Is open Jeep a dying art?

[jludave]

We took a ride down to Long Beach yesterday afternoon. When we left, it was sunny and in the mid 70s. We had the windows down and Sunrider flipped back. It dropped over 10 degrees and got cloudy on the way there. On the way back we were buttoned up, as the rest of the family was cold.

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[XJfanatic]

Mine is open ever chance I get. Wife loves it, she can’t wait for door off weather (the weather has just not been stable this year).

My kiddos love it, the 19 month old smiles and laughs the whole way. They weren’t to keen the first time as their hair kept whipping their faces (I have 3 girls).

 

[LatteSipper]

My young kids (<8 years old) typically gripe about the open windows and the wind, so usually it's just the front windows and Sunrider that are open. I get what I want, they get what they want, and we still have fun together. Though if you saw us on the highway, we'd be "one of them," top closed and windows up, but that's the beauty of the Sunrider - simple to open at highway on-ramps and off-ramps.

Hopefully over time the kids embrace windows down and from there we progress to the top off.

 

[MrGneissGuy]

Top down is one of the main reasons I got a Jeep, and it is the reason I got a soft top. I live in Indiana where the weather can change pretty rapidly (80 degree day followed by a snow storm not long ago) and forecasts aren't always as accurate as one would hope. So how far down the top goes varies quite a bit depending on circumstances.

 

[michail]

I've only had my jeep for a few weeks but I've been keeping my Sky roof open when it's not too hot. June through December can be quite miserable.

I'm considering trying to remove the sky roof when going to the mountains but it can rain quite a bit up in the blue ridges.

 

[wchevron]

It's funny, I ride around in my Ford Explorer with the windows down all summer. When my kids are in the car they always complain about the noise and tell me to put the windows up. Now that we have a JLU, which the kids have basically taken over, they have the Freedom Panels off whenever possible and the noise miraculously doesn't seem to be an issue anymore.

 

[hazards280]

The hassle of taking off the hard top isn't worth the time for me. The weather changes so quickly here in Michigan, I'd spend an hour or two every other day dinking around with the top. I'd rather just take off the freedom panels and call it a day.

Also, with this being the dog mobile, I can't bring him anywhere if the top is off.

 

[Zukoda]

SW Florida here... If possible (rain and/or wife permitting), I have the windows down and rear wide open all the time. I do leave the top in Safari mode quite a bit as the sun can be brutal sitting in traffic but I do what I can to be as open as possible otherwise...

 

[wandrur]

Dying art? No. Dying preference? Maybe.

If I want road and wind noise, I ride my motorcycle.

While the above is true, I have never really enjoyed the exposed-to-the-sun experience in a vehicle. I burn easily, prefer cooler temperatures, and enjoy listening to music while driving. Also, the dog hair in the backseat goes EVERYWHERE. All of those mean I tend to keep the top and windows in place, though I hope to take some long mountain drives this summer and fall, and then I think I will bring the top down to enjoy the sights and sounds.

 

[Rubi II]

Funny you posted this! I’m in Central Mass and was thinking the same thing. 75 and dry over the weekend and mostly all tops were up and Saturday was Go Topless Day!
Gotta enjoy it when we can, just wish I had time to take doors off.

 

[dgoodhue]

I don’t like driving with the windows open in the highway with a top on. I have driven around town with freedom panels off/windows down. A big factor in buying a Wrangler was topless driving. I just got my toplift pro last week, I just have to assemble it. Don’t worry, I will be topless soon enough.

 

[WranglerMan]

I have m SR open most days here is south Texas as it’s just so simple to open and NOTHING TO STORE, I also have all windows down when open but have yet to take the doors off and I just don’t have a place to safely store them

 

[CT_LFC]

I am always surprised by how many people driver their Jeeps sealed up when we have gorgeous weather. It was a sunny weekend in the 70s but way more sealed up than opened up Jeeps on the road.

I have a second car so i am able to take the hardtop off permanently from late Apr / early May to Oct and i get others with hardtop may not have that, but at least open the windows.

My kids are 9 and 5 and we have blankets for them because they get cold sometimes plus the 5yo may carry some of her toys or dolls, so taking the doors off is not an option yet but the time will come when roof off and tube doors are the norm from Apr/May to Oct.

 

[azulwavesJL]

I don’t like driving with the windows open in the highway with a top on. I have driven around town with freedom panels off/windows down. A big factor in buying a Wrangler was topless driving. I just got my toplift pro last week, I just have to assemble it. Don’t worry, I will be topless soon enough.

this thing is amazing.

 

[TXRubicon]

This isn't just Jeeps it's convertibles in general. That said, I won't bother to take the top off unless we have 4-5 solid days of good weather ahead and that's rare down here in the sub-tropical area we're in. Top comes off as often as possible, it just requires pre-planning.

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