C6 roadster or coupe?

I have a 93 Roadster, I live in Houston and I've had my top up a total of 14 times this year. The summer is hot here as well, but I use the ac and it keeps it cool enough for me to enjoy. Also, on my 93, the 2nd fan doesn't engage unless the ac is on anyway, so it needs to be on anyway. I've had numerous Vettes over the years and most were coupes, after having a convertible, I would never choose anything else.

Jim: I currently own 63 72 & 98 Convertibles...and 76 & 79 Coupes...sold my 95 coupe last year....

Both my wife and I are 63...

Traveling...(like on trips) Both of us want a roof over our heads... Just that after 4-5 or 6 hours at highway (interstate) speeds (75-80 mph) we prefer to arrive a little more refreshed...

Local trips" completely different story...Tops Down unless the sun is blistering (usually between noon and 6 PM) ... Early morning and any evening there is no way that darn top is going to be up.. No way ever.

Many owners of coupes say they can enjoy the convertible feeling by removing the roof panel(s).. well they may... BUT after you own and drive a Convertible you know that the feeling is just not the same ...nor is it even close .. no way no how... its very different.

Do not get me wrong I enjoy my coupes and actually prefer them when I want to put the hammer down between point A & point B ...and I am not in the sight seeing mode... But when I want to really enjoy the weather, the car, and the scenery I take a convertible...

Just my personal "thing"...if I was restricted to owning just one Corvette it would be a Convertible...

Bob G.

My first Vette was a 67 'Vert & it had a hard top. I loved the exhaust sound from the drivers seat with the top down -not to mention the sun & all.. Also had 4 Stingray T-Tops. Best of both worlds tops off , convenient storage. My most recent previous 02 C5 Z06 ( hardtop) No sun there but didnt miss it THAT much Now I have '06 C6 coupe -Targa roof. I wont say I prefer the T-Tops but the one piece roof is kind of a pain to remove & store alone ( not that heavy but prone to getting scratched on shirt buttons , watches jewelry etc... I always love a drop top but a few years ago I had a Rag Top IROC with only liability insurance & some mall hoodlums decided to "Zorro" the thing with a box cutter.. It was a prime factor in determining which vette to go with.. Another thing to consider is the additional weight involved with a convertible. But hey, On a beautiful sunny day It don't get any better than driving a Corvette convertible

Good luck with your choice final note - very few cars are so drop dead gorgeous that they look great with or without a top..i.e. Volkswagen Beetle , Porsche, Saab hahaha they all look like they have a growth blooming from the trunk

I really like a roadster for back roads. I really hate them for highway travel, especially in traffic. So I bought a coupe. And I agree with the poster who said a removable roof panel is NOT a substitute for a convertible roof.

So how do you intend to use your car? Could it be that you're spending most of your time on highways where top-down driving isn't that much fun?

Thanks for all the comments. I think based on what I've read here, I'll end up buying a coupe.

The roadster seems like it would be a lot of fun in some circumstances. I can remember driving through back roads in Pennsylvania and upstate New York. In particular, I can remember riding in a friends Alfa Romeo Spider Veloci about 1975. It was great, but I had long hair, and it got knotted badly by the wind. That wouldn't be a problem anymore. I've got a full head of hair, but it isn't long anymore.

The back roads around here are mostly dirt roads, and the rest are either highways or crowded high speed roads. That is probably why I always see the tops up.

Another question then... I have a little extension for the rear hatch latch in my '93 coupe. It opens the hatch a crack for driving with the top off. It reduces the turbulence inside the car. The C6 has body panels in addition to the glass in the hatch lid. Do these things work with the C6, or have they resolved the turbulence of driving with the top off?

Thanks again.

Jim

I have an '04 Z06 hardtop and a '90 ZR 1, and it takes 5 minutes to get half the roof off!! I fondly remember my '95 convertible and I had the top down all the time. I live in Los Angeles, and while summer days are definitely for air conditioning, early mornings and nights are made for convertibles.

But like anything else in life, it's always a matter of preference.

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