Snorman

Hey Bob, good to see you at Daytona.
Yes, unfortunately after a late start Thursday (the first day), my ACR suffered a pretty severe clutch failure coming into the bus stop when I clutched in and the pressure plate released the clutch. It appears that one of the (dual) discs failed and basically disintegrated. A good friend is the tech who is servicing the car discussed with an FCA engineer after he placed he claim and they agree. It's uncommon with the Gen V Vipers but oh well. FWIW...I ran exactly 3 laps...1 to warm the tires, the next to set start/finish on the vBox and one stuck behind a Ferrari Challenge Car. That lap was a 2:00.2 basically lifting off the throttle all through the infield and bus stop since the Ferrari wouldn't give a point by. Halfway around the 4th lap the clutch expired.
I've also had issues with both exhaust tips shifting and burning/melting the surrounds and paint on the sills. And it's gone not only through front tires very quickly but both front and rear pads (don't believe the hype that CCB pads last sooo long on-track...they don't).

Agree with others. The paint on the car is absolutely beautiful. Perhaps some of the best on any production car. Panel fit is okay. Interior quality is about the same as my C7Z. I do love the seats and the thin, racing-type shells. It's awesome how easy it is to install harnesses. It's pretty much got all the same creature comforts as the C7Z except for heated/cooled and power seats.

A fantastic and fun car on-track. Fluid temps remain under control and the car is a joy to drive. It stays consistent throughout an entire session except for the battle to keep the tire pressures and temps in check. But it doesn't have the bandwidth of the C7Z. It's less-friendly on the street, the interior is smaller (anybody who disagrees with this must be kidding), very limited storage and a tight footwell. The pedal spacing is perfect for heel-toe downshifts. The Viper is louder (inside and out) and the ride is clearly firm. I'll qualify the ride-comment, as my car is an ACR-E with fully adjustable coilovers. I run full-soft on the street, and it's still much stiffer than my C7Z was in any mode. The HK stereo sounds great, maybe better than the Bose in the C7Z. The ACR is just a really neat car. But in the end the C7Z is a more friendly, inviting choice that works well on-track (if temps are controlled) and is exceptionally comfortable on the street for a car with that kind of performance.

The ACR-E has turned out to be a great choice for me and I'm VERY happy with the car.
S.

sunsalem

Kellyanne...is that you?

BEZ06

Hi Sean - yes, good to see you at the track, and hope to see you at Daytona again, maybe the PDG event early Oct.

Yikes!!! if you were held up that much I'm sure you would have been waaayyy under a 2 minute lap in the clear!!


Dayum!!! I remember your C7 Z06 melted the "Corvette" and crossed-flags on the rear fascia. I've only melted my plastic license tag frame!


I put a new set of pads on my C7 Z06/Z07 CCB setup before the event. I didn't run the first session Thurs (first day) because it was still raining. And in the 3rd session Fri I blew the Bus Stop at the end of the session because the brakes just weren't doing what they had been doing all during the event. I pulled into the garage and took a look and the pads were looking awful thin, so I didn't run the last session.

So....Six 30-minute sessions and I ran through a set of brand new pads!! I was running Sport 1 most of the time and I'm not sure that maybe active handling wasn't squeezing on a little brake much more often than I thought it would. I'm only gonna run in Sport 2 or Race in the future.


I'm a great heel-toe downshifter, but I don't have to do it anymore. I really LUV the M7 Active Rev Matching!!!


I also really LUV the way the PTM driving modes change the mag shocks for different driving conditions. I also got the DSC Sport mag shock controller, and it is FANTASTIC!! It gives an even better street/highway ride, and much better in the Track modes.

Hope you get the clutch problem solved, but it sounds like it will be a warranty repair.

Looking forward to seeing you at track in the future.

Bob

rbartick

The marketing of the Demon was excellent. The 12 or so weeks of teasers along with all of the animations were very well done. I watched the live reveal and I wasn't as disappointed as you were. I'm no fan of Wiz Kahlifa, but I really didn't care that he was there.

Compare the marketing of the Demon to the marketing of the C7 Z06, C7 ZR1, Camaro ZL1, etc.. GM's marketing sucks.

http://www.dodge.com/en/ifyouknowyouknow/

The Viper has always been a great sports car and it has always been more exclusive than the Corvette.

Z06_BluByU

Whoever said you can't daily drive a viper is flat out incorrect. I've daily driven my Viper for over two years now including many 6-7hr trips. I drive it in the rain, in the morning and afternoon commute and regularly in Florida 100+ degree days in bumper to bumper traffic. The car and I stay cool, the ac works great, the clutch is as light as my last Z06, the pedal position is perfect and not crazy off center like earlier generation vipers,the seats a comfortable and the fit, finish, quality and craftmanship are second to none and easily overshadow the vettes plastic production interior. The viper carbon fiber sabelt leather seats are the best seats I e sat in - with loads of side bolstering and high quality leather. The double French hand stitching on the dash, seats, headliner etc is superb. The paint.. wow.. the paint is spectacular! Rivals many show cars... absolutely ZERO orange peel. Access to the engineering and design team is fantastic. The suspension on the non ACR/TA is very plyable and equal to a c6 z06 in ride quality (easy to drive on the typical well manicured Florida road).excellent electronics suite and no overheating issues.

The down sides for me are few... it can be a bit loud if you're trying to have a Bluetooth conversation above 80mph, if something does go wrong parts take some time to arrive...(days), it's tough finding a decent local Viper tech as there Are so few vipers made many don't have solid exposure to one - so it's a learning curve, the owner knowleadge base is nowhere near as deep As the vette as evidence by the large discrepancy in forums, I'm not a fan of the double action hatch opening or exposed hood release latch, and lastly very limited tire selection.

If you've always wanted one.. go get one.. you can daily drive it, it won't melt in the rain or cook you in the summer and is a wonderfully sexy dream car to own.

23/C8Z

his words not mine. Sorry if "nuff said" offended you somehow. But I stand by what a CURRENT GEN 5 owner said to me after our ride in my C7Z. The look on his face during and after? Priceless. Remember he came fron a C6Z. Believe me he was in awe of the C7Z. Was that more to do with his former C6Z or his current Viper? Idk.. I believed at the time it was his disappointment in not buying the C7Z instead.

I was surprised by the reaction. I believe I used the word "really" numerous times.

that's one man's opinion, but given the responses fron such respected corvette forum members who have owned both or still do subsequent to my post, I believe it's the consensus that:

The Viper is the racer bar none.

The C7Z is the part time racer and full time cruiser,
A jack of all trades and a master at nothing.

Wherein an automobile is a benefit not a curse.

docb

As you mention, different thoughts. Pet peeve that people follow up their opinion with "nuff said".
FWIW, I found the Viper a fine daily driver. Biggest issue was stepping over the doorsill to get in and out.
Got the Z06 largely for the convertible. Both great cars.

Snorman

Just to clarify, I owned a C7Z equipped with the 3LZ package. So sueded headliner, A-pillars, upgraded leather, etc..
The interior in the 3LZ and my '17 Viper ACR (with the ACR Interior package) is very comparable. Functionally, IMO the Corvette is far superior with more storage nooks, a MUCH lower and narrow console and much more interior room. Unless you buy a vent-mount holder, there isn't even anywhere to put a cell phone in the Viper, lol.
I've been in Laguna-equipped Gen V's, and I don't think they're much, if any, better. Again IMO.
S.

Corvette Forum Editor

Here's another classic 'vette/viper match-up...
https://www.corvetteforum.com/articl...ette-vs-viper/

sunsalem

Thanx for the video.
Unfortunately, there isn't any mention of mods.