Hardtop VS premium soft top

[SpyDJeep]

This electric winch (runs on household current) just arrived today. Got it off eBay for $75. I'll be using it to raise our basement ping pong table to the ceiling, for when we are using the weight bench underneath. But if it works well and seems strong, I will get another one for the garage, to lift Jeep hardtops. I used to remove my CJ7 hardtop by myself, by walking it off the tail end on my back. But that was a bear. Not interested in throwing my back out these days.

This is my setup for my JK. it's powered by an ATV winch with a battery booster. Safety cables installed incase something fails, prevents total free fall (first winch failed and cables held a 3' fall with no damage to hardtop). holds hardtop in summer and softop in winter, and other jeep stuff of course. I'm mid 40's and can easily put hardtop on/off by myself with this setup.

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[Firebrick]

If you have cold winters, its below freezing here right now, I'd say get the hardtop if you can. I never had a problem with my soft top on my TJ in the winter but a hardtop is just so much easier to clean snow off of. If you get the soft top only just plan on scratching it up because no one is going to stand out in negative temp degrees and baby their top as they are trying to clear the windows. If you are ok with that then cool. The jeep will be plenty warm inside with the heater going and who can see out the back anyways with that little window and tire in the way.

 

[digitalbliss]

This is my setup for my JK. it's powered by an ATV winch with a battery booster. Safety cables installed incase something fails, prevents total free fall (first winch failed and cables held a 3' fall with no damage to hardtop). holds hardtop in summer and softop in winter, and other jeep stuff of course. I'm mid 40's and can easily put hardtop on/off by myself with this setup.

A buddy and I rigged up something similar for his '79 scout II top except we used a couple wide tow straps instead of a shelf and a $20 manual cranks winch. Yours is much nicer. Point is, anyone with the space can rig up something for under $100

 

[Sschmittou]

I have a 17 with premium soft top in detroit, ordered my 18 soft top only.

The jeep heats just fine, just careful cleaning snow and salt off windows.
Its' worth the trade off to have a drop top in summer without storing 2 hard tops.

 

[ZeroTrev]

I'm going for soft top only, my concern is how will the premium top look with half doors. I plan on buying them when they come out but with the jk the half doors matched the soft top but not twill and that color difference will throw me off.

 

[rafaelsmith]

When I get my JLU it will be a Soft Top for sure. I currently have a Trektop NX on my JK and its great.

 

[word302]

The one thing I can't get past about the top soft is needing to remove the rear window any time I want full access to the cargo area, which would be often. I don't get why the window couldn't hinge or something.

Can’t you just open the tailgate?

 

[Mid-life Wrangler]

Can’t you just open the tailgate?

I believe that’s why he noted “full access”. If you have large or just oddly shaped items that require the full opening, it becomes a chore.

 

[Klausvanwinkle]

I've had a hard top, soft top and bestop's sunrider or hard top on my JKUR. The last option has been the best combination. Slightly more road noise than the hard top, but now I open the top every day. The soft top is a pain to open (fixed on the new one), loud and doesn't seal very well. The hard top seals well and is quieter but not as much fun. Also, soft tops are often plentiful and cheap on craigslist. Hard tops aren't. I'm going to order a hard top and a Bestop sunrider for hard top again. And keep my eye out for a cheap soft top on craigslist for summer and hardcore trails.

 

[mandrew]

No snow here, so a soft top is my choice.

 

[BDJeep1]

Did any of the driving reviews comment on the interior noise with the soft top? (either premium or regular soft top)

 

[Jeeperz Kreeperz]

Ok, forgive me for this noob question...

When building/pricing a JL on the Jeep site, I see options for premium black Sunrider soft top for $595; black hard top for $1,095; and dual top package that seems to have both of those items for $2,195. Math isn’t adding up. Never bought a Wrangler before, but is the missing $500 the “base” model soft top - which just comes standard - and I would keep if I bought the hard top, but I would give up, in exchange for the premium soft top in the dual top package?

 

[Mid-life Wrangler]

Ok, forgive me for this noob question...

When building/pricing a JL on the Jeep site, I see options for premium black Sunrider soft top for $595; black hard top for $1,095; and dual top package that seems to have both of those items for $2,195. Math isn’t adding up. Never bought a Wrangler before, but is the missing $500 the “base” model soft top - which just comes standard - and I would keep if I bought the hard top, but I would give up, in exchange for the premium soft top in the dual top package?

Simple answer is no. When you delete the standard top you are credited towards one of your selections. The hard top is the more expensive of the two. If you decide to get both, you do not get the credit twice, so that is why it does not come out to the $1700 you are looking for. For example let’s say the standard top costs $500, the premium top costs $1100, and the hard top costs $1600. If you get both tops (hard top and premium top) it would be $2700 minus the $500 credit which gives you $2200. If you just get the hard top, you give up the standard top and get the hard top for $1100 instead of $1600. I’m sure you can do the math on just getting the the premium soft top.

 

[PavementWarrior]

I have been going back and forth on my choice of tops (gotta do something while waiting I guess).

This last fall I was caught up in the crazy fires in Northern CA, we had to flee in the middle of the night (to the sounds of peoples houses exploding all over, heavy smoke, and flying embers in strong winds). Ended up with kids and dogs all in vehicle over night. Next morning went back solo, to fight off looters that came in force (news barely reported it, all hush hush, police have it under control bs), and stomp out fires in the now wasteland of flattened housing near me.

Now obviously natural disasters are a corner case, but if I had my jeep during it a hard top would be the clear choice. Both for smoke, swirling ember protection, and not having to worry about stuff we fled with, while going into stores)

Hard top with roof rack for travel or kayaks, also has appeal.

Otherwise, its soft top all the way. My brother jsut has had no junk in the jeep policy for his CJ, and some people did not know he even had a top for it

 

[yeoman18]

Are you able to get the "Body Color" Hard Top AND the Premium Soft Top? It looks like I can not configure a JLU Sahara that way on line. Is this something the dealer would need to do for me upon ordering? Anyone know the total cost for the Body Color HardTop + The Premium Soft Top? Thanks!

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