C7 Z06 or Gen5 Viper

[Donato]

I made the mistake of not doing the research before I purchased my BMW M5 V10 and it was a costly one. Although it was an engineering masterpiece for its time, it too suffers from mystery spinning rod bearings and astronomical maintenance cost that I wish I would have known before my purchase.

So this time around I’m considering the C7 Z06 or a Gen 4-5 Viper and have evolved in to a research junky. I’ve read a ton of content on the respective Forums, a multitude of online magazine reviews, and hours of YouTube videos. There is a lot of garbage out there to sort through but I came across this series of videos just today and was really impressed with the development and engineering behind the Gen5 by SRT so I thought I’d share with others who may be in this same predicament.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SZxsSz6cCo


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cy6RbJYbU54


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-migl6q9w_g


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMAhrigYk0g

They really don’t answer the question on “What to buy?” but I found them inspirational toward the Viper. I'm still going to take some time before I make a decision but keep going back and forth between the two.

I still don’t know, the Gen5 seems to have its fair share of mystery engine problems and the crux of the C7 Z06 is overheating. Supposedly there was a fix for the 2017 Z but on the Corvette form a member was just reporting 270+ oil temps while tracking and it’s winter time now, what happens in the summer? I don’t think the problem has been fixed but the end result of overheating only prolonged.

Both cars are truly incredible machines and I don’t think you can go “right” either way without issue, but in my mind I think I would have a hard time answering “Corvette” if someone asked me what I drive. Maybe it’s worth the $20k upgrade just so I could say “Callaway”.

Yes I know, I have issues too, well anyway enjoy the videos. :cool:

[texasram]

C7 = daily driver, viper = race car for street

[Boosted Motorsports]

Well this is a Viper forum. So winner by popular demand here is....Welll...VIPER!

[BJG32]

Your going to get a pretty biased opinion here if you are looking for one!

If you keep the viper stock and extend the warranty, then it's a no brainer on which one to go with.

[Martin]

I was looking at a C7.R at one point, and for basically the same price as the ACR-E, it looked like a really nice car. I just couldn't defect from the Viper platform, though - the C7.R is an awesome car, but it just didn't have that Viper uniqueness.

[donk_316]

Do you want a car that someone has to look at the badge on the fender to see if it is the "faster" version?

Or do you want a car that someone sees and knows exactly what it is.

[texasram]

Do you want a car that someone has to look at the badge on the fender to see if it is the "faster" version?

Or do you want a car that someone sees and knows exactly what it is.

/\ /\ me like

[Space Truckin]

C7.R is an awesome car, but it just didn't have that Viper uniqueness.


^^^THIS^^^ :monkeyleft:

[darbgnik]

The Corvette has always been a better choice for a daily driver. I'm sure most here could go on about why they feel the Viper is the better car, and I suppose I could mention why I like mine too.

Thing is, you mentioned the overheating problem on the C7Z06 while on track, which makes me think you might actually track the car you buy. Despite the "mysterious" engine issues of the Gen 5 Viper, I would take it over a C7Z, as I bought it primarily as a track car, and I would honestly much rather deal with a possible catastrophic engine failure, than an almost guaranteed limp mode every session, every day. I know there have been C7Z's that don't overheat on track, but there are many that do. We even have a couple in our track group that go limp, even up here in Canada.

At least with the Viper, it will run flawlessly, till it doesn't. And the fix is a new engine if it does go. Did anyone actually figure out the solution to the C7Z overheating yet?

If you've been watching videos, did you see this one, showing how the new Viper is made? Pretty cool video if you ask me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8GRWeK4sFE

[ViperPete]

^^^^ DNA of a Supercar. Absolutely amazing video.

Get the Viper. I have never personally been attracted to a single Corvette. There have always been other cars id rather have.

[ansman]

I don't have a c7z06 I have a c6z06 and I am about to order the ACR. IMHO - vett is a great car for the price but it's more mass produced than the viper so it loses the uniqueness. I rode in my friends viper and I like the rawness of the car like someone said a race call.

That is why I am keeping my z06 and also getting the ACR.

