#277 goes out for a drive! (pics and review)

[Y2K5SRT]

So much for sleep. Figured I would get a little extra time to sleep in this morning after almost 24-hours up yesterday. Not with a brand-spankin-new SRT in the garage I won't!

First thing I need to do is put in the Mopar floor mats that I got with the trunk mat kit up at Woodhouse Dodge (and with a VCA discount too!). They not only have a non-slip back (covered with small "spikes"), but they also have a very nifty snap set up to literally anchor them to the floor at the seat edge. Look pretty good too!



You might also notice the pedal set up in that picture. Besides being what I assume is lightweight aluminum, the gas pedal is polished and has the Fangs logo. Nice touch!

Okay, so much for prep work, time to hit the road! Having watched Frank turn rather pale in Blair when his silver SRT refused to start, I made sure to hit the "START" button after turning the key (which also solved Frank's problem). Oh my... this engine is SWEET! Having come from a "creampuff", I was very pleased to feel this motor and a more definitive rumble. Outside, you can here lots of lifters and who knows what else, but as my neighbor said when he came running over, "It sounds like a high-definition symphony". We decide to take a peek at it and are greeted by a familiar sight:



Looking by the intake, I am very pleased to see this:



I set up the mirrors and get everything set up a little better for driving. The seat is VERY comfortable and the side bolsters are incredible. Later on we would figure out that the passenger seat was too far back and the back too far upright. There seems to be even more room in the footwells, which allows you to slide the seat forward more and recline the seatback if you want. As there is no lumbar adjustment, moving the seats around can help make the lower back find a more comfortable angle. There is a decent "bump" in the lower seat back, so the angle can help make a difference. I remember to grab my California Duster and take off the dust from the ride down in the trailer. What's this?? This car EATS dusters!!



Fair warning to all current and future SRT owners: You WILL find your duster (and who knows what else) getting gripped in the "vise of death" on the side sill where it meets the fender. It sweeps down and forms a perfect pinch that will yank off the threads in no time. It happened on both sides of the car and will undoubtedly happen again.

And we're off! Well, me anyway. I start out on my short journey and immediately find the "bucking" that somebody else mentioned. It isn't so much a bucking like the earlier cars when the throttle bodies are out of sync, rather a "stall" like you have started out in 3rd gear even though you are in first. I had to double check this a couple times and soon got used to it (make sure I was in the right gear).

As I am breaking it in I can't do any full throttle stuff. Nonetheless, I found the power to be VERY responsive and the engine to have more depth. Maybe it was the side pipes or who knows what, but the motor just seemed to feel as though it had more range. While the engine doesn't have the "lope" of the earlier Vipers (pre-2000), it definitely has a more pronounced rumble than it's immediate predecessor. It just feels like you have a heck of a lot more under the go pedal. The exhaust also sounds great - no more "UPS truck" sound even as stock. I can see where some will want more sound (it sounded especially quiet when we heard them at Woodhouse), however once I was underway it sounded darn near perfect (and that was my biggest complaint on my GTS when stock).

My first stop is the local car wash (self serve) so that I can vacuum the passenger floor, which somehow got some fairly heavy dirt on it. And here is the TRUE test of "Viper looks" - going out in public. I see a few eyes watch as I make my way the few blocks there. More heads turn as I pull in by the vacuums. Then ZOOM, three guys come running over (literally running) to check out the new snake. Two of them knew ALL about the new SRT's, having read all about them. The other guy (driving a new BMW 7 Series), was just in awe. It was like the good ol' days with the GTS: "Can we see the engine?" "How fast will it go?" "How big are those wheels?!" "Holy crap, the speedometer shows 220 mph!!"

The car now vacuumed, I go back to take the family members for rides. As I stop at the light, a big Mercedes pulls up next to me and a boy of 10 or so is positively beaming and giving me two very enthusiastic thumbs up. His dad throws me a thumbs up as well. First ride goes to my older son, age 15 and very car-savvy. He also has a couple CD's to test out the sound system. WOW, what a sound system! This baby really rocks and the sound quality is superb. Maybe it is because I came from a GTS, but having a big subwoofer at my elbow is pretty cool. No real distortion until you went pretty dang loud. My son was very happy. He was initially underwhelmed by the SRT when he first started seeing pictures. His initial response to it last night was good, but not thrilled. Once in the daylight and cruising, he suddenly realized what many of us have also discovered: This is one INCREDIBLE machine! Soon he was begging me to drive by all of his friend's houses to check it out. Their dads soon followed and all were very impressed. Upon our return, he pronounced it "even better than the GTS", which we both loved.

