I look forward to killing unsuspecting/overconfident vipers when I get my AEBS stroker and APS TT kit

 

I went to the track for the first time with my APS TT 350Z (404 whp) 2 weeks ago. One of the instructors was the owner of a Viper. He didn't have his there that day so I let him drive my Z (with me in it). After a 10 minute session he said he thought my Z had more power than his Viper. I've put a lot of money into my Z but I think it's still less than the cost of a Viper.

 

There was a section on Motor Trend about used Vipers. Since they are rare. Its very expensive to maintain. So its definitely not a daily driver. Break something or it needs a replacement part,expect to pay big bucks.

 

All this talk about reliability is surprising to me. I visit the viper boards often and to be honest there is not many complaints.

I agree that a viper is not a good daily driver..

I would like to thank everyone for the feedback its helped me allot.

 

dude, screw it. just buy a Z, then drop a twin turbo hennessey viper engine into it. that'd solve both problems.

 

Actually I would prefer the 4.3L AEBS stroker with APS TT kit but thats just too much money because of the Motec. Who knows I may just bite the bullet.

 

I was actually in the same position you are in. I was looking at a black 1995 RT10 with 7800 miles on it. After a lot of debate and I decided on a black 350Z roadster. My personal choice was to put a Stillen eaton type SC on.

Both of my choices were based on reliability and driveability. I spoke with a few mechanics who had worked on the vipers, they had some interesting things to say about the reliability of the Viper. Those on the board are correct, it is not meant to be a daily driver (but that wasn't what I was looking for) and does require a lot of maitainence. The older (pre 04) viper parts are not as accessable and can be very expensive. You can still get your oil changed with parts from Pep boys though.

The character of the stillen is the most like a V8 of any of the FI choices. The power is always there, it may not have the peak HP or give you that kick in the back like the TT, but it all depends on what you are looking for. I wanted to increase the character of the car while still keeping something my wife had the ability to drvie.

Good luck in your choice, I don't know if you can go wrong. If you haven't driven the new vette you really should, I bought mine before the vette was out. If I had to do it again I probably would have bought the vette, it really is a great car.

 

Thanks AdamDC that helps me even more. If I was a Corvette guy the answers to my delema would already be answered. The Vette is an amazing car for the price but its just not me.

The more I read the more I realize the 350Z with FI is the smarter choice. I just wish it was the coolest choice!

 

That's one of the reasons I really like the roadster over the coupe, it just isn't as common. I feel like the ragtop gives makes everything just a little bit cooler.

If you do go TT, just make sure you go to a shop that has done plenty of FI work. The biggest reason people are blowing engines is that they are not getting the proper tuning. The TT reliability issue scared me a little too much, but if you want to play the game you need to take on the risk.

What finally sold me on the eaton was the Cadillac V-series going with an eaton. It is what most of the major manufacturers seem to do for a combination of power, drivability and reliability.

 

cost wise, i think they have the same potential

a TT 350Z can have a lot of issues and might have to be in the shop a lot.

It's hard to say which one would be riskier cause it depends on how well the TT kit is installed/tuned on the Z.

the viper engine is probably fairly straight forward to service, but the parts aren't gonna be cheap if something does happen.

Both are gonna take a lot of maintenance

 

Definately the Viper GTS ACR. Easy desicion.