2 vs. 4 Doors & Soft vs. Hard Top

[west tex]

how did you ultimately decide on how many doors and which top was right for you?

I'm an old guy.

These newfangled 4 door Jeeps just don't look right to my aged eyes. Plus, I wanted the short wheelbase. Went with the hardtop because I got over the thrill of open air diving a long time ago.

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[Albany]

Ordered my 3rd jeep in August. 2 door YJ, 2 door JK and waiting in a 2 door JL. 4 door just doesn't seem right. At times I could use more space but just like 2 door better.

First two jeeps had dual tops. When I went to order my jl that somehow wasn't an option so I chose hard top. Hate the look of the JL softtop and will use top lift pro to take hardtop on and off. In my mind top should only be up if it's actively raining or below 45 degrees. The heat in the jeep has always been amazing and Im lucky that I have garage at home and safe parking at work

 

[Cowboy from hell]

My first jeep was a 2 Dr hard top....loved the jeep! Had a family and sold it. Fast forward 20 yrs and just ordered my 2nd jeep 2 door Rubicon with premium soft top and 6 speed! This time I wanted a soft top for the ease of top up or down on the fly....

 

[RagTopDeluxe]

My ‘19 was a 2-door soft top. I loved the 2-door but it was too small for my husband, dog, myself, and beach stuff. Dakota fit in the back, but she didn’t look as comfortable as she did in the back seat of our 4-door JK.

That Jeep was bought back and I got a 4-door as a replacement. Dakota is much happier and I like the additional room for gear and errands. My Jeep is my DD and my husband drives a roadster, so the room is needed.

There are security enclosures that work well. I have the Slipstream and highly recommend it.

 

[Almost Done]

Every persons situation is different. That said, 4 door with power top is pretty clutch. If you're wheeling where breakover angle is critical, then 2 door every single day. Had a '03 TJ Rubi, lifted 3 inches on 33 inch MTZ's, that thing could go anywhere but if you're trying to load more than some groceries in the back seat...good luck. Traded it in for more room (kids). And yes, I'm aware there is more room in a 2 dr JL vs a TJ, I ride in my buddys JL Sport often. He loves his 2 door but wishes he had got a 4 door.

 

[At Risk Ute]

Went from a 2 door Sport soft top to a 2 door Rubicon hard top. Random thoughts on both…

Recently moved to a more sketchy apartment and wanted the added protection of the hard top. Want my own place with a garage someday so I can run both tops.

Didn’t like how the soft top separated and buffeted on the interstate with crosswinds.

Loved running my soft top with no doors and back windows for half the year and wheeling, but the inside was filthy!

Just me so I’ll always own a 2 door. Plenty of room when you remove the back seat. Have wheeled my friends’ 4 doors, but prefer the nimbleness of the 2 door.

My septuagenarian parents recently visited me and it was painful watching one of them get into the back seat. Like someone said, get a 4 door if you routinely have more than one passenger.

 

[multicam]

It’s pretty simple, the four-door Jeep is the compromise Jeep. That’s why jeep sales exploded in 2007 when they started offering the four-door; people could finally justify them.

“ I wanted a jeep but I wanted to carry things“ – four-door

“ I wanted a jeep but I needed to be able to carry people“ - four-door

“ I wanted a jeep but it was an inconvenience for my 12-year-old to climb into the back and it’s important to me that he lives a comfortable life“ - four-door

“ I wanted a jeep” - two-door

 

[Blue 179]

A lot of good points here. I’m in the Chicagoland area and I specifically wanted a 2 door soft top. We are a family of three and my son is a teenager. My wife drives a grand Cherokee, so that’s what is used for road trips or large purchases. My Jeep is my daily driver and I wanted it to be as easy as possible to get the top down. I’ll deal with the snow and ice. It’s also garage kept. As far as air/ heat, I have no issues. It gets almost too warm and the air is great.

 

[Heimkehr]

...how did you ultimately decide on how many doors and which top was right for you?

Doors: it's just me and the Missus, meaning I could have made do with a cozy two door. However, the Jeep was replacing a truck, so I needed a hedge as it concerned the ability to carry stuff. And so I paid a bit more to add the "U" to my JL. Doing so concurrently increased the towing capacity by 1.5K lbs., which I also preferred.

Top: knowing the Wrangler would be parked in a garage every night, the hardtop never entered my mind. I wanted a proper convertible, so that's what I got.

 

[Archeonomy]

Never even considered the 4 door. or the hard top.

 

[Simp03]

I think it’s really about what your needs and likes are. I started driving with CJ’s then YJ, TJ, and JK. Tried a JK 4 door and then a JL 4 door. Just not for me. As long as Jeep makes 2 doors that’s what I’ll have.

 

[Trainman]

Being a 2dr soft top guy from day one, I wouldn't want to have it anyother way. I will probably never buy a 4dr as it's not what I consider as a true Jeep, but if I did it would be one with a hard top. The new Bronco just doesn't do it for me, requardless of what they do, or offer, it just not a Jeep.

 

[CTMopar]

2 door because that is a Jeep to me. Soft top because it is down as much as possible and that can be done anywhere in minutes and if it rains it's with you to go back up. 1 of my 4 has been a hard top, never again. I live in New England and winter is not an issue.

 

[Txreddawg]

I'm new to this forum, but after reading this I will give you my opinion, that's all it is. I have a jk 2 door and a jlu 4 door. Both hard tops. I live in Central Texas, and a hard top is the only way to go. It's way too hot here for a soft top. Also after market soft tops are cheaper and easier to put on for spring and fall around here. As far as 2 or 4 door, that's a tough one. The 4 door rides a million times better and had alot more room. The 2 door you can get it in and out of parking spots and traffic way easier. So take your time test drive both and make the best decision that fits your lifestyle and budget

 

[Ridgway Jeeper]

If it is just you most of the time, why would you get a 4 door? We are empty nesters and it is just the 2 of us 99% of the time. Same thinking went into my truck, I really have no use for a crew cab but went with the ext cab for more interior storage. On the 2 dr Jeep we have the rear seat out and stored. This makes for a neat 2 seater with a good amount of cargo space.

If I lived in the city I think I would go hard top for "security" reasons. The quick fix for this is the sunrider soft top that goes in place of the freedom panels. So you have all glass windows for security and an HUGE easy to flip back sunroof without the hassle of the freedom panels. The other issue with the soft top is access to the cargo area. The hard top hatch flips up and you have great access. The soft top rear window is a big pain to deal with by comparison. Works if you accept sliding things under it... The hard top is definitely more practical for daily use.

We ordered the 2 dr with the hardtop and purchased a soft top after the fact. We have real winter here so the hardtop will be going back on by the end of October though the end of March when spring comes to the valley again.

So for your needs I would do a 2 dr hardtop and get the sunrider. The 4 door bus version has zero appeal to me and the soft top is something you really have to use a lot to put up with its compromises.

Good Luck

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