06 Ram SRT-10 RC or 2nd Gen Viper?

Needed some opinions, especially if you have owned or driven both before!

I am trying to decide on my new "toy" to replace the 2 Harley's I am selling (one sold, V-rod still available). I am torn between an 06 Ram SRT-10 and a 2nd Generation Viper. My daily driver is an 06 Ram 2500 Mega Cab Diesel 4x4 6-speed manual. I have owned trucks for the last 10 years, but never an SRT-10 Ram. I live in Houston, TX. I have listed a pro's/con's list below, please help me solve this "problem".....

Thanks in advance!

06 SRT-10 Ram
Pros: sits up higher like the trucks I am accustomed to driving, will not have to worry about scrapping the bottom up as much on bad roads (many here in Houstong) compared to the Viper, more comfortable interior, a little cheaper and parts are less expensive.
Cons: resale value (future will be ??), slower than a viper, see Ram trucks every day (most don't know what an SRT-10 Ram is, Viper is unique).

2nd Gen Viper
Pros: turns my crank more emotionally, looks great, unique vehicle, resale values are good, faster than the truck
Cons: sits low to the ground, parts are $$, might tear it up on Houston streets, not as comfortable.

:dontknow: :dontknow: :dontknow:

Well, it looks as if you've already got a truck to do 'truck stuff' with, so you certainly don't need the SRT Ram for any type of hauling/towing.

SRT Rams are unique - You really don't see too many of them. Then again, generally you see even fewer Vipers.

Oh hell, check my sig and you've got my answer! :rock: :burnout:

I had an '01 GTS for about a year. It was 1 of 86 made in sapphire/silver stripes.

I would very rarely drive the car in my small town because the speed limits were too low to really enjoy it. It also cost several hundred more a year than my SRT Ram.

I did some simple bolt on mods to the Viper but after watching Barrett Jackson I kept thinking about its rarity and potential value in the far future given its limited production numbers. It drove me crazy so I got rid of it.

My supercharged SRT Ram is quite different. Nobody expects it to be fast but its faster than the Viper I had. Its more fun road racing and drag racing because nobody expects a 5000 pound truck to pass Corvettes, Porsches, supercharged NSX's, etc on a road course. Its the sleeper approach that I tend to favor about the truck than the Viper.

If I could do it all over again I'd get another Viper (same color combo, possibly ACR edition) and keep it stock. I'd also have my supercharged SRT Ram to tear up the tracks.

I've driven trucks since I had a license and for me I have a better feel for the trucks handling ability. I was constantly worried about the back end coming out when road racing the Viper.

So, you could build a supercharged SRT Ram for about the same or possibly lower price then finding a low or mid mileage perfect condition GTS or convertible. For me, the truck is a WHOLE lot funner to drive.

If I lived in Denver or another major city where there is a Viper community perhaps I'd still have the Viper.

Well I have not driven a Viper, but I have been waiting for years to buy one. I love the Gen II. Since I have a QC for daily driving, A Viper would only be driven once or twice per week. The way I look at it, Drive the car(or truck)!!!! guys over at VCA or on ViperAlley have over 100K miles on there Vipers. I say buy what you really want, so you scrape up the bottom, can always be fixed. I want a stock 96 Blue & White stripe GTS, the car is sure to be a collector, worth alot, but I am never going to sell it so who cares. But over the next 20 years I will assure you the car will be restored, engine blown up, trans blown up, rear end blown out. bottom line, buy one, drive it, have fun, buy another, repeat cycle. If you buy a Ram SRT, buy one that has all the work done to it already, save your $$$ and sanity!!!

Houston...well I need to mention heat...you will be warm (read hot) most of the year...have seen many comments about the inability of the air conditioning system to handle the interior heat in a Viper...the one I drove for a few days had given up even trying to cool the interior.

How old are you? At 63 I have trouble getting in and out of a Viper.

If you are big, that constitutes a problem...either wide or tall.

Why a Gen 2? Why not an '08?

I want one so bad I can taste it, even with the drawbacks...

Why not get them both??

Good info guys!!! Thanks!

A few more notes on what I am considering:

- the gen 2 viper I am looking to buy is a 1996 blue and white gts (or 1997), or possibly a 2000 or 2002 steel gray or graphite gray gts.
- I am considering buying bikertat's blown 04 RC.
- Or a 06 mineral grey RC.

So ya'll have touched on a few of those already....

The '96 and '97 have forged internals, you can supercharge them and run up to 10 psi of boost. The 2000+ models can only handle 5 psi but have ABS brakes.

I'd be willing to sell my blown RC as well. Not sure where you live. Tim (ViperTruck2933) and Joe Donovan (Performance by Joe) as well as Justin at JMB have seen and heard the truck if you are interested.

My truck was the second fastest Viper powered vehicle at Bandimere Speedway a few weeks ago at the Mopar event being held. A Henny 650 was faster. A few of the cars were newer Gen III's and a handful of stock or bolt on Gen II's.

Prof said:

Houston...well I need to mention heat...you will be warm (read hot) most of the year...have seen many comments about the inability of the air conditioning system to handle the interior heat in a Viper...the one I drove for a few days had given up even trying to cool the interior.

How old are you? At 63 I have trouble getting in and out of a Viper.

If you are big, that constitutes a problem...either wide or tall.

Why a Gen 2? Why not an '08?

I want one so bad I can taste it, even with the drawbacks...

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I am 32, 6'2", 190lbs, and exercise regularly. I got in a 1999 gts with no problem yesterday. The A/C worked well in the car I got in, and it was 90F outside.

Gen 2 GTS - I like their shape the best, don't care for the gen 3 or 08 styling. (nor can I afford a new one!)

Good questions, thanks! :rock:

DRamSrt10 said:

Why not get them both??