[98RedGTS]

You need to ask yourself some questions.

- Are you looking for a DD? If yes, then Corvette
- Are you looking for more a track car? - If yes, then Viper
- Do you prefer to blend in? If yes, then Corvette, heck I saw 4 (1 a Z06) on the way to work during my 15 min commute. In the 9 months I've owned my Gen 2 I've only seen one other Viper on the road total.

Both cars have their mechanically challenges and both cars are great for what they were built for. You just have to figure out which market you are in and go that route. If possible try and drive both.

[edc]

I'm wondering if the 2017 Z06 will still overheat since they changed the blower lid and intercooler bricks.

[Voice of Reason]

The C7.R is a sticker package on an otherwise decent Z06. Chevy should be ashamed of themselves for wasting the moniker on such a worthless package.

[WANTED]

i have owned both, 6 vipers / 4 corvettes. my advice buy both. BTW best buy would be a 2002 rt/10 graphite, haha.

[Bill Pemberton]

Corvette = 30,000 made a year
Viper = 30,000+ made over 25 years

Simple answer, " Do you want to be ordinary or extraordinary !"

[sharmut]

Another consideration, LT4 is DI (direct-injected) and subject to carbon buildups. You'll have to deal with the maintenance, involves pulling intake manifold, cleaning valve stems. On my Audi RS4, it was 15k-20k mile interval, didn't mind, except each time a shop performed the cleaning, do you really know if the tech did not drop any pieces down the cylinder chamber.

[Donato]

Yes I figured this site would lean toward Viper, I’ve seen DNA of a Supercar and the National Geographic Dodge Viper Mega Factories. I must have watched the Head2Head C7 Z07 vs. Viper ACR at least 10 times. I’ve also seen the Corvette robots in action on How Dream Cars are Made.

I’ve been researching whatever I could find for over a month now and thought I’d seen just about everything but I just came across the SRT Series of videos today by accident. I hadn’t seen them so I figured others may have not either which was my primary reason for posting.

The wife thinks I’m nuts and going through mid-life crisis, she didn’t say that when I had my M5 but that was a 4 door sedan. She would always bitch that I drive too fast with her and the kids in the car. I’d say no, I’m driving the speed limit, but I guess it was all about how quickly I got there.

This wouldn’t be my DD as I already have a Lexus for that purpose so more or less a garage queen that would see some light track use.


Do you want a car that someone has to look at the badge on the fender to see if it is the "faster" version?

Or do you want a car that someone sees and knows exactly what it is.

I resemble the second statement and I appreciate the hand-built uniqueness of the Viper, but keep going back to the performance aspects of the A8 C7 Z06 with the Z07 package. It just amazes me how much performance and technology you can get for… the members on the Corvette form are now talking deals 30%+ off MSRP for a 2015, 20%+ off for a 16. I’ve seen used 15s with 4k miles in the high $60s.

However I just can’t mentally get past that Corvette “Stigma: a set of negative and often unfair beliefs that a society or group of people have about something. - Webster”. There a guy at work who drove a Corvette and like a flash I have this guy pegged as to what the Corvette Stigma implies, and still do to this day even though he sold the Corvette years ago. Now if he told me he drove a Viper, I’d have a completely different perspective.

The whole Callaway statement was just me trying to rationalize the purchase of a Callaway A8 C7 Z06 with the Z07 package but in my mind no matter how great I can make the Corvette I just can’t get passed the stigma the notion it’s still just another Plastic Fantastic Corvette like a million others and a million more to come.

Yeah I know I probably have some issues and if you drive a Corvette no offence, just take it with a grain of salt, because by next week I’ll probably have myself convinced I want a “Callaway” again, but seriously to be fair to myself I know I’m a Viper type guy.

