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Various reasons, some valid, some not. I traded a C6 coupe for a C7 vert in 2014. I MUCH prefer the vert to the coupe now.
Every person that made the decision to buy a coupe, their reasons for doing so are valid to them. They just happen to be different from your reasons(that you believe are valid) to buy a convertible.
well, I'm an old geezer and have had many cars in my lifetime but never a vert. I hated the look and didn't care for the flapping tops I saw on the highway nor all the exposed mechanisms. My previous vettes were coupes. I hardly ever had the targa tops off because I couldn't stand the wind buffeting and back pressure coming from the rear cavern. I went so far as to get one of those dingy thingamabobs to keep the hatch cracked for better airflow. Didn't seem to really make any difference. I didn't like the space the top took up in the trunk and of course you couldn't really leave it home. I also didn't like the noise. Nevertheless I loved my past vettes and drove them every time I could (as in not garage queens). When it came time to get a C7 my wife campaigned hard for one and i relented (seems she had an old boyfriend back in ancient times who had an MGB). After never having a vert in my 50 years of driving I have to say that I really enjoy it and wouldn't ever go back to a coupe. I do prefer the look of the coupe to the vert with the top up, but the vert with top down is the way a corvette is meant to look and be.
A couple of days ago I was out on the highway in creep and crawl traffic. It was a beautiful 70 degree day. A T storm approached from the rear and it started to rain hard but with a push of the button the top was up. Given that i was in the center lane it would have taken some time to get over to the breakdown lane or an exit to open the hatch and put my targa back on. Meanwhile I would be getting drenched all along as well as the interior.
What I like about the vert is the the fact that the top is well insulated, tight fitting, doesn't flap or leak and there is no part of the mechanism showing. Thus my old impressions stereotypical of the downsides of verts are completely eliminated. The thing that mostly impressed me is that, according to Targe, the C7 was designed to be a vert first then the coupe was grated on to the chassis. Older verts had lots of flex and shakes as they were basically coupes with the tops chopped off and needed extra frame reinforcement.
So just call me a Vert Convert!
Last edited by Italianfox; 05-24-2018 at 03:28 PM.
In my Corvette circle. 95%+ are 65 and older, and very few, very few, are under 50 years of age. Even though we live in a four season environment(-17* winter to 105* summer extremes) I would guess that half my friends have convertibles. Normally we have a 8 month driving season for our Corvettes.
As a group we also do a lot of long distance road trips.
Here we are on a trip to Niagara Falls and over to Vermont to enjoy the Fall colors in early Oct. 75 MPH on the Interstates and no one had their top down.
On this particular day we were driving the back roads from Rutland into New York, crossing Lake Champlain on a ferry to visit Fort Ticonderoga and then down to Saratoga Springs to ride the train.
Notice that out of 13 Corvettes on this 13 day long road trip, 10 are convertibles. Notice also that none of the convertibles had their top down. LOL. Several(I don't know the exact number), couldn't lower their tops as they had the *** end packed solid(they could when we were staying at one motel for several days and they could unload their convertibles and leave everything in their motel room).
Every person that made the decision to buy a coupe, their reasons for doing so are valid to them. They just happen to be different from your reasons(that you believe are valid) to buy a convertible.
I'm not sure what your point is, but of course other's reasons are valid to them. When I said not valid I was referring to people who think they're nosier than coupes (they're not), they leak (they don't), they require some kind of special care (they don't), etc.
Originally Posted by JoesC5
In my Corvette circle. 90%+ are 65 and older, and very few, very few, are under 50 years of age. Even though we live in a four season environment(-17* winter to 105* summer extremes) I would guess that half my friends have convertibles. Normally we have a 8 month driving season for our Corvettes.
As a group we also do a lot of long distance road trips.
Here we are on a trip to Niagara Falls and over to Vermont to enjoy the Fall colors in early Oct. 75 MPH on the Interstates and no one had their top down.
On this particular day we were driving the back roads from Rutland into New York, crossing Lake Champlain on a ferry to visit Fort Ticonderoga and then down to Saratoga Springs to ride the train.
