Cant make my mind on hard top, soft top or both GRRRR!

[Windshieldfarmer]

I have both. I ran with the soft top last summer and fall. Although I like running top down from time to time, I don’t like the soft top because it’s noisy on the the interstate and the rear windows are prone to blowing out at speeds above 50 mph if the front windows are down. I also get some “flapping” noise in windy conditions. The soft top is also a pain when loading and unloading out the back as the rear window is not especially easy to deal with on the soft top. A plus for the soft top - it looks great! Candidly I probably won’t reinstall my soft top this summer....

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[R00STER]

I just ordered my Rubicon on Friday, so I went through the same struggles as you....though i agree with everyone else, that is is best to get both. Also from my research, if you go with the hardtop is is wise to get the factory headliner, or get an aftermarket one.

As far as the grill, i would suggest staying with the factory painted grill. The black satin is a $350 upgrade, and you can buy it from quadratech for about the same money. So if you get the painted factory grill (for free) and you pickup a black aftermarket one, then you get 2 grills for the price of one. IMO with bugs and highway rocks, not a bad idea to have a spare.

FYI - they told me to expect 12 weeks for delivery., and this is the highest selling dealer in the St. Louis area. Appearently, high volume dealerships get priority, not sure if that it helps you decide where to order from.

Just my $0.02,
Rich

 

[Reinen]

Got some questions for some of you. My plan soon is to order a sting gray rubicon with a black top. Not sure I want to go with a hard top and a soft top. Did you get both or just 1? I think I am sticking with painted fenders and black grill. Now do most of you that take your jeep off road do you have the leather or cloth interior? I would love leather but not sure I want to ruin it with mud. Is it safe to hose the inside down to get rid of the dust and mud

I never addressed the last part of your post.
I take my Jeep off road and have leather, because I like it. Leather is very durable but you should protect it. IMO an automotive leather protectant is probably not enough, that's for cars. Knowing a Jeep's propensity for dirt and mud, I'm thinking something for leather boots is more appropriate. I applied Obenauf's Heavy Duty Leather Preservative (just don't over-apply it). I used it on a leather mountain bike seat for years and the leather held up great under all sorts of dirt and mud. Time will tell if it's good for Jeep leather seats. It hasn't been long enough for me to truly recommend it yet.

A Jeep is designed to be operated without a top in all weather, the water fording level does exceed the bottom of the doors and there are drain plugs that you can remove in the floor. Hosing off the interior is an option. But be aware that some have reported that the radio display can get wonky when wet, so take it easy there and I'd make sure you don't let the interior remain wet for a long time.

 

[Black Jeep Convertible]

Get the hardtop for the higher spring rates, sell the hardtop and get a mytop

 

[aldo98229]

The black fenders look better. I think people want painted fenders cause theyre coming from regular cars, but once you own the jeep for a while youll like the black fenders.

soft top and hardtop are both nice. hardtop makes it easier to carry gear up top, thats the main reason I got hardtop. I think softop is better if you dont need to carry gear up top. The premium softop in the JL is very nice, even for highway driving. Ive owned both, and I would go back to soft top if I didnt need the roofrack.

I never liked the black fenders. The black fenders on my JKs looked good for only the first six months. The textured surface was atrocious to clean after a day on the trail, and gradually turned chalky gray.

I’ve been opting for the painted fenders since they became available in 2012 and never looked back. They withstand scratches from tree branches and bushes better, too. We get a lot of that around here.

Now I drive a Sahara so it is all a moot point.

 

[SilverSurfer]

I have the soft top and hard top. I use the soft top around town, short day trips and off roading.

I use the hard top for holiday trips ie any trip that will take longer than two days of travel.

I have black non painted fenders because I off road almost everySaturday and Sunday.

The scratches are not as visible on the non painted fenders but in hindsight one can always repaint a scratched painted fender but with the non painted fenders there pretty much nothing you can do about the scratches.

 

[Joe98]

Did you get both or just 1? I think I am sticking with painted fenders and black grill. Now do most of you that take your jeep off road do you have the leather or cloth interior?

The rear window for the soft top does not have a wiper.
The rear window of the soft top does not have a hinge like the glass, therefore packing and unpacking the vehicle is a bit inconvenient.

Leather seats, I feel, are not a good idea as the leather will dry out. Cotton seats require less work. I have cotton seats and seat covers.