[VENOM V]

it's not clear whether you'd like to track it, but if you think you ever will, absolutely do not consider the A8 ZO6. The manual is bad, but the A8 is horrible. My best friend sold his A8 ZO6, it overheated on the third lap in very cool weather at every track we went to. He is an SCCA competition licensed driver (as am I), former Porsche Cup racer. The C7 ZO6 is the first track car he's ever owned that he was never able to get comfortable with at the limit. He currently has a new GT3 and is 4 to 6 seconds behind my ACR depending on the track. The ACR is the real deal. I tracked my ACR with a guy in a stick ZO6 at Laguna, he puked all of his coolant out on a 50 degree day.

On the street the ZO6 is a sweet machine but squirrelly at the limit. Plus, go look at the finish of one before you buy. Why it has more orange peel than my Ram or Fusion at twice the price is beyond me. My Vipers on the other hand have paint quality that is as nice as a Ferrari. No exaggeration.

[uberpube]

Do you have a tribal tattoo? If so get the vette.

[Vegaskid]

I had a 15 Z06 (manual) and now have a 16 ACR..

I can tell you the Z06 is an amazing car. It's more comfortable, quieter, gets better mileage, and I could even argue the quality is much higher than the Viper. It has more power than you know what to do with on the street and I think it looks great.

IMO the Viper ACR is a completely different animal all together. It's loud, stiff, shit mileage, and has plenty of documented mechanical problems.

Having said that, the Viper is much more an overall enjoyable experience to drive to me than the Z06 was. As many have said, it's a race car with some blinkers. I personally love the stiff ride and loud exhaust. The car looks fantastic, sounds amazing, and the performance from an NA V10 is hard to describe unless you personally experience it. I also try to drive it as much as I can, including stop and go traffic.

As others have said, Z06 is much better suited for daily driving, but you won't get the looks and stares that you do in the Viper.

Lastly, I will say that owning a Viper is quite an experience in itself. The Viper community appears to be a very tight knit group where everybody is willing to help each other out. Not just people saying they would help, but actually helping. Seems like the "vibe" from the Viper owners I've met and talked to is one of passion for the brand and automobiles in general. I just joined this group a few weeks ago and have had nothing but warm welcomes and genuine well wishes. You'll meet some great folks that own Vette's, but you really have to be passionate about your cars if you own a Viper. There has to be something to be said for a car that can bring people together like that.

[Boba Fett]

Have Snoman chime in. He's a heavy tracker who now tracks his ACR-E, and came out of a C7Z.

[ek1]

I made the mistake of not doing the research before I purchased my BMW M5 V10 and it was a costly one. Although it was an engineering masterpiece for its time, it too suffers from mystery spinning rod bearings and astronomical maintenance cost that I wish I would have known before my purchase.

So this time around I’m considering the C7 Z06 or a Gen 4-5 Viper and have evolved in to a research junky. I’ve read a ton of content on the respective Forums, a multitude of online magazine reviews, and hours of YouTube videos. There is a lot of garbage out there to sort through but I came across this series of videos just today and was really impressed with the development and engineering behind the Gen5 by SRT so I thought I’d share with others who may be in this same predicament.

They really don’t answer the question on “What to buy?” but I found them inspirational toward the Viper. I'm still going to take some time before I make a decision but keep going back and forth between the two.

I still don’t know, the Gen5 seems to have its fair share of mystery engine problems and the crux of the C7 Z06 is overheating. Supposedly there was a fix for the 2017 Z but on the Corvette form a member was just reporting 270+ oil temps while tracking and it’s winter time now, what happens in the summer? I don’t think the problem has been fixed but the end result of overheating only prolonged.

Both cars are truly incredible machines and I don’t think you can go “right” either way without issue, but in my mind I think I would have a hard time answering “Corvette” if someone asked me what I drive. Maybe it’s worth the $20k upgrade just so I could say “Callaway”.

Yes I know, I have issues too, well anyway enjoy the videos. :cool:

I think your research is missing the most important thing - a test drive. Go do it and buy the car you like more.

I almost bought a C7 Z06 and was already negotiating with a dealer when I started seeing a steady stream of reports of cars overheating after a few hot laps. I gave it a few more months to see what GM did about it (diddly squat), Dodge announced the Gen 5 ACR and the rest was history.

