Is the factory headliner option worth it or better to go HotHead Liner?

[jack bauer]

Anyone with experience with both able to comment?

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[gsyoung]

Following... my 2020 JLU came with it and I like it as it seems to make the cabin quieter, but curious how the Hothead compares.

 

[The Last Cowboy]

It’s all held on with Velcro strips. The piece over my rear window keeps coming lose. Looks good but I’m not overly impressed. I wouldn’t check the box if I was ordering, I found mine on the lot already optioned with it.

 

[Headbarcode]

I have zero hands on with either, but the hot heads seems to have better holding power to the roof. Every lot vehicle I've seen with the factory ones, has at least one dropped or hasn't hanging panel.

 

[DigitalDiem]

I did the Boom Mat JLU Wrangler Headliners....worth every penny

 

[Headbarcode]

Also, Hot Heads includes the sound assassin strips and the optional rear window surrounds for those wanting a more complete look.

Heads up though, part of the install can get a bit messy if you don't pull the roof off to do the job. It's the sanding required to properly prep the areas that the 3m tape gets applied. I think this is what the factory doesn't do, resulting in the panels dropping. They also might not use as good of a quality tape, as the hot heads 3m.

 

[Oncorhynchus]

Also, Hot Heads includes the sound assassin strips and the optional rear window surrounds for those wanting a more complete look.

Heads up though, part of the install can get a bit messy if you don't pull the roof off to do the job. It's the sanding required to properly prep the areas that the 3m tape gets applied. I think this is what the factory doesn't do, resulting in the panels dropping. They also might not use as good of a quality tape, as the hot heads 3m.

I have been happy with my Mopar liners which were already on the vehicle in the dealer lot. Car is 2 years old and has no issues with the liners. If you search on YouTube for the Hot Head installation video you will see that the company does a good job of explaining their product and the process for ensuring good adhesion.

 

[gsyoung]

Anyone with experience with both able to comment?

Well, you cursed me! I went out to lunch in my 2020 JLU and sure as shit, the rear roof panel falls off while I'm driving! It's the first time this happened. All of the velcro strips were still intact on the roof & panel... just seems the panel wasn't firmly attached. i'll definitely keep my eye on it now. Hopefully this isn't going to be a reoccurring issue.

 

[Punjabi New Yorker]

Any headliner is worth it if and only if you are living in either a very high air temp(AZ, So Cal, Dubai, etc) or a very low air temp (Most of Canada, Northern Midwest, New England, etc). Otherwise you can give them a pass and save your money honestly. The radiating heat or the cold to your head can really get to you in these places without a headliner. I once rented a JKU Sport S in Phoenix in June during a business trip. The Jeep was without a headliner. It was rather uncomfortable. I thought I would learn but made the same mistake in Ottawa, Canada one winter. I am a sucker for Jeeps and that got in my way both times. This time around my head froze when driving back and forth between Ottawa and Montreal in January.

If you do not live in such extreme places, you can afford to skip the headliner. I am speaking by experience from renting JKs and JLs all over America and Canada over the years for work purposes. I had custom ordered my JLUR with the Headliner and now am realizing I did not really need it as Long Island air temps never get to the level of an Arizona or a Quebec.

 

[jack bauer]

Any headliner is worth it if and only if you are living in either a very high air temp(AZ, So Cal, Dubai, etc) or a very low air temp (Most of Canada, Northern Midwest, New England, etc). Otherwise you can give them a pass and save your money honestly. The radiating heat or the cold to your head can really get to you in these places without a headliner. I once rented a JKU Sport S in Phoenix in June during a business trip. The Jeep was without a headliner. It was rather uncomfortable. I thought I would learn but made the same mistake in Ottawa, Canada one winter. I am a sucker for Jeeps and that got in my way both times. This time around my head froze when driving back and forth between Ottawa and Montreal in January.

If you do not live in such extreme places, you can afford to skip the headliner. I am speaking by experience from renting JKs and JLs all over America and Canada over the years for work purposes. I had custom ordered my JLUR with the Headliner and now am realizing I did not really need it as Long Island air temps never get to the level of an Arizona or a Quebec.

I live in Socal and wheel and ride in the desert. It gets hot.

 

[DigitalDiem]

Took an infrared surface temperature measurement before and after with Boom Mat. Before Inside Surface temp of bare hardtop of 172F After 134F. After sitting in the sun for 2 hours outside temp 98f top is FLAT BLACK. Also have the rear windows surrounds as well for the more complete look.

 

[Chocolate Thunder]

Hotheads has better quality and more complete coverage than the OEM Mopar liners. Also ability to chose multiple colors.

 

[Tdurden032]

This is something that I think about a lot - I’d like to get a headliner (for me it’s not that big of a deal, but my other 3 regular passengers is another story). I just couldn’t decide which way to go between a DIY, Mopar factory, Boom mat or the hotheads version. I’ve seen a lot of support for all four of those options and think that each has their own pluses and minuses. At the end of the day, I’m leaning towards the hotheads route but for a JLUR with the sound strips and side panels, you’re looking at almost $600, which isn’t insignificant... unfortunately I don’t have free time for another diy option at the moment and I think even a used Mopar set is going to be $300-350, so might as well go with a new version since even the factory installed ones can have issues staying up. Just my two cents, but I think that any headliner is going to make a difference. I know that hotheads and boom mat run sales from time to time too and every little bit counts...

 

[entropy]

I have the mopar headliners. They work well, but are a mediocre product at best. Get the hotheads instead.

 

[chacomaya]

I saw both before deciding on the Hotheads with the Sound Assassin option. Much better quality, IMO. Also, something not mentioned in this thread is that in addition to temp control, the stereo sounds noticeably better with the Hotheads.

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