Site Update: NSX vs Viper comparison

[scottjua]

ok for the old timers... who used to see me posting about site updates all the time and for those of you with nothing to do, I FINALLY got two new things written and posted on my site...

thoughts, bashing, compliments...???

NSX vs Viper

and for other reading the viper review by itself:

Viper GTS review

 

[effer]

thoughts, bashing, compliments...???

Hi Scott!

Very interesting so I won't be bashing you because you write and report with honesty and this only deserves compliments even if we would not agree!

Nice articles very informatives and lively!

 

[T Bolen]

Great write-up that summarizes my feelings on both cars!

To your point on the lack of ABS on the Viper, my wallet is now $725 lighter this morning as I just replaced the front Pilot Sports due to a panic stop. The most extreme case of flat-spotting I've ever seen.

The NSX is my favorite if I could have only one.

 

[CokerRat]

Nice analysis, very frank and honest about the highs and lows. I love my NSX for all that it is but I'm a little scared to take a Viper for a drive... scared I might really like the brute power, that is.

 

[Autophile]

I enjoyed reading your writeups, Scott.

I've always admired Vipers, but recently I have witnessed some reliability problems with the Viper engine that make me cringe a bit. A friend has a 94 Viper, pampered, approx 10k miles. He also owns a shop with a chassis dyno. Well, he put the car on the dyno and did some runs. He actually clocked 220 mph on the dyno, with no load. On another run up to 186 mph, the engine started to cough a bit. He shut the car down and checked the valvetrain. Well, on about half a dozen valves, the valves were actually being sucked down into the retainers! This should not be happening on this engine, period. To bring the car to 220 mph, the rpms were relatively low (less than 7k I believe) and not sustained. Long story short, we saw that the valvetrain on these engines is not impressive. Soft keepers, weak springs. My friend contacted Dodge, which sent engineers out to see the damage first hand. Dodge gave him new parts, including a new set of heads, but he is now going with TRD rockers, Ferrara valves, titanium 10 degree retainers, and K-motion springs.

I'm a Dodge fan, and am not trying to bash Vipers. But this engine issue makes me shy away from Vipers the same way the rotary engine problems make me shy away from the 3rd gen RX7.

My point is, if you ever buy a Viper, be aware that the stock engine is not built to the same standards as an NSX!! It won't take the same abuse that our little 3.0/3.2L engines can.

 

[andymo1972]

Excellent analysis! Very objective.

Yes, the power of the Viper is definitely amazing. I am a former Viper owner and recently sold my 97 GTS for an 03 NSX. It was hard giving up all that HP but overall I am happy with my choice. The NSX is cleary a better built car, more ergonomic, and smoother...and the Viper is clearly more powerful, has an aggressive demeanor, and has all that TORQUE. Reliability and peace of mind were huge factors in getting an NSX.

One thing that stood out to me when driving the Viper was, with that "sea of hood", it gives a feeling of the front end ROTATING when you turn corners (before the Viper I had a 95 Lotus Esprit S4). But, as you said, it handles better than you expect it to. Having an NSX-T now, I do notice some body flex compared to the rigid GTS, but the NSX is so smooth, it doesn't seem to be an issue.

Just as a note, regarding the ride height and speedbumps, etc. The NSX is definitely higher in the front end than the Viper. I do not have any issues scraping entering my driveway or going over speedbumps with the NSX. Hard to believe since the overall height is quite a bit lower on the NSX. I have thought about lowering my car but with the roads, etc. around here having the extra inch or so is nice. For comparison...

 

[Number9]

The Skip Barber advanced car control clinic uses Dodge Viper GTS ACRs for instruction. I autoXed one and can confirm that the car is a fantastic driver's car. If you skip the bad ergo, the Viper handles great and has torque that most NSXs only dream about. No, it's not civilized or reliable or ergonomic, but it's faster than an NSX by far - if your inputs are smooth. It'll bite your ass if your driver skills aren't up to snuff...

 

[scottjua]

thanks for all the comments so far!!!