[zee]

Valet at Javier's in Newport Beach(where there is no shortage of supercars) clearly chose my viper to be in front over my buddies z06 ;)

http://i339.photobucket.com/albums/n476/zabdeali/2014%20Viper%20TA/D8D21AB8-8C96-4BB6-85F0-890975373E26_zpswjfgh1vf.jpg (http://s339.photobucket.com/user/zabdeali/media/2014%20Viper%20TA/D8D21AB8-8C96-4BB6-85F0-890975373E26_zpswjfgh1vf.jpg.html)

Lol - in all seriousness though, I've driven my buddies z06 a lot and it's a great car. If you want a weekend warrior or track car, go viper. If you want a DD or for date nights, go z06. One thing I really do admire about the z06 is having the option of an open air cockpit. Really miss that here in so cal cruising the beach.

[Vipes]

Do you have a tribal tattoo? If so get the vette.

:smilielol:

[Mark1107]

21762
21762
I've owned both. Get the viper alpha male. Get the Vette beta male!

[plumcrazy]

im a firm believer in that if you have to ask, buy the vette

[mikesax]

I daily drive my Vipers-except for a few SHITTY winter months-put about 8000 miles a year on each! Vette is a great car-Viper much more unique and engaging!!

[Uranium235]

I'm with plum, and it's the same answer I give everyone. If you don't know whether you want a Viper or a Corvette, buy a Corvette.

[City]

im a firm believer in that if you have to ask, buy the vette

Geeze, I just KNEW that was coming! :smilielol:

[Pappy]

I have been long considered a die-hard Corvette guy - 23 owned since 1965 and I still own 3. In 2015 I ordered a C7 Z06, but eventually cancelled the order and bought an ACR. I didn't really want the over-worked supercharger to start with (or DI, cylinder deactivation, and enough nannies to choke a horse). When the Z06 started showing its track heating problems and limited track success for what should be amazing capability, I moved on. Now, after watching them on track for a couple of years I am certainly glad I did - but then I am much more track focused and not so concerned about street manners. I kept my C6Z/Z07 to share the fun with the ACR. I might consider a Grand Sport with the Z07 package and a built LT1, but I'd still pass on the Lt4.

Pappy

21764

[Magzx12r]

I see too many corvettes around town. That is why I decided to go with the Viper. Mine is a weekend warrior and not a daily driver.

[Martin]

The C7.R is a sticker package on an otherwise decent Z06. Chevy should be ashamed of themselves for wasting the moniker on such a worthless package.

Partially agree, partially disagree... The C7.R caught my attention because it had the Z07 package on it, and "special edition" corvettes tend to hold their values really well. I'm still kicking myself for not buying a '93 ZR-1 40th Anniversary Edition. The seller hated the color, and so did I - so I passed. But the values of those really held up. Now, I'm still in love with my Gen II B/W GTS, but we all can agree that they didn't hold their values like we thought they would. Had I bought that ZR-1 and kept it in good condition, I could have sold it today for a lot more than the guy was asking.

Otherwise, for the price, I wasn't overwhelmingly impressed with the C7.R. They should have put the real wing on it, and given it a better suspension. The trim package seemed too "off the shelf" for me. Also, as many have noted, the C7 platform still isn't quite "finished" for the track. They're squirrely and they overheat. So, hands down, the ACR-E was the winning choice.

[ZeeViper]

I too anguished over this decision.

Owned a C6Z06, had the valve guide issue as most of them do. This shook my confidence in the build quality of the vettes, then the overheating thing was something that i couldn't get over. Went and test drove a gen 5.....HATED it. too cramped, weird clutch throw, awful blind spots, loud and not terribly comfortable. It was only a 10 minute test drive.... I walked away so confused/bummed, i had literally been ready to snag one without even test driving it. But...i came back on here and poked around to see what long time owners thought. everyone was so in love with these things i had to give it another shot. This time i scheduled some time and said i wanted to take it for like 45 minute drive to really get a feel for it. After all the stimulation from the quirkiness of the vehicle toned down i saw immediately how it has received poor reviews and has owners that are over the moon with them.

