How Many Spin Outs or other loss of Control ?

[Turbo63]

In your first 6 months of Viper ownership, how many times have you spun out or otherwise lost control of your vehicle? Also, what climate or location did the situation occur? Thanks!

[quickysrt]

i have spun out while doing simple u-turns a little too quickly(perfect sunny weather).

In the rain or misty mornings its worse so i dont even dare take it out.

[VIPER D]

It happened to me in my silver srt with runcraps when the ground was very cold. Runflats and cold pavement is a no no. I was parked for about an hour and then made a left turn out of the parking lot and I guess overpowerd it. It scared the sht out of me but i didn't wipe out. If it was warmer it would not of happened.

vd..

[ARMORGOD]

Spun out once on a track. Had a car in front of me get a little squirrely and tapped my brakes in a corner (even though I knew better). Back end came around, but it was a pretty tight, low speed corner, so it was very uneventful.

Now that I have the blower the back end is ALWAYS kicking out, but I let off before it gets anywhere near coming around.

[GR8_ASP]

Ah nope, never. Not even on an autocross course.

Now if you asked me that question about an RT/10 I would have quite a different answer. The difference in at the limit handling is considerable.

Yes, the runflats are slippery when cold. But the propensity to snap oversteer is virtually eliminated in the SRT. and thankfully so.

[STUGOTS]

I did once in my RT when I dident see the sand and was at a dead stop on it.

I always spin out in my mustang when its raining because they are so light in he a$$ end, even a drop of dampness on the roads and watch out.

[knuk]

It happened to me in my silver srt with runcraps when the ground was very cold. Runflats and cold pavement is a no no. I was parked for about an hour and then made a left turn out of the parking lot and I guess overpowerd it. It scared the sht out of me but i didn't wipe out. If it was warmer it would not of happened.

vd..

I find that the run flats are useless in cold weather - at least that's what I blame the last hair raising slide on! I was giving a kid a ride that his grandmother had bid on for a charity silent auction, and I took him out on the highway on a fairly cold day in late October. I drove for about 30 minutes then pulled off to turn around and head back - when I started in the other direction at WOT I went totally sideways on the highway. There were no other cars around, luckily, but I was not expecting this at all, scared the $hit out of me, but the kid in the passenger seat was screaming with delight. Of course I told him that I meant to do it! This never happened in my RT or GTS in cold weather so I have to blame the run flats! It was although very easy to get the car back in control. When I spun the GTS on the track it seemed like I was just along for the ride and had no chance at correcting the spin.

[Joseph Dell]

In my 99RT, I was pulling out of the toll booth (the _one_ in GA), did the 1-2 shift, and then got on it hard. car started spinning and there was _nothing_ I could do. I came to a stop 2 feet from the concrete retaining wall looking straight back at the white volvo i'd just passed.

Oh yeah... i flat-spotted the tires trying to slow down too.

Turned out that the problem was a clutch that was slipping. and a bad clutch design (old RPM carbon/carbon clutch). don't use that clutch. ever.

JD

[Bob K]

Two spin-outs on the track (Pacific Raceway in Seattle) in my GTS:
First one - came out of hair-pin turn into the back straight in 2nd gear and hit the gas before I was perfectly straght. Rear end came around and I ended up in the gravel infield. No biggy.
Second one - coming out of the back straight into a shallow S too hot. Tried to slow it and began fish-tailing and over- correcting. Left rear wheel slammed into the curb and spun me around 180 before I came to a stop. Pretty exciting for 5 seconds and scared the sh!t out of me. I wasn't so concerned about my well-being as I was about recking the car. Only damage was to the rim (and my ego).
Bob K

[Viperized]

Previously posted:
How is this for experincing the bite of the Viper tire spin. I picked up my 2005 black Viper on 12/30/04. My friend's 19 yo daughter came with me (all on the up and up. I pulled out of the dealership across the street to the stop sign to enter the highway. The traffic cleared I gave it ONLY enough gas to blend into traffic, the car instantly went out of control at which point I het the curb and lampost. the car has 50 miles on it and has not seen my garage nor will it for at least 3 weeks. Now I know you will be tempted to ask what cars I have driven and that I couldnt handle the torque. I have a porsche, a Ferrari and a 'Cuda with 4 speed. I know that they dont have the torque of the Viper but what happened was not normal. I would be happy to blame myself if it was appropriate. I didnt even get moving, it was weird and frightening and the 19 yo daughter now calls the car the "Devil Car" I feel like I do not want this car, it is supposed to be my everyday driver which is why I leased it. From the posts it sounds like I am not the only one to experience this. I really love the look and feel of the car but don't want to die. I did test drive the car extensively and loved it. I may not have a choice with a leased car,but I can get pretty loud with Chrysler if need be. What do I do?

