? for our Viper owners

[TaraFirma]

Saw the other Viper thread and want to say thanks for all the info. Didn't want to jack that thread so I created my own.
I sold my GT500 last year and I'm looking at replacing it with a Viper possibly.
I test drove an 06 SRT-10 today, and was less than blown away. As I rolled into the gas in first gear, I was expecting the rear to break loose and spin the tires like crazy, but it didn't. It didn't accelerate at all like a 500+ HP car should. It's the first one I've driven, so there could have been something wrong with it and I just couldn't tell. Maybe I'm just so used to PD supercharged cars that the NA feel of the Viper just isn't that impressive to me. I still think it should have been able to roast the tires though.
Thoughts?

 

[cbj5259]

Hard to tell since I wasn't in your shoes. I own a stock 2006 SRT10 and came from driving a Boss 302. I can tell you that the torque and power delivery is very different than the Mustang. The Viper has very long legs, 3.07 gears. It's easy to get to almost get 60 in 1st gear. That 1st 60' a Mustang, especially a GT500 will be all over a Viper because of the gearing. The Viper really comes alive between 4k and 5k revs. It will definitely come loose on you, especially since there are no nannies. So from a dig, a GT500 or a Boss even will definitely get the jump but the Viper just pulls like a freight train and keeps going. Not sure based on your post.

Sent from my SM-N920T using Tapatalk

 

[Rocket254]

Saw the other Viper thread and want to say thanks for all the info. Didn't want to jack that thread so I created my own.
I sold my GT500 last year and I'm looking at replacing it with a Viper possibly.
I test drove an 06 SRT-10 today, and was less than blown away. As I rolled into the gas in first gear, I was expecting the rear to break loose and spin the tires like crazy, but it didn't. It didn't accelerate at all like a 500+ HP car should. It's the first one I've driven, so there could have been something wrong with it and I just couldn't tell. Maybe I'm just so used to PD supercharged cars that the NA feel of the Viper just isn't that impressive to me. I still think it should have been able to roast the tires though.
Thoughts?

Definitely the gearing. I know 3.55s are a common mod for Gen III/IV cars. The cars make stoopid torque all the way to redline, they just aren't geared to take advantage of it in 60' ft, IMO.

 

[Iamchris]

Well, there are a couple factors. The most obvious is the gearing, the steeper gears are going to multiply the torque more in the Mustang. Another contributing factor is that Mustangs are notoriously loose under power. There is some truth behind all the memes making fun of Mustangs running over crowds, curbs, santa, your dog... The Viper feels much more connected. Call it the suspension setup, the 345 tires, better F/R weight ratio, wheel base... I don't know. I have more power and torque in the Viper and it handles better than the Cobra under throttle.
As stated above, the biggest thing though is that the gears on launch aren't as aggressive but as soon as you overcome that initial hit the Viper starts pulling.

I'm just so used to PD supercharged cars that the NA feel of the Viper just isn't that impressive to me.

A positive displacement motor makes good power down low, but it is also consuming significant power to turn the blower. I can roll my Viper out in 6th gear or cruise... uphill... barely off idle without any hesitation. The V-10 is huge and has a boat load of torque from idle to redline.

I think the biggest take-away is that fast isn't defined by unruly. Fast is define by controlled and smooth. The Viper isn't a smoke show, pun intended.

 

[TaraFirma]

Good info. Thanks for the replies. I completely forgot about the Vipers gearing. That is more than likely what the issue was. I didn't take the revs too high. I didn't want to freak out the sales guy. I'll have to drive a few more so I can make a decision. I'll try to find an 08 next.

 

[earl lee]

Viper V10's are lazy motors. If your just driving like miss daisy that is how they will feel. If your driving like you want to have fun they will return the favor. As others have said they come alive at 4k. I can only relate to how the v10 in my truck drives and I have plenty of punch off the line since I have 4.56's. Gearing does make the difference no matter what vehicle you drive.

 

[13COBRA]

I've driven plenty of cars, my 08 ACR is one of my favorite driving experiences thus far.

 

[Iamchris]

Viper V10's are lazy motors. If your just driving like miss daisy that is how they will feel. If your driving like you want to have fun they will return the favor. As others have said they come alive at 4k. I can only relate to how the v10 in my truck drives and I have plenty of punch off the line since I have 4.56's. Gearing does make the difference no matter what vehicle you drive.