I bought my 2013 with like 1200 miles on it, it has 25k on it in two years of ownership. I daily it as long as the winter allows and love every drive. its an absolute blast. The motor is a touch soft down low, which makes it easy to daily drive and cruise around. But it likes the revs and really comes alive over 4k, and having the exhaust exiting by your ear is amazing when you are ripping through the gears. The trans is awesome, shifting quickly and precisely is something that again makes the car so much fun to drive. I find myself shifting just to shift sometimes haha. A little blip downshift and then a couple seconds later ill be upshifting and thinking "was that necessary?...probably not...but it was sweet" hahaha.

All vehicles have build quality issues. keep it stock, get an extended warranty...put a beating and some miles on it, treat it well with the maintenance and i'm sure you'll be pleased.

Biggest thing is, just go test drive one on a nice warm day for a good period of time, it'll let you know if its right for you...it won't be shy.

Dane

[texasram]

There should be VETTE VS VIPER sticky for fence dwellers

[Donato]

Do you have a tribal tattoo? If so get the vette.

Ha! No tats of any kind.

Ok, so now that’s settled, I’ve been debating between the Gen-4 ACR and the Gen-5 GTS, my max budget is $80k. Now if the kids were a bit older and the wife could go back to work I’d get a new ACR, but unfortunately that’s not the case.

I’ve been pricing Gen-4 ACRs in the low 60s to high 70s, some with miles as low as 500. I’ve seen Gen-5 13-15s in the low to high $70s, and I could swear I saw a 16 in the Autotrader for mid $70s but it wasn’t there for very long, maybe like two days. There is a 14 GTS in CarGurus right now, they just did a price drop to $69k with 6k miles.

I’ve seen both the Gen-4 ACR and the C7Z on the showroom floor, I’ve seen a Gen-5 but it was on the road and not in person, I haven’t driven either. When I sat in the C7Z it felt like just another car, however when I sat in the Gen-4 it felt special, as if this particular car were tailored to precisely to fit me, it like hugged me. There is nothing else I could compare it to, a race car maybe, but I've never been in a race car but that's what everyone says.

I’ve read Vipers are; hot, they try to burn you, cramped, poor visibility, smell like gasoline, stiff suspension, loud exhaust, rattling interior, phallic looking, and I’m sure I forgot a few but none of that bothers me and makes me like the Viper even more. I like that the Viper offends people, it seems to be a car that is very polarizing.

This will not be a DD, it will just be my excuse to get away from the wife and kids on occasion.

Now I’ve read the Gen-5 is so much advanced that it makes the Gen-4 seem more than only a generation behind. However I’ve also read the Gen-4 ACRs are bulletproof and probably the best Viper value out there right now. So which is it?

This being the Gen-5 section I guess I already know the answer.

[Donato]

You should look into taking a two or three day course down at Bondurant wile they still have Vipers. I would have to say that would be the ultimate test drive for the Viper and it will surly answer any of your questions.

Yes, it's on my list of things to do, I'm in AZ and Bondurant is only like 20 minutes away.

[NKC]

You should look into taking a two or three day course down at Bondurant wile they still have Vipers. I would have to say that would be the ultimate test drive for the Viper and it will surly answer any of your questions.

That's where I fell in love with the Viper. Aside from the 2 sets of tires I went thru in the 4 days, everything was just rock solid enough for me to know this was the right car for the job. Bondurant is the best place to test drive a Viper.

[City]

You missed "clownshoe".

I think the "physical" gap between the GEN3 and 4 is the widest. The gap between GEN4 and 5 is more "technological".

[sssammm]

I have a really low mileage Gen 4 ACR and an even lower mileage 2013 Z06, they are so different, my old lady will get in the Vette,
no chance of her in the ACR, (thank god)

I would not bat an eyelid if the Z06 went, but i would really miss the ACR even if i dont even use it that much, its my tinkering car

[Donato]

I have a really low mileage Gen 4 ACR and an even lower mileage 2013 Z06, they are so different, my old lady will get in the Vette,
no chance of her in the ACR, (thank god)

I would not bat an eyelid if the Z06 went, but i would really miss the ACR even if i dont even use it that much, its my tinkering car

Ha! That says it all right there, great selling point. What’s that dear? I can’t hearrrrrrrr you over the exhaust! What, it’s too loud and hot in here? I tell you families are so much fun the; kicking, biting, scratching, screaming, throwing, poking, yelling, and the crying… Oh and then there is the kids too… Ha!

