AZ/NV/Western Jeep Top Usage

[jimmym1981]

My two cents. It's a big state Phoenix vs Prescott vs Flagstaff are three different climates. I'll assume we are talking Phoenix area. Somebody mentioned Dust is a pain in the A$$. It depends if you are going to be doing a Mall crawler, lots of Jeeps out here never seen a dirt road with lift kits big tires. In my case I live in far Northeast Scottsdale. I have a mile and a half of dirt sometimes mud to get to the house, I have a soft top and you can't keep it clean Inside. Spring and fall I don't even try, I just take off doors and enjoy. During the Winter and Summer, I do wish i had a hardtop with Sun Rider, best possible configuration.

I abuse my Jeep’s so it will definitely hit the hills. I think the Sunrider is the best option for us the more I think about it.

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[UrbanCowboyAZ]

I live in Scottsdale and have a TJ that’s bikini top only, no rear windows and a JL with SOT. The dust is a real concern. I don’t even try to keep the TJ clean inside, just wiped down enough so it’s not filthy.

On the JL, the SOT is a game changer. I open/close it 2-3 times daily almost year round. I’ve had beautiful days headed out to a trail with the top back, but then the trail is dusty, so close it up to keep most of the dust out. Other times it’s been raining and stops when I get to a trailhead, so throw the top back to enjoy the perfect/dust free weather.

Around town, you can drive full convertible, but then close it up for security or so that the black seats aren’t fried from the sun when you get back in. I wouldn’t change it for anything. And if you’re planning to do color match top, it’s really only a $2k difference vs the 4K over the soft top.

As a budget option, the sunrider is a great option. Nearly as versatile for less money.

Quick flexibility is great in the desert, although I try to have top back and windows down as much as humanly possible ie 40°-105° so view my advise through that lens.

 

[Desert Raptor]

- Body–Color 3–Piece Hard Top
- Hardtop Headliner by Mopar®
Best option for Heat, Cold, Noise and Security.
Welcome to Arizona!

 

[jimmym1981]

- Body–Color 3–Piece Hard Top
- Hardtop Headliner by Mopar®
Best option for Heat, Cold, Noise and Security.
Welcome to Arizona!

Haha! Thanks!

 

[guarnibl]

My two cents. It's a big state Phoenix vs Prescott vs Flagstaff are three different climates. I'll assume we are talking Phoenix area. Somebody mentioned Dust is a pain in the A$$. It depends if you are going to be doing a Mall crawler, lots of Jeeps out here never seen a dirt road with lift kits big tires. In my case I live in far Northeast Scottsdale. I have a mile and a half of dirt sometimes mud to get to the house, I have a soft top and you can't keep it clean Inside. Spring and fall I don't even try, I just take off doors and enjoy. During the Winter and Summer, I do wish i had a hardtop with Sun Rider, best possible configuration.

I think I've seen your JLU on Pima before.

That's cool that you get to take that drive though to get to your house (it would destroy my Porsche Spyder). We thought about pushing a bit more north but it's going to be a nightmare if I ever have to commute down south again, and combined with the weird market right now we just held off.

I'm up near Bell Rd/Thompson Peak area. It would be nice to be 7 degrees cooler though.

 

[JLUW75]

My two cents. It's a big state Phoenix vs Prescott vs Flagstaff are three different climates. I'll assume we are talking Phoenix area. Somebody mentioned Dust is a pain in the A$$. It depends if you are going to be doing a Mall crawler, lots of Jeeps out here never seen a dirt road with lift kits big tires. In my case I live in far Northeast Scottsdale. I have a mile and a half of dirt sometimes mud to get to the house, I have a soft top and you can't keep it clean Inside. Spring and fall I don't even try, I just take off doors and enjoy. During the Winter and Summer, I do wish i had a hardtop with Sun Rider, best possible configuration.

Looking at this photo, I got a great idea for a new jeep color for 2022: Gila Monster Orange! :D With a black roof and fenders, and maybe a black decal on the hood, it would look awesome!

 

[AlanD]

I think I've seen your JLU on Pima before.

That's cool that you get to take that drive though to get to your house (it would destroy my Porsche Spyder). We thought about pushing a bit more north but it's going to be a nightmare if I ever have to commute down south again, and combined with the weird market right now we just held off.

I'm up near Bell Rd/Thompson Peak area. It would be nice to be 7 degrees cooler though.

Sports cars great. I had a beautiful yellow and black Camaro convertible, with Z28 wheels when I moved out here. Wasn't going to work, and I always wanted a Jeep to fix up. I work from home so no commute, But it's a mile and a half to the mail box. To the original post. I'm originally from Iowa, wife from Southern Wisconsin. Your going to love it out here.

