If you have a chance, drive a Viper!

[Richiec77]

My Buddy Scott picked one up 3 days ago. Didn't even tell me what the hell he was up to until he threw me the keys. It's an '06 roadster? (Convertable) Silver with Black interior. Paid $43K for it out of a dealer in DFW.

Tony. You are damn right that this car is a race car pretending to be a street car. It tracks just about ever bump and groove on the road. View out the front isn't bad. Vent's on the hood look cool. Drivetrain is damn docile for what it is. Easy to lug the motor along but it'll get up and go when you punch it. Kind of easy to get the back-end to come around a hair but WAY easier to control than the GTO which was a sudden burst of speed when the turbo's kicked in.

So. Who else has driven one? If not, see if you can. Fun car.

[Nine Ball]

Was that one stock? If so, it is only an 11.9-12.0 car. You should try driving a modded one, or at least a 2008+ 600hp version.

The steering and OEM brakes in the Viper are 2nd to none as far as the cars I've driven. I love that tight steering with excellent feedback. Corvette drives more like a family car by comparison.

[WILWAXU]

I tried... Tony wouldn't give me the keys :D

[Damian]

Vipers are definitely an experience to drive. I've dabbled in modding a few locally, and I love them. I'm actually eye balling a 99 GTS right now. You can get those stupid cheap nowadays.

My only quarrel with the Vipers are the sound. They sound terrible with most exhaust systems. Tony's is about the best sounding one I've ever heard, but that's not saying a whole lot.

[Richiec77]

Yeah. It's stock but Scott is already thinking of mod's for it. I might have him give you a call to talk about Rim's and your ideas on the car. '06 is like 525 right? If so, I can't imagine what a 600HP one would be like. Awesome car. Super responsive to inputs. Hopefully I'll be back in time for Scott and I to head up to both the track and a road course with the CTS-V before he heads back to Afghanistan.

I'll be getting a shot of all our toy's soon. LOL. I think between the 2 of us we have 6 cars, 2 bikes.

[Speed Density]

My only quarrel with the Vipers are the sound. They sound terrible with most exhaust systems. Tony's is about the best sounding one I've ever heard, but that's not saying a whole lot.

I agree with Josh they dont really sound to cool with exhaust. I am looking at a 96' GTS in denver right now. $33k for it.

I would really like to sit/ride in one before I get one but here in Idaho I doubt that will happen.

Tony.

[Nine Ball]

GTS sound the worst, because of no side pipes. They sound like Hondas.

SRT-10 sounds deeper and more exotic than the pre-SRT10 models, to me.

Mine is just loud as hell.

[Speed Density]

How do you make a GTS sound super?

[DONAIMIAN]

I still haven't ridden in a viper much less driven one. Ive ran them from a red light though:shiner:

[Nine Ball]

Donaimian, you are welcome to come take a ride whenever you wish.

[Z Fury]

My uncle had one of the very first RT/10 models back when he was very high up at Chrysler in Kokomo, IN, but he sold it and bought 3 vehicles (!) before I got a chance to ride in it, let alone drive it (no chance at driving it, I was 17 at the time with limited experience on a manual gearbox). When I get into a financial position to buy a weekend cruiser, I'll be shopping for either a Viper or a Z06 - emphasis on the Viper. I'd love to go for a ride in a Viper. Not many around here though.

[demonspeed]

The Viper and F430 (or whatever the evolution of the series ends up) are my top two cars that I want have a chance to pound the guts out of before I die. I don't have any ambition to own either, but I just want to drive for a moment.

I had a chance to go for a ride in a Viper in the early 00's at an event outside of Philly. MTV was auditioning people for some racing show and the cars were all Neons. They had some people from Dodge Motorsports there who had some prepped Vipers giving rides around a track. It was pretty exhilirating even just being a passenger.

[JUICED96Z]

I have spent some time in a SRT that had some work done and no mufflers and they are a blast...... drove an SRT a shot distance and loved it..... the pedal position takes a while to get used to.

Id get one over a Vette any day of the week. Vipers just feel so much more race inspired not to mention feel a lot better in the corners to me....... an ACR would be nice...

There is a local with a fully built 01 car with a ROWE (only thing stock is the crank) and has open exhaust, built tranny you name it... The one I spent time in was this one when it was a bottle car. I have not seen it since the work was done but here that with the stock wheels on BFG radial's it won't hook....... last I hear he was looking for some smaller wheels to get more of a sidewall....

[tones2SS]

Never been in one nor drove one.
But, given the chance, I'd be all over it. Sounds like a real fun car to drive!!

[orangeapeel]

I'll be getting a shot of all our toy's soon. LOL. I think between the 2 of us we have 6 cars, 2 bikes.

Sell the bikes. Trust me. ;)

[Richiec77]

I don't ride. At All. I scraped way too many riders off the road's as a lifeguard on the lakefront in Chicago. I was cured of that idea by the time I was 18. Also lost a couple cousin's who either wrecked or were hit. They are nice bikes, but not for me.

[ex-SS-ve]

have driven a few of the 01-03 models after perfoming detail service on them. never really got to give one a good beating. maybe ill have one someday when my finances get settled.

[LEO]

I've had a chance to drive every generation of Viper made except the '08+, each successive generation was better and more driver friendly. I still think it has one of the worst exhaust notes of any performance car made. My suggestion to anyone looking at purchasing one is to get the latest model you can afford.

[Nine Ball]

That is exactly what I say too Leo. Get the newest generation Viper you can afford. But, if someone wants an easy ~700 rwhp I'd recommend the 03-06 over a 2008+. Too easy to slap a Paxton and catback on the Gen 3 to make good power.

[MetallicaMatt]

how much boost are you pushing through yours Tony? Your at around 700rwhp, right?

What does she weigh?


Curious how she would compare to my C6, but I know your geared lower.

[Nine Ball]

Mine is around 680 rwhp. Out-of-box Paxton kit with original pulley, custom 3" catback with high-flow cats. Custom tune. That is all it has on it.

Weighs around 3500 lbs if I remember correctly. Prior to the tune, it trapped 135 mph in the quarter in hot weather. I think it could go 138 in cool weather.

[MetallicaMatt]

awesome!

[WILWAXU]

Yeah... looked at a silver '09 Coupe yesterday ;)