Notice that out of 13 Corvettes on this road trip, 10 are convertibles. Notice also that none of the convertibles had their top down. LOL.
Again, your point is? I don't see any of the targa tops off the coupes either.
Everybody likes different things, which is perfectly fine. If we all liked the exact same thing it would be a very boring world.
A very common thought and I can't say I am any different. Newer converts are not like the ones from the 70's or even the 80's that leaked when they were new but that "stigma" I think has stuck around for some.
I wouldn't hesitate to buy a vert these days, think they look awesome and I think that whole leaking thing from the past is just that, from the past.
Because GM builds more coupes based on sales and market analysis.
Some valid points about coupes posted here but many more misconceptions about convertibles. Would suspect that many of the misconceptions are also held by those that have never driven a C7 convertible.
I like both but never seriously considered a hard-top coupe. Looked at one GS that was beautiful, well equipped and a smokin deal but realized that I would have serious buyers remorse for settling for it instead of a convertible.
Thankfully I was patient and bought my Z06 convertible, exactly what I wanted and equipped exactly how I wanted.
I tell everyone the same thing when asked (and yes, I am actually asked because I have driven rag-tops off and on since I was a teen) is go and drive both then decide. No bad choice especially with the C7, just a personal one.
As for the debate on "why" coupes out-sell verts- because too few take my advice and see for themselves...
A very common thought and I can't say I am any different. Newer converts are not like the ones from the 70's or even the 80's that leaked when they were new but that "stigma" I think has stuck around for some.
I wouldn't hesitate to buy a vert these days, think they look awesome and I think that whole leaking thing from the past is just that, from the past.
I would buy one in a hot second if I thought the right deal came along. For me these kinds of things are not emotional, and regardless of how I "feel" about the situation, I am not in denial about how moving parts eventually wear out, always. This irrefutable fact inevitably leads to water leaks.
Because GM builds more coupes based on sales and market analysis.
Some valid points about coupes posted here but many more misconceptions about convertibles. Would suspect that many of the misconceptions are also held by those that have never driven a C7 convertible.
I like both but never seriously considered a hard-top coupe. Looked at one GS that was beautiful, well equipped and a smokin deal but realized that I would have serious buyers remorse for settling for it instead of a convertible.
Thankfully I was patient and bought my Z06 convertible, exactly what I wanted and equipped exactly how I wanted.
I tell everyone the same thing when asked (and yes, I am actually asked because I have driven rag-tops off and on since I was a teen) is go and drive both then decide. No bad choice especially with the C7, just a personal one.
As for the debate on "why" coupes out-sell verts- because too few take my advice and see for themselves...
Allen
GM does not decide how many coupes or convertibles to build based on their sales and market analysis.
Every Corvette is built to a dealer's order. GM does not build a single Corvette without a dealer's firm order and then hope that a dealer will buy it off the holding lot behind the plant in Bowling Green.
Each individual dealer decides what model color, trim, etc that he wants for his next Corvette purchase from GM. That includes both Corvettes that are 'pre-sold' to a retail customer or a 'non-sold' car for the dealer's inventory/showroom floor.
GM does use sales and market analysis to decide how many they believe their dealers will order and then use that information to know how many parts they need to buy from hundreds of suppliers. If GM sees that 80% f the dealers are ordering coupes then GM uses that info to make sure that their suppliers can make enough coupe parts for that many cars. Same goes with convertibles. GM doesn't want their convertible parts suppliers to tool up to produce tens of thousands of convertible tops that will never be used.
I swear that sometimes this forum is 90% opinions stated as facts.
There are less convertibles than coupes because there are fewer people that want them. GM determines this from market research and it is probably pretty accurate. Convertibles are a hard sell for many individuals for a variety of reasons.
Reasons people don't want a convertible:
-- They don't like the way a vert looks, most commonly with the top up.
-- They don't like the reduced trunk/hatch storage space.
-- They don't like to be seen or on display while driving.
