[sshu]

Originally Posted by Divexxtreme

My issue is that I can now get a brand-new, loaded '14 Viper GTS ($139k sticker) off of the showroom floor, for significantly less money than the cost of a loaded C7 Z06. So now it comes down to which car I prefer more.

How would you compare the gen 5 viper to the c6 z06? I spent sometime with the z06 and really like the rawness of it. Is the new viper considerably harder to drive(heavier clutch, lower, driving position, etc)? I'm looking for a third car and am considering a few different cars viper, gtr, 997.1tt and m3. Your input would be appreciated.

[Divexxtreme]

Originally Posted by sshu

How would you compare the gen 5 viper to the c6 z06? I spent sometime with the z06 and really like the rawness of it. Is the new viper considerably harder to drive(heavier clutch, lower, driving position, etc)? I'm looking for a third car and am considering a few different cars viper, gtr, 997.1tt and m3. Your input would be appreciated.

Compared to a C6 Z06 the Viper is faster, handles a bit better, has a FAR better interior, better shift feel, better steering feel and much better looks (in my opinion). Clutch feel is similar to my C7 Stingray.

It's exceptionally easy to drive, and did I say the shift feel was awesome yet? Best I've felt in a production car.

The only negative to me is the reduced headroom, but I'm not tall enough (5'10") for it to be a problem. If I was a tall guy with a long body, the headroom might be too tight.

If you don't need back seats, and really enjoy really 'driving' and 'feeling' your car, the Viper beats all the others hands down. One word of warning; it will get more attention than you can possibly imagine. The GT-R also gets a ton of attention from onlookers, but the Viper easily gets double the amount.

[thebmw]

Originally Posted by DocWeatherington

I never said it was a bad motor, I just know it was used at one point in a Ram.. lol, not hating... I like any NA V10... I got nothing but love

I know...I was just posting in general.

[thebmw]

Originally Posted by Divexxtreme

Compared to a C6 Z06 the Viper is faster, handles a bit better, has a FAR better interior, better shift feel, better steering feel and much better looks (in my opinion). Clutch feel is similar to my C7 Stingray.

It's exceptionally easy to drive, and did I say the shift feel was awesome yet? Best I've felt in a production car.

The only negative to me is the reduced headroom, but I'm not tall enough (5'10") for it to be a problem. If I was a tall guy with a long body, the headroom might be too tight.

If you don't need back seats, and really enjoy really 'driving' and 'feeling' your car, the Viper beats all the others hands down. One word of warning; it will get more attention than you can possibly imagine. The GT-R also gets a ton of attention from onlookers, but the Viper easily gets double the amount.

You have quite a garage and history of previous cars. I'm very familiar with the Viper as well (all generations) and am curious what you think about the Gen V vs. the 911 GT3. I know it is a little off topic.

[evanescent03]

very interesting ... lots of negative stuff about the viper but it has never been about good reviews... it's just still a realllllly cool car. unique, rare, fast as stink. of course there are all the downsides, but if I had the $$ to have several sports cars I really think I'd probably get one since I grew up thinking they were awesome, knowing full & well that the side pipes may melt the surrounding plastic, parts fall off and the seat
wasn't bolted down properly for motor trend test car.. I don't think I would ever try to drive it more than 7/10 except in a straight line, though

[Divexxtreme]

Originally Posted by evanescent03

very interesting ... lots of negative stuff about the viper but it has never been about good reviews... it's just still a realllllly cool car. unique, rare, fast as stink. of course there are all the downsides, but if I had the $$ to have several sports cars I really think I'd probably get one since I grew up thinking they were awesome, knowing full & well that the side pipes may melt the surrounding plastic, parts fall off and the seat
wasn't bolted down properly for motor trend test car.. I don't think I would ever try to drive it more than 7/10 except in a straight line, though

All of those negatives you mentioned? You're talking about a completely different car than the Gen V (2013 and newer). The new ones are phenomenal and the build quality is excellent. And if you want a smooth ride on public roads, you can get a GTS instead of the more hardcore TA.

http://www.topgear.com/uk/photos/Vip...-GT-2014-04-02

[Divexxtreme]

Originally Posted by thebmw

You have quite a garage and history of previous cars. I'm very familiar with the Viper as well (all generations) and am curious what you think about the Gen V vs. the 911 GT3. I know it is a little off topic.