It would be nice to say Daddy’s going for a little drive in his Viper, for a while, and there is no chance you’ll want to come.

[Mazak]

Lots of good thoughts here. I have both and like aspects about both. The Z06 is a daily driver except during winter months. You can't go wrong with either and it boils down to preferences . I believe the best bang for the buck is the Z06. However , I favor the uniqueness of the viper . The paint finish on the vipers are superior to the corvettes .
http://i68.tinypic.com/b4vkeq.jpg

[mak1118]

Mazak, Nice, I have a '95 viper and a '16 Z06 conv., been close to buying a new viper too but the problems I've read about have stopped me.

If you can only have one test drive them both and see which one you want the most.

[Martin]

I've got to chime in and say the Gen IV ACR was one hell of a car. My only dislike was the positioning of the instruments (my right arm would obscure them), but that thing was bullet-proof otherwise. If I could find another just like the one I murdered, I'd buy it in an instant. Something tells me that those will be the sought-after classics one of these days.

The Gen V is a heck of a lot more refined, and the ACR is a track monster, but unless it sheds the Fiat stigma that it's developing, it's going to go down in history as the Viper that could have been the greatest car on earth.

That said, if you get one that doesn't suffer from quality control issues, you're golden. It really is a roll of the dice, though. I hate to say it, but it is what it is.

My other Vipers had their issues, but the engine was always bullet proof. WTF is up with the supplier who must have put in the lowest bid for these stupid sand-cast blocks? There is a way to do sand-casting right - or, there is a way to make nice with the previous suppliers who got screwed during the BK shanking all Chrysler suppliers dealt with a few years ago.

[Nine Ball]

Gen 4 vs Gen 5, no doubt I'd get the newer car. Just the interior, gauges, carbon body panels, clamshell hood alone are so much nicer than an interior from 2003 (same as Gen 3). I have a Gen 3 and Gen 5, and the Gen 3 feels very outdated by comparison.

[davidm0209]

I love my GEN 3! Don't get the vette. I had a budget of about 1/2 of what yours is and bought a 10 year old Viper instead of a 2 year old Vette. If I had more money to spend, I would have got a gen4 or 5 Viper simply for the motor and technology upgrades. A Viper is my dream car. It's loud, it's low, it's raw...It's a racecar. I never had a poster of a corvette on my wall as a kid, it was a poster of a B/W GTS Viper. I work at a place with roughly 4000 people on our campus and there are roughly 40-50 Corvettes in the parking lot...But only 1 Viper! And when you do get your Viper, come back, join the club, and go meet some great people that love the car as much as you will after you make your decision. This club is what makes owning my Viper 10 times better. The hill country runs we make, the holiday party and club gatherings, and the countless times I've reached out and referred back to this forum for help and tips with my car.

On second thought...if 80k is your budget...Buy a 2008 Viper AND a 2008 Vette...Once you see that the Viper is king, sell the vette for Viper parts! Good luck with your research and we hope to see you back soon as a member with lots of pictures of the Viper! :bth_smiley_formula1

[Terminator02]

80k gets a really nice gen V. I've never been a vette guy. I think the exclusivity and hand built nature of our cars is worth it alone. I also like na horsepower and cabin comfort isn't high on my must have list. I found my gen ll perfectly fine and comfortable so the gen V is a giant upgrade for me.

[Jdmuscle]

Both are amazing cars.. I couldn't choose one over the other so I ended up buying both.

Viper is a race car trying to be a street car...

C7Z06.. a street car trying to be a race car..

[Racingswh]

If I was going to be driving it on the street regularly I would get the Corvette.

For how I use my car I went with the ACR-E although many drive their's on the street often and love it.

