MattH25

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Pakisho
[B]Really? Well, mine has a blower on it, and a Z06 would leave it for dead, according to my butt-dyno. It had way more muscle than my car.

pjb

ive driven both and have a GTS. totally agree with your assessment on the z06 and your comments on the viper. once you drive both, you'll see the difference. bottom line is you cant go wrong with either one as they are both great cars. IMO, if this is your only car then get the z06. if you have other cars for daily, then get the viper. the viper is an all out BEAST and attracts too much attention. Doesnt have the creature comforts and all the tech assist stuff (traction control, HUD, etc..), so the vette wins as the more civilized and easier to live with on a daily basis. the viper is more of a race car for the street. STOCK for STOCK, the GTS is faster. im not even going into the "well if i buy X, and with the $ i saved over buying Y, I could mod X... " blah blah bs. btw, i dynoed 423rwhp/446rwtq with just drop in filters.

you also hit on a major reason i chose the viper over the z- -> "dime-a-dozen". i dont want to see myself at every other intersection! the viper on the other hand had the total package I wanted...power, looks AND exclusivity. i had a corvette before and im on my second viper now (rt10 first, now gts). ive enjoyed both vipers tremendously and have never looked back.

btw, im not sure what year gts you are looking at, but ck viperclub.org for addnl info. good luck, and look fwd to your write up on the gts

link to my gts...My GTS

sehenkel

[QUOTE]Originally posted by QUIKAG
[B]Nice write-up.

Penforhire

Pakisho, good write-up! Will be interested in your Viper observations.

I don't have a big problem with my '03 Z06 interior. I was expecting worse from the general bashing. I was probably less impressed with my S2000's carpeted interior. But the switch design is too-cool in the S and merely "GM" in the Z06. The "DIC" display does redeem the interior. The Z seats seriously need more lateral support. Did you notice you can program the HUD to display any particular gauge or, for instance, just the Tach?

I was extremely disappointed with the stock Bose system but that was easily remedied with an Alpine head, Alpine door separates, Alpine 4+1 channel amp, and one 10" RF sub. I left the rear speakers disconnected and I am totally pleased by it now. not going to win any SPL competitions but my rock n' roll is tight now.

Koala, you might note that if traction control is on you get a very civilized push in the rear when you launch but no sense of the beast it really is. You have to hold the "off" button for 5 - 10 seconds to light up Competition Mode and let loose the beast (please don't drive on the street with the whole system off).

Pjb, I'll agree the GTS is fundamentally faster but... I wanted a daily driver AND a good driver in the Z can meet or beat a so-so driver in the Viper (true for so many comparisons, I know). And of course I could only afford a used GTS versus a new Z06.

Last, but not least, I engineer a sensor that goes into the vettes. Not the make-or-break thing but it is cool to me.

koala

The salesperson disabled the traction control for me (the guy that took me out on our half-hour drive was their "Vette specialist." This dealer had 5 Z06's and 10 base model Vettes on the lot at all times, so I'm sure they knew a thing or two about the car.

Anyhow, I just wasn't that impressed with the car. I wouldn't replace my S2000 with it, but I'd possibly buy it to suppliment my S.

JoeD

Sorry, but that is never going to happen, even with the carbon fiber replacement panels you can buy for the C5...

QUIKAG

You'd be suprised by what $5k or so can do to the interior of a C5 with some great aftermarket suppliers like Ken King, Vette Essentials, etc. Full leather redo on seats, center console, steering wheels, doors, carbon fiber accents, aluminum bezels in the gauge cluster that glow with the black light lighting of the gauges, new stereo head unit with DVD, etc. Very trick and still MUCH cheaper price than any 911 Turbo or 360.

Of course, the Vette still isn't a Ferrari or a Porsche, though I feel the Porsche is very overrated at it's price point, but the Modena is, well, a Ferrari.

steve c

You must not have driven a Z06.

The other day I saw a group of lawn workers wondering aloud if the convertible C5 parked next to themwas a Z06 or not .... sad.

koala

It was a Z06. I don't know what to tell ya. It was black, had all the badging, 6 speed, coupe, the salesperson said it was a Z06, and the window sticker said Z06... and the price tag indicated it should be a Z06.

So yeah, I guess it wasn't?

koala

[QUOTE]Originally posted by QUIKAG
[B]

You'd be suprised by what $5k or so can do to the interior of a C5 with some great aftermarket suppliers like Ken King, Vette Essentials, etc.