Does anyone regret selling their hard top?

[JMT]

Hardtops never need to be replaced, never don’t keep you warm, never let in a lot of noise, never look goofy, and never lose value.

No soft top can say that.

I think both are necessary if you wheel and live in a cold place.

If you don’t, figure out which one you like more.

 

[Illiquid]

Mine is hanging from my garage ceiling and I’ve never thought about putting it back on.

Hard top defeats the purpose of the Jeep for me. I’ll drive my truck if I can’t have windows down

 

[Danarch]

Sold my hardtop after it sat on the patio for over a year. No regrets yet. I live in central California so it doesn’t get too cold and never any snow. Only snow is when I go up the road about 90 minutes away.

 

[John Cooper]

Mine is hanging from my garage ceiling and I’ve never thought about putting it back on.

Hard top defeats the purpose of the Jeep for me. I’ll drive my truck if I can’t have windows down

But but but you live in the south where it never gets cold and IF it does it's just a few days.....

Of course

If, IF's and butts were candy and nuts, we'd all have a Merry Christmas....

 

[bucky]

I upgraded to my TJ from a YJ (which I still have) for 2 reasons ride comfort and A/C. A hard top is a little more secure. A cheap pocket knife is all you need to silently get into a soft top. They’ll have to break glass to get into a hard top. I’m lucky to have a forklift to lift the top on and off.
It’s all about personal preference and situation.

 

[John Cooper]

I upgraded to my TJ from a YJ (which I still have) for 2 reasons ride comfort and A/C. A hard top is a little more secure. A cheap pocket knife is all you need to silently get into a soft top. They’ll have to break glass to get into a hard top. I’m lucky to have a forklift to lift the top on and off.
It’s all about personal preference and situation.

Honestly I can be in your Jeep in about 2 minutes and never break the glass.

Hard top only keeps a honest person honest.

 

[Illiquid]

But but but you live in the south where it never gets cold and IF it does it's just a few days.....

Of course

If, IF's and butts were candy and nuts, we'd all have a Merry Christmas....

Yep. I didn’t buy a wrangler when I lived in the actual cold. But now that my cold is 50 degrees I’ll ride around with the top down ALL I WANT DAMN IT

 

[TheBoogieman]

I don't understand why people think soft tops don't hold the heat in. When I delivered mail and newspapers, I had to turn the heat down to low...............and that was with the window down.
p.s. My TJ was as warm as my WJ.

 

[Coadster32]

Here in Connecticut, I hang my hard top from the garage ceiling mid spring to mid fall. Soft top for the summer. I guess I do this to extend the life of the soft top. I keep saying that I'll try the soft top in the winter, but end up putting the hard top on...probably just because I have it. Been kicking around the idea of selling mine also, but wanted to try the soft top in the winter first. Just haven't done it yet.

 

[Rut Row]

I don't see much of a point in the hard tops unless it's either resale value or you live in a very cold place and drive your TJ a lot during the winter. Then it makes sense.

I'm looking for a hard top because of (a) the noise of flapping soft top at 60+ MPH and (b) the friggin' leaks in a heavy rain around the doors. I don't wheel hard so I'm not worried about trail damage. I just got full doors and if that stops the leaks, I'll likely stay with a soft top.

 

[Mike_H]

It has been nice this winter to drive it with the hard top since I put the BoomMat headliner in it. I just don't want to have to worry about what I might put the top into and destroy a $1,200-$1,500 top. That's what they are going for around me.

I don't know exactly where Salem Indiana is, but here in southwest Mi hardtops won't bring more than about 800 bucks (generally less). I've advertised mine a couple of times at 800 and only had guys looking to offer 5-6 hundred. Its not a perfect Hardtop, but its really nice. So, I hang it from the rafters in my garage, and run it for the couple of times in the winter I'll do a snow run.

Honestly, with my hoist, I can change between hard and soft top in about a half hour, so I'll switch them out if I'm taking a long trip sometimes. My hardtop is a lot less fatiguing to drive around with vs the soft top. Maybe the sailcloth soft top would be as quiet, but the couple different twill tops I've run have some amount of flapping, crackling, wind noise.

