Wrecked Vipers

[TexasSnake]

I've seen quite a few wrecked Vipers as I'm sure you all have too. I've owned my Viper (supercharged) for 3 months, but only driven it for 20 minutes (another story) and will soon be home with it in a week...YEEEAAA!!!!

With all the wrecked Vipers (some being brand new) I'm a little concerned and don't want mine to end up that way. Keep in mind that none of the owners believed it would happen to them either, or they wouldn't have made whatever mistake they did.

How are most of these people wrecking their Vipers? I know the first thing that will come to a lot of your minds is stupidity, and I'm sure this makes up a percentage. But what is commonly going wrong? Is it accelerating too much in a turn? Running out of road too quickly or miscalculating deceleration distances? Combo of wet weather and too much use of power (doubtful)? Drag racing and end up 180 or 360 degrees before they knew what hit them?

I just don't want to become a statistic. What close calls or mishaps have you guys (and girls) had that we can learn from? What was the root cause of the failure?

Thanks...

 

[dave6666]

Many of them do not make it more than 1 mile from the car lot before being wrecked.

I would have joined them had I not have had experience with my off road car. I knew what sliding was, and how to control it by not freaking out.

1700 pound car with 150 hp.

Now lets take a non car ****** and put them in a 3400 pound car with 500 hp...

 

[slysnake]

I would guess under estimating the torque. I heard stories and have been very careful in the first few months I've owned my car. Still, I've had the back end start to slip out on me a couple of times. Really gotta watch that on turns or the slightest slippery conditions.

But I'm just guessing. It will be interesting to hear reports from the guys that know their cars.

 

[yogibayer]

I think under 50 degree weather and/or old tires probably make up the largest percentage of the "snake bite" from what I've read on here.

 

[Bobpantax]

Most of the incidents are traction related. Tires too old. ( The tires get hard with age and basically are only good for two or three years depending on use and mileage and even less time if frequently heat cycled.) Tires too cold. Tread too low. Lack of driving skill - not lifting off the gas when the rear end starts to kick out; punching the gas pedal instead of rolling into it; ignoring slick, sandy or otherwise unstable surfaces; driving in a spirited manner in the wrong weather or on the wrong surface; failing to learn the car before using its capabilities ( it is amazing how many people hop in the car without reading the owner's manual and testing it out in baby steps and then wreck the car ). The best way to drive a Viper is to assume that it is a full fledged race car that requires substantial skill to operate safely and correctly. It's not a toy. It has no nanny tech to bail out a fool's mistakes. It demands respect and if it does not get it, the driver gets a snake bite. Take your Viper out to a safe four lane empty piece of highway early in the morning on a Sunday when no one is up and, in baby steps, test it and your responses to it. Also, if you have the coin and the time, go to a high performance driving school - preferably one that let's you bring your Viper and will help you to undertsand and control it. If you have not done so, the SRT Experience is not a bad, although somewhat limited, piece of education. It includes time in a Viper on a Motocross course. Good luck and be sure and let the tires warm up first.

 

[Slypopsracing]

My oldest son only had his Viper a few months when he knocked a tooth out of his mouth when his power drifting tires finally hooked,not hurting the car thank goodness! As he has his racing liscense in both two and four wheels and enjoys racing at Barbers and elsewhere, experience with other vehicles really doesn t help with Vipers, in fact he often bragged how the 07 Vette he used to own would counter any mistakes by the driver.When he made the statement that the Viper could hurt its driver more than a Suzuki GSXR 1000,I was so concerned, it probably helped me not get hurt in mine,SO FAR. When asking for power from your Viper,remember the great old saying,"be careful what you ask for, you just might get it" Drive safe.

 

[MarkRx]

I think my problem was cold tires and a slick surface.

