Greetings!

I am extremely fortunate and find myself in a position to be in the market for Corvette.

I've found several good options, but it comes down to a choice between a Z or a convertible.

Suggestions?

 

Drive both and see what you like. I emailed CF member Tricep who just recently went from a C5 Vert to a C5 Z06. Maybe he can add his opinion.

You can't go wrong either way you choose.

 

You need to figure out what your ultimate goal is - are you planning on cruising and driving for pleasure or do your ultimate plans include tracking the car? Reason being, there are restrictions about a convertible that don't apply to a Z06.

Both will be extremely enjoyable on a curvy twisting road or freeways. But if you plan to track the car, you need a rollbar on a convertible.

Personally - I have a convertible, and there is nothing that beats a top down cruise, some good music and a great passenger. You'll hear that you can make a convertible just as fast as a Z06, which is true, but since I don't track my car - the choice was clear to me.

 

 

I agree with blacksedan87......they are two different animals, and it comes down to what your goals/passions are. I personally went with the 'vert, since it is a DD, and I will rarely track/race as compared to how often I will normally drive it.

 

Do a search on here and you will find enough arguing/opinions to make your head spin.

Consider when reading peoples opinions is that about 99% of the time the poster is going to favor what he/she owns because most people are touchy about somebody saying "My Corvette is better than yours..." With that in mind you most likely aren't going to find many unbiased opinions. The best thing to do is figure out what you want to use the car for as has been mentioned. Is it for performance/track? Probably go with the Z06. Is it weekend cruising with the top down and the wind in your hair? Then it's the vert.

There isn't a convertible on here that I would trade my 02 Z06 for. On the same note, there are many many vert owners that wouldn't trade theirs for a Z06. It's all personal preference.

 

It all depends on how important open air motoring is to you. I enjoy it, but I also enjoy performance. A tweaked coupe seems to me to be the best of both worlds.

 

I've had a coupe and a convertible, to go with my 1969 Shelby GT500 Fastback (back to the fixed roof). The previous post, advising you to analyze what you want from the car, is spot-on.

The coupe (and by extension the Z06) has the overhead structure required by most tracks (haven't heard of any that don't require a structural roll bar for convertibles).

The aerodynamics on the convertible are compromised, since the top does move a bit in the wind and with it down, you get drag from the interior. So top speed and gas mileage are down a bit. Not much, but a factor.

The convertible is an eye-catcher, but more of a "parade car" in my opinion. I like mine a lot, but I'm too old to want to go out and track the car or go anything near top speed.

If you're going to go to the track, then, or want to go real fast, I'd take the Z06. If you want to go on road trips, cruises with your local Corvette club (our big activity), or just get a lot of smiles and stares in nice weather, and don't care about top end and going out to Thunderhill, the ragtop is a fine choice.

See? No bad choices, just decisions as to what you want to do. A friend criticized me for selling my black coupe to get the silver vert - his term was that the black coupe looked like a "weapon." But I don't need a street racer, or a track racer.

What everyone else thinks is far less important than what you want and like. I'd rather my vert was an automatic, but the low mileage great looking car with all the options had a six-speed. That was a compromise, but I like taking road trips in the mountains, and find the M6 is better for that.

You can turn your vert up, if that's the way you go. I've got the Vararam and Predator tune, and it works great.

Another common complaint about convertibles is that they are loud inside, and hard to heat/cool. Not so with the C5. Five layer top, so it isn't noticeably louder than the coupe. And on one trip last summer, it was 111*F outside on US 101 north of San Francisco. The car maintained a nice 75*F inside. Same in the winter.

If you go with the vert, then, you can get the Z06 suspension pieces. The power is noticeably different, but on the highways, you normally can't tell. And you can turn your LS1 up to the LS6 level if you really need the power.

Just my opinion, but I do agree that you should find friends with each, go for rides for a while, and figure out which you like. I'm just an old guy who likes good-looking cars, so the vert works for me. A friend has a Z06, and it works for him.

No matter what you buy, there will be days you wish you had the other. Just how it is. But pick the one that brings on the biggest grin.

Cheers!

 

and I am biased. For me, nothing like a Vert. Good luck - you can't go wrong with either choice.

 

Another vert vote.

 

Good advice and wisdom here

It all comes down to what's more important to you, which is hard for us to gauge for you.

The Z is a different beast from the Vert or even the Coupe.

Either one has more stock HP than you really need on the street, so it comes down to what you plan to do with the car.

If you are a cruiser, then the Vert is probably going to be more enjoyable to you.

If you plan to spend some time on the track, or the extra HP is more attractive to you, then the Z is the better value.

Peace

 

 

I love mine and will NEVER get a fixed roof car again! and good luck with your decision.

 

Drive both then decide.

 

Thanks Larry.


The C5 vert is very tame by comparison. The S.O and I had the top down and cruised the ocean highways quite a lot. I had a Magnaflow system and it was just right. The car was docile everywhere we went- and it attracted a lot of compliments and attention (black on black)

I had the car dropped all the way down on stock bolts- and that was far enough. I could easily hear the stereo and carry a conversation with my passenger or on my cell phone. The car never really seemed out of place anywhere we went.


The Z... well. I remember times when highway cruising in the vert and having Cobras come howling up along side me, dropping a gear and howling even more. I always wished I could do that. The stock vert wasn't really aggressive enough to pull anything like that off. I remember wishing that I had something more aggressive... and now I do.


My Z reminds me of my Pitts. She needs LOTS of attention. She growls and barks everywhere we go. She always demands attention. Everyone who knows anything about Corvettes, fast cars or racing know the difference between the base models and the Z. You don't sneak through crowds. The suspension is very aggressive. I dropped mine down all the way on the stock bolts and I swear I heard her go "Meh"...


I had to pull out the front bolts and invest in the long bolts in the back to get her where I wanted her. I can't hear myself think when wer'e cruising. I love listening to the motor growl. My son gets pissed b/c I really don't have any use for the CD player anymore.


A 6 speed manual vs. automatic is another issue to consider. Will this car be a DD? Have you ever driven truck? It is reminiscent of driving a truck in that you are ALWAYS shifting. It is not bad, just something to consider.


This:




Versus this:






I think I made the right choice, but it is a little more of a sacrifice.

 

It all boils down to what you want!

 

How about an M6, Z51, Twin Turbo, hard-top Vert.

 

Of course a lot depends on what you want out of the car.
Track and race her---Z06 no question
Cruise and enjoy top down. A lot depends on the weather. In So Calif. we can enjoy top down driving a lot. So, for me the choice was easy

 

Go vert!! More headroom!!!

 

Hoe bout one of each? The way the market is going, you should be able to get both of them for about $6,000

I kid, I kid.