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Need quick answers. Placing new order. Hard-top or soft-top?

Onyx Dragon

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I have a base soft top. This issue has been discussed in several threads. Normally, the top isvvsealed up nicely with little noise and no leakage. But, with a very strong sidewind, it can happen.

I have a base soft top, too. I am at highway speeds on a daily basis (70+ mph) and today we had winds at 20+ mph in addition to that. I've never seen that happen, ever. Have you had it to the dealership to look at? Even when we had recent gusts up to 50 that wasn't happening.
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swozey

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I ordered dual top and it's one of my few options regrets. I'd much rather have put the money toward a better looking Besttop if I ran softtop at all. I've never even put it on. I ride with the freedom tops off unless it's raining and I have a toplift pro to remove the hardtop when I want it off.

I've seen so many convertibles/jeeps with knifed through tops.

Do yourself a favor and skip the joke that is the $400-500 OEM headliner and get Hotheads instead. I can't believe how crappy the OEM headliner option is.
 

grasspilot

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Hello. 2018 Unlimited Sahara hard top 4dr. New today. Can I remove the top/back and drive with the Freedom Tops on only? Thank you anyone?
 

Jl owner

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This my first post to this site. Long time Jeep owner, but first time with this new a model. I am in the last stage of prepping my order for a 2019 Wrangler 2-door Rubicon. I've got one day to decide this. The only option I have not decided on is soft-top or hard-top. I watched a number of on-line videos on both and it only made the decision harder. My current Jeep has a soft-top, but with all the changes to hard-tops, I have to look at that angle also. Here's how I will be using my Jeep. I live in Michigan, near the Canadian borders. 5 months of winter and tons of road salt, so this Jeep will not see winter at all. Just like my last Jeep, it will be stored during that time. Once on the road, it will not be a daily driver. It will only be driven with the top off on nice days, just pleasure riding. Matter of fact, the top will not be on at all during the 6-7 months I will use it. Based on that, I would say get the hard-top and remove it completely for that 6-7 months. But, with the soft-top, it would be nice to have the ability to put it up in case of a stray unexpected rain shower. I know all this seems trivial, but there is quite a price difference in the two tops I am looking at. I did see one video where the comments about the soft-top and how far it goes back when down was disappointing. Can anyone chime in on the positives and negatives they have found with their choices. Thanks. And by the way, I've got a 2004 Rubicon with 24,500 original miles. About as nice a Jeep that you can find. Silver with tons of extras. Same story the entire time I've owned the 04. Not a daily driver. Never saw a snow flake or road salt and only for pleasure cruising. 100% garage kept with custom cover and in fantastic condition.
Premium soft top and never look back! Love mine and the sun rider position opens up past the rear passengers. Takes about 10 seconds to do that. Completely folded down is great and out of the way. The worst part is dealing with those unsightly full frame doors. Looking at purchasing half doors in the future.
 
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Kallico

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This my first post to this site. Long time Jeep owner, but first time with this new a model. I am in the last stage of prepping my order for a 2019 Wrangler 2-door Rubicon. I've got one day to decide this. The only option I have not decided on is soft-top or hard-top. I watched a number of on-line videos on both and it only made the decision harder. My current Jeep has a soft-top, but with all the changes to hard-tops, I have to look at that angle also. Here's how I will be using my Jeep. I live in Michigan, near the Canadian borders. 5 months of winter and tons of road salt, so this Jeep will not see winter at all. Just like my last Jeep, it will be stored during that time. Once on the road, it will not be a daily driver. It will only be driven with the top off on nice days, just pleasure riding. Matter of fact, the top will not be on at all during the 6-7 months I will use it. Based on that, I would say get the hard-top and remove it completely for that 6-7 months. But, with the soft-top, it would be nice to have the ability to put it up in case of a stray unexpected rain shower. I know all this seems trivial, but there is quite a price difference in the two tops I am looking at. I did see one video where the comments about the soft-top and how far it goes back when down was disappointing. Can anyone chime in on the positives and negatives they have found with their choices. Thanks. And by the way, I've got a 2004 Rubicon with 24,500 original miles. About as nice a Jeep that you can find. Silver with tons of extras. Same story the entire time I've owned the 04. Not a daily driver. Never saw a snow flake or road salt and only for pleasure cruising. 100% garage kept with custom cover and in fantastic condition.
I went with a hard top after going nutts thinking about it. The whole time I was thinking about the noise factor, since I was going to use it daily. I was surprised to find out after driving both, noise was not the problem. On a 80 degree day the soft top acted like a freakin heat absorber compared to the hard top. I was not considering this, but the heat hit me in the face and forced me to. It cooled off quickly, but it made me think hard, since I live in Florida. It was only 80 and felt like 110 compared to maybe 90 with the hard top. It also will rain almost everyday in the summer for about an hour, so half the year you had just better keep the top on.
 