-- They don't like that much direct sun for long periods.
-- They don't like having to wear a hat.
-- They have a spouse/SO that doesn't like the sun or wind. For women (or men with long hair I guess) that much wind doesn't do nice things to long hair.
-- The might track or do track their Corvette.
Now people that love verts think all that is crazy talk. It looks better, the hatch space is enough, they bought the Vette to be seen, they've only had a baseball cap off for a few minutes in their life anyway, their wife is cool and does the pony tail thing in the wind, and they have no intention of ever driving on a track.
Neither side is "wrong" because these are opinions, not facts. Personally I'm in the coupe camp. I don't like the way the verts look with the top up, at all. I never wear a cap or hat if I can help it. Even with cars with a simple sunroof I find the direct sun too much after just a few minutes. The showed me how to take the targa off at the museum but I've never bothered to do it in my first year of ownership. But again that's all personal opinion, not fact.
I would recommend buying what you like. It's an expensive toy and you should be happy with it. Yes, you are selling to a smaller market when it comes time for that but it is still a large enough market that it won't hurt your resale value.
With The argument you guys use for supporting a coupe over a vert, you'd be better off with an SUV. I didn't buy my Vette to haul crap. That's why I have an Explorer.
The first Vette ever made was a Vert. They're supposed to be Verts.
BTW, this is my 3rd vert and none have ever leaked.
With The argument you guys use for supporting a coupe over a vert, you'd be better off with an SUV. I didn't buy my Vette to haul crap. That's why I have an Explorer.
The first Vette ever made was a Vert. They're supposed to be Verts.
BTW, this is my 3rd vert and none have ever leaked.
You are way off base with your remarks.
I didn't buy my bolted in place fixed roof coupe(C6 Z06) to haul crap around town either. I have a Mercedes sedan to do that(and access to my next door neighbor's pickup for any real large items to haul around town).
I use my fixed roof coupe to go on long road trips where cargo space is at a premium in a convertible. I have zero interest in driving a SUV on a road trip to visit our national parks, etc when I have a Z06 for that purpose. I can go on a two week road trip and never have to wash clothes during the trip.
It's not about having to choose between having a SUV or a convertible.
The C5 I had for 10.5 years was a Targa top, and the top was never removed; not once.
Sounds as if a convertible is the right choice for you, but don't say a coupe is the wrong choice for me(as you did by saying that I would be better off with a SUV instead of a coupe).
A very common thought and I can't say I am any different. Newer converts are not like the ones from the 70's or even the 80's that leaked when they were new but that "stigma" I think has stuck around for some.
How very true. Verts today are not like your grandfather's ragtop. You can't take a knife and rip them up to steal the car, for example. There's a whole lot of solid frame in today's verts. Go ahead. Hit one with your fist and see what happens to your wrist. I double dog dare you! Vert tops are not prone to leakage any more than your targa top is. That is simply not true. And taking care of a vert top takes no more than soap and water, just like the rest of the car. You can buy fancy cleaning fluids if you want, just like you can by shampoo, but it isn't necessary. I have no problem with people who simply prefer a hatchback. My problem is with people who make up nonsensical reasons that amount to mythology. That "vert tops leak" is fake news. At least be fair about it. Stop making things up.
We nearly bought a 2014 vert new and were coming back to the dealer the next day to sign papers.
But one thing we thought about was on long road trips there is no where to put stuff other than the passenger side floor.
Our very first trip in the coupe we had a bunch of water in arms reach, clean wipes my wifes extra stuff.
For us the coupe is the long road trip car would love to have vert for day trips. But in Seattle it does rain a lot. Watched a car with a tiny bit or rain dump most of the water inside at a dealership when they showed us how the top worked.
Watched a car with a tiny bit or rain dump most of the water inside at a dealership when they showed us how the top worked.
Let me get this straight. The car had been in the rain. The dealer then put the top down and water got in the car? That's a special kind of stupid that is not the car's fault.
05-24-2018, 02:58 PM
The guy on our right (left side of the car) is GORGEOUS!