I've only owned one GT3, and I never had a chance to really drive it because Porsche recalled all of them due to engines catching on fire. I ended up selling it back to Porsche.

So from that perspective, I'd say the Gen V wins! Lol

[evanescent03]

Originally Posted by Divexxtreme

All of those negatives you mentioned? You're talking about a completely different car than the Gen V (2013 and newer). The new ones are phenomenal and the build quality is excellent. And if you want a smooth ride on public roads, you can get a GTS instead of the more hardcore TA.

http://www.topgear.com/uk/photos/Vip...-GT-2014-04-02

nope .. i'm talking about the Gen V. maybe they've cleaned up their QC, but they sent a car or cars to Motor Trend to test where the hood vent flew off, the seat wasn't bolted down properly, and i'm quite sure i read one review that said the exhaust was STILL causing damage.

i have zero personal experience with driving any Viper and have only been around them on the road, at shows, sales lots, etc so i can't speak from personal experience. but don't you think if you were to send a car to a major magazine to test/review you would make sure it was maybe your BEST car and not one that wasn't checked over by your QC department several times before being shipped off to be put through the ringer and then on YouTube?

Maybe (hopefully) this was a poor representation, which is why i qualified my complaints saying i sourced the info from motor trend…. hopefully it's not the norm.

but, after all is said and done, i still wouldn't kick one out of my garage and i'm sure i'd have a huge grin on my face driving one around!

[FogCityM3]

Not my cup of tea, but you cannot argue the performance for dollar, pretty amazing actually.

[Divexxtreme]

Originally Posted by evanescent03

nope .. i'm talking about the Gen V. maybe they've cleaned up their QC, but they sent a car or cars to Motor Trend to test where the hood vent flew off, the seat wasn't bolted down properly, and i'm quite sure i read one review that said the exhaust was STILL causing damage.

Yeah, the video where the TA beats the ZR1's Laguna Seca track record explains that the first Gen V cars sent to magazines were preproduction models that had issues. The cars that were released for sale don't have any of those issues.

i have zero personal experience with driving any Viper and have only been around them on the road, at shows, sales lots, etc so i can't speak from personal experience. but don't you think if you were to send a car to a major magazine to test/review you would make sure it was maybe your BEST car and not one that wasn't checked over by your QC department several times before being shipped off to be put through the ringer and then on YouTube?

Yeah, I think so. But I'm sure they learned their lesson. No biggie. The guys who own them and drive them know the deal, and with the new price decrease, the remaining 600 that were still in showrooms are selling like hotcakes.

[Damasconian]

Originally Posted by gthal

I like a lot of cars. I have owned a lot of cars. I do not, have never, nor will I likely ever, want a Viper. I'm not even sure why (which is maybe unfair of me).

If it was priced at $55,000 I would still take a Stingray over it in a heartbeat. Heck, the Z06 will start at the same price. That would be a no-brainer over the Viper. Heck, I'd take a Mustang over the Viper.

Mustang? Really? I can believe the Corvette but we've all driven Mustangs.

The Viper is a better car than the Mustang. But good for Dodge with this price drop, the car wasnt selling and they adjusted.

Now what is Cadillac going to do with the ELR - give them away? Hope you're enjoying AY, its a top 2 color for me with more on road presence than any of the others.

[Rambler]

Originally Posted by Divexxtreme

My issue is that I can now get a brand-new, loaded '14 Viper GTS ($139k sticker) off of the showroom floor, for significantly less money than the cost of a loaded C7 Z06. So now it comes down to which car I prefer more.

