Need Input SRT10 or C6 Z51 Vette 6speed Vert!

[RonnieSRT10]

I want to thank everyone in advance for their input. I have ordered an 05 C6 Z51 6speed Corvette ragtop. I am getting rid of my 02 Z06, which is my 5th Vette. I have never had a problem with any Vette, and I am a one-car man, so whatever i get is my daily driver. I drive about 20K miles per year in the LA area. I am not crazy about the looks of the new vette, and love the looks of the SRT10. The seats of the viper are superior, but the interior is spartan compared to the C6. My questions are: how do these cars compare as daily drivers? Is the Viper pretty much a trouble-free car? What else can be said as far as comparisons?

 

[SnakeEye]

Think Viper...sent you a PM with details.

 

[BishopTx]

Ronnie,

Finally a post I feel supremely qualified to respond to:

First off - I am (was) a fellow C6 Z51 Pre-Order - a Mill Yellow Coupe with Polished Wheels, Nav, XM and Cash interior.

I am now a very happy, could not be more pleased owner of the following:

http://gallery.viperclub.org/showphoto.php/photo/7482/size/big/sort/1/cat/500

2004 SRT-10 Viper
White Mamba #146/200

To answer your questions:

Q1. Performance Comparison C6 Z51 to SRT-10
A1. There is none. Nothing can prepare you for 525lbs of torque and the monstrous power of 505 cu in. The track performance is also no comparison. The Viper corners, tracks and stops better - and this is by a lot.

Q2. Ride Comparison
A2. No doubt the Viper will ride rougher. The suspension is very tight on a brand new car. Mine is starting to loosen up and feels so much better than it did out of the showroom. The Vette will still be more comfortable. If you are really looking for comfort then I recommend the M5 or 6 Series BMW, maybe a STS-V. I love people who say they are buying a Vette because it is comfortable. Isn't that like saying I bought a Hummer for the gas mileage?

Q3. Interior
A3. Again the Vette comes with options for creature comforts the Viper will never have. When you drive a Viper you do so for the Driving experience. I can't stress this enough. The sound, the engine, the power and the show stopping traffic is unprecedented. If you want creature comforts and a semi fast car, the Vette is the best option on the planet. For me I didn't want a jack of all trades master of none experience, which is what the Vette provides.

Lastly, and for me the most important point to this whole debate -- EXCLUSIVITY. Even when the C6 Z06 Comes out, and that is likely to be a screamin' car, the debate will come down to this thing called exclusivity.

35000 cars per year compared to 1500, 4000 on a good year. Or go with the Mamba and be 1 of 200 like I did.
There are thousands of Vettes on the road, I see them all the time. There are 15 in my parking lot at work, and those are just the Z06's.

I had 6 cars (WRX, Evo, S2000, Vette) follow me home from the show room floor. I didn't know these people. One of the shop guys called his son (18), told him the White Mamba was there and being sold. 6 cars and their owners meet at the dealership with video and digital cameras and follow me 20 miles to my driveway, videotaping the entire experience.

The amount of waves, horns, thumbs up, people taking pics of you with their phone camera and the sheer amazement people express at the gas station is worth the price of admission. You'll never get that with any Vette.

The Viper is in another class. There's a good reason why 80%+ of all Viper owners were one time Vette owners - that's my story.

If you are looking for the best looking best performing car you can buy for under 100K there is no comparison. And to get Viper performance you have to pay over 300K for a stock car or spend 30K on mods to a Vette and have it not be under warranty and have it suffer on the track (because it's likely the car only goes straight).

Personally I feel a lot smarter going with the Viper. The only other smart decision would have been waiting for the C6 Z06, but even then I would be hoping on something that's not confirmed (500Hp or better) and would still have to put up with everyone else Vette.

And one more thing - there is no substitute for cubic inches. Find a local Viper specialist like we have here in Austin, Tx (props to David Weaver) and you can have all manner of upgrades done under warranty -- like my Hi-Flow Cat, *** Exhaust and Headers which will have me well over 500 to the wheels...woo hoo!!!

Viper all the way - but if you choose to go the Vette route, congratulations. They are both super fine sports cars and the best value going. I hate folks that tear down something else just to build up their opinion. I likem both, my preference is the SRT-10 Mamba.