 

[MikekiM]

When I get my TJ back later this week (or next) I'm going to pull the hard top back off and go back with the soft top. I don't want to take a chance at destroying the hard top while on a trail. I've been tossing the idea around of selling it and/or trading it for 1/2 doors.

Has anyone sold theirs and regretted it, even though you didn't use it much?

Never regretted selling it. I am in the NE. TJ is a daily driver. I use the Bestop Trektop Nx full time. It could be a little quieter in the cab and I need a Bestop Instatrunk for securely storing stuff, but I have never regretted getting rid of the hard top. I do hear a fair bit of road noise, but zero flapping. Not colder than I can deal with. The Sunrider is pure gold. Maybe one of those old two part hardtops could compete, but those are pretty rare. I do put the full doors back on for winter... the soft uppers on the half doors are a pain in the ass.

 

[TheBoogieman]

I'm looking for a hard top because of (a) the noise of flapping soft top at 60+ MPH and (b) the friggin' leaks in a heavy rain around the doors. I don't wheel hard so I'm not worried about trail damage. I just got full doors and if that stops the leaks, I'll likely stay with a soft top.

You have the wrong soft top.
p.s. I'm guessing the "flapping" at 60 mph+ is from your wife riding with you. I prefer my wife doesn't ride with me in any vehicle I own. The "non-stop" talking just to hear herself, annoys the crap out of me.

 

[wigsajumper]

I go back and forth. I wish I kept my hardtop just because it is easier to deal with accessing the back area then the soft top.

If I ever find an awesome deal on a Bulldawg or GR8TOPs I might go for it. The jeep stays topless from about Mid April until Mid October anyways.

 

[macleanflood]

My TJ didn't come with one and they're rare as hens teeth up here in the PNW. Sure the soft top will keep out the rain and snow but they're terrible with brush... constantly afraid of ripping the top going down a forest service road that's not much more than a single track.

-Mac

 

[Wildman]

My TJ didn't come with one and they're rare as hens teeth up here in the PNW. Sure the soft top will keep out the rain and snow but they're terrible with brush... constantly afraid of ripping the top going down a forest service road that's not much more than a single track.

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-Mac

If you want a hardtop I know where you can get one.

I've never liked having a hardtop but also never had a easy way to take one off & on... The two times I had a YJ & TJ with a hardtop or full door I sold them. I don't like a hardtop due to most times I was trying to remove it myself. And I don't like a hardtop off-road due to the huge possibility of damage.
And like Mac said running a softtop up here in the woods you're running the risk of damage to it. Most of the time I run a Safari top & windjammer & duster.

Safari tops are cheaper to replace.

 

[tnjeepguy]

Like many things, it comes down to what you use your Jeep for and personal preference. I like a hardtop and would not have a Jeep without one, but understand why others like a soft top. Up to you. (yes, in IN you will be sorry you sold it, I could be wrong)

 

[Camdenst]

My first jeep was a daily driver and I liked it for the winters in CT. But now that I have a company car and a garage I see no need for the hard top and sold it.

 

[tr21triton]

Being born in VT and raised in CT, we call your type "Pussies or Dems". The latter is worse.

same thing we call people here in the south that need heated seats !

 

[Wildman]

Like many things, it comes down to what you use your Jeep for and personal preference. I like a hardtop and would not have a Jeep without one, but understand why others like a soft top. Up to you. (yes, in IN you will be sorry you sold it, I could be wrong)

Agree with this completely. Like I said I've sold my hardtops because I didn't like them. And here in the PNW most people like them due to the rain but I never have. And as others have pointed out I've never had a problem with keeping warm in a softtop rig. And I had a Jeep in AK with a softtop.
The only thing I dislike about a softtop in the cold was the chance of cracking your windows if you tried to open them. So you had to make sure you had warmed up the rig sufficiently prior to attempting to open a window.