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Been thinking of getting another Vette, gonna be :
C7, Long Beach Red, manual transmission.
unfortunately they dont come with hardtop, like the old fixed roofs, but I like that look and convertible is closest to it. Not a fan of the hatchbacks, especially that plastic looking see thru panel.....
that being said....any down sides to the convertible? Leaks? Wind noise etc.?
My first C7 was a coupe - next C7 was a convertible. No question - convertible is the only way to go. You can always leave the top up (when you need a roof) but if you go with a coupe - you can never take your top off...and if anyone says "a targa is the same thing as a convertible"...they're full of crap - its not even in the same league as a convertible.
If you want and like convertibles there is no down side to them, except with the possibility of storage. Sixty percent of what the coupe will hold. You get slightly less noise in the cabin than a coupe and less wind buffeting. Have never heard of any significant issues in regard to leaks.
a '12 gs and my current '14 Z51, 7mt, 1lt torch red vert; the '12 had some minor adjustment problems as the top would sometimes strike the moving deck lid as it transitioned. With the '14, not a single concern, well it is a slower power top compared to others but that, of course, is minor. The coupe(s) I've owned were all a major disappointment with the targa piece off, above 40 mph or so the wind buffeting was so bad (air had no where to go) that the last one I owned I never took it off once.
I have never had a problem with my 2014 convertible.
I am glad to see you say that someone else likes the looks of a vert with the top up. I have always thought the top up look was sweet, but then a convertible is the only choice for me so the top up is just a reminder that it is one when I look at it in the garage!
You can certainly haul more crap in the hatchback. We have had no issues with space for a week on the road.
Nothing like a top down gear banger in my opinion. Good luck with the search.
a '12 gs and my current '14 Z51, 7mt, 1lt torch red vert; the '12 had some minor adjustment problems as the top would sometimes strike the moving deck lid as it transitioned. With the '14, not a single concern, well it is a slower power top compared to others but that, of course, is minor. The coupe(s) I've owned were all a major disappointment with the targa piece off, above 40 mph or so the wind buffeting was so bad (air had no where to go) that the last one I owned I never took it off once.
My C6 top would always hit the rear window as it closed. A known issue with the straps. My C7 is flawless. Operation is smooth, fun to watch and on interstate the noiselevel is not bad at all......Verts all the way
Been thinking of getting another Vette, gonna be :
C7, Long Beach Red, manual transmission.
unfortunately they dont come with hardtop, like the old fixed roofs, but I like that look and convertible is closest to it. Not a fan of the hatchbacks, especially that plastic looking see thru panel.....
that being said....any down sides to the convertible? Leaks? Wind noise etc.?
This was a trick all along! Lol.
Change the title of the thread man. You had me thinking therw was hope for you. Apparently, you've "drank too much of the Kool-Aid" already.
No real drawbacks to a C7 convertible unless you don't care for the amazing feeling of cruising in an open cockpit of a fine sportscar. They are surprising quite with top up or down, very well insulated so interior stays at a comfortable temperature.
Not quite as much luggage space as the coup hatchback, but adequate in my experience. Below demonstrates how much can be carried, quite a bit more behind the partition if top is up.
You really can't good wrong with either coup or convertible, but are incredible sportscars.
Last edited by Kevin A Jones; Jul 27, 2020 at 05:16 PM.
....any down sides to the convertible? Leaks? Wind noise etc.?
None, according to the convertible people.
A practical point, I can think of only one report of an issue with the convertible mechanism. I thus conclude the design is quite robust.
I, too, miss the fixed roof of my C5 Z06. I prefer nothing of the roof moves in any fashion and the clean lines of this design. The coupe design is my second choice, with the convertible a distant third.
With the top up, it is supposed to be quieter than a coupe.
I have a convertible, and its the first car I have ever had that was a convertible. As mentioned above, ease of taking it down, verses the old T-tops is a marked improvement.
If I had it to do over, I would get it a convertible again.
To me, a sports car should be a convertible. Always. I would never buy a hard top sports car. That would remove at least half the enjoyment.
I don't need a whole lot of storage in a sports car, and modern Convertible Corvettes do not leak or make a lot of noise from the top.
And yet I see tons of coupes. To each his own.
To me, a sports car should be a convertible. Always. I would never buy a hard top sports car. That would remove at least half the enjoyment.
Perhaps this is a difference between sports car and performance car.
For me, a convertible is for cruising around the lake, and attending cruises and car shows, great if you like this sort of thing (I get bored). A performance car is for the track and the twisties at speed; it is not for being seen but for driving fast.
I find a convertible with the top down miserable above 45 MPH, And you cannot track them. A convertible also costs an extra $4,500.00 or so.
As always, buy whatever car you will use and enjoy. If you like convertibles, spend the extra money and buy one.
In short, I dislike convertibles for exactly the reasons convertible people like them.
Perhaps this is a difference between sports car and performance car.
For me, a convertible is for cruising around the lake, and attending cruises and car shows, great if you like this sort of thing (I get bored). A performance car is for the track and the twisties at speed; it is not for being seen but for driving fast.
I find a convertible with the top down miserable above 45 MPH, And you cannot track them. A convertible also costs an extra $4,500.00 or so.
As always, buy whatever car you will use and enjoy. If you like convertibles, spend the extra money and buy one.
In short, I dislike convertibles for exactly the reasons convertible people like them.
I doubt a coupe is any more capable than a convertible in the twisties. The convertible is every bit the “performance” car that the coupe is. I prefer attacking the twisties with the top down. Even better on a motorcycle but that’s a different story. The top down is just fine on the two lanes. On the highway, it’s OK at 80 mph with the windows rolled up for short periods of time. With the top up, the convertible is quieter than the coupe so I would be more miserable in the coupe on the long road trips that I frequently take. As a bonus, I added sound deadening inside and out and my little aluminum trailer to far exceed the coupe’s cargo capacity. Oh, and the trailer does remarkably well when I attack the twisties.
BTW, both my ‘67 and my ‘68 Corvettes were convertibles and both were “tracked”. They both had roll bars so there is a solution if one would want a convertible and track it.
Last edited by 19672014; Jul 27, 2020 at 09:08 PM.
I believe the convertible is as capable as the coupe. It weighs a bit more, but I suspect not enough to make a practical difference for any but the best driver.
I am often over 80 MPH and thus would have the top up all the time, especially as I find a convertible annoying at anything over ~45 MPH. Below 45 MPH I would not care to have the top down in any event; there is nothing appealing abut it.
To make a convertible track legal, one needs to spend thousands installing a cage, ironic after spending $4,500.00+ extra for the convertible. If you track, buy the coupe.
I need very little cargo space. Typically just enough for a handful of trumpets and/or a piece of carry-on luggage. Thus, both a convertible and a coupe have plenty of space. Others need the storage space of a coupe.
Yes twisties on a superbike is yet another different thing (I run multiple Ducati superbikes and a BMW S1000RR). Again, no more interest in cruising on a bike than in a convertible.
But again, there are those who adore convertibles. While they are in the minority if one is if this group, buy one. I would think everyone would know to what category they belong.
Convertible vs. Coupe
If you track, buy the coupe.