Chris

 

[Kelly06]

I have had 2 Zo6s---one is gone and the other is going. From the stand point of performance and looks, the viper wins hands down. Paint is superior.
From the stand point of creature comforts, ie nav, electric seats, top---basically electric every thing---the vette wins;
The cars, however, come from different philosophies. The viper IMO is a throw back to the 60s, performance and power oriented. Not a lot of frills and I think that is the way viper people want it. The vette is a compromise. Since you a going for a vert the C6z06 doesn't come into play.
Also in the vette, you are going to see yourself coming and going all the time.
As far as a daily driver, it has to depend on you. If you need the daily frills, then the viper ain't for you.
I really got tired of the vettes, Hill and GM. I cannot stand the looks of the C6. I also get the impression that dodge is forgiving in terms of mods, especially if you have the dealer do them
Reliability is out the window since you are getting the first year of the C6. You just know there are going to be problems. I got the first year of the Z06 and look what happened---385 vs 405hp and an oil burner. And then GM would not admit to it for a LONG time. Blamed the drivers.

 

[PRVT JET]

They are both the same price.
fully loaded C6 conv. is about $70k out the door, you can get a '04 close to that with the tax savings from your trade.

 

[Fast Freddy]

vettes are daily drivers. if you wanna race car or something more rare than a vette or if you want attention and all the chix get a viper.

 

[ARMORGOD]

They are both the same price.
fully loaded C6 conv. is about $70k out the door, you can get a '04 close to that with the tax savings from your trade.

Whachu talkin' 'bout Willis?

70k for a C6 vert? You sure?

 

[Viperfreak2]

Try $55K loaded for a C6 vert. The coupe bases at $45K.

 

[NOMERCY]

Bishop, The picks of your White Mamba have inspired me.

 

[PRVT JET]

You better check the prices again, someone on the corvette forum priced a fully loaded conv. for a little over $65k.

 

[Mopar426]

They are both the same price.
fully loaded C6 conv. is about $70k out the door, you can get a '04 close to that with the tax savings from your trade.

$70K?? I hope that's a typo there cheif.

 

[Viperfreak2]

OK, you wanted the truth:

Local dealer advertising itself as "Home of the $35,990 Vette" C5 of course.

Kerbeck Chevy in Atlantic City advertising in AutoWeek "C6 Coupe starting at $44,245"

Automobile magazine "AS TESTED Z51 C6 coupe for $45,800" "52,300 for the convertible"

ANY new model like this will have scalpers. The first SRT-10's at dealerships had 'adjustment' stickers on them. My local dealer wanted $108,000 for his 2003 SRT-10. Did he get it? No way. Same thing with the C6. THERE WILL BE FOOLS who overpay due to lack of knowledge and 'have to be first' kinda people, but within one year they will truely feel like idiots when 35000 other Vettes are on the road with them. They will know the meaning of 'drops like a rock in value'. Ask the people who paid $5000 over list price for a PT Cruiser the first year!

 

[YouWish]

There have never been more than 1,500 Vipers made in a year. Am I right guys?

 

[RonnieSRT10]

The msrp for a fully loaded (every possible option) 2005 C6 corvette convertible, 6 speed w/Z51 suspension package is $62,405.00. This includes power top ($1995.00), Navigation system (1400.00), Polished wheels
($1295.00), XM satellite radio ($325.00), ON Star ($695.00), and destination charge ($800.00). The only other options are $490.00 for factory/museum delivery, and either $300.00 for Lemans Blue paint or $750.00 for Yellow or Magnetic Red paint. Most of the C6 verts come in at around $56K.

 

[PRVT JET]

I was not talking dealer add-ons. I saw a conv with every option, including power top, nav, susp. and it was almost $65k. The $70k I was talking about included taxes. If your going to get a vette, you might as well get it loaded. If you are getting a viper, who cares, it's a VIPER.

 

[TomSlick]

I, to have owned 4 Corvette's and when I was 18 bought a '74 454 Convt. Had the most fun in my life. After my brother's GTO and every other hot rod he had. (he was killed in a corvette in '74). Then after '82 I couldn't stand the cars. But they have come back some. But I knew when the Viper 1st came out I knew it was the only car that would have the Low-end torque that I had longed for so long. It exceeded my expectations. Go for the Viper if you want that, but the corvette is an everyday site anywhere you go. You won't be able to say you have 1 of 759 built though.