Need some of your opinions here

series1 · 07-03-07, 06:47

Alright some people are going to get mad once I start listing the details but I need more opinions. First off I want to let you guys know that I'm an 18 year old kid who is definitley spoiled. My dad bought my brother a 2002 Trans Am WS6 which was 30k new and got my sister a Pontiac Sunfire, which was then traded in 2 yrs later for a 2003 Monte Carlo SS. So yes we are all spoiled. I am now asking my dad to help me buy a 1999-2002 Dodge Viper GTS. This is the part where you guys might get mad. An 18 year old getting a Viper? Well my question is that since I dont know how to drive stick should I learn off a friends car for a day or two, or should I get a manual car myself and drive that around for 6 months or so to get the hang of it? If I did talk my dad into a Viper I just want to say that I would spend more time staring at it in the garage then actually driving it meaning I would only take it out on weekends occasionaly. Any opinions or comments are appreciated.

GregCavi · 07-03-07, 06:57

18 with a viper? NO offense, but you dad would have to be crazy to let that fly. I certainly wouldn't let myself drive one.

With that said, drive stick for a while, not just for a day. Even after driving a buddies car, you will still be, "learning," on a Viper.

Again, don't take any offense, it's just my thoughts.

Greg

Strokin04 · 07-03-07, 07:10

I still remember watching Hulk Hogans kid wreck a viper on Hogan knows best and all I can think after reading this is poor viper. Good luck!!!

rwisejr · 07-03-07, 07:14

I know if my kid asked me for a Viper I would laugh at him.He would have to out of his mind to turn an inexperienced driver loose in a car like that. No offense. That car is too much for most drivers with alot of seat time.That is a serious accident waiting to happen.Just my feelings on young inexperienced drivers and fast cars.Dangerous combination.

phamkl · 07-03-07, 07:50

You should drive a stick for half your life before you get a Viper. Those things are known as "mid life crisis cars" for a reason, I'm sure. And with well over 500 hp at dime, you'd do well to "learn" to drive stick. As in really learn. As in drive one for a few years.

If your folks do the trade-in thing then, if you guys are so apt to take domestics, and if you're so damned spoiled (I admit I'm jealous) then grab a Corvette for a few years and then upgrade. Driving a stick isn't exactly like riding a bike. With that amount of torque you NEED to know what you're doing. And you're not going to get the hang of it in two days.

**** you're right. An 18 year old with a Viper? That's utter crap. Although this I'll say this earnestly, I'm happy for you that your parents are able to indulge you like that. I hope you appreciate it.

I sure hope your parents have instilled some kind of responsibility in you. You better not wind up on the news with brain splattered over the better half of a toll booth.

Ben Kenobi · 07-03-07, 08:20

I'd say look for a good driving school that teaches how to drive a manual transmission properly. I know there are some in this area so you should be able to find one in yours. Also, look for something with less power and then upgrade in a few years. I know I'd want to take an advanced course before even attempting a Viper.

jesselyons2002 · 07-03-07, 08:28

Just get a car for under $500 thats stick and learn with that. That's what I did and then I after like 3 months you should get the hang of it.

tstead · 07-03-07, 08:53

Get a super beatle, hook it up with a baja kit, and learn stick driving with that. heh.

Scottwax · 07-03-07, 09:28

Seriously, your Dad is nuts to even consider getting you a Viper, especially since you have no experience driving a manual. A car like that can get away from you fast enough as it is.

An older guy who apparently had his share of fast cars bought a new Z06 from a Chevy dealer (the one at 75 and Arapaho for those in Dallas) and totalled it less than a mile from the dealership. Believe me, the Viper is a HUGE leap in performance over your brother's F-bird. Even very experienced drivers can have their hands full with a car like a Viper. In addition, the average damage claim on Vipers involved in accidents is around $25,000 so when people wreck them, it is pretty obvious excessive speed is a contributing factor.

My first car was a 1971 Chevelle with a 350 and a 2 barrel carb. If it was as fast as it was when I sold it when I bought it, I would probably have had a serious accident within days of buying it. I ended up knocking a good 4 seconds off the quarter-mile ET (and adding 25 mph to the trap speed) but it was a gradual process, not all at once. Even so, a few mods, like changing from a 2.56 open rear end to a 3.08 posi rear end did cause some initial problems, like almost rear-ending a car as I accelerated onto the freeway on the way home from the rear end install because the low to midrange acceleration increased so dramatically.

You are better off getting something like a WRX. Plus, with AWD, it will be a lot safer in the rain.

BTW, I have a customer whose parents bought him a Ford GT.

kaval · 07-04-07, 08:02

Not only do I agree with everyone else, but the Viper is not a car to joke around with. These sorts of cars are made for people who are serious about driving, and APPRECIATE the engineering and craftsmanship that goes into building them. You're far too inexperienced with driving in general to even comprehend the dynamics of controlling a vehicle with that amount of power.

Start gradual and work your way up, you will appreciate cars like that a lot more, and they will be more than just eye candy to you. Your experience will make you a safer driver, and when considering cars like that, you have to consider the safety and respect of others on the road because you are sharing it with them.

With all that money you're going to be holding off (assuming you don't get the Viper yet), do something smart with it...invest it in some mutual funds or something and watch it grow.

series1 · 07-04-07, 08:34

Thanks for the advice guys. I take no offense from what anyone of you have said, which is why I wanted to get your opinions. I guess I probably should "learn" to drive stick before I think of getting a 450 horsepower V10 right away. And once again I know that I'm spoiled. I appreciate everything that my parents do for my. When I talk to my friends and hear what their parents do I am deeply thankful. I don't have to pay for insurance or for gas when some of my friends have to do both. I sometimes wonder though when looking through listings of Vipers that if I find a good deal that I should get it and just put it in our garage until I am ready. Any opinions on this? I do like Kavals idea of maybe putting some money off and investing it. Again I appreciate any comments rude or not, just voice your humble opinion.

BlackElantraGT · 07-04-07, 11:29

Most people hear have already said what I want to say, but to piggyback on Scottwax's comment, I think a WRX or GTI might be better for you. I don't know how much the Vipers are going for, but with any of these cars at least you can get it brand new with full warranty. Plus it'll be plenty fast (IMO still a bit too fast) for an 18 yo.

Since you're young, I'm sure you have a friend dumb enough with a beat up manual car that will let you learn with it for a few hours. It really doesn't take long to learn the basics of a stick. The stalling part is scary at first, especially at your first red light at a busy intersection, but you'll overcome that quickly. One fear in a manual I've never been able to personally overcome are VERY steep hills like in San Fran. I can do it if I have to, I just don't like the feeling. I've become so accustomed to not even thinking when shifting, that when a super steep hill like that comes along I panic and start thinking too much.

I really hope you do listen to the advice given to you. You're at the age where you most likely will get into an accident. A Viper would be way too dangerous for not only you, but everyone else on the road.