood and you can appreciate the pure power and performance, you can't come CLOSE to it for twice as much money! I've had mine for about a year and a half after wishing for one for over a decade and my wife still has to come out to the garage occasionally just to tell me it's time to relax and let it go for the night.

There's NOTHING like it for twice the money and if you ever go there, having thought it through, you'll never regret it.

good post bird

_________________________
While I am watching you....I am not preschool enough to say:
“Robert smells bad and looks worse” OR “Robert looks bad and smells worse”

 

[3whitevipers]

Don't like to put the top up so I use the coupe here in Fla when it rains. It's a blast to drive--don't be scared away!!!

 

[malcoll]

I daily drove my Gen 1..... it was not comfortable and I got wet a lot.... but I loved driving it every day.....until I bought the Gen 3......It is a JOY to drive every day... top down when it's dry, top up when it's wet..... you have to WANT to drive the Viper...... and if you have that WANT then the idiosyncracies of the Viper are unimportant!

I'd get in one and drive it to see if you get that fever.

Good luck.

 

[AirJock]

I'm under 30 myself and owning a Gen 3 has been a blast. It is one hell of a machine. Maintenance and insurance are not that bad. My viper is not my DD. I drive a C6 Corvette and feel vettes are the ideal everyday sports cars. Better gas mileage, easier to drive, tamer, better everyday driving amenities. Driving a viper everyday would just do it injustice like Im doing to my vette. It will lose its "edge". You will get use to it and how it drives and the excitement will fade. My vette feels like a corolla now. I have to drive another car for awhile then jump back into the vette to bring back its enjoyment. I look forward to drive my viper on the weekends. It puts a smile on my face every time I turn it on.

 

[wes]

car can be used for a daily driver although I don't daily mine. It's not too uncomfortable but can get warm at times especially during the summer months. I don't drive mine in the rain if I don't have/need to although when I had my 04 vert I got stuck in the rain on the highway with not so good tires and it was not fun at all.

 

[tzortzViper]

Go on and buy it! You will not regret it!



.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

98 RT/10 with 128,000 miles on it. There would be more miles but I stopped driving it in the rain because I got tired of putting the top on. If my GTS wasn't a dedicated tracker it would be my rainy day Viper. It has 40K on it.

 

[Twister]

I drive mine once every few weeks but everyonce in a while ill forget about racking up miles and drive her for a week straight. by day three it feels like driving a regular car.

now my gen two on the other hand was a rageing bull!

gen3 is more like a bronco with a so so attitude. you can master him.

 

[2003 Viper]

Tony, in a month I will insure my 03 Viper for the summer and am 20 min from you. Look me up if you want to go for a quick spin.....

Erik

 

[rudedawg]

I have a Gen 3 2006 Coupe and do I use it everyday NO could I YES. I have put 14K on it and I do not have even one rattle in the car. I do use it every night after work and everyplace I go on the weekends. Is it still a thrill to drive YES, is it a comfortable car like a bmw or benz NO.It's a little tight and a little rough on the road Yes would I trade it for any other car NO !!!!

 

[malcoll]

I'm under 30 myself and owning a Gen 3 has been a blast. It is one hell of a machine. Maintenance and insurance are not that bad. My viper is not my DD. I drive a C6 Corvette and feel vettes are the ideal everyday sports cars. Better gas mileage, easier to drive, tamer, better everyday driving amenities. Driving a viper everyday would just do it injustice like Im doing to my vette. It will lose its "edge". You will get use to it and how it drives and the excitement will fade. My vette feels like a corolla now. I have to drive another car for awhile then jump back into the vette to bring back its enjoyment. I look forward to drive my viper on the weekends. It puts a smile on my face every time I turn it on.

Absolutely DISAGREE with this statement... I drive mine everyday...today on the way out of the office I passed by a fairly new Ferrari..... my Viper is WAY better, more exciting and absolutely on the edge. You have to have passion for a car like the Viper, if you don't you'll get caught in the weeds of discontent.

 

[TonyCool]

Tony, in a month I will insure my 03 Viper for the summer and am 20 min from you. Look me up if you want to go for a quick spin.....

Erik

That would be awesome. I'll contact you for sure.

 

[TonyCool]

Thanks to everyone for their comments. I think I've make up my mind now. I'll start looking for the car. I'm thinking I'll go yellow or orange since venom red wasn't available on Gen3s. May be black it looks mean on the viper. Will see. Thank you again to everyone for their insight.

 

[slysnake]

Orange is the best.

 

[VIPER R]

I think you should be thinking vette.

 

[chiurw]

Picked up an '06 Viper roadster six months ago and it is my DD replacement for the '01 Z06. The Viper makes the Z06 feel like a luxury car. The Viper is more of a raw sports car than the Z06. These are not a complaints, just observations. However, that is what makes a Viper a Viper and I enjoy driving it every day. You will not regret it, and furthermore, Vipers are more exclusive than Corvettes. I see a bunch of C5 and C6's but have only seen 4 Vipers where I live...and it's fun to watch people pull up and point, take pictures, etc. That never happened to me when I owned the Z06.