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Send me a winning lotto ticket!!!

Dave T(BADVENM) said:

The '96 and '97 have forged internals, you can supercharge them and run up to 10 psi of boost. The 2000+ models can only handle 5 psi but have ABS brakes.

I'd be willing to sell my blown RC as well. Not sure where you live. Tim (ViperTruck2933) and Joe Donovan (Performance by Joe) as well as Justin at JMB have seen and heard the truck if you are interested.

My truck was the second fastest Viper powered vehicle at Bandimere Speedway a few weeks ago at the Mopar event being held. A Henny 650 was faster. A few of the cars were newer Gen III's and a handful of stock or bolt on Gen II's.

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Dave - the forged internals is why I was leaning toward a 1996-1999. The knowledge on this site is great!

Please PM me an asking price for your truck, I will consider it with Bikertat's, ya'lls are pretty similar. I live in Houston, TX. I like your and bikertat's trucks mechanically, I'm just not the biggest fan of red unfortunately.

Dave T(BADVENM) said:

The '96 and '97 have forged internals, you can supercharge them and run up to 10 psi of boost. The 2000+ models can only handle 5 psi but have ABS brakes.

I'd be willing to sell my blown RC as well. Not sure where you live. Tim (ViperTruck2933) and Joe Donovan (Performance by Joe) as well as Justin at JMB have seen and heard the truck if you are interested.

My truck was the second fastest Viper powered vehicle at Bandimere Speedway a few weeks ago at the Mopar event being held. A Henny 650 was faster. A few of the cars were newer Gen III's and a handful of stock or bolt on Gen II's.

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Forged is 96-99 (GTS only) , 98-99 being 708 cam, and 99 being upgraded interior (having all 3)

2000 doesnt have abs, its 2001+

8-9psi has been seen on the 01+, but conservative is 5psi..just like the trucks

13-15psi has been seen for the 96-99

RedSrt007 said:

Forged is 96-99 (GTS only) , 98-99 being 708 cam, and 99 being upgraded interior (having all 3)

2000 doesnt have abs, its 2001+

8-9psi has been seen, but conservative is 5psi..just like the trucks

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Your right, abs started in 2001. Sorry bout that. A friend of mine with a 99 silver had a Roe 10psi system with water/meth on his GTS. he's now going the SVS do it yourself twin turbo system, still on stock internals. He was telling me on similar boost levels the twin turbo system is 20% faster than with the Roe system :rock:

Dave T(BADVENM) said:

Your right, abs started in 2001. Sorry bout that. A friend of mine with a 99 silver had a Roe 10psi system with water/meth on his GTS. he's now going the SVS do it yourself twin turbo system, still on stock internals. He was telling me on similar boost levels the twin turbo system is 20% faster than with the Roe system :rock:

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probably....intercooled vs non, 2.4l is too small of a blower also. TT on the vipers is defiantly the way to go.

-Red

I've got both, although my SRT-10 is an 05 which I prefer over the 06 body style. They both are amazing machines. If I had to pick between the 2 it would honestly be a tough decision although I would probably lean towards the viper. Needing a QC truck for the family hauling needs works perfect. If there was not a QC SRT-10 option I would have a modded Diesel QC.

Good luck with your decision.

Hands down, the GEN II.

RedSrt007 said:

probably....intercooled vs non, 2.4l is too small of a blower also. TT on the vipers is defiantly the way to go.

-Red

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you mean a 522 with TT is the way to go!!! my prefernce 96 B&W, 97 B&W, 98-99 solid Black or a striped car. Just buy a Viper!!!

BurntRubber said:

my prefernce 96 B&W, 97 B&W, 98-99 solid Black or a striped car.

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Black GTS cars were only built in '99 and '00.

Silver GTS cars were built in '98 and '99.

If I could've found a '99 Silver/Black interior GTS, or, a '99 Black/Black interior GTS before I bought my '06 Coupe, I'd most likely be driving a Gen2 today.

Found a nice Silver '98, but was too pricey IMO, and found plenty of Black GTS examples, but they all seemed to have that damned Connelly interior.uke:

1999 was the first year for the 18" wheels. '98 and older had 17". NOT that they couldn't be swapped out anyway.:dontknow:

What I did realize is the Gen2 Vipers definitely hold their value!!:rock:

Hamrhead said:

Black GTS cars were only built in '99 and '00.

Silver GTS cars were built in '98 and '99.

If I could've found a '99 Silver/Black interior GTS, or, a '99 Black/Black interior GTS before I bought my '06 Coupe, I'd most likely be driving a Gen2 today.

Found a nice Silver '98, but was too pricey IMO, and found plenty of Black GTS examples, but they all seemed to have that damned Connelly interior.uke:

1999 was the first year for the 18" wheels. '98 and older had 17". NOT that they couldn't be swapped out anyway.:dontknow:

What I did realize is the Gen2 Vipers definitely hold their value!!:rock:

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thanks for the info as I am on the prowl, I though 98 has a red with white stripe? I think if I went 99 I would go black with black rims...black tint!!! and TT. GenII are still way expensive, especially ACR's and blue & whites. but dang are they pretty!!! I would be interested in a 99 with very high miles, so I don't feel bad romping on it!!!:burnout:

Get Bit said:

I've got both, although my SRT-10 is an 05 which I prefer over the 06 body style. They both are amazing machines. If I had to pick between the 2 it would honestly be a tough decision although I would probably lean towards the viper. Needing a QC truck for the family hauling needs works perfect. If there was not a QC SRT-10 option I would have a modded Diesel QC.

Good luck with your decision.

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Could you elaborate a little on why you would choose the Viper? I am very interested in everyone's opinions who have both (although you have a QC and not an RC). Thanks!

Thanks everyone for your opinions!!!!