Coupe or Vert
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,877
Likes: 1
From: Ok! So you don't believe in conspiracies, but will you acknowledge the possibility of there being coordinated activities in secret places? Texas
Get the drop!
I bought my wife an '01 Camaro. She wanted a convertible, but I listed all of the drawbacks to owning a convertible. I convinced her and myself that the T-tops would provide "the best of both worlds." Everytime I get in that car on a nice day I regret not getting the convertible. When we bought the Vette, there was no question as to which to buy!
As for body lines - I actually think the convertible with the top up is the best looking 'vette ever! Although, my top is down every chance I get.
As for body lines - I actually think the convertible with the top up is the best looking 'vette ever! Although, my top is down every chance I get.
Administrator
Joined: Mar 2001
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From: In a parallel universe. Currently own 2014 Stingray Coupe.
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I have no regrets buying my coupe. I can still get open air driving by taking the targa top off plus I have tons of storage room in the back - something that I was looking for. No issues with the top at all.
However, either way, coupe or vert, you will get a great car.
However, either way, coupe or vert, you will get a great car.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,515
Likes: 17
From: Keller, TX
St. Jude Donor '07
Always willing to beat this horse...
Coupe looks a little better than the vert with the top up.
Vert looks WAY better (IMO) with the top down than the coupe
Advantage Vert.
Coupe's a little quieter than the vert with the top up. When I want quiet, I don't drive sports cars. Got an E350 for that.
Advantage vert
Top down at 65 in a vert is wonderful.
Top off a coupe at 65 is a beating.
Advantage vert
Hauling stuff. Advantage Vert. The ride to Home Depot to rent their truck for $25 is much nicer than in a coupe.
Blistering hot day.
Gotta put the top up on the vert.
Transparent top on the coupe =
Advantage Coupe
HPDE events
Advantage coupe
(BUT... I've done them in the vert. Top down even... just stayed well within my limits)
Seriously, there are convertible people and there are coupe people. You need to find out which your are. If you want open air, the vert is far superior. If you just want to yank the top on occasion, get the coupe.
The worst decision is still a good one.
Coupe looks a little better than the vert with the top up.
Vert looks WAY better (IMO) with the top down than the coupe
Advantage Vert.
Coupe's a little quieter than the vert with the top up. When I want quiet, I don't drive sports cars. Got an E350 for that.
Advantage vert
Top down at 65 in a vert is wonderful.
Top off a coupe at 65 is a beating.
Advantage vert
Hauling stuff. Advantage Vert. The ride to Home Depot to rent their truck for $25 is much nicer than in a coupe.
Blistering hot day.
Gotta put the top up on the vert.
Transparent top on the coupe =
Advantage Coupe
HPDE events
Advantage coupe
(BUT... I've done them in the vert. Top down even... just stayed well within my limits)
Seriously, there are convertible people and there are coupe people. You need to find out which your are. If you want open air, the vert is far superior. If you just want to yank the top on occasion, get the coupe.
The worst decision is still a good one.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 15,195
Likes: 0
From: Philadelphia PA
IMO id go with the coupe, i feel that it flows better compared to the vert with its top up.
The vert is rather sweet lookin with the top down tho.
If you plan on making ur car run at the drag strip i would suggest a coupe, cuz with the soft top they make you install a roll bar at higher trap times then a hard top.
The vert is rather sweet lookin with the top down tho.
If you plan on making ur car run at the drag strip i would suggest a coupe, cuz with the soft top they make you install a roll bar at higher trap times then a hard top.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,799
Likes: 1
From: Dayton Ohio
I never even considered a vert...until I rode in one. My '02 is much quieter than I had expected, and can store a fair amount in the trunk with the top down. As others had said, however, it is not comfortable driving top-down on a 95 degree day if you have black interrior.
I'd look for a local club (or put a post in the Great Lakes section) and ask for a ride in each body style w/ the tops up and down. I'm sure that you'd find some willing owners to help you out. As others have said, though, there is no bad choice. You'll love either model.
I'd look for a local club (or put a post in the Great Lakes section) and ask for a ride in each body style w/ the tops up and down. I'm sure that you'd find some willing owners to help you out. As others have said, though, there is no bad choice. You'll love either model.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 25,057
Likes: 1,265
From: Virginia
St. Jude Donor '11
Originally Posted by Evil-Twin
A Vert with the top up looks like you put a bandaged on it too keep out the elements..
Vert with the top down looks nice...
Vert with the top up is noisy/// much more noisy than a coupe..
Top off a coupe is almost feels as nice as a Vert, I said almost...
Top off a coupe looks almost as nice as a Vert
Top on a Coupe looks right, looks complete... not bandaged.
Vert with the top down looks nice...
Vert with the top up is noisy/// much more noisy than a coupe..
Top off a coupe is almost feels as nice as a Vert, I said almost...
Top off a coupe looks almost as nice as a Vert
Top on a Coupe looks right, looks complete... not bandaged.
No offense meant Mr. Twin,.... but if you think a Vert with the top up looks like any kind of a bandage then you need to go back on your Prozac
P.S....Please tell me you don't think this Vette looks like it has a "bandage" on it
Last edited by Yello95; Mar 27, 2006 at 01:13 AM.
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Racer
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 466
Likes: 0
From: Oswego NY
In my neck of the woods you can probably count on one hand the times one could have the top down.Its either to hot,cold or raining.I didn't take my glass top off once last year.I think the vert is a great looking car with the top down,but its not very practical around here.