It was about a week before halloween and we get major temp changes from day to night that usually leaves a dew on the roads come morning. I debated back and forth to even take the car out, but figured oh what the hell- this will be the last time it comes out before I throw it in a bubble for winter. I hung out with some buddies till like 3am and decided to head home. I come up to a red light and figure Ill give it a good rip as this will probabley be the last full throttle run of the season.

I feathered it off the start as I knew the brand new ps2s still probabley wouldnt hook as the tires werent very warm. I got it up to like 2 or 3 grand then hit it. I had some really bad wheel hop that I figured Id just ride out like all the other times its occured. I shifted into second and kept my foot in it and the wheel hop wasnt improving and I decided to let off the throttle(big mistake) as soon as I let off the car instantly pulled hard left and I connected the rear quarter into a large tree. The rear tire was pushed in thus pushing the lower control arm into the frame and kinking it badly.

Im not sure why the car pulled so hard after I let off, one forum member suggested that due to the compression of a large 10 cylinder letting off all at once is like literally throwing an anchor out the back. The car pulled so hard I barely had time to counter steer. Totally f'd, I didnt have a chance in hell of bringing that car back once it got away.


It sucked, but insurance paid me 8.5k more than what I paid for the car. Ill have another VERY VERY soon, but I dont think Ill drive it like my old one,plus having people ask you- "hey man, hows your viper" and you have to say, "not too good, i totaled it" really *****.

 

[TexasSnake]

Thanks for the responses from you guys and sorry to hear about your misfortune MarkRx. At least you are okay. I've wrecked motorcycles before and know that no one intends on wrecking, as you can relate. I tell myself I'm going to take it easy, but you don't buy a Viper and throw a s/c on it not to have some fun and excitement...

 

[Red Snake]

I bought my car this past November with the Roe already installed and the car still sporting the stock Pilots. I have also never driven a Viper other than puttin around the neighborhood once in my friends SRT.

I was just very careful the first couple of months in getting a feel for the car. I goosed it a little bit here and there to feel the power but didn't really get on it hard until after I got some mileage under my belt.

I am still VERY careful accelerating on curves and don't launch real hard from a stand still. I also plan to add some BFGs to the car soon to help with traction.

 

[banshe302]

The problem is simple when shifting these cars becouse of the torque if you shift and put your foot back on the gas before the clutch is fully disengeged your tires break fre3e and before you know it you are side ways heading fot a tree or a parked car with no chance of regaining controll. ooooops toooo late . learn how to shift . By the way this can happen even with new tires .

 

[SquadX]

-From what I hear, those with run flats, blame it on the tires because they are hard and do poorly in cold weather. Personally, applying to much gas without having the steering wheel straight.
-Mis-shift- (3rd to 2)
-Driving to fast and you hit a bump in the road or *** hole...
-Trying to over correct to much

 

[MikeR]

Basicaly every crash is driver error in my opinion. If you crash and its cold, you were pushing too hard for the conditions or too hard for the tires equipped on the car. Everyone wants to blame something but themselves. Its just like racing, you use certain tires for certain condtions, do warmup laps and slowly get going faster as tire temps rise.

Sure were not all racers, but point is you have to adapt and be smart. I could crash tomorrow, but I guarantee it would be MY fault and not the cars. All because I was pushing hard. Ive driven my car in rain and on cold days and when I drive like I do with my fiance this car can handle anything. Yet when Im with my friends and pushcing it Ive had close calls. If you shift ******* the 2-3shift on freeway at about 80 mph, the car can get sideways, so when its cold out , dont power shift. Many examples, but everyone needs to remember your feet and hands control the outcome.

 

[AFL in NJ]

I've had a few white-knuckle experiences driving my Viper, but thank goodness none of them cost me more than my heart racing and the color leaving my face. I drive some highways that are quite wheel rutted and in dry weather the car moves around those ruts making you look like you're all over the road......well here's my advice....don't try those same highways in a Viper in the rain....not good! I've hydroplaned a few times and realized once I'm already surfing my car that I hope it doesn't decide to move left or right in or out of any of those ruts.

