does anyone have opinions concerning convertble vs coupe in respect to road noise and rattles???

I have never owned a conv, but if it's too annoying it might not be worth the trouble....who has an opinion for a vette virgin.

looking to purchase C6 soon.

 

You either like a vert or you don't. Road noise hardly has anything to do with it. You take the top down, it will be noisy. Top up, it's nice. Dave, at MadVette sells a really great sound deadening material, but you will have to pull the interior to install it; OTOH, it does a great job of decreasing noise in BOTH vert and coupe - and it only weighs 3.5 lbs. I put it in my vert, and very much like the results. But I bought a vert because I wanted a vert - and love having it.

This is kind of like the auto vs stick argument - you end up getting what you like. I love putting the top down, and love the look of it with the top down.

 

If you are asking about rattles and squeeks because of the structural rigidity of the vert, from what I researched the cars are close to one another in that department.

The vert has a solid stiff chassis. I haven't had mine long but it feels more solid than my 350Z roadster and that was a pretty well built car.

 

Remember that ALL Corvettes (at least the C6's) are designed as verts - it's only later in the construction process that they get either a hard top or drop top.

 

If you plan on taking your car to the track, stick with the coupe.

 

Is this true for the Z as well? Interesting.

Red Cell.

 

My convertible is quieter than my coupe was with the top UP.

Top down enjoy the wind and the open road.

One of my reasons for getting a vert was, that my wife couldn't handle the coupe roof. She has no problem with the convertible top. By the way, it is a power top.

 

I glad you posted this question. After 3 coupes, we just got our first rag top Tuesday. Only have about 40 miles on it so I can't comment, but when I posted earlier questions about any regrets going to a vert, not one person ever complained.

 

I'd say that is logical because the vert has a trunk vs. a hatch in the coupe. A trunk will block a lot road and wheel noise from the cabin. The hatch area in a coupe can echo and amplify road and wheel noise which enters the cabin area.

I also installed MadVette Motorsports interior insulation kit since I have a coupe and am very pleased with the results.

 

I had a C6 coupe and now I have a C6 vert. With the top up, as long as the carpet around the motor and in the top storage area is seated properly, the vert is quieter than the coupe. With the coupe, I got a lot of rear wheel noise.

 

I have both. The are equally fine automobiles. No noticible noise difference. Neither the coupe or vert leaks. I get less wind turblance in the vert with the top down that the coupe with the top off. My C5 vert has a lot more storage space than my C6 coupe. They both look great but if I could only have one I would choose the Vert.

 

My first Vette was a coupe but the next two have been verts. I would not go back to a coupe unless I had to use my Vette as a daily driver or it had to sit in an open parking lot day and night.
My Vette stays in an air conditioned basement garage and normally only goes out in pretty weather or on short trips.
My wife and I just returned from a six day trip (1100+ miles) and we enjoyed using the Vette. Yes, there is a little less storage space in the vert but the retaining partition surrounding the well that the top folds into unsnaps and folds flat to give you plenty of additional storage for trips. The only time I folded down the partition was on the last day driving home after some purchases required a little additional space. We visited Chattanooga, Tn. and drove up Lookout Mountain. It was nice to be able to drop the top whenever we wanted to during all but the last day.
On a different note, I was driving with the top down a few days before our trip and was sitting at a red light in traffic. I looked in my rear view mirror and there was a young man (17-18) driver behind me and he was really enjoying looking at my car with the top down and was taking photos with his cell phone as he smiled.
Everyone seems to love the looks of a Corvette, especially with the top down.

 

I believe the Z06/ZR-1 are different.

It is with amusing irony that GM engineering provided a coupe that is noisier (popping top latch issues, rear wheel and diff noise) than the ragtop. What a pleasant change from the norm.

I'm thinking a 2011 Gran Sport ragtop, assuming there is a power bump that year.

 

YOu'll get a lotta opinions here.... but having owned both in the past, coupes and convertibles, this is one of the most quiet ones I've owned. Top down, I don't hear creaks and rattles, I don't see flexing of the body, and there is a total of (per GM's stats) 26 lbs. more weight for a convertible vs. a coupe, comparably equipped.

What you DO lose is "carrying capacity,"* meaning, no coupe hatchback area to store stuff. If that's a problem for you, then a convertible is not your car. Otherwise, open air, really OPEN air, is great in my opinion.

* BUT, there is a trunk, and it is quite usable.

 

I would say noise and ride are close enough that the real issue is which one do you like and want the most. After you decide that then the easy part buy it and enjoy it.

 

Same here. I also find the vert quieter than the coupe, mainly due to the lack of the noisy, rear hatch area. Top down, there's less turbulence in the vert than the coupe with the top off. My wife NEVER handled the coupe top on her own, but is absolutely thrilled with the ease of the vert's power top.

The coupe has beautiful lines and a big rear storage area, but there's really nothing like driving an open top roadster with the top down.

 

You lose trunk space in the vert, but I've done a 2 week road trip in mine. You just have to plan carefully. Actually I think packing a vert for a trip is easier IF you plan to spend a lot of time with the top down/off.

Tracking a vert is dicey. There are opportunities near me where I can do it, but many tracks won't let you play.

 

If you turn the radio up loud enough in a convertible you can't hear anything anyway!

Seriously though, I have an '05 vert and aside from the common noises that are found in any vehicle, I really can't complain. There are only two times when being in a convertible can be nerve racking in respect to noise and those would be when driving under overpasses at (high) speed or driving next to semis at (high) speed.

I've driven both and I won't go back to a coupe (no offense to coupe owners).

Mike

 

.. there you go! Coupes are legal at most tracks. verts really aren't in most cases! Other than that it's pure personal choice.... don't see any real difference between them from a performance and noise point of view. Both side claim their side is better to justify their choices.. I could not care less because they are both great...

 

I go to the track so a coupe was the obvious choice for me. That being said, it's my opinion that the targa top gives you the best of both worlds... the ability to enjoy open air motoring while still having that hard top for everyday practicality and duribility. You can't go wrong with either one though... a C6 is a C6!