If the current discount is $15k, how does this equate to significantly less than a loaded C7 Z06 which will be say around $100k with the top package? Just curious b/c I would be all over this if accurate. I would never chose a c7 over this given similar prices. I see maybe one of these a year outside the track and a few c6/7 vettes every day.

[Divexxtreme]

Originally Posted by Rambler

If the current discount is $15k, how does this equate to significantly less than a loaded C7 Z06 which will be say around $100k with the top package? Just curious b/c I would be all over this if accurate. I would never chose a c7 over this given similar prices. I see maybe one of these a year outside the track and a few c6/7 vettes every day.

Yes, loaded C7 Z is around $100k.

-GTS Vipers: The most expensive ones, with loaded leather interiors, softer suspensions, and 5 suspension settings. I passed up a loaded Viper GTS with Laguna interior for $95k (sticker was $139k). A friend just picked up a loaded '14 Carbon Edition Viper GTS for $91k (sticker was $150k). A guy on Viper forums just posted about his new, unsold '13 GTS that he picked up for $85k, that stickered at $140k.

-Time Attacks/TA: More exclusive and hardcore versions, only 33 each of white and black, and 93 orange were produced out of the 2900'ish total Gen V Vipers produced from 2013 to 2014. Performance comparable to a C7 Z07 version of the Z06, and holds the current production car record at 9 tracks around the US. Probably not a good daily-driver. You won't see the same discounts on TAs (due to rarity and popularity), but I got my '14 TA (stickered at $120k) for just under $100k. Another friend of mine in Florida did the same with his, and I'm aware of two other guys who also found the same deals.

Once the remaining inventory is gone (less than 472 cars left at dealers across the country), you won't see deals like this again since the price decease has really jump started sales and generated interest again and dealers won't have to give crazy deals to clear their new inventory. So now is the time.

Next year, the base Viper and Viper GT version will all start out under $100k. The Time Attack 2.0 will be only $105k. And anyone who would take a C7 Z07 package car for $100k over any of them (SRT, GT, or TA) should have their head-examined.

You are a very smart man for saying you would never choose any mass-produced, production-line C7 Z over a hand-built Viper for the same money. There is absolutely no comparison in my opinion. If you want a black GTS, I can get you one for $45k under MSRP right now. I passed on it for my TA, but it's still there.

Hope this helps.

[Rambler]

^ Thank you for that pricing rundown, now you really got my attention! These are some serious discounts - very hard to ignore. I'll be spending the next couple of evenings searching local inventory and doing some homework!

[alms21]

Scott - congrats on the Viper TA. Damn man, you are living the life with that stable. Have pictures of a white Viper GTS that I took at the DC Auto show this past winter. It was simply beautiful.

[Divexxtreme]

Originally Posted by alms21

Scott - congrats on the Viper TA. Damn man, you are living the life with that stable. Have pictures of a white Viper GTS that I took at the DC Auto show this past winter. It was simply beautiful.

Thanks, brother! I want to enjoy as many cars as I can while I'm still able to enjoy them, without limiting my car options like some guys do based on brand or country. The stable will be shrinking soon as I'm selling both the C7 and the 997.

Here's what my TA looks like. I don't have any of my own pics just yet, but found this on the 'net. All of the TAs (Orange, White or Black) all look the same, with the same carbon aero bits and black sidewinder wheels.

[Divexxtreme]

Originally Posted by evanescent03

nope .. i'm talking about the Gen V. maybe they've cleaned up their QC, but they sent a car or cars to Motor Trend to test where the hood vent flew off, the seat wasn't bolted down properly, and i'm quite sure i read one review that said the exhaust was STILL causing damage.

i have zero personal experience with driving any Viper and have only been around them on the road, at shows, sales lots, etc so i can't speak from personal experience. but don't you think if you were to send a car to a major magazine to test/review you would make sure it was maybe your BEST car and not one that wasn't checked over by your QC department several times before being shipped off to be put through the ringer and then on YouTube?

Maybe (hopefully) this was a poor representation, which is why i qualified my complaints saying i sourced the info from motor trend…. hopefully it's not the norm.

but, after all is said and done, i still wouldn't kick one out of my garage and i'm sure i'd have a huge grin on my face driving one around!

