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ejewels

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For owners of both hard and soft tops (preferably mopar “official” soft top)- if you had to get rid of one, which would it be and why?
I have the soft top, and thinking about getting the hard too but at $2k bucks (marketplace) is it really worth it?
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GATORB8

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In NC, I would ditch the hard top. I think my wife only has me put it on for two months in winter because she feels it's a waste of money if we don't use it.

Note, you'll need to do the wiring/plumbing kit if you add a hard top to a soft top model.
 
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ejewels

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In NC, I would ditch the hard top. I think my wife only has me put it on for two months in winter because she feels it's a waste of money if we don't use it.

Note, you'll need to do the wiring/plumbing kit if you add a hard top to a soft top model.
Thanks. Yeah from reading around here some just leave that stuff alone. I’d probably do the same since I’m used to no wipers with the soft top anyways.
 

GATORB8

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Thanks. Yeah from reading around here some just leave that stuff alone. I’d probably do the same since I’m used to no wipers with the soft top anyways.
I assume winter weather is your concern with the soft top? I'm sure you've already thought of it, but storage would be required to either remove or swap the hard top.
 
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ejewels

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I assume winter weather is your concern with the soft top? I'm sure you've already thought of it, but storage would be required to either remove or swap the hard top.
Yes, another reason why I might pass on it as I live in a condo with no storage for it. Unless it could fit through a basement door. And I’m in New England so curious about that too. I hear conflicted things on a soft top in winter.
 

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GATORB8

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Yes, another reason why I might pass on it as I live in a condo with no storage for it. Unless it could fit through a basement door. And I’m in New England so curious about that too. I hear conflicted things on a soft top in winter.
There are some storage services in the NE, no experience but I've heard a company called Hardtop Hotel mentioned. No idea on cost.
 
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ejewels

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There are some storage services in the NE, no experience but I've heard a company called Hardtop Hotel mentioned. No idea on cost.
That’s interesting!
 

grimmjeeper

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I did the soft top thing with my old JK. Ordered my JL with only a hard top.

While I have plenty of storage options for the hard top I didn't take the top down enough to really feel it was worth the effort to swap.

On top of that the soft top doesn't really hold up to the elements very well. After 8 years it was pretty well done and needed to be replaced. Now, if I ran a hard top part of the time the soft top would last longer but again, swapping is a hassle and I personally wouldn't drop the top enough to make it worth it.
 

TheNewGuy

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Yes, another reason why I might pass on it as I live in a condo with no storage for it. Unless it could fit through a basement door. And I’m in New England so curious about that too. I hear conflicted things on a soft top in winter.
I live in the NH Lakes Region and have only the soft top. It takes more care in the Winter to not scratch the windows and no car wash. This past Winter had enough milder days that I could hand wash it every week or every other. Mine is garaged and not a daily driver as I'm semi retired. I just know that I wouldn't want to do the changeover every spring and fall so went with just the soft top
 

Smoke ‘Em

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Have both hard and premium soft top. If I had to choose just one, it would be the premium soft top without question. The premium soft top on the JL is a game changer IMO. My hard top for my JL just sits and gathers dust.
 

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bonniejf

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I swapped from a soft top to a hard top with a bestop sunrider. I don't think I'll go back to the soft top. Now I have the best of both. Spent $2300 total since I got the hard top from fb marketplace. I don't plan on doing the electrical/wiper install - I didn't have those options on the soft top and I don't see the need to spend the money on that for the hard top. You cannot beat the ease of putting back/up the bestop sunrider!
 

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My 12 JKR had the dual top, and my wife’s 12 JKU was the soft top. The rear window got weathered pretty hard and she wished for wiper/defrost in the winter.

Since then we’ve gone hardtop (you have all the necessary wiring/hoses) on every Jeep (both of our 22s and my just ordered 23). I just think it’s easier to add a soft top later than trying to add a hardtop.
 

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I believe that hardtop with a sunrider up front may be a good solution-I like the open air, but I do NOT like the rear window on the soft tops-I’m in and out of the back a lot for the dog, runs to the hardware store, etc., etc. with the HT access is very easy (yeah, I know the new ones are better than before, but still.. with the HT and sunrider you get options, closed, open, or topless with minimal fuss . Ymmv
 

fdFifty

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In the past I've exclusively run soft tops. I lived in central Indiana and now western PA. We get moderate winters here and I never had a major problem with running a soft top. You do have to be extra careful with the windows. But for me that was more of an issue with branch strikes on the trail than winter weather. In the winter I always use brushless washes anyway, so the soft top wasn't really an issue in that way.

However, when I recently moved over to the '22 Rubicon it came with the hard top. Figured that I'd just give it a try for once. I actually really like it. I was hoping that the hard top would be a bit more robust when it came to branches but the top itself actually scratches fairly easily. So in my opinion there's no real benefit one way or another in terms of trail use.

To me, the big benefit of the hardtop is access to the back of the Jeep. I'm in and out of there a lot and not having to pry the plastic edging out every single time is life altering.

I do miss being able to remove the back windows on a nice day but I can still toss the tube doors on and its nearly just as nice. If it were me, I'd let how often you need into the back of the Jeep be the deciding factor above anything else. Don't think you can really go wrong either way.
 

rkwfxd

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My Samurai and my TJ where both soft tops. I did the full doors, half doors and no doors.

My new JL is a hard top. I'll never go back to a soft top. I enjoy the AC and stereo and heat and security and clear windows far too much.

I know folks that hate the hard top.
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