I don't agree with it being a lazy motor. It doesn't need to rev as much as some motors. I have driven 25 mph uphill at 1k rpm without really noticing. It does seem a bit less rev happy, if that is what you mean but it revs just as hard as anything when you are all in.

Maybe I am stating what you are... either way, it never seems to need more power than it has. My Cobra is definitely more chaotic of a drive... it revs freely, makes power in its band and is just fun to blast around.

 

[earl lee]

I don't agree with it being a lazy motor. It doesn't need to rev as much as some motors. I have driven 25 mph uphill at 1k rpm without really noticing. It does seem a bit less rev happy, if that is what you mean but it revs just as hard as anything when you are all in.

Maybe I am stating what you are... either way, it never seems to need more power than it has. My Cobra is definitely more chaotic of a drive... it revs freely, makes power in its band and is just fun to blast around.

Thats what I meant, its not a rev happy motor and given its size and how much power it pumps out it doesnt need to be as it is not a honda. Driving a viper v10 is vastly different from driving alot of other cars. It is truly a throwback to the 70's in terms of engineering design and power making. You take a big block you punch it out and there you go horsepower. Enjoy.

 

[nxhappy]

down low you won't feel too much.....but redline that bitch and she keeps pulling and pulling like a train ...

 

[Black2010]

Are you going by feel or MPH? Reason I ask is because I just picked up a 98. the car didn't feel all that fast to my butt-o-meter but when I looked at the MPG I was MOVING fast. (not the same as your gt500) but my 2010 with the Roush SC on it and our 04 Cobra "feel" much faster but in reality they aren't. I'm finding that the Viper is just a lot easier to drive than both of my mustangs. with the mustangs, I can spin the tires at ease which makes things feel as though they are more powerful but the Viper just hooks up and goes.

I'll say this and probably take some flack about it but.... If you're about all out speed I'm not so sure the Viper is the most practical car to achieve that. To me the Viper is more of an experience. I never get noticed in any of my mustangs or our corvette. Every time I take the Viper out it gets noticed. I've had it 1 week and I've already stopped traffic once because someone stopped next to me to take a picture while driving by.

 

[nxhappy]

Are you going by feel or MPH? Reason I ask is because I just picked up a 98. the car didn't feel all that fast to my butt-o-meter but when I looked at the MPG I was MOVING fast. (not the same as your gt500) but my 2010 with the Roush SC on it and our 04 Cobra "feel" much faster but in reality they aren't. I'm finding that the Viper is just a lot easier to drive than both of my mustangs. with the mustangs, I can spin the tires at ease which makes things feel as though they are more powerful but the Viper just hooks up and goes.

I'll say this and probably take some flack about it but.... If you're about all out speed I'm not so sure the Viper is the most practical car to achieve that. To me the Viper is more of an experience. I never get noticed in any of my mustangs or our corvette. Every time I take the Viper out it gets noticed. I've had it 1 week and I've already stopped traffic once because someone stopped next to me to take a picture while driving by.

well...I think it's the gearing. If you stay NA, a set of 373s would REALLY wake up the car from a dig.

 

[mc01svt]

Saw the other Viper thread and want to say thanks for all the info. Didn't want to jack that thread so I created my own.
I sold my GT500 last year and I'm looking at replacing it with a Viper possibly.
I test drove an 06 SRT-10 today, and was less than blown away. As I rolled into the gas in first gear, I was expecting the rear to break loose and spin the tires like crazy, but it didn't. It didn't accelerate at all like a 500+ HP car should. It's the first one I've driven, so there could have been something wrong with it and I just couldn't tell. Maybe I'm just so used to PD supercharged cars that the NA feel of the Viper just isn't that impressive to me. I still think it should have been able to roast the tires though.
Thoughts?

GT500 have the weight distribution of a full size pickup truck with 57% of its mass over the front axle. They also have rear tires the size of pizza cutters. This is a recipe for a smoke show and underwhelming performance. :bored:

The viper on the other hand is a world class sports car with sticky 335 tires and a properly tuned suspension/chassis. Obviously its gonna feel alot more controlled under acceleration than a overpowered pony car based on a rental car chassis. So im not sure what the complaint is.

"feeling fast" cause you can barely keep the car in a straight line or keep the tires from blowing off isnt necessarily a good thing. :rollseyes

 

[nxhappy]

^^and it doesn't weigh as much as the elephant