Is open Jeep a dying art?

[Oldbear]

I’ve lived in a lot of different places here in the States, and I’ve noticed that most of the convertibles I see are running top up almost all the time. No surprise then that a Jeep, whose top raising/lowering is a good bit more involved than pushing a button, seldom goes topless. Yup, I enjoy having the top off on a nice summer evening, but it’s often more trouble than it’s worth..

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[SH556JL]

Here in sunny South Africa you can drop the top on just about any day of the year.

I'm a bit too self conscious to be laughed at by a hyena...

 

[rubiRI77]

I love having no doors and no top.......in the evening and night. I LOVE my Jeep, but I can't stand cooking in the sun. The spider webshade works good, but it is another "thing" in the way and flapping around some, etc. and when we do go open top (at night or on trail runs with lots of trees(shade) then we really would rather have it be full open and not be looking through a shade.)
As far as doors off.. well that is awesome too, but then you need to store the doors, need to add mirrors, and now you can't lock the Jeep. So it is not too often when that is very practical either.

After that long winded response......yes we LOVE no doors, and top down.... under perfect conditions only

 

[Traktor31]

I’ve lived in a lot of different places here in the States, and I’ve noticed that most of the convertibles I see are running top up almost all the time. No surprise then that a Jeep, whose top raising/lowering is a good bit more involved than pushing a button, seldom goes topless. Yup, I enjoy having the top off on a nice summer evening, but it’s often more trouble than it’s worth..

I could see this if you were talking doors, but man taking the top down is so dang quick and easy I don't think its that much trouble at all (soft top). But then again I am a new first time owner so maybe the excitement is still there.

 

[Greenmanalishi]

When I had my JK, it was a 2 door soft top. I had that thing doorless and topless as much as humanly possible. Now that I have had a 4 door hardtop for a few weeks, I have never taken even the freedom panels off. This weekend that will be changing. Well, if the weather is nice.

 

[csjlu]

I could see this if you were talking doors, but man taking the top down is so dang quick and easy I don't think its that much trouble at all (soft top). But then again I am a new first time owner so maybe the excitement is still there.

Its so easy to take it all off in the middle of a nice day - I think can strip down in 2 minutes or less. Its the "back on" part that's more difficult - when its midnight, after a full day of driving, when every family member has checked out and left me to do the task in the dark...then its more like 5-10 minutes (and possibly a little longer if I have one hand occupied with a nightcap). Still worth it tho.

 

[cOtter]

Wow, that thing is beautiful!

Was that blue a factory option at one time, or did you paint it that color??

‘20 Sahara factory color. Ocean Blue Metallic. No longer available.

 

[CT_LFC]

I was surprised coming home on the highway from upstate NY back to the city yesterday to see only one other open Jeep and one car with windows open. It was a gorgeous day, temps 75-77 and 99.9% were closed up. I waited 7 months for a weekend day like yesterday and couldn’t wait to open my Jeep.
As I said earlier, I was surprised. I always say to my wife (who hates open Jeep) when you’re dead you’re gonna be in a closed box forever so I wanna enjoy the wind, air, sun now.

I will say, though, for people in NYC i get why they'd close up the Jeep. No one wants to sit in traffic smelling everyone's exhaust. Plus, these days, you probably get robbed in the city if you drive with your windows down, let alone roof off.

 

[EJH220]

Here.....from June through September it’s this......

With the occasional this....because a storm can brew up and drench you in a matter of minutes almost no warning . Not to mention it’s hot enough to melt your leather seats..

But October thru May, it’s this, 95 percent of the time......

So for us it’s definitely not a dying art, but more a seasonal thing......

Love your set up! This is us from April - October. Then the hard top goes back on.

 

[Roky]

Love your set up! This is us from April - October. Then the hard top goes back on.

Thanks brother... nice rig, love the half doors.....

 

[N8213]

yall are all confirming to me why i love the sky one touch top - open/close up to 50 mph at the push of a button.

Top is almost always open when the weather is decent!

 

[csjlu]

yall are all confirming to me why i love the sky one touch top - open/close up to 50 mph at the push of a button.

Top is almost always open when the weather is decent!

I have a soft top and went from “top up” to “sunrider” at 50 mph once…by accident, because I forgot to secure the roof…won’t do that again!

 

[jpjpjp]

We Pulled a Door off a Jeep Gladiator in 45 Seconds (caranddriver.com)

If there is the will, there is a way. If folks can afford a close to $40K or probably more vehicle, they should be able to find space for the doors and tops. Certainly, they can easily take one freedom top off or roll the top back. One can still blast the A/C, too, as it's not like your dad (or mom) is going to yell at you for touching the household thermostat.

Good point on the mirror requirement, but there are work-arounds for that, too.

 

[Black Jeep Convertible]

I will say, though, for people in NYC i get why they'd close up the Jeep. No one wants to sit in traffic smelling everyone's exhaust. Plus, these days, you probably get robbed in the city if you drive with your windows down, let alone roof off.

They're missing out

 

[YJdude]

If it’s warm and sunny then my top is down. I wish AC was a add on feature cause I wouldn’t have even added it to my Jeep. I love the open air freedom. I knew a few people that have had a Jeep and never took the top off. Never understood why they didn’t when they could have. To me it’s like going to the Grand Canyon but then staying at the hotel. Your not getting the full experience.

You're exactly right...I ordered a two door, no AC for me. (I didn't think it's an option for unlimiteds). Wide open as much as possible here. If it gets rained in, it'll dry out... eventually. I think it's safe to say that most Jeep buyers aren't the same as they were years ago. People didn't buy a Jeep for high tech, fancy, creature comforts, but today they do. Jeeps have evolved from pure utilitarian to pretty luxurious (compared to my YJ). For years, all I ever heard from my POS (now ex) wife was, "I'm cold." Or "it's too hot." "Great, now it's raining." "No, I actually didn't have a good time. It was miserable." Man I don't miss that shit one bit! Nothing better than the sweet 'silence' of the open Jeep and no bitching!!!

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