Vette Z06 vs. Viper GTS

[BigBrakeFuelie]

Well maybe this is a dumb ? but if you go by the numbers listed at the beginning of the post there is really no advantage for the Viper is there?If the accelaration is basically the same 0-60 in 4secs. and the Corvette is superior in handling and brakeing,correct?The Dodge has a higher top speed but who cares?
My mom had her Z06 parked next to a red Viper a month or so ago and I was surpised at how much better and cleaner the lines of the Vette looked.Just my opinion ofcourse I`m biased.:L

 

[RLD92]

I would love to have both but the Z06 is a lot easier to live with!

 

[Edmond]

Vipers look awesome and they're exotic so a lot of people dig them. If I had the money, I wouldn't get either. I would get a Grand Sport convertible and really beef it up.

The price of a Viper is probably the main detractor. There is a significant difference between the price of a Viper and Z06. Quite frankly, I would imagine it's difficult for even someone making $100K+ a year to justify buying a car that you can't drive during the winter (depending on where you live of course). Since the Z06 can't be driven in the winter either, but with it having a much lower price tag, it would be a little easier to justify buying it.

I myself hope to own a Viper someday as well because I think in the hearts of all 350 Corvette owners, we yearn for those days of a 427 or 454. Unless GM is going to come out with a RPO engine with more displacement than 350, I will get a Viper someday. I'm not saying that I'd ditch the Corvette.

Bottom line is: they're both excellent cars for the money you pay. Buy the European sports cars with comparable power numbers and you'd pay almost double of what the Viper costs.

I know the cost of performance parts for Corvettes isn't cheap, I wonder how much Viper performance parts cost.

 

[AmosF16]

I had a chance to do a Viper ride-along with a professional driver on a "road course" set up in a parking lot in Charlotte. Dodge has a program, sending a few Vipers to selected NASCAR events around the country--highly recommend standing in line to take that ride. I was impressed with the Viper's handling--power oversteer is a wonderful thing. And it has gobs of torque from corner to corner. The biggest thing wrong with the Viper is that it sounds like a tractor--2 x 5 still sounds like 5!
Both cars look great IMHO, but for $30K, I'll take a Vette anyday. Even pricing? I'll still take the Vette, but I have bowties in place of red blood cells running around inside anyway.
Andy

 

[jak112460]

Viper VS Vette

Ok since Iam the only one here that has real world experience with both the ZO6 and Viper I'll give my opinion. First of all I owned a 2000 Viper GTS. Red of course. From a looks standpoint the Viper beats the Vette. The Viper is as close to an exotic as an American manufacturer makes in the price range. As for driving there is another story. First of all the pedals are very uncomfortable and off to the side. Too close to the trans tunnel. The Viper has tons of power but it's so heavy feeling to drive that you lose some of that feeling of power. The console is huge and sits too low. I loved to look at the car. Now for my car now. I have a 2003 ZO6. Black. Vortech supercharged with Vararam air intake and lightwight flywheel and clutch. The Vette is so easy to drive and responsive that all things being equal the Vette is the better car. My car now makes 517 hp at the wheels and for the cash savings I can still do more. I dont see it as a best car for the money since I will buy what I like regardless of the money. I think we all agree that the Viper is a much more exotic looking car. The ZO6 gives you so much more though. Also it seems from experience that you can make so much more horsepower for the money. In other words the same part cost alot more for the Viper. Besides that I think the ZO6 has a much better exhaust note than the Viper. The Viper had a semi weird foreign car kind of sound. Sorry for the long post.

 

[Rob]

jak,

Excellent comparison! Thanks for sharing.

 

[blackbelt]

like jak I also have real world experience with both cars. My friend has a 02 Z06 and his father has a 98 Viper both of which I have driven for a fair amount of time. I am impressed with both vechicles but the Z06 has it hands down. Viper is great but Vette is far more civilized (while stilling keeping a beastly aspect) and to me far more responsive. But Viper attracts more attention and when your 17 year old guy attention especially from the opposite sex is very important. Both are great cars but having driven both I would take the Z06 without blinking an eye.

 

[Future vetter]

I would choose the ZO6 without hesatation due to the greater refinement.

