Sponsored

Hard top w/new buy

Bloody Marty

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 4, 2021
Threads
8
Messages
138
Reaction score
286
Location
Michigan
Vehicle(s)
JEEP 2 DR WILLYS 21, CHEVY TRAIL BOSS 19
Getting a 2 dr with a hard top is a plus $1500 +/- when buying new. And I'm buying a new '21 Willys Sport...........We will use it with the soft top & pull down when needed & then pull up when needed......It's a summer ride for us in any event, not a daily driver. With that in mind, what is the sense in getting a hard top? Dealer says hard top, just do it....... but? Give me a reason? I cannot see a future needing it........
When cruzin around with a hard top removed & it starts to rain, then WTF?? With a soft top......problem solved. Am I missing anything??
Sponsored

 

AMC_CJ

Well-Known Member
First Name
Jay
Joined
Jan 23, 2021
Threads
15
Messages
125
Reaction score
162
Location
Denver
Vehicle(s)
4xe Curious
well, as good of an argument as your dealer makes, it's difficult to top that, but I'll go ahead and toss "because you're in michigan" in to the ring.
 

daveprice7

Well-Known Member
First Name
Dave
Joined
Aug 26, 2019
Threads
12
Messages
633
Reaction score
867
Location
Junction City, OR
Vehicle(s)
2019 Sport 2DR, 2020 Willys 2DR
Occupation
Nerd
2dr is a pain to deal with storing the soft top windows in the Jeep... Folks have claimed they do it, but, for me, when I remove the windows, they stay in the garage... So I wouldn't really say it's a "drop the top on a whim" kind of thing.

You can open it partway without removing the windows, but then you're about the same as the freedom panels removed from a hard top, and those store easily in the back.

That said, if you do get unexpected rain with the soft top and you don't have the window panels with you, it does stay mostly dry with just the top part of the top up.

Like you said, if you completely remove the hard top and it starts to rain, you're getting wet unless you have something else on you - I'd maybe look at the top part of the suntop to use as an emergency cover (or just a sun shade) if you want to go topless with the hard top.

I have both. The hard top is worth it IMO. Adding a hard top later means running wires and stuff for the rear wiper... I wanted to love the soft top, but it's just kind of a hassle.
 

aldo98229

Well-Known Member
First Name
Aldo
Joined
Nov 16, 2019
Threads
86
Messages
11,019
Reaction score
27,683
Location
Bellingham, WA
Vehicle(s)
2023 Jeep Gladiator, 2018 Fiat 124 Spider
Occupation
Market Research
Vehicle Showcase
3
Here are a few:
  1. Rain renders the rear curtain useless; you can't see behind in bad weather. Soft top gets you no rear defogger, no rear wiper, no rear squirter...and rain drops turn the vinyl window into stained glass
  2. If you park outside, the soft top gives you all the security of Jell-O
  3. Loading groceries into the back of the Jeep is a 3-step process with the lift glass; it is a 10-step process with the soft top. You need to drop everything, unzip the curtain, roll it up, open the gate, lift your stuff and put it inside, close the gate, roll down the curtain and secure it one more time.
 

Neanderthalman

Well-Known Member
First Name
Greg
Joined
Jul 28, 2018
Threads
2
Messages
334
Reaction score
528
Location
Ontario, Canada
Vehicle(s)
2018 JLUR
Here are a few:
  1. Rain renders the rear curtain useless; you can't see behind in bad weather. Soft top gets you no rear defogger, no rear wiper, no rear squirter...and rain drops turn the vinyl window into stained glass
  2. If you park outside, the soft top gives you all the security of Jell-O
  3. Loading groceries into the back of the Jeep is a 3-step process with the lift glass; it is a 10-step process with the soft top. You need to drop everything, unzip the curtain, roll it up, open the gate, lift your stuff and put it inside, close the gate, roll down the curtain and secure it one more time.
It's not that bad, come on.

With a hard top you open the gate, lift the glass. Easy peasy.

With the soft top, you open the gate, unclip the soft window sides, and then flip the window up onto the roof.

Its one, one, additional step. Two if you count reinstallation.

Wait you said "unzip" and "roll up". You know this is the JL wrangler forums, right? We don't have zippers and you can't roll the rear window like a JK.
 

