A Viper is NOT a stupid investment, you'll get more performance-per-dollar with a used Viper than just about anything else on the planet. Just be careful when you get the car, Vipers are known for lulling people into a false sense of security. Make no mistake, the car will bite you if you're not extremely careful.

 

I second that on the viper, it will bite you in the ass no doubt about it. I strongly suggest you take a driving course for that beast. Three of the four friends of mine that have vipers totaled them soon after getting them and they weren't noobs to high performance, all three were former vette owners. BTW I'm a GM guy myself having collected early 70's camaro's and a 68 el camino with a 454 but with the price of gas and a long commute(160 miles a day) I had to do something different and have fallen in love with the S.

 

Why is the Viper such a beast to handle? I know it has 600bhp, but I also hear that that 600bhp is less controlable than the same in a 'vette or whatnot...

I know the Viper does NOT have TC and that kinda scares me. Ok, it scares me a lot.

How did they total the Vipers? Loss of control at high speed, in corners, during take-off, what?

I plan on a new Viper, an SRT warrenty for them is only transferrable ONE time. That means if I buy a used one I cannot sell it with a factory warrenty, GREATLY hurting resale value and appeal.

 

if you've ever had the rear end of a RWD V8 car break loose on a random patch of ice while on cruise control, hear the engine roar for a split second until the tires catch on dry pavement while the car is pointed in a slightly different direction than the lanes go, you totally understand.

The lack of TC isn't that big a deal, really. Most cars didn't have it until the last ten years and the highways didn't run red. Just don't drive hard after more than one beer or on cold nights, don't run on cruise control in wet weather - especially after drinking anything, and understand you are driving a shotgun pointed at your head when street racing. As those few conditions are fairly easy to avoid, it's no big deal. But a car like that can be a bull in a china shop in careless hands. The torque generated by that V10 is not to be underestimated, especially at full throttle.

 

Hrmm, shouldn't have that much trouble then as I don't use CC much and NEVER! drink/drive (I mean I wont even TOUCH any alcohol if I will be driving that day.) and rarely drink otherwise. I have had several V8 rwd cars ranging from a modded crown vic to my WS6 with a LT1 and a modded 5.0 in between.

600bhp is STILL going to be a COMPLETELY different animal for me.

How well does a Viper hook? In my WS6 I can punch it from an idle in 1st (6-speed) and it will just dead hook until I overpower my tires at around 5Krpm (the tires need replacing BAD). Will a Viper do about the same, or just blow the tires off?