NorthTexasVette

Which would you rather own. You can get a really nice used viper for around 45,000. Would you rather have your Zo6 than a Viper?

Steve Theodore

Viper is larger, heavier, and more difficult to drive near the limit. Viper is not known for tremendously high quality and is known for being fairly uncomfortable, can be pretty hot inside, and also not as easy to work on. Unless you want a MUCH rarer car than the Corvette, I'd personally pass...but if you like them that much you should test drive one and see what you think in comparison.

I wouldn't ever consider a Viper, but I love fairly lightweight sports cars, and appreciate the driver aids that the C5 comes equipped with. Viper parts are hugely expensive to boot, and I'd wager the insurance is a bit higher too. For straightline performance, I'm sure they are a lot of fun, but I've ridden in them and was not impressed overall. I even think the driving position is funny, so your overall level of comfort is probably not going to be great. Good luck with your decision regardless, and keep us posted.

NorthTexasVette

Yea, I was kinda thinking the same thing. It just seems like if I sat in one I wouldnt feel as comfertable as when I get into my vette.

bullitt4110

I dont like them at all, they are very uncomfortable, way over priced, and ugly. I would much rather keep the vette.

RichieRichZ06

Stick to the Vette. With moderate (yeah like we all know what that is) modding, you could walk the Viper in every aspect of competitive driving.

vjacovetty

LinearX

I gotta disagree here. A friend of mine has a '96 GTS that we've done quite a bit of work on over the years, and it's not difficult at all.

That, I can confirm. Insurance, as quoted to me for a '97 GTS, was $350 more every six months that my Z06.

smarcus

I've had 3 vipers and many more Vettes. I now have an 07 Z06. Love the Viper, but it beats you up after about half an hour in nomal traffic. When you accelerate the heat of the engine comes through the AC vents. When you enter the car it smells like plastic. I have raced these cars and they can kill you. The ones I had were lacking ABS and traction control. The corvette is a much more refined automobile. Why might you ask did I say "I love Vipers". When I had a Prowler I was invited to the factory, with the Prowler Club, to see how these cars are made. I was impressed. No robotics and all by hand I do love the looks of the car...but not the ride on a hot day

rbartick

I'd take a Gen II GTS or an SRT-10 over a C5 Z06.

DanielZ06

I was looking at Vipers when I was searching for my Z06. I got a great deal on my C5Z and even then I still wondered about the Viper.

After talking to several past and present Vipers owners, they all said the same things. No ABS, traction control, heat seeping in from motor, uncomfortable and more bulky.

The only thing it has over the C5Z is the 'exotic' appeal to it.

mqqn

Hi Dvau11484

The Z06.

I like Vipers, but hate Chrysler products.

I recently had a chance to drive a Viper coupe - I could not comfortably sit in the doggone thing - talk about a small cabin!

And - the Viper owners have no place to talk about a Corvette having cheap plastic interiors......

I love the look - but I could not live with the compromises - and I love my Z06.....even more today than when I bought it brand new in 2001.

best regards -

mqqn

Covert 405

On just looks alone I'd take my Z06 anyday of the week.

Steve Theodore

Thanks for keeping me honest!

briann510

I love my 03 Z06 BUT.....

My right leg roasts (and my wifes left leg) on any day where the outside temps are 75+ degrees and im cruising in traffic or on the freeway on any trips to the point I usually lay somne heat sheeting next to the console. The Z06 has a horrible heat problem transferring through the tunnel area into passenger area.

Anything longer than 45 min drive is uncomfortable as heck in the stock Z06 seats. My wife and I dont take the car if we know we will have to be sitting in it for more than an hour at a time (sure you can take rest stops, but sometimes you just wanna drive straight through and our other cars are WAY more comfortable).

I dont use the A/H or T/C on the Z06 as ive almost totalled the car with that coming on when I least expected it to, so I dont even compare vs Viper in not having that feature.

Viper/Z06 are targets for jealous people parked anywhere. Keying and what not are common problems, so if we know we are going somewhere overnight we take a different car. Our Z06 fell into our lap when my brother in law was tired of it and gave it to us at 10K below blue book so I grabbed it, otherwise id be driving a Viper.

Both the Viper and Z06 are killer cars, but the big tumbs up on crowd appeal, showing off the car and such goes to the Vipers. Id trade my Z06 for a Viper if one came along in the color/stripe scheme I liked. I personally like driving a car that you dont see a whole lot of them on trhe roads and again the Viper wins hands down around here on that. C5/C6 Z06's, plain C5's and C6's are a dime a dozen around here. Vipers are not so common.

They both have the plus and minuses, but I give the looks to the Viper, the cosmetics workmanship to the Z, and neither one manages heat off the engine very well into pasenger compartment and my Z's trunk compartment cooks anything thats inside there.

thegame

Vette, don't like the Vipers looks that much. Badass ride but it's not for me. You can make anything fast so I would rather have the car that appeals to me more. Plus I don't like clownshoes

TransAmGT

Something must be wrong with your car?!?!?!

I've never had heat problems with my '03 Z

I like the Viper b/c of the "exotic appeal"....other than that I will take my Z anyday of the week!

Weedo

Considering my showroom Mint '03Z with 15k miles on it is worth around $33k, I'd save the ~$12,000 and put some nice, tasteful mods on the Z.

I've driven both at the track (I did the SRT Track Experience a year and a half ago and a "Day of Racing" at Bondurant, as well as HPDE with my Z).

From my experience, the Viper felt: heavy, cheap, very uncomfortable, hot, lacking in the upper rpm power (although very strong overall), and handled odd. I was very, very disappointed in the car. I was very impressed with the SRT-4 (for $22k) and the Magnum and 300C SRT-8. Each time I got back in the Viper I just laughed and how much I hated it. I didn't think I would dislike the car that much until I got to drive it a few times that day.

To me the Z06's and Vipers aren't anywhere near the same car (although they are in theory).

jgmachine

What year Viper are you considering? GTS?

rbartick

Not sure why, they are good as GM products.

ptindall

Maybe YOUR Z06 has a heat transfer problem, mine doesn't. I once saw 130 degree outside temp on my climate control driving through the desert and 100+ in traffic happens every single summer day here. On long trips things in the console will heat up and if I put my hand on the tunnel, it will feel warm. But roasting a leg? NO WAY. It's just a slight novelty on my car, not a problem.