2 vs. 4 Doors & Soft vs. Hard Top

[Rico1111]

I am on my 6th wrangler, the first 3 were 2 door soft tops and two of them were half doors soft windows. Then when the JK came out with the 4 door I decided to go for it. It was in many ways more civilized in its on road manners being longer wheel base etc.. but It never felt the same as the two door to me. I really felt like I was driving an suv. The feeling of driving a Jeep to me was gone!
So after a year of driving it I traded it in on a different vehicle. I would gravitate towards a 2 seat convertible every time I would leave the Jeep fold and then realize there really was no substitute for a do anything , go anywhere Jeep! So i subsequently always came back to one....but for me (because I did not need the space) realized it needed to be a 2 door. I am a big guy and you would think the 4 door suited me more but my taste is more def to be in the smaller easily toss able 2 dr. Even though there were more advances with top removal and refinements with the 4 .... I know the 2 dr will always be my choice and yes... if available, with the dual top. I live in New England I like that the top can be switched out for the winter months. We sometimes get a lot of snow and although the soft top is adequate for winter, some storms dump a lot of snow and i am more comfortable knowing the weight of the snow on the top won't be an issue (she is parked outside year long). Flip that to the spring and I get excited to be able to change the look of her to a soft top and be able to lower the top through the summer. So long story short, 2 dr for me and Dual top and of course manual. I purchased my JLR from a dealer second hand with 10,000 on the OD after searching for almost a year for one that was a 2 dr Manual ...my first purchase for it was the Premium soft top. Everyone has their specific needs and reasons why they buy what they buy. I know what floats my boat and if you are kicking around the what if's ..... you need to drive them and get a sense for what you need and will be using it for.
I can Tell you Once Bitten By Jeep ..you are a fan for life! I circulate this photo regularly on this site but it says a lot. My trade on this JL was my 981 ...2dr for 2dr!

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[Heimkehr]

If it is just you most of the time, why would you get a 4 door?

I really have no use for a crew cab but went with the ext cab for more interior storage.

Your second sentence seems to reconcile the first one.

As I mentioned on p. 2, my Jeep was replacing a truck, and so I chose the JLU to preserve a bit of cargo-carrying ability.

 

[AcesandEights]

I don't understand the difficulty some people seem to have with the rear soft top window not opening like a liftgate/glass. It's really easy to flip the back window up over the roof top. I timed it the other day and it took me 12 nano-seconds. It almost took less time to do it than any time at all, in other words, almost reverse time, or I gained time doing it. It was that fast. For those having difficulty with the back window not lifting up...well, it does.

 

[sfurash53]

Being a critical thinking (over-thinker) new/new-ish Jeeper/about to be again-Jeep owner (long story), I know it boils down to what I want, but how did you ultimately decide on how many doors and which top was right for you? What factors did you consider? Any factors you think I may be overlooking?

Opinions are greatly appreciated!

I live in Maine now before that Massachusetts, first jeep was a two door soft top to me that's a Wrangler, now after move to Maine got a four door as we needed it for extra space plus easy access for the dog, still a soft top because again it's how a jeep should be. Both are/were daily drivers and never garaged no issues in winter except couldn't put the top back.

 

[rkwfxd]

 

[AVGeek99]

I'm kind of like the OP, I am very analytical and with a big purchase like this I have to think about it from every angle. I am also very pragmatic. As @multicam pointed out, I (and others like me) are the reason Jeep sales blew up in 2007 when they finally made a 4dr. I had always wanted a Jeep, but they never had enough room. You could either have passengers (uncomfortably) in the back, or haul stuff, never both.

As a daily driver a 4dr has a lot of hauling room when you need it. Additionally a 4dr Jeep is the ultimate road trip vehicle. It's comfortable on long trips. It has room for all your stuff. It has the capability to explore anywhere once you get to your destination. I should state my road trips are normally photography focused so I may have more stuff than others when going on a road trip.

Ultimately for me the extra room is welcome. Yeah it's always there whether you always need it or not. But with a 2dr, you can't add more space when you need it, at least not easily. You can get roof storage, but if you're on a road trip by yourself, roof storage isn't very convenient.

As far as tops go, I gotta have both. Hard tops are a must for MN winters; I run mine mid Sept to Mid May. The freedom top panels are nice for those days in that time period when it is really nice. But come mid May off goes the HT and on goes the ST. And the ST is only ever up when it's raining. Doors also off all summer unless there is a realistic chance of rain.

If you have the ceiling room in your garage, get a hoist for your HT. Removal takes about 10 mins +/-, and it is a one person operation. Then it just hangs from your ceiling all summer. Putting it back on takes about 10 mins +/-. It's a bit simpler with two people, but can be done by yourself.

 

[cornercanyon]

I love my two door and I have both tops. if you want to ever haul anything more than a suitcase and a twelve pack get a four door. I like both tops.

Or an expedition rack–

 

[Ridgway Jeeper]

Your second sentence seems to reconcile the first one.