 

[mvftw]

The Z06 will aways be the "Best-Bang-For-Your-Buck" New Hot Rod Made!!! And at Only 50K, you have $$$ left over for a girl friend on the side LOL :gap

 

[jak112460]

I owned a 2000 Viper GTS and you guys can argue all you want but if you put the two cars in a parking lot within a few feet of each other the Viper would get the most looks. That being said, the ZO6 is by far the easier and funner of the two. Take it from someone who owned a Viper, and now has a supercharged ZO6. The Viper feels heavier and is much more of a handful. Viper guys would call me a *****. The Vette just feels lighter and more responsive. Especially with the blower. As far as the American classic is concerned, I believe the Vette obviously has the longer stay but the Viper is already a Classic. Of course I dont believe the Viper will be around in fifty years or even twenty years for that matter. Also guys you need to quit making fun of Dodge. They brought you the Hemi,44 six pack, Super Bee, Cuda and a bunch of other CLASSIC hot rod street machines. It's because of Dodge that we are seeing some incredibly cool cars hitting the streets and I believe the Viper is the reason that the ZO6 exhists today. By the way, wouldnt it be cool is Chevy installed one of those C5R motors that has been stroked to 427cid and brought back the ZL1 nameplate for a very special edition? They have all the parts at their disposal and the motor would fit with no modifications and it's all aluminum just like the ZL1. Just a thought.

 

[BigBrakeFuelie]

I owned a 2000 Viper GTS and you guys can argue all you want but if you put the two cars in a parking lot within a few feet of each other the Viper would get the most looks. That being said, the ZO6 is by far the easier and funner of the two. Take it from someone who owned a Viper, and now has a supercharged ZO6. The Viper feels heavier and is much more of a handful. Viper guys would call me a *****. The Vette just feels lighter and more responsive. Especially with the blower. As far as the American classic is concerned, I believe the Vette obviously has the longer stay but the Viper is already a Classic. Of course I dont believe the Viper will be around in fifty years or even twenty years for that matter. Also guys you need to quit making fun of Dodge. They brought you the Hemi,44 six pack, Super Bee, Cuda and a bunch of other CLASSIC hot rod street machines. It's because of Dodge that we are seeing some incredibly cool cars hitting the streets and I believe the Viper is the reason that the ZO6 exhists today. By the way, wouldnt it be cool is Chevy installed one of those C5R motors that has been stroked to 427cid and brought back the ZL1 nameplate for a very special edition? They have all the parts at their disposal and the motor would fit with no modifications and it's all aluminum just like the ZL1. Just a thought.

Very good idea.I agree with all your points.

 

[FourAndAHalf]

origanlly posted by blackbelt

like jak I also have real world experience with both cars. My friend has a 02 Z06 and his father has a 98 Viper both of which I have driven for a fair amount of time. I am impressed with both vechicles but the Z06 has it hands down. Viper is great but Vette is far more civilized (while stilling keeping a beastly aspect) and to me far more responsive. But Viper attracts more attention and when your 17 year old guy attention especially from the opposite sex is very important. Both are great cars but having driven both I would take the Z06 without blinking an eye.


I agree since im a "kid" too :cool

 

[BigBrakeFuelie]

It is probably true.The Viper looks more exotic therefore attracts attention.The Z06 has those other advantages already stated plus I don`t think the Corvette lacks for attention either.It`s the best of both.The Z06!

 

[Brett]

Clown shoe! Hahahahahaha! Wow, that is perfect. I had never heard of that before--and will now use it often.

Ok, let's forget that the Viper is TWICE as expensive. Ahem...

The Corvette has class. And for me, class means a lot. And by class I mean each Corvette is timeless in its own way. Even with the incredible C5's out, I still drool over the older Corvettes too. The C4's still look great, the C3's look great. For me, the Corvette is just about the only car I could ever justify owning more than one of. Each new year for the Viper, however, just seems to make the previous year obsolete. I guess you could say the Viper is still a pretty new car, but still, I think you understand what I am trying to say.

The Viper does looks more exotic, but I don't think that is neccesarily a good thing. The C5 is beautiful. The Viper isn't. The C5 already has a timeless look. The Viper doesn't.

I have always been a person that likes less-intrusive looks, be it my clothes, or my cars. I'm the guy who dresses nicely, but isn't a part of a fad--a timeless look that no one will ever be able to laugh at. I think the Corvette applys to this analogy in many ways.



Brett

 

[jak112460]

The Viper GTS looks like the evolution of the racing Cobras of the 60's. I have to disagree that the Viper is not timeless. Plus the fact that there are so few made during the first generation. I like the way the ZO6 drives much better but the Viper will be or is a classic. I dont believe it will be around for fifty or thirty years though.