Sponsored

daveprice7

Well-Known Member
First Name
Dave
Joined
Aug 26, 2019
Threads
12
Messages
633
Reaction score
867
Location
Junction City, OR
Vehicle(s)
2019 Sport 2DR, 2020 Willys 2DR
Occupation
Nerd
Here are a few:
  1. Rain renders the rear curtain useless; you can't see behind in bad weather. Soft top gets you no rear defogger, no rear wiper, no rear squirter...and rain drops turn the vinyl window into stained glass
  2. If you park outside, the soft top gives you all the security of Jell-O
  3. Loading groceries into the back of the Jeep is a 3-step process with the lift glass; it is a 10-step process with the soft top. You need to drop everything, unzip the curtain, roll it up, open the gate, lift your stuff and put it inside, close the gate, roll down the curtain and secure it one more time.
For sure on the cargo access.. I only mess with unhooking the rear window on the soft top if I have no other way of fitting stuff inside.
 

jespey

Well-Known Member
First Name
John
Joined
Mar 12, 2018
Threads
4
Messages
148
Reaction score
166
Location
St. Augustine FL
Vehicle(s)
2020 JLUR White; 2021 Ford Bronco Sport Badlands
Another plus for the hardtop is you can add the Besttop Sunrider. You can take the freedom panels off, install the sunrider, and have the open air above the front seats in max 10 seconds and drop it back if it starts to rain in 5 seconds (if you are slow😀).
 

Arterius2

Well-Known Member
First Name
Jerry
Joined
Dec 29, 2018
Threads
42
Messages
3,556
Reaction score
4,828
Location
Vancouver, BC
Vehicle(s)
2018 JLU Sahara 2.0L
Getting a 2 dr with a hard top is a plus $1500 +/- when buying new. And I'm buying a new '21 Willys Sport...........We will use it with the soft top & pull down when needed & then pull up when needed......It's a summer ride for us in any event, not a daily driver. With that in mind, what is the sense in getting a hard top? Dealer says hard top, just do it....... but? Give me a reason? I cannot see a future needing it........
When cruzin around with a hard top removed & it starts to rain, then WTF?? With a soft top......problem solved. Am I missing anything??
If you keep driving while in the rain, you won't get wet. The wind keeps a dry zone over the opening. Try it.

I found out while driving a convertible in Hawaii.
 

Tiger1

Well-Known Member
First Name
Tiger
Joined
Sep 24, 2019
Threads
2
Messages
120
Reaction score
210
Location
South Carolina
Vehicle(s)
2020 JLUS, 2016 BMW 435
I have the dual top group & all the comments above are great. Soft top is best in the summer. However, one additional benefit of the hard top is the ability to load up the back with gear & have it against the side windows. We've made a couple trips with the family and between 4 people & a dog it was tight. Harder to do that in the soft top without scratching the side vinyl windows. Oh, and I guess one more benefit: I enjoy switching out the tops, it's just plain fun and changes the look of the Jeep seasonally.
 

Sponsored

MountiesNGamecocks

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2018
Threads
4
Messages
114
Reaction score
91
Location
Alabama
Vehicle(s)
23 JLUS, 22 Ram, 14 Must GT, 94 Cobra
I’ve had 6 wranglers, the first 5 were soft top only (mostly while I was living in PA). I never had an issue with the soft top only, and the hard top has really just been a pain to store in my opinion.
 

kgatterer

Well-Known Member
First Name
Kirk
Joined
May 19, 2019
Threads
9
Messages
69
Reaction score
88
Location
Saint Louis
Vehicle(s)
2021 JLUR , sold-2019 JL Rubicon Mojito
On my 2019 2dr Rubi I traded my hardtop to a forum member for their premium soft top and had ZERO regrets. It literally takes no time to pop the back window up if you have to throw stuff in the back. I also bought the factory soft top storage bag and the windows fit fine in the back even with the seat in, just have to slide the rear window bar off and lay that in front of the rear seats. I just ordered a new JLUR and I ordered the premium soft top.
 

Oldbear

Well-Known Member
First Name
Dwayne
Joined
Sep 1, 2020
Threads
14
Messages
461
Reaction score
530
Location
Bowling Green, Ky
Vehicle(s)
16 Ram 1500 Ecodiesel; 20 JL Sport S 2 door
Personal preference thing. I’ve had both for many moons. Have long since switched to hardtop only with no regrets. The Sunrider is a pretty slick replacement for the Freedom panels and gives more of an “instant” convertible that the soft top typically does. I like the security of the hardtop. Soft top/topless is great fun on summer nights or spring/fall days. Dead summer days, not so much😏
 

fogby

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2020
Threads
15
Messages
73
Reaction score
76
Location
CO
Vehicle(s)
4XE
Ours was a soft top and was used as a fun third car. Sounds like what you are doing. We immediately took the rear seats out. Thus giving us easy storage for the windows. Based on our usage we never really worried too much about security or loading groceries.

Just match what you get to your needs.
 

W5MQS

Well-Known Member
First Name
Mitch
Joined
Mar 8, 2018
Threads
19
Messages
588
Reaction score
628
Location
Temple, Texas
Vehicle(s)
2018 Granite Wrangler Rubicon JLU; 2020 Mercedes GLB 250; 2013 Red Ford F-150 4x4
Build Thread
Link
Occupation
Interventional Cardiology
Hmmm...I don't have a two-door but I can tell you that if I know that it's going to rain, I either don't the top off to begin with nor would I drive the Jeep if the top is already off.
Sponsored

 
 



Top