Pro
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 685
Likes: 2
From: Orange CA
I bought a vert about 2 months ago and love it. One thing that I liked about a vert, is that you can take the top down and still put 2 golf bags in the trunk. If you take the top off a coupe and stow it in the back, you lose a lot of storage space. That plus the weather here in CA is pretty fair most of the time. You can't go wrong with any Vette. Just think about what's important to you and how you will use it.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,549
Likes: 0
From: MDT
as others have indicated, your choice could, in part, be dictated by where you plan to drive the car. for those of us here in the northeast where we get this odd phenomenon called "winter", a coupe works pretty well. however for those lucky stiffs who live where there are palm trees year round, a vert might be the ticket. either way, you win. bub
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 3,775
Likes: 0
From: St Marys GA
Ok coupe guys: why is the vert worth so much more with everything else being equal? Fun factor. Think about it, there are guys cars and there are chick cars. Most convertibles are chick cars: Sebring; VW; BMW; Mustang; et al. The vert is a guy car esp w MN6. I think vert season (weather) is about the same across the country: in the north all but about 4 months in winter; in the south all but 2 months in winter, 2 in summer. Evens out. 
DBD
DBD
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 21,325
Likes: 3,841
From: small town in S.E Pa. PA
St. Jude Donor '03-'04
Originally Posted by VET IT B
Top down, hands down, VERT is the one! The lines, the waterfall body lines falling into the interior 
Man the C5 was originally designed as a Vert. Mark
Man the C5 was originally designed as a Vert. MarkI dont know where you get your information, but I was there.... the first clay was a hard top...and that was incorporated in the first beta mule in 1995. The first years offerings of C5 were void of Verts... they only produced 9752 Coupes in 1997.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,409
Likes: 34
From: St. Louis Missouri
No substitute for a Vert. I like it with the Top up as much as I do with the Top down. The only way I wouldn't buy a Vert is if I was looking to race the Vette on a regular basis, but then I wouldn't be looking at a Coupe either. It would be a Z06. The only reason I didn't buy a Z06 is because they didn't make it in a Vert.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 301
Likes: 0
Top Down
Originally Posted by blacksedan87
I live in Phoenix too - and I was torn when I bought my car....coupe or convertible. I wound up with the convertible, and I cannot imagine life without a convertible Corvette! Best choice I ever made. I drive the car with the top down every chance I get - if it's above 55 degrees, then the top is down. If my wife is with me - it has to be above about 70 degrees.
As far as carrying stuff in it - it's a sportscar, not a pick up truck. I have an SUV DD if I need to go to Home Depot or Costco, etc...I drive the car for fun and no coupe in the world with a removeable panel can replicate the open air feeling of a convertible. It's tight and quiet on the rare occasions that I drive it top up. Top down, it has less buffeting than the coupe with the targa top off.
I vote that you drive them both and make your own decision. You won't get a clear cut winner out of this question - the convertible guys will tell you as I did go with the convertible. The coupe guys will tell you go with the coupe...it's best of both worlds. Make your own choice.
As far as carrying stuff in it - it's a sportscar, not a pick up truck. I have an SUV DD if I need to go to Home Depot or Costco, etc...I drive the car for fun and no coupe in the world with a removeable panel can replicate the open air feeling of a convertible. It's tight and quiet on the rare occasions that I drive it top up. Top down, it has less buffeting than the coupe with the targa top off.
I vote that you drive them both and make your own decision. You won't get a clear cut winner out of this question - the convertible guys will tell you as I did go with the convertible. The coupe guys will tell you go with the coupe...it's best of both worlds. Make your own choice.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 301
Likes: 0
Also
Originally Posted by deemer
When I was about to buy my 03AE I was in the same position you are currently in. Here was the logic I used in making my choice. If I was going to use it as a DD, then the coupe was going to be my choice since I was not thrilled with keeping the top clean and the possibility of hearing noise from the rag top did not thrill me either. (BTW I bought a vert and there is no noise). If I was going to use the vette on weekends and special occassions and wanted to reallyfeel young again, then It was going to be the vert. Well, I bought the vert since the thought of being old does not sit well with me.
Oh, 2 other things came into my decision that you probably will not have to deal with.
1. I also have a 78 Corvette Pace car with T tops which I considered close to, in loose terms, the roof concept of the coupe. So I figured I already had a coupe.
2. I am retired and in all my life I never had the nerve to own a vert (I'm really conserative and always thought owning a vert was how should I say it, beign a little flashy, but no more).
The bottom line is that it's your choice but no matter which you pick you will love it. People buy things based on their likes, needs or dislikes and no to individuals are exactly the same.
GOOD LUCK
Oh, 2 other things came into my decision that you probably will not have to deal with.
1. I also have a 78 Corvette Pace car with T tops which I considered close to, in loose terms, the roof concept of the coupe. So I figured I already had a coupe.
2. I am retired and in all my life I never had the nerve to own a vert (I'm really conserative and always thought owning a vert was how should I say it, beign a little flashy, but no more).
The bottom line is that it's your choice but no matter which you pick you will love it. People buy things based on their likes, needs or dislikes and no to individuals are exactly the same.
GOOD LUCK
Racer
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 301
Likes: 0
Looks Cheap
Originally Posted by TOPLS90
rcs128 had good advice on some of the pro's & con's. Kinda sounds like a coupe is your first choice. The way you are going to drive it you would probably love a vert too. Maybe some more pics will help...DBGM close to black in some light. I always thought of a vette as a Vert but the Coupe is really great looking too. 
Good Luck, when in doubt ask the Wife 
Good Luck, when in doubt ask the Wife