Base vs Big Bend, what am I really missing?

[BigFootie]

I’m now reading about the MIC tops cracking. People seem to say the painted tops are different.

Yes, the mod top or painted top are different and I’ve heard of no issues in the past two years.

l’ve had no issues with mine. I suppose the only issue is I don’t take my Bronco out as many times as I would as the top is normally off and putting it back on is a 15 minute process. I suppose I could just remove the front panels which is super easy but I like the drive better being completely topless. I started out by just removing the front panels. Then the front panels and the gunners hatch (2 door mod top) and then the side windows (23 and 24 job 1 Heritage Edition vehicles only IIRC). But, none of those configurations are as nice IMO for quiet open air feeling. I’d love to have a soft top if only to quickly go topless quickly as that’s how I run most frequently. No one makes a white soft top for the 2 door yet. One they do, I’ll be buying that to augment my options. Fortunately, I come from a long history boating family and know that twill tops can be made from white cloth and will be just fine as it is garaged most of the time and not tied up on the dock getting hammered by the sun and seagull shit and can still look good for many years.

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[23BDBigSean]

This is where I was at but the kind folks convinced me to buy a hardtop so that I can get the bronco I want now instead of waiting on a retail order. Then I can immediately sell the top on the used market and swap in a bestop instead. Save a few bucks and not have to wait on a retail order.

What say you on the bestop vs the stock soft top???

Bestop cannot go all the way down, it can only open up above the front and rear seats whereas the OEM can go all the way back/down.
Though with Bestop you can get a slantback that looks cool!

 

[Bronccraig]

Love my 2 DR cheapo BB, MT, CG..its not spartan to me but for mid 30s k in 2023 i couldnt be happier

 

[moose05]

Bestop cannot go all the way down, it can only open up above the front and rear seats whereas the OEM can go all the way back/down.
Though with Bestop you can get a slantback that looks cool!

I watched a couple YouTube videos. Bestop looks 10x better than the factory top but the factory top operates much better. Nothing is easy.

 

[23BDBigSean]

@Moose Like everyone has said it’s all about YOUR use.
I ordered my Bronco with the soft top and thought about adding a hard top later on. The wind noise in the soft top is a negligible difference in my opinion(turn the radio to 15 and you can’t hear it. Lest we forget the Bronco is unique because the allure is the doors off/roof off open air experience of a 4x4 and a sports car.

Living in Dallas it’s literally five seconds to pop the front latches and open it up and every time I have the top off/down I feel like I’m driving in a convertable Tank. It’s pure joy!

Conversely I live in a loft and though I do keep it garaged, it’s not a personal garage so I wouldn’t have anywhere to store the hard top let alone help me take it off. And then there’s the folks who don’t take off the hard top rear shell at all- just maybe remove the front panels or none at all.

As previously mentioned- I think the Bronco aesthetic looks better with the soft top, but if I still lived in Michigan I’d likely have my own garage in which case I feel like I would definitely be team hard top(or more likely team dual tops!)

 

[moose05]

@Moose Like everyone has said it’s all about YOUR use.
I ordered my Bronco with the soft top and thought about adding a hard top later on. The wind noise in the soft top is a negligible difference in my opinion(turn the radio to 15 and you can’t hear it. Lest we forget the Bronco is unique because the allure is the doors off/roof off open air experience of a 4x4 and a sports car.

Living in Dallas it’s literally five seconds to pop the front latches and open it up and every time I have the top off/down I feel like I’m driving in a covetable Tank. It’s pure joy!

Conversely I live in a loft and though I do keep it garaged, it’s not a personal garage so I wouldn’t have anywhere to store the hard top let alone help me take it off. And then there’s the folks who don’t take off the hard top rear shell at all- just maybe remove the front panels or none at all.

As previously mentioned- I think the Bronco aesthetic looks better with the soft top, but if I still lived in Michigan I’d likely have my own garage in which case I feel like I would definitely be team hard top(or more likely team dual tops!)

The convenience of the soft top is where it’s at. I actually prefer the look of the hard top, the painted hard top specifically. But I’m sure the painted top would get beat up quickly if you’re going on/off several times a year.

 

[23BDBigSean]

The convenience of the soft top is where it’s at. I actually prefer the look of the hard top, the painted hard top specifically. But I’m sure the painted top would get beat up quickly if you’re going on/off several times a year.

Ruby red or eruption green with either body matched Or the white hard top




That FB post as well as others you can find on here and some people have wrapped their hard top

compliments to @USASAIL nice rig!

 

[MNBigfoot]

Craigslist/FB marketplace always have the Oregon Trail tops available, often they are new on the pallet (from guys who ordered the duel tops).

 

[moose05]

Craigslist/FB marketplace always have the Oregon Trail tops available, often they are new on the pallet (from guys who ordered the duel tops).

Oregon trail tops?

 

[moose05]

Ruby red or eruption green with either body matched Or the white hard top




That FB post as well as others you can find on here and some people have wrapped their hard top

compliments to @USASAIL nice rig!

Looks sick! I’m gonna scratch the heck out of those.

 

[MNBigfoot]

Oregon trail tops?

Covered wagon, floppy top............... the top that makes it appear that you next adventure may involve fording a river, trading at an outpost or dying of dysentery.

 

[moose05]

Covered wagon, floppy top............... the top that makes it appear that you next adventure may involve fording a river, trading at an outpost or dying of dysentery.

Twill fabric tops lol. Got it.

 

[mpeugeot]

I’m now reading about the MIC tops cracking. People seem to say the painted tops are different.

It appears that the ones that are white inside are different, but the ones that are dark gray inside look like a MIC top has been painted.

 

[BigFootie]

It appears that the ones that are white inside are different, but the ones that are dark gray inside look like a MIC top has been painted.

The mod tops (Heritage 23-24) look like the Mic top inside but are not just a painted mic. It is a completely different outer skin. The 25 painted tops are completely different inside. I’m not sure about the outside.

 

[moose05]

Headed to see this one tomorrow

https://joecooperfordyukon.com/inventory/New-2025-Ford-Bronco-Big_Bend-1FMEE7BH5SLA83845

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