Next up was my 12 year old son, who is an even bigger car enthusiast. First thing he says when underway is "We have been without a Viper for way too long. I missed this!" He is noticing all the stares we are getting, as well as a Mustang GT which has banged a U-turn to give chase. He and his friend in the GT are going crazy over the car and aren't looking for a race. They just wanted a closer look and gave the ol' "I bow to your car" look with hands clasped in front of them. Funny! Later on we have a minivan pull up next to us with several wide-eyed kids. The minivan Dad guns it and plays as though we are racing. No problem with the break-in limits to quickly thrill his kids as we walk him. My son informs me that this car doesn't look as "racy" as the GTS, but he thinks it is an awesome car and "just knows it is faster" by the way it sounds.

Next up we have the wife - my toughest audience by far. It is here that we figure out the passenger seat and how to adjust it the best way. She asks me to run by one of her friends houses to drop off something. I still have the camera, so decide to take a picture of the temps at their hottest while I wait:



The thing I like is that there are no more "small" has marks that make you feel as though your car is runing hotter than normal. Also note that the center temp is now 200º instead of 190º. Many of us thought our Gen I/II cars were running hot when it was at the small mark to the right of 190º - which was probably about 200º. This one makes you worry a little less. Then there is that nifty oil temperature gauge:



Although we all know that these gauges aren't always totally accurate, it was interesting to see that the oil temp was less than the water temp. I suppose that is normal, but I have never had an oil temp gauge before!

So we drive around a bit and I am waiting for her to complain about something. Nothing. I head towards our neighborhood and she tells me not to bother, she wants to drive around some more. She then informs me that this car seems much better built than our GTS. She is impressed with the quality of the interior and is even okay with the somewhat pronounced exhaust sound she can hear. The one thing that she and I both noticed was the vent temperature when it was set to "cold". While it was probably 45º outside, the vent temperature seems to be about 80º. It had NOTHING to do with footwell temperatures or side sill heat (both absent), yet the actual air from the vents was pretty warm. The A/C worked very well when we tried it for a little bit. By the time we got home she knew this was a great car. She was even excited by the prospect of having a real convertible when it warms up - something we haven't owned in 17 years. Now she wonders what it would look like with stripes...

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[Y2K5SRT]

Next up, our 17 year old neighbor who is also into cars. He immediately proclaims it "the Batmobile personified" as he looks out over the hood. We do some fun low-RPM moves and he is thrilled. Nail a couple corners to make sure everything is tight and he is even more impressed. We check it out on the highway and have surprisingly little wind noise from the convertible top. He then declares it "much more awesome than your old Viper." We return home and he tells me that he wants a call the minute the car is officially broken in. Oh yeah, and I also checked out the side sill heat after all this driving.

<center><FONT size="5">ATTENTION CAR</FONT s> <FONT size="4">AND</FONT s> <FONT size="5">DRIVER MAGAZINE</FONT s></center>

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I stand back and look at my car which now has a whopping 72 miles on it. And looks like it has 7200. Seems that our snow melt and dirty roads have taken their toll and we have a very dirty SRT. Didn't take long to earn it's very first bath!



I learn a few things from my car cleaning experience:

1. The mirrors seem to hold a LOT of water. I dried the car and turned the mirror stalks to drain the water. Several times. The driver's side finally seemed to dry up, but I think the passenger mirror may drop water for another year or so.

2. The wheels are beautiful, "lipless" rims that are definitely more of a challenge than the simple 5-spokes on the '99 - '02. While dirty from the road, it didn't seem to be from brake dust. I would also note that they were deathly quiet throughout our drives.

3. The interior doesn't leak. I didn't get a drop of water inside the cockpit and I hit it from every angle.

4. If you own or will own an SRT, buy a black towel or a big lint brush! My white 100% cotton towels left white fuzz all over the top. Sigh...

