Coupe or Convertible, if you've had both and were going to order again?

[Mr.Corvette]

Hi everyone, well it's just about that time for me to order again. Started with Coupe before the HTC's were being built
and then tried out the convertible. Z06 is still not available for me.
Just wondering from those out there that have had both, if you were going to do it all over again, which would you
choose and why?

 

[harshadt]

If you’ve already had both, you would be the best to give us an opinion on which is better for you!
Also, in the words of Jack (yes, quoting Jack!) why ask a bunch of internet randoms?

 

[Mr.Corvette]

Been thinking of going back to the coupe but being told it's a mistake by many.
We have a lot of wise people on here and was wondering what others thoughts are?

 

[harshadt]

Been thinking of going back to the coupe but being told it's a mistake by many.
We have a lot of wise people on here and was wondering what others thoughts are?

My two cents- I haven’t driven the convertible but I like the fact that I can put the transparent top on the coupe and drive like it’s the convertible but enclosed so good for any weather. And lots of light all the time, no enclosed feeling.

 

[DenisC8]

HTC only and always

 

[harshadt]

HTC only and always

But why?

 

[Mr.Corvette]

My two cents- I haven’t driven the convertible but I like the fact that I can put the transparent top on the coupe and drive like it’s the convertible but enclosed so good for any weather. And lots of light all the time, no enclosed feeling.

That's what I liked about the coupe, it was much brighter and open on the inside with the transparent top on. The coupe was a lot more cleaning to keep the engine compartment looking dust free on the red engine cover and with the convertible I drove it with the top down 90% of the time to get rid of the enclosed feeling. It was nice to have the top down without losing most of your trunk space though.

 

[harshadt]

That's what I liked about the coupe, it was much brighter and open on the inside with the transparent top on. The coupe was a lot more cleaning to keep the engine compartment looking dust free on the red engine cover and with the convertible I drove it with the top down 90% of the time to get rid of the enclosed feeling. It was nice to have the top down without losing most of your trunk space though.

Yeah, I can see that. Where I live in northwestern Ontario there's very limited time to have the top down, or off. And my wife didn't want a convertible, so that's probably the biggest reason!

 

[DenisC8]

But why?

I don't like manual labour

 

[DenisC8]

Yeah, I can see that. Where I live in northwestern Ontario there's very limited time to have the top down, or off. And my wife didn't want a convertible, so that's probably the biggest reason!

here in Southern Ontario my top is down 90% of the time

 

[RedVette70]

here in Southern Ontario my top is down 90% of the time

So you drive your car 30% of the time, lol

 

[DenisC8]

So you drive your car 30% of the time, lol

Where did you get 30% from?

 

[RedVette70]

Toronto Summer 2022 Historical Weather Data (Canada) - Weather Spark

weatherspark.com

It literally rained on 39 days between June 1 and August 30 in 2022…………….

 

[Cariboocreek]

So I have had Corvette coupes and rag top convertibles. Currently a C8 coupe. To start with the HTC is almost $10k more. Ouch. In northern and central Alberta I spend more time with the roof on than off. The transparent roof is nice. The coupe’s removable roof‘s only moving parts are my rotator cuffs and they have been out of warranty for 60 years. The ease of the convertible is certainly nice but is it worth the cost? Then of course there is being able to see inside the engine compartment. Important to some maybe not important others.

The bottom line is a) what do you want, and, b) is the extra cost worth it.

 

[MKinOntario]

So I have had Corvette coupes and rag top convertibles. Currently a C8 coupe. To start with the HTC is almost $10k more. Ouch. In northern and central Alberta I spend more time with the roof on than off. The transparent roof is nice. The coupe’s removable roof‘s only moving parts are my rotator cuffs and they have been out of warranty for 60 years. The ease of the convertible is certainly nice but is it worth the cost? Then of course there is being able to see inside the engine compartment. Important to some maybe not important others.

The bottom line is a) what do you want, and, b) is the extra cost worth it.

"The ease of the convertible is certainly nice but is it worth the cost?

Having matching osteo-arthritic shoulders, yes, it will be worth the cost, to me. YMMV.
(I've had neither, btw, this will be my 1st C8)

 

[DenisC8]

Toronto Summer 2022 Historical Weather Data (Canada) - Weather Spark

weatherspark.com

It literally rained on 39 days between June 1 and August 30 in 2022…………….