[Turbo63]

Viperized, any insight why it happened?

[SteveT]

I must drive like an old fart compared to the rest of you guys...

So far, never spun out or lost control of any of the Vipers I have owned. Lots of times I felt the rear starting to slip in the 1-2 shift but just backing of the power brings it back in line.

05 Yellow SRT10
03 Red SRT (gone)
02 Graphite GTS (gone)
97 Red GTS (gone)
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Our other cars: 2005 SL65 Pewter / 2005 G55 Graphite / 2005 SSR Silver / 2004 Gallardo Yellow / 2004 NSX Black / 2004 Z06 Machine Silver / 2004 H2 White / 2002 Candy Red Prowler + 2001 Orange Prowler + 2001 Silver Prowler / 2002 35th Anniversary Camaro SS Convertible / 1970 Black Chevy SWB Pick up / 1969 Garnet Red Camaro SS 350 / 1969 Chevelle SS 396 / 1969 Impala SS 427 / 1968 Chevy Step Side Truck L98/700r4 / 1967 Hugger Orange Camaro 400 / 1955 Yellow Chevrolet Truck / 1934 Ford Sedan / 1930 Ford Hiboy Coupe 302 5spd

[Kai SRT10]

I've never spun out or lost control.
However, I began taking high performance driving lessons almost as soon as I purchased the Viper. These lessons certainly helped.

[Viperized]

There are numerous theories as to why this happened. It was a pretty cold night and the car had been sitting waiting for me to pick it up so the tires were cold and the runflats have terrible traction when cold. Also, the theory of armorall on tires when detailed. I feel that there may have been some dirt/gravel/ sand on the road due to the construction being done adjacent to the on ramp. All I know is that given all the circumstance it was not a normal way for a car to behave. Obviousl there is some merit to the problem with the cars or this and numerous like threads would not exist on this forum.

[Viper Specialty]

Ugh...Only Once. And that was indeed enough to hold me over for the rest of my life!

In my FE GTS, I was coming off a concrete Exit ramp rated at 30 MPH, and I was doing 40 MPH. Normally, this would never be a biggie. To put this ramp into perspective, there is grass on your right with markers every 20 feet, a concrete barrier on your left. 1 lane wide, and it has a smooth transition from a sloping right hander to a sloping left hander, not tight at all really. As I exited the right hander and began into the left, the back of the car jumped to the INSIDE of the turn! Seeing as in physics this doesnt make sense, you have got me- must have been a rut or something. (I have heard one other report of a similar situation with another local guy) When I tried to correct the jump, the car did not respond at all, almost like a hydroplane. However, when the front tires wandered off of the concrete and onto the blacktop shoulder, the car GRABBED traction, shot the car back onto the concrete, and threw me into a counter-clockwise spin. I did a complete 180, on the concrete, in the space of 1 lane+5 foot shoulder, BETWEEN the Concrete barrier and the markers, and then slid off the road sideways/backwards into the grass PERFECTLY center of two markers! I truly had an angel in the car that day. Short of two small stone chips in the driver sidesill, NO damage. Put it on an Alignment rack and a frame machine...nothing. I couldnt believe it. When I went back later to survey the situation, it turns out the concrete was polished almost to the point of using it for a mirror. No wonder...

Another "close call" was in my SRT about a month after I got it. Was going on a Dyno Day up in Ontario... weather went south and it started raining. was heading down a 2 lane road, and I hopped on it a little in 4th gear. Back end kicked out left into the oncoming traffic lane, but I was lucky enough to catch that one before anything happened.

Goes to show you- Even with 30,000 "Viper Miles" under my belt, the car still has tricks it hasnt shown you yet!

Be careful out there...