5. The rain baffle on the hood isn't 100% effective. Scratch that, it may be 100% effective, but it doesn't LOOK like it prevents 100% of the water from getting in. How so? I looked through that front hood duct at an angle and most definitely could see some air filters peeking out. I figure that if I can see them with the hood closed, so can Mother Nature.

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[Y2K5SRT]

Once clean, I start to look over the car in even more detail. I know some folks here want more pictures, so I am happy to oblige. Curious about that top and how it latches? Here you go:



Everything forward of that middle support bar is a reinforced "shell" so that the front part of the roof is hard. This helps with wind noise and also forms a perfect "body part" when folded down and under the trunk lid. One note on this that has me a little concerned: The trunk most definitely pushes down on the top of the roof to keep it in firmly in place when folded down. A nice touch, but I can't help but wonder what kind of wear this will cause on the roof fabric and how long it will take to appear. The inside latch (there is only one) is a simple affair that works well. When the top is new it is pretty dang hard to get it latched by yourself. Oh, I did it just fine, but it takes some serious muscle until it gets broken in a little bit more.

Of course, we have talked about the seats and for good reason: They are EXTREMELY comfortable (even more than the GTS, which I loved so much I bought one as an office chair). Also note the embroidered "VIPER" right below the cutouts for the five-point race belts (no more cutting!):



The "suede" (or whatever) inserts are not only a nice touch, but they also seem to keep you more in place than all-leather seating. The side bolsters are awesome and my wide 6' frame is snug and very comfortable in them.

The tail lights are pretty darn cool. There are actually two lights: An inside "conventional" lamp and the outside "reflective" lamp. The latter can be seen reflecting in the mirror "shell" behind it, but generally only from straight back. At an angle the light disappears. Very cool!



I would also note the only real concern I have with my car at this point: Condensation in the driver's reverse light. While the passenger side light seems dry as a bone even after the wash, the driver's side looks like a tropical greenhouse with water all over the inside. It was there before the wash (noticed it last night) and is even more pronounced now. I will study the manual and see if it is easily removed for inspection. It is the only "problem" I can seem to find with my car.

What about the outside? Well, my wife pointed out that this car is definitely not as close to the ground as the GTS. While the specs still say 5" (which I think is what it said for the GTS), it certainly seems as though there is much more room underneath:



Perhaps it is because it curves up at the sides, which is a very good thing. The side corners were much more exposed on the GTS when it came to steep driveways, etc. This car seems like scraping the front end won't be nearly as likely. Speaking of beneath the car, as I cleaned off the rear diffusers (man, are they cool looking) I noticed the rear differential. HEY! Behind those rugged cross supports is a face I recognize right on the differential!



Too bad he is hidden, but still a very cool (and very surprising) touch. Oh, and I don't remember this on my old Pilot Sports:



Run flats indeed!

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[Y2K5SRT]

It is surprising how much those rear fenders flare out. This is one of the things you just don't see in any of the magazine pictures:



And I will share Mike's comment on the gas cap tether: WHY? I have a similar tether on my Denali's cap and it is perfect. How so? It has a small hook on the inside door so that you can hang the cap without it banging on any paint. On the SRT, it just hangs right on the outside of the car. Yuck! I am going to see if I can make a small "retrofit" to the inside filler door that provides a similar hook. This was just sloppy engineering.

Here is another picture of those HID lights. They are pretty darn awesome!



And here are the high beams. Intestingly enough, high beams cause the inside conventional lights to come on, as well as "opening" the shutters on the HID lamps. I am told that these HID's have that shutter that comes down on low beams to block the light from hitting oncoming traffic. On high beams, you better grab your Ray Bans!



And with the driving lights all looks pretty darn good:



And I thought you would like the view from the driver's seat:



No, I was pulled off to the side and NOT headed for the curb! And wondered what is in your rearview mirror?