It doesn’t rain the entire day on the “rain days”, hell most of the time it rains at night and only for an hour or so. I don’t like driving in the rain as it requires roof to be on and cleaning after so that’s why it’s only 10% of my corvette driving if I get caught in an unexpected rain. If it matters, I drive my corvette most days in the summer and put 1000km per month.

 

[Murray20c8]

If I had known the roof was so heavy and awkward to take on and off I might have wanted an HTC.
My wife can't take the top off where she could take the Camaro T-Tops off her Camaro. So if she wants to go roofless, I have to take the roof off for her and hope it doesn't rain while she's out.
However, I got my allocation long before the HTC's were introduced so I had no real choice. I could wait I suppose, but I really stretched the dollars as it was. I could also have traded in my coupe for a vert, but didn't want to go vetteless (or even sports car-less) for any longer than I did and to me the added 2 square feet of opening, the lack of accessibility to the engine compartment and the $'s required wasn't really worth it. Had timing been different and I knew how heavy the top was, I think I might have gone for an HTC.

So to answer the question, it depends on your net worth, your strength, your desire for top free driving and your wife's driving time in the car.

 

[Cariboocreek]

If I had known the roof was so heavy and awkward to take on and off I might have wanted an HTC.
My wife can't take the top off where she could take the Camaro T-Tops off her Camaro. So if she wants to go roofless, I have to take the roof off for her and hope it doesn't rain while she's out.
However, I got my allocation long before the HTC's were introduced so I had no real choice. I could wait I suppose, but I really stretched the dollars as it was. I could also have traded in my coupe for a vert, but didn't want to go vetteless (or even sports car-less) for any longer than I did and to me the added 2 square feet of opening, the lack of accessibility to the engine compartment and the $'s required wasn't really worth it. Had timing been different and I knew how heavy the top was, I think I might have gone for an HTC.

So to answer the question, it depends on your net worth, your strength, your desire for top free driving and your wife's driving time in the out of 40.

I cant afford $10k more (just for the HTC)....
I can lift the top....
I love driving roofless.....
Missus doesn't drive the Vette....

3 out of four puts me in a Coupe.

 

[Mr.Corvette]

If I had known the roof was so heavy and awkward to take on and off I might have wanted an HTC.
My wife can't take the top off where she could take the Camaro T-Tops off her Camaro. So if she wants to go roofless, I have to take the roof off for her and hope it doesn't rain while she's out.
However, I got my allocation long before the HTC's were introduced so I had no real choice. I could wait I suppose, but I really stretched the dollars as it was. I could also have traded in my coupe for a vert, but didn't want to go vetteless (or even sports car-less) for any longer than I did and to me the added 2 square feet of opening, the lack of accessibility to the engine compartment and the $'s required wasn't really worth it. Had timing been different and I knew how heavy the top was, I think I might have gone for an HTC.

So to answer the question, it depends on your net worth, your strength, your desire for top free driving and your wife's driving time in the car.

Murray, I am claustrophobic and that's why I have ordered almost all of my Corvettes with the transparent top. Strength isn't a problem but your can't take the top off to put it in the trunk
without getting fingerprints on it and you lose most of your trunk space when it's in there. In the HTC, like Denis I have the top down 90% of the time to get the open air feel. My wife prefers to drive her car with the roof closed to not mess her hair and doesn't care for the C8. I prefer the coupe costs less and I like seeing the engine with the red cover, but I did like with the HTC that I don't have to clean it all the time.

 

[Murray20c8]

Murray, I am claustrophobic and that's why I have ordered almost all of my Corvettes with the transparent top. Strength isn't a problem but your can't take the top off to put it in the trunk
without getting fingerprints on it and you lose most of your trunk space when it's in there. In the HTC, like Denis I have the top down 90% of the time to get the open air feel. My wife prefers to drive her car with the roof closed to not mess her hair and doesn't care for the C8. I prefer the coupe costs less and I like seeing the engine with the red cover, but I did like with the HTC that I don't have to clean it all the time.

So is the coupe what you decided on?