How hard is it to drive a viper?

[Jason-Middle Tennessee]

I think driving school is a must or so some people will tell you so. A Mustang or a Ram Air T/A DO NOT stand a change against a Snake. The only way you will feel the power or a Snake is to drive one. By the way one of my good friends just purchased a 2000 Black SVT Contour. I'll give Ford a 4 on a scale of 1 to 10 on power. Good Luck

[Ulysses]

Before I got the Viper, I had never driven anything with as much torque and HP. I found it very easy to drive, BUT it can be very easy to get into trouble. Just use common sense and take some classes.

[Maverick The Electrician]

You will want more power the first month. Get the viper, and do some mods. Just be careful.

[phiebert]

I'm kinda with Albert on this one. You're days will go like this if you are anything like me:

Day 1: Woke up, cleaned sheets due to dreaming of getting my first Viper. Got in for test drive, was driven around by dealer for ten minutes, seemed like ten hours because I was the passenger. Switched seats... Pulse racing, vital organs shutting down, loss of motor controls, misfiring synapse in brain...put car in gear and eased out clutch. Idled around city for a minute. Looked over to smiling dealer in passenger seat. Informed dealer of my intent to pass the car ahead of me less gracefully than he had. His smile diminished somewhat. Dropped car into second gear and went wide open throttle while pulling around other car. NOTE TO SELF: "Never go WOT with wheels anthing but straight". Looked over at dealer, smile had turned upside down. After regaining control of car, proceeded to shift into 3rd and again go WOT. At 110 mph dealer appears possibly incapable of ever smiling in my presence again. Went back to dealership, handed dealer check, slapped him on the back thanking him for the ride and suggested he change pants before dealing with next potential buyer.

Day 2: Still in car, slept there. Back onto road. Impressed with power and using it in a straight line. Still rehearsing to self, "Wheels straight? Check. OK, apply power."

Day 3: Have horrible dream about teenagers trashing car...go sleep in garage.

Day 4: Love the power but starting to get addicted to it and want more.

Day 5: Buy track tires for improved handling.

Day 6: Put in K&N Filters, smooth tubes.

Day 7: Order Nitrous...

Day 8: etc...


Bottom line, have fun but be careful. Any car with this much power takes getting used to. You don't have to drive it dangerously but it is so capable of it that you have to be a smart driver. Someone used to being able to apply full power under any circumstance needs to start very slow and gradually find the limits, not punch it with a dealer in the car!

[Jay Herbert]

I agree with Jon B. The '92-'96 RT/10's can get you in trouble quickly. Specially if you don't let the tires heat up. The car is fast, the first time I had mine on the track it was lapping at times near what my instructor was able to do in his Porsche. NOT BECAUSE I HAVE ANY DRIVING SKILL, but because the car could make and carry lots of speed throughout the course (and I had a good instructor). I was really nervous, he was calm as a lake on a windless day. Go figure.

Hard to drive, No. Easy to do stupid things in, Yes.

It is almost ashamed not to put a Viper on the track (at least occasionally), as it is way more car than the roads of America can handle (legally).

[PhoenixGTS]

Just remember the golden rule of Viper driving: only floor the throttle is you are going in a straight line. Follow that and you will stay alive long enough to get a feel for a car that can be a handfull.

[kcobean]

Originally Posted by PhoenixGTS

Just remember the golden rule of Viper driving: only floor the throttle is you are going in a straight line. Follow that and you will stay alive long enough to get a feel for a car that can be a handfull.

And the number one rule of forums....Check the date of the last post before you post!!! This sucker is 7 YEARS OLD!!!!

[my viper]

ROFL. This has to be a record.

[GTSRboy2000]

HOLY CRAP! this topic is 7 years old!! i was 11 when this topic opened up! ahhahahhh

this topic also opened up before the SRT design was even released!

[DodgeViper01]

Originally Posted by Ulysses

Before I got the Viper, I had never driven anything with as much torque and HP. I found it very easy to drive, BUT it can be very easy to get into trouble. Just use common sense and take some classes.

Very well said.