Hard top decision

[minisoda]

Working on a 2020 JLUR order right now. The vehicle will essentially be a third car in the family that our daughter drives. Mostly around town, finding some trails and maybe some trips to the MN North Shore.... not likely for longer family road trips or anything like that.

We intend to have the top off as much as possible, but still have the reality of a six month Minnesota winter.

What are the downsides of running soft top year round? In my experience, they're not super cold but definitely more noisy than the hard top. Anything else I should be thinking about?

We started the process looking for a $20k used Wrangler and here we sit at $40k plus for a Rubicon.... so, just trying to figure out where we may shave a little cost.

Thanks for the feedback!

'Soda

Sponsored

 

[captainstabbins]

Soft top is fine is PA winters...Have been running soft tops for 13 years and no issues. New soft top is so much easier than my 08 top.

 

[rcliff1]

Cheaper to buy hardtop from factory and it comes with the wiring harness for rear wipers & lights, you can add a soft top later.

 

[Gee-pah]

Hey Aaron:

Wranglers are known for their heating systems such that any difference the soft top creates in being less resistive to the cold--even in Minnesota--will not present an issue.

As for noise, many here report the difference between the soft top and hard top being very little---at least not enough to itself sway the choice of top.

What does concern me about the soft top in your situation though is the fact that snow can't be cleared off a soft top as it would a hard top. You simply can't use a car snow removal tool on the top, and forget about taking anything to the plastic windows. Running the engine and having the heating system melt these accumulations, particularly on the plastic surfaces, taking time and $, is often your best solution.

I run dual tops, but if I had a soft one only, given limits on idling an engine where I use to live in cold climates I'd literally stick a space heater in my vehicles, as I've done on Wranglers and others alike, to melt baked on ice.

 

[UTES]

I've owned 15 Jeeps since buying my first CJ5 in 1980. My experience has been that a hard top is easier to take on and off a Jeep if kept suspended in the garage. Fortunately, after market suppliers now make quick take-off kits that replace the bolts with quick-release hardware.

Hunter

 

[minisoda]

Great feedback, thank you! The car will be parked in a heated garage, so that won't be a major issue. Also, prefer not to take up space storing it all summer....

 

[Fitzz47]

Working on a 2020 JLUR order right now. The vehicle will essentially be a third car in the family that our daughter drives. Mostly around town, finding some trails and maybe some trips to the MN North Shore.... not likely for longer family road trips or anything like that.

We intend to have the top off as much as possible, but still have the reality of a six month Minnesota winter.

What are the downsides of running soft top year round? In my experience, they're not super cold but definitely more noisy than the hard top. Anything else I should be thinking about?

We started the process looking for a $20k used Wrangler and here we sit at $40k plus for a Rubicon.... so, just trying to figure out where we may shave a little cost.

Thanks for the feedback!

'Soda

Hardtop

 

[Gee-pah]

Great feedback, thank you! The car will be parked in a heated garage, so that won't be a major issue. Also, prefer not to take up space storing it all summer....

As long as its not parked all day at some nearby High School or College lot while Minnesota snow buries it- sure, go with the soft top if that's what you like.

Do appreciate though that if you decide to buy a hard top later, the rig won't come outfitted to handle either hard top rear wipers, washer fluid, or defrost.

 

[Gee-pah]

Aaron...I just want to throw out some additional if not relevant commentary.

As far as I'm aware, with dual side mirrors, clearing the rear of snow may not be necessary, barring maybe for, if not law then practicality, the rear view camera.

Doing so, the stock rig can display this camera's content, aside from while in reverse, at the request of the owner (while in forward motion) for I think about 8 second intervals, or indefinitely if you get the Tazer JL and configure it as such, as a secondary rear view mirror if you will.

 

[viper88]

Working on a 2020 JLUR order right now. The vehicle will essentially be a third car in the family that our daughter drives. Mostly around town, finding some trails and maybe some trips to the MN North Shore.... not likely for longer family road trips or anything like that.

We intend to have the top off as much as possible, but still have the reality of a six month Minnesota winter.

What are the downsides of running soft top year round? In my experience, they're not super cold but definitely more noisy than the hard top. Anything else I should be thinking about?

We started the process looking for a $20k used Wrangler and here we sit at $40k plus for a Rubicon.... so, just trying to figure out where we may shave a little cost.

Thanks for the feedback!

'Soda

The JL soft top is a lot better then past Wranglers. The JL soft top is very quite, not a issue. It's a lot easier to put down and put up on the JL. No issues with winters. Heat is excellent in a JL. Be VERY CARFUL when you clean the soft plastic windows. They scratch just by looking at them. Plus they can get brittle in freezing temp.

Is crime a consideration in your area? Skip the soft top and get the hard top if it is.

You can get a really good deal on a left over 2019 now. There is $2000 in rebates now.

 

[entropy]

I'd say get a hardtop and swap for a soft-top for the summer months. Keep in mind having a Jeep is really expensive, not just the initial price but all the stuff you'll do to it. Jeeps flexibility is what makes them so fun to own. Be it having a convertible vehicle, lifting it, adding your own bumpers, rock sliders, wheels and tires, half doors, sun shade, roof racks, etc etc.... the list goes on and on, that flexibility is also what makes them so expensive. I'll give you an example of what I've done to mine and plan on doing:

Hmmm... I need rock sliders to protect the body, and also serve as a step for my wife, and I need them to connect to the frame:
$350 for parts (installed myself).

Hmmm... I want a roof rack that I can easily remove AND be able to carry up to 300lbs dynamic weight and safely carry kayaks, cool I have a hard top, however that hard top can't load much weight so I have to get a specialized system.

$500 for the cheapest crossbars you can find that can hold that much weight
$400 for a basket.

Now I want a soft top for the summer!
$1000 for tool to remove the hardtop as I dont have enough space in my garage for a hoist.
$700 for the cheapest top (trektop bestop)
$700 for a hitchmount rack to still be able to carry my kayaks.
$80 for hitch receiver

Damn I need a bit more ground clearance and be able to get more travel out of my suspension.
$150 for rubi take offs (cheapest light lift upgrade you can do to a sport)
$1000 for rubi takeoff wheels and tires
$450 for labor, or $300 for tools to do the job myself and my time


That's my current list, and it is tiny AND cheap compared to what most people do to their jeeps. And it doesn't count small add-ons like hitch basket, sunshade, all weather mats, etc.... And future plans include getting rubi steel bumpers, once I finish the rubi suspension install.

 

[minisoda]

Thanks guys... I've decided to get the hard top and add a fastback soft top by summer.

 

[DonBindas]

I ordered my 2020 Rubicon with the hardtop and once I removed it and put the Bestop on, I'm wondering why I ordered the hardtop?

The Bestop with the 45 degree back window and side windows come off in a breeze, while the top-front section flips open to the sound
bar.

If you order the hard top and don't want it, you can always sell it for what you paid for it.

If I were you, I would order the hard top and also a Bestop and then you will have both bases covered.

​

 

[Gee-pah]

Thanks guys... I've decided to get the hard top and add a fastback soft top by summer.

Sounds great as long as you don't need the slightly greater cargo area space that the squarer hard and OEM soft tops provide versus the fastback design in the rear.

 

[Old School Jeep]

If you're trying to save on cost, get the soft top. I have both and Iive where it snows. I have used the soft top year-round without a problem while my hardtop is collecting dust.

Sponsored