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Can't decide on Coupe vs. Convertible

12K views 65 replies 23 participants last post by  DiabloClyde 
#1 ·
First time poster, long time reader. I'm looking at finally buying my dream car in the next month or so and can't decide on coupe vs. convertible. I prefer the look of the coupe, but prices for convertibles are much better. Has anyone owned both? What would you recommend for a first time exotic owner?
 
#2 ·
No doubt. A spyder is the most fun you can have! It has made it tough going to a H because I dont love the way the H spyder looks as much. Comparison pic below. The G has a much more 'cockpit' forward rear-engine look in my opinion.

But the G spyder looks great top or or down and even MORE fun to drive. Just my opinion.












 
#4 ·
...awesome pics of spyders!
Well I guess we know your answer! I should update my statment. IN PERSON with the top down the H spyder is awesome looking. Especially walking up to it.

I am still on fence about car with top up...but with that said, with my G spyder I only drove the car with the top down. It has never seen rain, and the only couple times I drove with top up were in early mornings where it might have been a little chilly.

All the cars look awesome!

Who makes that perf style wing on your cars?
 
#6 ·
I have a preLP spyder, but I live on SoCal... which I feel would be a crime if you don't have a convertible. Today it's a sunny, very pleasant 78F.. in Feb. It also amplifies the driving experience being able to hear that preLP engine sound which is intoxicating.

The downside is everyone looks at you. I also sunburn easily, so usually unless it's cloudy, I drive with the top up... when it's a pleasant evening, top down.

Drive both and see which one you prefer. Your heart will tell you. And honestly, the Spyder is like getting 2 cars for one, haha!
 
#7 ·
I have a preLP spyder, but I live on SoCal... which I feel would be a crime if you don't have a convertible. Today it's a sunny, very pleasant 78F.. in Feb. It also amplifies the driving experience being able to hear that preLP engine sound which is intoxicating.
I live in the mid-Atlantic, have never owned a convertible but I could see myself liking it. Looking at pre-LP cars as well due to cost and they honestly sound better. I've never driven either.
 
#11 ·
Nice vids. I've always said the preLP has a great ENGINE sound... which you really can't replicate with an "exhaust" on the LPs or even Huracan. Those can have good "exhaust" sounds, but don't make "engine" sounds that are as good.

What's weird is I don't know WHY it should sound better to our ears? I know WHY it sounds better/different from a technical firing order perspective, but when I hear them both blast by me, one after another, eyes closed, the preLP just sounds "better" and sounds "right" and that's something everyone else seems to agree on. Even non-car girls or guys... if you asked them which sounded better, almost always they pick the preLP. However, why don't we gravitate to the LP sound just as easily. Do we have a built-in bias or are referring to something else that makes a similar noise that we enjoy?

Of course, if it's a choice between the fart can Honda Civics of the 90s or a rumbling V8... I don't think anyone would pick the high pitched farting of the civic as sound "better" than a rumbling V8.
 
#12 ·
It is the sound of the even firing V10.

The pre-lp 5.0L motor has a "split pin" crank which allows for the 72 deg geometry.

The carrera gt and Lexus LFA achieve it though block geometry. The carrera GT (and lexus) would arguably be the best sounding NA engine.

@Jason B has a vid where he compares the Pre-LP and the Carrera.
 
#14 ·
It is the sound of the even firing V10.

The pre-lp 5.0L motor has a "split pin" crank which allows for the 72 deg geometry.

The carrera gt and Lexus LFA achieve it though block geometry. The carrera GT (and lexus) would arguably be the best sounding NA engine.

@Jason B has a vid where he compares the Pre-LP and the Carrera.
Right, no I perfectly understand the technicality of it... I just don't get "why" it sounds better to us. Why doesn't the odd firing LP qualitatively sound better. For that matter... why does an inline 6 sound so much better than V6?
 
#18 ·
I love my Spyder. I pretty much never drive the car unless I can put the top down. In fact I have gone entire summers and not put the top up once until I put it away for the winter. The coupe look awesome too. Totally personal preference. My vote would be topless.
 
#20 ·
I personally prefer the styling of the coupe over the spyder and I think most people seem to as well reflected by the difference in pricing between the 2 models currently. The clear engine bonnet was also a must for me. I think it also depends on where you live. I live in an area that experiences all 4 seasons so I would only be able to let the top down a good 5 or so months out the year. Buying a convertible to be only able to use it half of the year made it a non option for me.


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#26 ·
I've always been a coupe guy, in all cars. However some convertibles just look really cool. However for me, there is one thing that overrules any opinion or want I may have, my wife won't go in a convertible. Says it messes up her hair, so for me any convertible is immediately out.
I very much doubt you have the same issue, but something to consider.
 