As I mentioned on p. 2, my Jeep was replacing a truck, and so I chose the JLU to preserve a bit of cargo-carrying ability.

The difference being a standard cab pick-up has zero interior storage. A 2 dr Wrangler has tons of storage, no need to get a 4 dr, just take out the back seat.

 

[cornercanyon]

I have had both 2d and 4d, never had more than a bimini soft top and always hard tops. When the kids were young they loved the 2d, crawling over the sides to get in and out in the summer. Now we all enjoy the 4d and use the freedom top or take the doors off. I have come to the conclusion that 4d hard top no doors is best. In the summer we use the AC, in the spring and fall we pull the doors. On those winter days that pop an electric blue sky we have freedom–

 

[rkwfxd]

Here's the deal for me. Had a soft top. Never used it. I don't like the sun beating down on me. I prefer to use A/C and the heater and those both work better with a hard top. HT is quieter as well. Plastic windows SUCK.

I would hate driving a 4 dr every time I drove it. Every time. On road, off road, doesn't matter, I would hate it. Once in a while the extra space would be nice and every so often for a few feet or a few yards the extra wheelbase would be nice, the the entire rest of the time I would hate having a four door. I don't want to drive one and I don't want to wash one and I don't want it taking up room in my garage.

Plus I have other vehicular options to me for towing or hauling people or things. But I don't use those very often at all.

 

[JoeHenry]

I’m on my second Jeep. I had a 2012 and now a 2019, both four door. I understand that the two door was the first Jeep and many people prefer that configuration simply because they like the way it looks and the size. Other reasons to.
Now to me. Before the 4 door, I never considered owning a Wrangler. To small for my taste, short wheel base and not enough room to take my wife and all the stuff she packs on vacation. And the biggest thing, I really like the look of the four door Jeep. I like the hard top, and have never even taken off the freedom panels of either Jeep I have owned. The Wrangler is so versatile with all its variations, it truly is a jack of all trades.
On the way home today I saw a beautiful red two door JK. Kind of a wine color and chrome everywhere. For me it bordered on too much chrome. Fenders and top same color as body.
Sorry for the long post. Buy a Jeep Wrangler and make it your own.

 

[Malone]

I feel your pain . I went back and forth for weeks between doors/tops. I finally decided on a 2 door with premium soft top upgrade even tho I live in NH. I'm semi-retired so I may get caught in snow maybe a handful of times a year and it will be garaged. We also have my wife's CX-5 if its nasty out. I just figured the easier to open the top, the more I will do it. The hard top - soft top seasonal switch over was tempting but I eventually decided I could live with just the soft top.

I'm in FL and about to order the same thing. Recently sold my 2020 JLRU and regretted the decision so I'm now about to order a 2 dr w/ prep soft top. Engine choice is my current dilemma. Haven't gotten to the threads here on the forums yet on this topic.

 

[JoeBanks]

I needed 4 door to fit my family, 2 door only seats 4. Went with the hardtop because (even with improved plastic) I’m just not a fan of the plastic windows on soft tops. My last Jeep was a YJ soft top and I used to keep the back “glass” out so I could see.
If I didn’t need the extra seating, I probably would have gone with a 2 door and saved about two grand.

 

[multicam]

@rkwfxd First of all, beautiful jeep. I have so many questions.

what tires are those? Are those the stock wheels? Is that a de-badged Rubicon? Do you have a lift? Is there a bunch of heavy shit in the back, because it almost looks like it’s squatting a little bit.

Anyway, great looking jeep, just trying to figure out what you got going on because I’m about 10,000 miles away from new tire time

 

[rkwfxd]

@rkwfxd First of all, beautiful jeep. I have so many questions.

what tires are those? Are those the stock wheels? Is that a de-badged Rubicon? Do you have a lift? Is there a bunch of heavy shit in the back, because it almost looks like it’s squatting a little bit.

Anyway, great looking jeep, just trying to figure out what you got going on because I’m about 10,000 miles away from new tire time

Thank you Sir.

“Stock” debadged Rubicon currently with no lift
.
Tires are BFG KM3s in 315/70/17. Mathematically they are supposed to be 34.5” but in reality only measure 33.1”.

Wheels are MOPAR I believe the part number is 77072494AB. Back spacing on them is about 5-1/4” and they are 17/8.5”. So a little wider than stock and sit about an inch farther out. But with these tires they still tuck inside the fender at full stuff and they slightly rub in back at full stuff. My first hand measurements and experience says 35s WILL RUB on a stock Rubicon.

2drs have a bit of a reverse rake from the factory of about 1/2-3/4 inch.

In this photo my adult, disabled 250-260 lb son is sitting in rear pass seat and I think I had a full tank of gas so yes it is squatting.

I currently have Rock Hard Aluminum rear bumper and steel sliders with a Rustys tire carrier. I have LOD steel stubby front bumper and Apex Badlands winch, and a full set of M.O.R.E. aluminum skids. Empty my front is 3/4 “ higher in front.

I will correct this fairly soon but am also committed to NOT spending any more money on it until October. Almost there.

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