[RedViper]

21779
get both cars like I did

[Stealth78]

21779
get both cars like I did

Something tells me that's a bit out of the OP's $80K cap. Very nice!

[Jdmuscle]

Lots of people have both of these cars huh.. very nice. I think they both are very close in terms of what they have to offer yet still very different in terms of how they delivery it.

[1evilviper]

Well I had a 2014 viper, traded it and got a c7z (modded it, ran 9s) but was never in love with it, needless to say I traded the c7z to Viper exchange for a 16 srt with arrow stage 2 package and couldn't be happier...

[Donato]

The more I toss around the Bondurant idea right now the more I know me and the first thing I would do when I got home would be get a Gen-3 (which is all I can afford at the moment) or raid the gun safe and get a Gen-4, neither of which I want to do, I can wait a little while longer.

It’s great that some of you can afford both but with only me supporting the household I cannot, now when the wife gets back to work when our youngest starts school that would become a possibility but not for a few years.

The C7 Z06 I’m sure is a great car, but the only thing that really attracts me over the Viper is the all performance and technology you get for the money. I’m really not in love with the car itself, just what it has and what it can do compared to other supercars costing several times more.

I think I’m at the point now where it’s a decision between a Gen-4 ACR or a standard Gen-5. I really like the raw old school race car look of the Gen-4 ACR, it’s just a look you see less and less of every day. I think I would prefer the analog gauges vs. virtual gauges. The interior of the Gen-5 looks fantastic but I could always do a Venzano upgrade to the Gen-4. No doubt the Gen-5 ACR is king, just out of my reach at the moment, I could get a standard Gen-5 and put ACR aero on it but I wouldn’t want to look like an ACR poser.

As far as aftermarket, which has the better selection of performance upgrades, the Gen-4 or the Gen-5? I’ve read the Gen-4 ACR is a pretty stiff ride, how difficult would it be to upgrade to Gen-5 ACR spec? I don’t drive far and the roads are pretty smooth where I live, I would just do it for something to do.

I currently don’t have any big tracking plans but again I know me and once I tried it I would be hooked. Ha! If I’m going to drive an ACR around in the street, I’d better be tracking it, again I’m not the poser type.


Well I had a 2014 viper, traded it and got a c7z (modded it, ran 9s) but was never in love with it, needless to say I traded the c7z to Viper exchange for a 16 srt with arrow stage 2 package and couldn't be happier...

Why did you trade the Viper for a Corvette and then the Corvette back to a Viper again? Now that you’ve experienced both would there be any reason you'd go back to a Vet?

[ViperGeorge]

The more I toss around the Bondurant idea right now the more I know me and the first thing I would do when I got home would be get a Gen-3 (which is all I can afford at the moment) or raid the gun safe and get a Gen-4, neither of which I want to do, I can wait a little while longer.

It’s great that some of you can afford both but with only me supporting the household I cannot, now when the wife gets back to work when our youngest starts school that would become a possibility but not for a few years.

The C7 Z06 I’m sure is a great car, but the only thing that really attracts me over the Viper is the all performance and technology you get for the money. I’m really not in love with the car itself, just what it has and what it can do compared to other supercars costing several times more.

I think I’m at the point now where it’s a decision between a Gen-4 ACR or a standard Gen-5. I really like the raw old school race car look of the Gen-4 ACR, it’s just a look you see less and less of every day. I think I would prefer the analog gauges vs. virtual gauges. The interior of the Gen-5 looks fantastic but I could always do a Venzano upgrade to the Gen-4. No doubt the Gen-5 ACR is king, just out of my reach at the moment, I could get a standard Gen-5 and put ACR aero on it but I wouldn’t want to look like an ACR poser.

As far as aftermarket, which has the better selection of performance upgrades, the Gen-4 or the Gen-5? I’ve read the Gen-4 ACR is a pretty stiff ride, how difficult would it be to upgrade to Gen-5 ACR spec? I don’t drive far and the roads are pretty smooth where I live, I would just do it for something to do.

I currently don’t have any big tracking plans but again I know me and once I tried it I would be hooked. Ha! If I’m going to drive an ACR around in the street, I’d better be tracking it, again I’m not the poser type.



