New Member

[11S5V8]

I'm new to the Viper Forum. I'm in the market for a fun weekend/car show cruiser for summer months and the Dodge Viper is on my list of potential ownership. I'd like to familiarize myself with the car and the different generations so I can make an educated buy. I currently have a 2011 Audi S5, Love this car, not an issue in the Ohio snow and it's comfortable, well maintained daily driver. Car still shits n gets but I want something I can go to the local cruise in's with and turn some heads.

Potential cars are:

Dodge Viper (open to gen 2 and 3)
2003-2004 Mustang Cobra (best modern classic muscle car in my opinion)
2005 Ferrari F430
Nissan GT-R (2012+)

Weird list I know but I'm finding Viper is in my budget more so than some of the other cars but hey, who knows. My biggest dilemma(s) is the Cobra, sick car, looks great, goes fast but 26-32k for a 'Mustang' isn't sitting well! I've found a few vipers I like so I'm leaning this way. The Ferrari is very much in the cards I just can't seem to narrow down a price line and let's be honest its a little scary buying an Italian Supercar. Nissan has a great product I love everything about the GT-R but I would need to drive it year round to justify a 65k+ price tag, which is do-able considering it is AWD and a good pair of snow tires will do me just fine. This brings us to the Viper. I see some models below 30k and in low mile good condition which leads me to believe that if I can keep my Audi and buy a Viper for less than say 35k I can make her a garage queen and only pull it out on weekends/track days/cruises. I've also noticed that Dodge is pretty easy to work on, you're not paying a huge difference in parts like on say a Ferrari or shit, even my Audi I feel a "European tax" on parts. Speaking of, Nissan brake jobs are in excess of 5k and these people don't bat an eye at it. Anyway...

I look forward to knowledge gained and thank you for allowing me to join!

-Thomas

[plumcrazy]

welcome to here !

[06SRTCoupe]

Welcome to the site!

Of the four cars you mentioned, the 03-04 Cobra, while a great car, is not anywhere near the same league as the other three.

The GTR is a great car...well worth the money. Even stock, the 2012 GTR will beat a stock Gen III Viper or 430 in handling and straight line...and it would beat both soundly. It would absolutely crush the 03-04 Cobra. AWD, paddle shifting that is on par with Ferrari, Recaro seats, great interior layout, and four seats! Well...the back seats are good for kids until they are in the teenage years...but still...

The Viper, in my opinion, would be the most fun to drive of the bunch. No computer assist, no traction control, tons of low end torque, 6-speed transmission, and that raw race car feeling. A true enthusiasts car! It will turn as many heads as the GTR will (if not more)...any day of the week. Will it turn as many heads as the Ferrari...well...that is debatable. Both cars are ultra low production...but a Ferrari is a Ferrari. Just be careful with the Viper if you buy one. Get used to it first before you jam on it. The lack of computer assists have really bit people before. Don't be one of those guys. The car does not drive like the other cars on this list...nowhere close!

The F430. What can we say here...it is a Ferrari...and a great Ferrari. It will turn as many, if not more heads, than the Viper. It is an exotic in the purest terms...and nothing beats the sound of an Italian engine behind you, revving past 7K RPM's. A friend of mine in FL owned one (he had 7 other exotics including 2 Porsche GT's). He loved it. One day, he was backing out of his garage and clipped the drivers side mirror. The mirror assembly had to be replaced...and the cost of that part was $2400. This did not include paint or labor to install it...and this price was 12 years ago when they were still making F430's, so that mirror would be a lot more now. The point is, the Ferrari is super expensive to maintain. A clutch rebuild will set you back thousands...as well as oil changes.

Personally, if you are in this big of a price range, and plan on keeping whatever car you get stock, I would try and swing a Gen IV or Gen V Viper. The Gen IV looks the exact same as the Gen III with the exception of a different hood and wheels. Everything else is spot on looks wise. Performance wise it is much different. 600 HP, much better transmission and differential, better flowing exhaust, and bigger motor. The Gen V, as you probably know, is worlds different and has a great interior would all the modern gadgets as well as 640HP.

Good luck in your search and let us know if you have any more questions!

-Brent

[11S5V8]

Welcome to the site!

Of the four cars you mentioned, the 03-04 Cobra, while a great car, is not anywhere near the same league as the other three.

