Trade-in: Hard top or soft top?

[ekimgnuj]

Anyone have any anecdotal evidence on the difference a dealer will give in trade-in for hard top vs soft top on a JLU? Ready to upgrade my 2019, trying to decide if I keep the hard top on when I trade it in (I'll remove the sun rider and keep that) or trade in with the soft top, and give the hard top to my son for his 2018 (yes, I know I will need some hardware). Not sure how much a dealer would even factor that. Called my dealer, they can't tell me, the appraiser will appraise what he has in front of him only.

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[SouthCo]

I doubt there will be a difference but why not price a trade in both ways on KBB? If my son wanted/needed a hardtop, I'd give him it and trade mine in with the softop...

 

[scj64]

I’d take care of my son and just deal with any difference in value. A nice hard top is hard to come by.

 

[laroo]

When we traded my wife's 20 JLU in, the dealer said the value was the same with either top and even with both tops. We traded it with the HT and sold the ST.

 

[rmenley]

Most times a dealer will use “doesn’t have a hard top” as a way/excuse to devalue your trade. I’m speaking from experience here as I traditionally run a soft top. When I’ve asked what they’ll pay with a hard top, most of the time I don’t get a straight answer - because I can go find a used one to call their bluff. But in reality - more dealership customers want a hard top than a soft top. Makes the vehicle easier to sell in a dealer’s mind.

 

[ekimgnuj]

Most times a dealer will use “doesn’t have a hard top” as a way/excuse to devalue your trade. I’m speaking from experience here as I traditionally run a soft top. When I’ve asked what they’ll pay with a hard top, most of the time I don’t get a straight answer - because I can go find a used one to call their bluff. But in reality - more dealership customers want a hard top than a soft top. Makes the vehicle easier to sell in a dealer’s mind.

Thanks, this is the kind of info I was looking for.

 

[SouthCo]

Only thing I can add is that I bought my color matched hardtop from a member on here. He was trading in his Billet Silver jeep and his dealer was not offering more for the Billet Silver hardtop so he sold it to me and traded his jeep in with the softop. And that was a color hardtop and not the less expensive flat black hardtop. Either way, I'd give my son the hardtop like I said earlier...

 

[WhiskeyDelta]

I just traded mine in, with a soft top. The question never came up and I don’t think I got docked for it - kept it and sold it offside for more than i think a dealer would have given. Just assume whatever a dealer gives you is way less than “street value” anyway.

 

[ekimgnuj]

Only thing I can add is that I bought my color matched hardtop from a member on here. He was trading in his Billet Silver jeep and his dealer was not offering more for the Billet Silver hardtop so he sold it to me and traded his jeep in with the softop. And that was a color hardtop and not the less expensive flat black hardtop. Either way, I'd give my son the hardtop like I said earlier...

Thanks, that is the way I was leaning, unless it cost me a lot more in trade-in value. But also trying to figure out the cost of painting, if I can buy him a new top for $2,800 and it would cost $3K to paint the existing top ....

 

[Punkn89]

Funny - I actually recently traded my JLU for a gladiator. The gladiator did not have the painted freedom panels like it said on the window sticker, instead it had a sunrider (Which I love). I used that as a negotiation tactic saying if I want to purchase OEM freedom panels, I’m going to have to spend $3k for parts and paint labor. The dealer then proceeded to take $3k off the price. Side note: I do not plan on purchasing freedom panels ?.

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