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JL4ROKS

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This my first post to this site. Long time Jeep owner, but first time with this new a model. I am in the last stage of prepping my order for a 2019 Wrangler 2-door Rubicon. I've got one day to decide this. The only option I have not decided on is soft-top or hard-top. I watched a number of on-line videos on both and it only made the decision harder. My current Jeep has a soft-top, but with all the changes to hard-tops, I have to look at that angle also. Here's how I will be using my Jeep. I live in Michigan, near the Canadian borders. 5 months of winter and tons of road salt, so this Jeep will not see winter at all. Just like my last Jeep, it will be stored during that time. Once on the road, it will not be a daily driver. It will only be driven with the top off on nice days, just pleasure riding. Matter of fact, the top will not be on at all during the 6-7 months I will use it. Based on that, I would say get the hard-top and remove it completely for that 6-7 months. But, with the soft-top, it would be nice to have the ability to put it up in case of a stray unexpected rain shower. I know all this seems trivial, but there is quite a price difference in the two tops I am looking at. I did see one video where the comments about the soft-top and how far it goes back when down was disappointing. Can anyone chime in on the positives and negatives they have found with their choices. Thanks. And by the way, I've got a 2004 Rubicon with 24,500 original miles. About as nice a Jeep that you can find. Silver with tons of extras. Same story the entire time I've owned the 04. Not a daily driver. Never saw a snow flake or road salt and only for pleasure cruising. 100% garage kept with custom cover and in fantastic condition.
If you are ordering, Buy Both, if not Hard Top.. The cost of the soft top is 1/3 the cost when ordering vs. buying after the fact. If I was not in a hurry I would have gotten both.
 

digitalbliss

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I just have to say... if you have a Jeep and don't utilize it with a soft top, you're missing out on a big part of the Jeep experience.
 

hilldweller11

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Got a '19 JL Rubicon in February. After looking for a couple of months for a base Rubicon with hard top & manual, I found one with the prem soft top. I have been impressed with the top, no hardship at all, and plenty quiet. This past weekend, tried out safari mode, first time to drive it that way. I am sold on soft top only now. I am really looking forward to the weather warming up so that I can remove the soft top altogether.

Get the premium soft top.
 

Gropax

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i went with a hard top and i bought a Sunrider from Bestop so i have both at the same time. and living in Nevada we have both cold winters it gets down to the low teens here at night and 115+ in the summer. there is a reason why hardtops never go down in price everyone wants one. if you look a used JK or JL hard top is at 90% of the full price.
 

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digitalbliss

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Just keep them both and use them both and figure out what works for you. Every one here has a different reason why you should do what they do. Do you.
 

gmangsxr750

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I say purchase the hard top from the factory then watch craigslist for soft tops (or vice-versa). People are selling tops of both styles all day long for less than MSRP, but I generally see more soft tops online than hard.
 

iznthesky

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Hard top !
Better Security
Cooler with AC
Warmer with Heater
You can hoist it off in the garage in about 20 minutes
You can buy a soft top and soft doors much less than a hard top...later on.
Hard top is quieter at highway speed.
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