The GTR is a great car...well worth the money. Even stock, the 2012 GTR will beat a stock Gen III Viper or 430 in handling and straight line...and it would beat both soundly. It would absolutely crush the 03-04 Cobra. AWD, paddle shifting that is on par with Ferrari, Recaro seats, great interior layout, and four seats! Well...the back seats are good for kids until they are in the teenage years...but still...

The Viper, in my opinion, would be the most fun to drive of the bunch. No computer assist, no traction control, tons of low end torque, 6-speed transmission, and that raw race car feeling. A true enthusiasts car! It will turn as many heads as the GTR will (if not more)...any day of the week. Will it turn as many heads as the Ferrari...well...that is debatable. Both cars are ultra low production...but a Ferrari is a Ferrari. Just be careful with the Viper if you buy one. Get used to it first before you jam on it. The lack of computer assists have really bit people before. Don't be one of those guys. The car does not drive like the other cars on this list...nowhere close!

The F430. What can we say here...it is a Ferrari...and a great Ferrari. It will turn as many, if not more heads, than the Viper. It is an exotic in the purest terms...and nothing beats the sound of an Italian engine behind you, revving past 7K RPM's. A friend of mine in FL owned one (he had 7 other exotics including 2 Porsche GT's). He loved it. One day, he was backing out of his garage and clipped the drivers side mirror. The mirror assembly had to be replaced...and the cost of that part was $2400. This did not include paint or labor to install it...and this price was 12 years ago when they were still making F430's, so that mirror would be a lot more now. The point is, the Ferrari is super expensive to maintain. A clutch rebuild will set you back thousands...as well as oil changes.

Personally, if you are in this big of a price range, and plan on keeping whatever car you get stock, I would try and swing a Gen IV or Gen V Viper. The Gen IV looks the exact same as the Gen III with the exception of a different hood and wheels. Everything else is spot on looks wise. Performance wise it is much different. 600 HP, much better transmission and differential, better flowing exhaust, and bigger motor. The Gen V, as you probably know, is worlds different and has a great interior would all the modern gadgets as well as 640HP.

Good luck in your search and let us know if you have any more questions!

-Brent

All good points. I feel like I can get into a cobra or Viper for a good price and keep my current Audi for snow days and general shenanigans. The GTR would be a year-round car and my DD. Ferrari is a do-able dream and I can wrench a lot on any one of these cars. Mostly keeping them Stock. Cobra's just get me man, I love the styling, easy to tune and with bolt-ons and a tune you're into 550's for HP...

[06SRTCoupe]

My buddy had a Sonic Blue 04 Cobra...loved that car and it looked great. Then I saw a silver Gen 3 Vert with aftermarket wheels...and the Cobra was suddenly invisible lol.

[Rand]

I have a 2010 Viper ACR and it is a ton of fun and gets all sorts of looks and attention. It is not a good DD in my opinion due to the stiffness of the suspension, plus it causes a lot of distraction for other drivers! I also own a reproduction 1965 Shelby AC Cobra. It is also lot's of fun to drive and since it is a roadster, is not a DD.
Since you indicate you could keep the Audi, my advice is get the car that will be most fun for you. For me that is clearly a Viper!

[Fatboy 18]

Welcome, always great to see new members posting Hit the Join button when you get the car and get a great magazine too and get involved in your region meetups and events.
You will gather up a wealth of information from members and make new friends.

Some guys I know have those Mustang Cobras, Personally I don't even give them a second look when I walk past them, they do nothing for me what so ever, for me its about how a car looks and sorry to say there not for me.

I have owned a AC Cobra replica but they just are not a practical car, having no roof and it Rains in England, I took mine to Le mans in France a couple of times and always got caught out in the rain at some point over the week.

I have not looked at anything else since getting my Viper back in 2008, Its a Keeper and although I have had some issues its not going anywhere.


Reading your post it looks like you wrench on your own cars, so that is a big + in keeping costs down.
the How To Guides are a great help hereon keeping thee cars on the road. But you have to remember these cars are now getting older, so many parts have been discontinued and Viper vendors and salvage yard Viper specialists are the way forward.

If you look at any supercharged vipers really do your homework to make sure there are no tuning issues. Same if you look at any turbo cars. Not all these cars are as good as people make out.

Braking in a stock Gen II car (pre 2001) is interesting (no abs) so if you were to jump from your Audi and expect the car to stop the same, you will be in for a big surprise!

There are cars out there with modified brake options so do some research.
(Big Brake Kit is the way forward) If you find a car with it fitted then that will save you money.