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[Y2K5SRT]

And here are a few more pictures for you (grab a chair if you have dial up):

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Undoubtedly I will have plenty more pictures and commentary for you later on. Indeed, if you have any picture requests, post them here and I will shoot them for you (of the SRT, silly!) Until then, I wanted to close with this little note:

First of all, I want to thank Gary and Mike for helping me get this car. It was a little touch and go there for a while and I cannot thank you enough for all of your help. Second, I wanted to thank Bill Pemberton, Bob Woodhouse, Larry the Driver, and all of those other great Woodhouse employees. One of the guys at the car wash today asked me why I bought my car in Nebraska of all places. I paused, then told him "They weren't the cheapest and weren't the closest by any means. Yet the people that define this dealership are as close to family as you can get. I bought this Viper there because I know that they will treat me well and always be there when I need them." That is truly priceless and I once again want to thank Woodhouse Dodge for everything.

Finally, I wanted to send a very hearty congratulations to the hard working men and women at DaimlerChrysler and especially the Conner Avenue Assembly Plant. I was completely blown away with my GTS when I bought it three years ago. I didn't know how anybody could possibly top that work of art. Like so many owners, I was skeptical that the SRT would be the answer. After only a day of ownership, I can tell you that I am simply knocked out. While definitely a Viper through and through, it also represents a significant change in the power, handling, and even the feel of the car as a whole. The looks only slightly warmed my soul in pictures, but this black beauty gives me a grin that I haven't had since my GTS left in November. You did an exceptional job of designing and producing yet another automotive milestone. The execution seems to be flawless as well (we will talk about that gas cap later ). Thanks for doing such a wonderful job with these cars. I just may have to pass on the coupe if/when it is built, believe it or not!

Until next time,

Chris

[Craig 201 MPH]

This pic just screams 70-71 cuda, very nice pic. Somebody hurry up those Canadian orders.

[Y2K5SRT]

PS. I forgot one other thing: If you have an MGW license plate frame, it still works PERECTLY on the SRT! Even the side cutout for the key matches right up. The down side is that it doesn't fit any taller license plate frames. I had my "Porsches for Breakfast, Ferraris for Lunch" frame ready for photo duty, but it simply would not fit. Sigh...

[Y2K5SRT]

Oh yeah, and one OTHER thing (sorry, still tired): While driving the car and coming to a stop, you can clearly see the heat coming from the hood vents. It causes a pretty interesting mirage on the stuff in front of you. This was on a 45º day. It was very cool to see!

Chris

[Frank 03SRT]

You mention valve noise. I sure noticed it -- much louder than my GTS. I thought for a while that there was no oil in the engine!

Also, at low speed I can hear a cluck, cluck, cluck coming from the rear of the car. Sort of sounds like a rock in the tire, but too deep a tone for that. Must be something associated with the drive train.

Other than that, the car is fantastic.

[Joseph Houss]

Chris,

If Car and Driver doesn't offer you a job, they must be out of their minds! Fantastic editorial (as usual)! Congratulations!


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This is just tooooo funnnnnyy!

[gtsviper]

This guy should be writing for VQ!

[Projecting IMAX 70mm]

Y2KGTS,

Never in my life have I enjoyed an reading such a fine article. Your in depth review is awesome and the pictures are wonderful. Keep the reports coming as I cannot wait to see after the break in period. One question, How is the engine vibration? One magazine wrote. "It will put white caps on you mocha latte"

Thanks
Ben

[Y2K5SRT]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Projecting IMAX 70mm:
One question, How is the engine vibration? One magazine wrote. "It will put white caps on you mocha latte".
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Ben -

Thanks for the comments! As to your question, the engine definitely has more of a rumble than the "creampuff" motors of the 2000-2002 Vipers. I would also say that it has less than the '92-'99 Vipers, mainly because I suspect the cam isn't quite as radical (but I am happy to have a technical guy correct me). I think that neutral gear rattle (NGR) was one of the results of a very "lopey" motor in the earlier cars. The SRT makes a lot more valve noise from outside, but inside you feel a very deep rumble that feels as though a thundering stampede isn't too far off. It doesn't move a thing in your car and certainly wouldn't put white caps on anything. I suspect that the writer had just got done rating the latest Lexus when he stepped into the SRT. To me it just feels like the rumble of distant thunder on a stormy night. I LOVE it!

Chris

PS. to Frank - HEY! You were going to call me when the darn car got in!

[Frank 03SRT]

PS to Chris: I did! You must not know how to answer your mobile phone. Come over anytime and I'll put some 3M (not BM) on your car.

[snowmann]

Wow nice write up... you make me feel like I own the car... nice job!!!