Why did you trade the Viper for a Corvette and then the Corvette back to a Viper again? Now that you’ve experienced both would there be any reason you'd go back to a Vet?

The Gen 4 ACR is a terrific car. I miss mine even though I love the Gen 5s. I agree it has that old school race car look. I think my old Gen 4 ACR with a few mods was just as fast (maybe faster) as my Gen 5 TA with the same mods.

[VENOM V]

You could get a Gen 4 ACR and put MCS coilovers on it, much more comfortable and better performance than stock. I run MCS on my Gen V GTS, night and day better ride quality than stock and handles the hard bumps without upsetting the car, unlike the stock dampers. Mark Jorgensen of Woodhouse is the expert on spring and damper choice and settings. I bought mine from him.

[daveg]

You get allot of bang for the buck with a Vette. Every corner you turn, there's another one though.
I absolutely love the rawness of my Gen 2 and wouldn't trade it for the world. Since buying my Viper (4 years ago) , the Vette sits on the rack (albeit its a 69 vert)
There's something about a Viper that's hard to explain!!!!
Good luck with your purchase.

[Trainerdave]

Ha! No tats of any kind.

Ok, so now that’s settled, I’ve been debating between the Gen-4 ACR and the Gen-5 GTS, my max budget is $80k. Now if the kids were a bit older and the wife could go back to work I’d get a new ACR, but unfortunately that’s not the case.

I’ve been pricing Gen-4 ACRs in the low 60s to high 70s, some with miles as low as 500. I’ve seen Gen-5 13-15s in the low to high $70s, and I could swear I saw a 16 in the Autotrader for mid $70s but it wasn’t there for very long, maybe like two days. There is a 14 GTS in CarGurus right now, they just did a price drop to $69k with 6k miles.

I’ve seen both the Gen-4 ACR and the C7Z on the showroom floor, I’ve seen a Gen-5 but it was on the road and not in person, I haven’t driven either. When I sat in the C7Z it felt like just another car, however when I sat in the Gen-4 it felt special, as if this particular car were tailored to precisely to fit me, it like hugged me. There is nothing else I could compare it to, a race car maybe, but I've never been in a race car but that's what everyone says.

I’ve read Vipers are; hot, they try to burn you, cramped, poor visibility, smell like gasoline, stiff suspension, loud exhaust, rattling interior, phallic looking, and I’m sure I forgot a few but none of that bothers me and makes me like the Viper even more. I like that the Viper offends people, it seems to be a car that is very polarizing.

This will not be a DD, it will just be my excuse to get away from the wife and kids on occasion.

Now I’ve read the Gen-5 is so much advanced that it makes the Gen-4 seem more than only a generation behind. However I’ve also read the Gen-4 ACRs are bulletproof and probably the best Viper value out there right now. So which is it?

This being the Gen-5 section I guess I already know the answer.

I think you should buy a vette

[fuggles]

I love my gen 4 acr. It is everything you've mentioned and much more. lol. I've put about 10K miles on it since I bought it last year. Around 3k of those are track miles. If you want stiff, hot, cramped and loud this is the car for you. What a beast. And rock solid reliability. Fluids, tires and pads are all you need. I love it. Couldn't be happier. Words can't describe the feeling of climbing in and firing it up. It is pure pleasure. If I were to drive on the street only I would change the suspension. The rear is extremely stiff. ~1100 lb springs don't give. lol. Mine is stock, but I have done quite a bit of research. There are a number of suspension options. None are cheap though. The usual suspects: Ohlin, Penske, Moton and the previously mentioned MCS. There may be others. The stock KWs are not as bad as the internet would believe. They require some tuning though. Don't just follow the manual. lol. The street ride quality suffers mainly because of the spring rate. Which is of course stiffer because of the track focus. 1000 lbs of down force requires a stiff spring. :0 I would not change it to the gen 5 acr spec. That one is even stiffer rear. Talk to a suspension expert before upgrading.

Good luck with your decision and purchase. I am quite pleased with mine. ymmv.