Regards,
Aaron

 

[SmoknTires]

Driver error.

The best performance investment you can make is not in your car, it's in yourself. Take a weekend with Viper Days or the many performance driving programs and you'll learn exactly why people are wrecking them, and how to avoid doing the same.

 

[Performance Junkie]

Practice / Experience from other hi performance cars does help.
My old C3 Vette I built to 450 Horse / 3,000 pounds, no abs, old school suspension "lead sled" was much to handle in the wrong hands. When I drove my friends Viper it was easy to drive...learning it's nature step by step is most necessary....as with a super bike, snowmobile, boat etc... It was funny..the mirror was loose...didn't know it when I took it for the ride but when I banged second the rear view mirror flew off the windshield into the cabin. Lots of torque
One of the biggest and repeated mistakes I have witnessed is inexperienced drivers hitting red line and banging the next gear while the car is torquing a touch sideways. Not truly thrusting straight. Most always they loose the back end and when it bites they rocket in the direction the car was cocked. Whooosh off the road...

 

[Ratical2]

Im not sure why the car pulled so hard after I let off, one forum member suggested that due to the compression of a large 10 cylinder letting off all at once is like literally throwing an anchor out the back. The car pulled so hard I barely had time to counter steer. Totally f'd, I didnt have a chance in hell of bringing that car back once it got away.

My brother had a 96 RT/10 and he and wife were cruising 2 lane roads in the hills around Austin. A Motorcycle caught up to him but had to slow for a corner. My brother started playing tag with him. The bike could catch up on the strait, but by then they would be starting the next corner,so he couldn't pass my brother. The speeds keep getting higher and higher until my brother suddenly realized this was stupid and unsafe. In that instant he let off the throttle causing the back in to snap to the right. Before he could get the car going strait again he was in the oncoming lane with just enough time to get back into his lane narrowly avoiding a head on collision.

You got to respect the car. Smooth is the key.

 

[Snakester]

There are many good points here. Another issue is some people letting their kids or friends drive their Viper. There are only one or two friends that I know that either have enough experience, skill and/or restraint to let them drive my Viper.
The Viper has no safety net, and the HP and especially tons of torque is something that few people are familiar with, and know how it effects the car.

Plus because the Viper is very quick, you can find yourself going much faster than you would in a normal car. This will be compounded with the supercharger because your mind feels like the car is going around 70MPH, but you look at the speedo and you've passed 120MPH before you realize it. This also can be a problem very quickly when you accelerate and then find yourself going too fast for the brakes to stop you to make the corner or stop by the approaching light/intersection.

Ordinary cars take a lot more effort to get into trouble, and with a regular car punching the gas in the middle of a turn will probably not have much of an effect, but with the Viper's massive torque it will spin the tires easily and if you are already near the edge of grip, you can cause the car to spin at that point. Similarly, many car's tires will squeal loudly when you start to approach the limits of grip whereas the Michelin tires will grab and grab and then let go. And unless you practice a lot to know what the limits of grip are you can find out too late where there is not the run-out room to catch the car.

Another problem is that downshifting at higher speeds can unsettle the Viper, even when you are driving in a straight line. I've done this twice before where I was taking off briskly and then started to slow down with the brakes and then downshifted to a lower gear and the engine compression combined with the big rear tires and all of a sudden the rear started coming around. I should have blipped the throttle to better match the engine speed, or simply just relied on the brakes to slow the car. I was able to catch it both times, but it really surprised me. And if I was not familiar with how the car felt and how to correct it quickly it could have been a problem.

Of course with other cars traction control makes up for most of these kinds of driver errors, but part of owning a Viper is understanding it's capabilities and limitations, respecting that you can get into trouble very quickly, and taking some time to get really familar with the Viper before you drive it aggressively.

Treated well, there are few other cars that are so rewarding.
But with power comes responsibility... or not.