 

[Speed331]

Like anything else, it's really situational. I take my hard top off every chance I get - but my set up allows me remove/replace it in ~ 15 minutes, so I don't mind doing so even just for a day.
As far as dusty trails go, well some are, some aren't. Local knowledge helps a lot. For example, the Logandale trail is mostly in washes or sand and really isn't that dusty - cottonwood pass, on the other hand, is mostly silt filled, open desert roads that throw amazing amounts of dust.
I would always recommend a sun shade for the passenger area. The sun here, even when the temps are moderate, is very intense.
And finally, while it's a 'dry climate', un-forcasted showers can pop up around the mountains and catch you by surprise. So if, like me, you have to park outside all day at work, always pay attention to the weather. If there is going to be extra humidity, there's a better chance for a pop up shower or two...

 

[jimmym1981]

I live in Scottsdale and have a TJ that’s bikini top only, no rear windows and a JL with SOT. The dust is a real concern. I don’t even try to keep the TJ clean inside, just wiped down enough so it’s not filthy.

On the JL, the SOT is a game changer. I open/close it 2-3 times daily almost year round. I’ve had beautiful days headed out to a trail with the top back, but then the trail is dusty, so close it up to keep most of the dust out. Other times it’s been raining and stops when I get to a trailhead, so throw the top back to enjoy the perfect/dust free weather.

Around town, you can drive full convertible, but then close it up for security or so that the black seats aren’t fried from the sun when you get back in. I wouldn’t change it for anything. And if you’re planning to do color match top, it’s really only a $2k difference vs the 4K over the soft top.

As a budget option, the sunrider is a great option. Nearly as versatile for less money.

Quick flexibility is great in the desert, although I try to have top back and windows down as much as humanly possible ie 40°-105° so view my advise through that lens.

Thanks for this. I think the SOT is what we are doing. The wife said she would regret not having it and if there is an huge issue, then we can sell it down the line and move to what suits us best. We live in a condo downtown Chicago now, so for the next year, it would be top on for the most part. The SOT at least gives us the year here for enjoyment.

Have you tried the Hot Headliner for the SOT? That was another thing that is making us lean back to the SOT. I heard it helps with the heat pretty good.

 

[Devil6Dog]

I agree with the comments here. We moved to AZ from IL as well but I wish I had a line of sight to the move BEFORE I purchased my cars. Summer heat is a major issue. If your car is expected to be parked in the sun all day long, I strongly recommend you go for the Freedom hardtop with tinted windows. Off-road wheeling fully naked is a dirty dusty endeavor as everyone is saying. Honestly, I would consider the dual top option. You can have the hardtop during the three to four summer months and then switch to the soft top for the rest of the year. Outside of the summer months, the weather gets so nice that you just want to drop the top and feel the awesome air in your face. I too had a 2000 TJ jeep in Chicago and I didn't like the soft top there as the snow and Ice drove me nuts. I ordered a soft-top Willys with tinted windows and I plan to fully garage the Jeep while at home and at work. I'm avoiding as many electronic gizmos in the jeep as possible since Jeep is not known for their stellar reliability...so... Wish you luck with the move! PS. Tucson is AWESOME with more hilly roads vs. Phoenix which is a flat plain. I'm 1.5hour from Mt Lemmon (8500 ft above sea level) so I plan to drive up and down that mountain with my jeep!

Theres a great Offroad group in Tuscon called SOAZ OFF ROAD, they are on Facebook and go out all the time. It's a very active group. In fact if you are inactive for 4 moths they kick you out, no dead beats. But they wheel all the time.

I'll actually be out there with Scottsdale Jeepers in a few weeks for a 2 day trip. Hitting Chivo Falls, & Chivo lower loop and day 2 Tortilla pass & Charouleau Gap...

 

[Pig-Pen]

here in so cal it doesnt get nearly as hot as AZ. with that being said, it gets HOT inside my soft jeep even on 90 degree days. i run the a/c full blast and it barely helps.

 

[Megawatt]

I am in Vegas. Not every trail ride is this bad but dust can be an issue. In our group there was 6 others in front of me.

 

[UrbanCowboyAZ]

Thanks for this. I think the SOT is what we are doing. The wife said she would regret not having it and if there is an huge issue, then we can sell it down the line and move to what suits us best. We live in a condo downtown Chicago now, so for the next year, it would be top on for the most part. The SOT at least gives us the year here for enjoyment.

Have you tried the Hot Headliner for the SOT? That was another thing that is making us lean back to the SOT. I heard it helps with the heat pretty good.

Yes, I forgot to mention that in my post. It seems to cut some heat, although I didn’t do the side panels so I can’t speak to that. It also cuts wind noise a touch which is nice. The top noise really isn’t bad to begin with, but cutting a bit of noise when the top is designed to cut heat is a nice bonus. I’d recommend it.

 

[beachbumm78]

Really depends on what you want. I have just a soft top and love the convenience just flipping the top back or off for the day. Our top off season is reversed. Here it’s on for summer and off for winter. I typically have my top up when off roading as the dust out here in AZ is no joke. Many like the dual top so they can switch out. A good friend of mine has the SOT and absolutely loved it! The convenience of opening and closing. She also put up a sunscreen and it was perfect for her. She used it way more than what she has now — she got a new jeep and it didn’t come with the SOT—just hard top and doesn’t take the panels off nearly as much.

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