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#27 ·
I've always been a coupe guy, in all cars. However some convertibles just look really cool. However for me, there is one thing that overrules any opinion or want I may have, my wife won't go in a convertible. Says it messes up her hair, so for me any convertible is immediately out.
I very much doubt you have the same issue, but something to consider.
I do have a wife, but if I buy a vert and she doesn't want to ride in it then Uber exists.
 
#30 ·
I've had both but my convertibles were hardtop F-cars California and 458 Spider. Prefer the coupe-like looks and security of hardtop verts not really a fan of soft-tops when the roof is up.

Good point was raised regarding attention from the public. In my Rosso Mars Huracan the attention while universally positive is disconcerting at times and I am grateful for the relative anonymity of the coupe with 25% tint windows. I love looking at the engine through the TEB and the interior of the coupe is easier to maintain.
 
#32 ·
I think some aspects of the coupe styling like the glass engine cover and the buttresses are better on a coupe. But top down the swooping lines of the trunk and the windscreen is ultra-stylish on a convertible as it doesn't get spoilt by a down-sloping B-pillar.

One might also argue that the engine/exhaust noise is better in a convertible. But the coupe is lighter and therefore faster, when measured.

But ultimately, the overriding thing about driving a convertible, is the open air feel - no coupe no matter how big a sunroof it has, can come close to that. You feel fast because you are in the open. You feel stylish because of the confidence of the open cabin. In my mind, this overrides all the other pros/cons by such a significant margin that everything else is kind of moot....

So if you enjoy driving without a roof, there is no contest, in my mind - go convertible.
 
#34 ·
One thing that bothered me about my Ferrari convertibles is cowl shake. Go over a speed bump top down at an angle and its obvious. Never owned a Lambo spyder so cant vouch for that but one reason I would consider a McLaren vert is the structural integrity of the carbon fiber tub. Learned recently that a tech at the local Mercedes dealer is certified to service McLaren and has the rack and tools to perform maintenance. No McLaren dealer in town so this was interesting to learn. 570 spiders low mileage under $200k but they look funny to me with the hammerhead nose and Deadpool headlights. Huracan is a prettier car.
 
#35 ·
Jinster Did say it well there. I just bought mine (LP Spyder) a month ago and here is a Motortrend article that helped with my decision - First Drive: 2009 Lamborghini Gallardo LP 560-4 Spyder
The structural integrity was also a concern of mine because I've had a Mustang and an M3 convertible and you couldn't even latch the top closed on the Mustang with one wheel jacked off the ground. The BMW was better, but still creaks and groans. This Lambo is solid, so I verify the quote from the article, ".Too often, convertibles suffer from a lack of structural rigidity, particularly in the case of a monocoque-chassied coupe that's gone under the knife. Not the case here: The LP560-4's spaceframe structure, which also draws strength from the body panels, banishes the entire notion of chassis flex. No matter how uneven the pavement and how aggressively we aim for the bumps, there's no discernable body wiggle or cowl shake. Top up, it's quiet inside, with no squeaks or rattles. "
One thing I thought was particularly cool and didn't even know until a month ago was that the back window has its' own switch for up and down. Want to amplify those sounds, but drive with the side windows and top up? It's a beautiful thing I don't believe you can do with a coupe. BUT, ultimately it really boils down to how you're going to use it. Mine is a 5th car here in the Northeast and will get used only 6 months out of the year w/ less than 2500 mile/year. There will Always be a faster car, but there are not too many 500+ hp mid-engine droptops out there to mess with you so get what you LIKE !!
 
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#36 ·
Oh yeah, then there's the 1st Gen or 2nd Gen question....I had mine narrowed down to a 2007 or a 2011 car. Almost identical mileage and the difference was $8000. Everybody raves about the sound of the pre-LP cars. OK, I get it but didn't they improve just about everything after 2009 ?? More HP, better shifting, all the body, lights, bumper enhancements, etc... To me, $8k was worth sacrificing a sound I don't even know that I'm missing because this thing sounds absolutely beautiful enough to me!!
 
#38 · (Edited)
Ahhhh, but Confucius say:
Man with flaccid, heavy car receive more opportunity to get stiff, than Man with stiff car...
 
#42 ·
I went Spyder...both look great, but I told myself if I get an exotic, let's go all the way and have some top down fun! Plus, I don't get how people say the Spyder doesn't look good with the top up...I love how it looks with the "small black cloth" over the top...just looks exotic to me. But, as others have mentioned, less storage in the Spyder, it is creaky when going over bumps, and if you don't like how it looks, then you've gotta get the one you LOVE when you look at it! Can't go wrong with either. 2006 E-Gear, 11,000 miles - Rosso Leto.
293176
 
#43 ·
Wow your photo does make a strong point for how good these cars can look with the top up! Stunning!
 
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