You made some good points. I think you'll enjoy watching this round-table between MT staff, Randy Pobst, and Ralph Gilles (head of Viper development). They spend a lot of time discussing what happened with the pre-production Viper that lost the first comparison test to the ZR1, and then the changes they made to the production cars to correct those issues. It also turns out among many things, the test Viper had a rear tire toed out 1/8 of an inch and the brakes weren't bedded in yet.

Anyway, this video was very was interesting to me, and I want to thank you for making me research it. I now know a lot more about my car than I did previously, and I like it that much more.

[evanescent03]

Originally Posted by Divexxtreme

You made some good points. I think you'll enjoy watching this round-table between MT staff, Randy Pobst, and Ralph Gilles (head of Viper development). They spend a lot of time discussing happened with the pre-production Viper that lost the first comparison test to the ZR1, and then the changes they made to the production cars to correct those issues. It also turns out among many things, the test Viper had a rear tire toed out 1/8 of an inch and the brakes weren't bedded in yet.

Anyway, this video was very was interesting to me, and I want to thank you for making me research it. I now know a lot more about my car than I did previously, and I like it that much more.

i do recall watching that video a while back when it was new .. i'll have to watch it again. i also remember MT taking credit (jokingly, perhaps) for the TA since they slammed SRT so badly on the white viper they tested.

i'm glad they worked out some of those issues … it would be frustrating having a $100k car that skipped the QC department so it's good to hear they're back on payroll. i'm also glad that you are enjoying your car and hope you continue to do so. thanks for the info!

[Divexxtreme]

Originally Posted by evanescent03

i do recall watching that video a while back when it was new .. i'll have to watch it again. i also remember MT taking credit (jokingly, perhaps) for the TA since they slammed SRT so badly on the white viper they tested.

i'm glad they worked out some of those issues … it would be frustrating having a $100k car that skipped the QC department so it's good to hear they're back on payroll. i'm also glad that you are enjoying your car and hope you continue to do so. thanks for the info!

Well, the only thing I would say is that the QC department never stopped working as it was a pre-production car. They all knew they had issues that still needed working out, but they were tied to external timelines that were out of their control (track rentals, magazine print dates, etc.) The important thing, really, is that no car with issues ever made it out of the final production process into owner's hands.

Further, as far as I'm aware, there have been zero recalls for any Gen V Vipers, compared to what I consider a massive amount of combined recalls for both the C6 Corvette (including the ZR1 and Z06), as well as the C7 Corvette. So from a recall perspective, Viper quality seems to be perfect, compared to Corvette quality, which seems to be very flawed. And this is coming from a C7 owner.

[alms21]

Originally Posted by Divexxtreme

Thanks, brother! I want to enjoy as many cars as I can while I'm still able to enjoy them, without limiting my car options like some guys do based on brand or country. The stable will be shrinking soon as I'm selling both the C7 and the 997.

Here's what my TA looks like. I don't have any of my own pics just yet, but found this on the 'net. All of the TAs (Orange, White or Black) all look the same, with the same carbon aero bits and black sidewinder wheels.

Beautiful and so purposeful looking! I love it. You and I are cut from the same cloth. I couldn't care less what badge is on the hood and/or whether it was made in Germany, Japan, Great Britain, Italy or the United States.

Enjoy in good health.

[Vectors2final]

My father in law has one.. It's pretty nice.

[SYT_Shadow]

The Viper is a supercar due to exclusivity. The Z06 will be completely awesome but it's a very different type of car.

I'm a big fan of European supercars and have two M3s, but it is foolish to deny the Viper it's fair place in the automotive pantheon.

The way it tears a GT3 RS a new one at the Ring is nothing to be scoffed at. It is a very serious piece of machinery that can also double as a classic supercar as it could not call more attention if it tried.

At times I think of a new Z06 as a track car. A Viper is more enticing of course but the reviews say it is very, very hard to drive fast.