I have a hard top. I removed both of the front freedom panels and replaced them with a Bestop Sunrider Softtop. It costs as much as the push button soft top so in hind site i should have got that.

Painted fenders will get scratched easily.
.

 

[Steve F]

We got dual tops standard in Australia for the first couple of years on the Rubicon (not sure on others). I ordered with the hardtop and picked up a factory top in the box for substantially less. I swap the tops over in April and October, I do put the hardtop on if I am overlanding (desert trips etc are nicer with the hardtop and adds some security), sometimes I don't swap the tops and happily go through our Aussie winter with the soft top on. In short, both

 

[shekmark]

Get both if you have a garage . Install a hardtop winch ( electric one is awesome) . I love the hardtop in Jersey winters, but can’t wait to put the soft top on. Hopefully today if the wind settles a little. It’s been brutal since yesterday. The sof top is a deeper black then the hardtop and I think looks better On my gray. The old CJs had painted fenders with thin black flairs. I have black, but painted reminds me more of my old Jeep’s. It’s all good brother. Good problem to have!

 

[DanW]

Got some questions for some of you. My plan soon is to order a sting gray rubicon with a black top. Not sure I want to go with a hard top and a soft top. Did you get both or just 1? I think I am sticking with painted fenders and black grill. Now do most of you that take your jeep off road do you have the leather or cloth interior? I would love leather but not sure I want to ruin it with mud. Is it safe to hose the inside down to get rid of the dust and mud

If I lived in Florida, I'd go soft top only.

But there is another option that gives you a bit of both. Get the hard top and put a Bestop Sunrider for Hard Top on it. That's what I run from October to April. It is better than just the hard top with the panels. Much better. I prefer this setup on off-road trips because I can just flip that top open or shut without getting out of my seat or fully stopping. That's great if you are off-roading and follow someone through dust or if mud starts flying.

 

[DanW]

We got dual tops standard in Australia for the first couple of years on the Rubicon (not sure on others). I ordered with the hardtop and picked up a factory top in the box for substantially less. I swap the tops over in April and October, I do put the hardtop on if I am overlanding (desert trips etc are nicer with the hardtop and adds some security), sometimes I don't swap the tops and happily go through our Aussie winter with the soft top on. In short, both

That is EXACTLY my rationale and pattern! Works just the same on the other end of the world! Lol! I especially agree on the security. I've also done winter many times with my JK and the soft top, snow and deep freeze and all. It was fine. The JL's soft top would handle it even better.

 

[Sidspider]

When I was putting the hard top on my CJ this fall I said to myself “I’m getting too old for this” I ordered my JLU with the premium soft top and it’s great, the best soft top I’ve had yet. The only thing I think I’ll miss this winter is the wiper and defroster.
I bought myJKU with a hard top and put a Trektop on for the summer. The Trektop never leaked a drop, but the hard top would leak in any decent rain right where the 2 freedom panels met with the windshield.

 

[sf5211]

When I was putting the hard top on my CJ this fall I said to myself “I’m getting too old for this” I ordered my JLU with the premium soft top and it’s great, the best soft top I’ve had yet. The only thing I think I’ll miss this winter is the wiper and defroster.
I bought myJKU with a hard top and put a Trektop on for the summer. The Trektop never leaked a drop, but the hard top would leak in any decent rain right where the 2 freedom panels met with the windshield.

Same with me, I'm getting too old to switch tops twice a year as well. I traded my duel top JK for a JL with Sky One. I'm completely satisfied but if the automatic system turns into a failure I too am going soft top 365 days. There's folks in this forum that live in way colder places than me and they go soft top all year with no problem.

 

[SoCal]

just picked up my SG factory order last week....

Hard top, painted flares and leather were my must haves....but I'm shallow and looks are important to me


seriously though, go sit in one with cloth then go sit in one with leather....its night and day difference in aesthetics and just overall feel of the interior....With the removable three piece hard top I just didn't see a need for a dual top.....can always buy aftermarket later if you really think you need one.
I also thought the painted flares were a huge difference in looks, so for $695 it was well worth it.
I would also highly recommend the 8.4 w/Alpine

I love my final build and have zero regrets

 

[Punknhed]

have the premium soft top. i get some noise on the freeway but i usually drive 80 lol.
the back is a little annoying if i have to put something big in the back, but its not hard to undo the back window. id buy it again the same way. Im in virginia and as soon as it is warm out, its down and stays down unless i get caught in an annoying pop up rain shower : /

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