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Do I really need a hardtop

Daktari

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I wanted dual tops for the same reason, I could not decide. Ideally I'd want a hard shell in back for the easy lift up rear window and a large sunrider/soft top over both rows of seats in front, best of two worlds.

Where I live the temperatures can change dramatically in one day, from over 100 to below 60 at night, it's nice to have all my roof with me to button things up. Same would go for places with frequent surprise showers. I'd never have the panels with me and the 2nd row panel doesn't even fit inside, so I'd be riding in the cold (or rain), or I'd simply not be driving open.

Once they announced the prep kit I made the change and I'm super happy with my decision. I might switch things if someone offers my ideal soft/hard combo (get your mind out of the gutter please :-D ) but until then I'll enjoy the fast open/close.

I don't have mine yet, should be here any day, but test drove a soft top open, and even on the freeway it wasn't all that loud in the open position, easy to talk to my son and listen to music, so not worried about noise level. Regarding heat, there's a/c and remote start (I believe almost all will have that at least via the app?) and I'm sure it'll cool off the inside faster if I lift the roof away for a moment before closing down again on super hot days.

As for safety, that's imaginary IMO. Most car thieves use emergency window poppers that are springloaded and you can get them at any car/hardware store. Makes a tiny pop noise nobody notices and the window crumbles away, takes less than 30 sec to steal stuff. (just check on youtube on how fast that goes and how quiet it is) Would take more time with opening a knife and cutting a big enough hole to get a bag or what out, while the glass window is completely gone in less than a second. Also, that's what insurance is for and with a cut plastic window at least I don't have to deal with thousands of shards inside my truck. And I can just tape it shut until repaired, no 'cardboard window' for me.
Just don't leave anything valuable in the car, can't do that anyways. Or get a safety enclosure for the back if you have to have valuables in there often.

From how you describe where you live, I'd think you'd be much happier with the soft top since you never have to plan for taking it off (unless you want to take it all the way down/windows out, but even then you still have the roof part with you at all times).

I'll now a year from now if my decision was right, butI was very happy when they announced the prep kit and made the decision super easy for me.

I'd also have a problem storing either one, my 'garage' is small and it's full of crap, has not seen a car inside in decades, workshop, printing press and bicycles, camping gear and mystery boxes live there. :-D
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phocion

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As a non-negotiable two-door buyer, yes, I literally need a hardtop. 😐

Honestly it 95% comes down to how much you think you'll ride with the top off/down and how much uglier you think the softtop is. For me the answers are "close to never" and "a lot", respectively, so I would heavily lean hardtop even if I had a choice. Obviously many others have radically different preferences and will therefore arrive at different conclusions.

The good news is that if you later come to regret your choice, it can be changed later on at much less than the cost of a new Bronco. Even for us two-doors.
 

Bronco cat

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Yeah, I hear ya. I guess the time when 4-5 of us at work had our cars (sedans and crossovers) broken into in the parking lot is etched in my memory forever.
It sucks. I know the kids in my neighborhood have been caught rummaging for change in people cars left outside unlocked.
 
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daddycreswell

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As a non-negotiable two-door buyer, yes, I literally need a hardtop. 😐

Honestly it 95% comes down to how much you think you'll ride with the top off/down and how much uglier you think the softtop is. For me the answers are "close to never" and "a lot", respectively, so I would heavily lean hardtop even if I had a choice. Obviously many others have radically different preferences and will therefore arrive at different conclusions.

The good news is that if you later come to regret your choice, it can be changed later on at much less than the cost of a new Bronco. Even for us two-doors.
It really boils down to storage, I mean I could add on to the garage but that is kind of overkill. I don't guess I week or so to decide before I place my order, then however long I still have time to change me order before it goes into production. I kind of like the look of the Bestop roof.

Ford Bronco Do I really need a hardtop BDKW_5687235-IMG_003_P06_ANG_A__31399.1628976814.1280.1280


Ford Bronco Do I really need a hardtop BDKW_5687235-IMG_003_P06_ANG_A__31399.1628976814.1280.1280
 

MayhemMike

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Depends on how long you keep your vehicles ( Bronco). personally , I keep vehicles forever. What that computes to in my case is “ what will fail over the life span”. Example, I would never order an F150 with a sun roof. Sun roofs are nice, but eventually, the gasket leaks at a minimum. I ordered a convertible Mustang (2006). It was designated as a toy. It only has 50K miles on it, and resides nicely in the ” car hole”, aka garage. The top is in great shape, but the frame linkage had to be realigned( by me) once. The point is, temporary tops and roofs with openings built in eventually will need to be replaced. I fully admit the removable hard top most likely will have leak issues, especially after repeated removal and installations, and owner errors. However, it provides a better life expectancy for those of us who keep vehicles for a long time. BTW, by the time my Bronco can be built, the MOD tops will be ready. Good luck on your decision.
 

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If it's not your daily driver and in the garage - guess it really wouldn't matter.

I considered switching to soft on my WildTrak also come next week...but then decided, definitely not for me!
South Florida here -the 4 dr WildTrak will be taking place of my 2 door Jeep, which is my daily driver,l. It's garage kept and has a hard top, I wouldn't have it any other way. I can remove the front 2 panels for those joy rides...but need some quiet for long road trips and also don't have to hear the rain during the downpours we have.

I currently have hot head panels and they not only help insulate from the brutal sun, but also do cut down on some road noise. I wonder if you can put those over the Ford installed sound deadening (carpet pieces)?

Love that idea about the sun rider panel upfront! Gonna have to check into that.
 

NVCowboy

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I remember older threads that got rather heated. Team Soft Top (The bad guy can break a window / no real difference in noise) and Team Hard Top (the bad guy can cut the top / noisy) were trading blows over their preferences. Months later, with delays and recalls, and recalls and delays I think many Team Hard Top folks are reconsidering, based on a sample size of less than 10, me, the OP, and a few others who want a Bronco this century. Given the contentious nature of this site I’m surprised how basically magnanimous Team Soft Top is acting. It’s a great opportunity to gloat.
 

Cable Guy

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If you live anywhere people live assume you’re soft top will be broken into at some point. Never plan on leaving anything of value in it even if your just running into the store.
 

Bradnewt

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I had the original soft top that came on my 2006 Jeep when I sold it this past March. The only time I ever wanted a hard top was during fall hunting season. I didn't want to rip my top or scratch up my windows driving down narrow limb covered roads. The rest of the year I loved the soft top. Originally, I was going to get a 2dr, so the soft top was not in the picture. After the hard top issues, I decided to switch to a 4dr soft top. I really like the freedom the soft top provides. They are durable and will last for years if you take care of it properly. On my Jeep, there was a definite increase in wind noise after 70 mph. If you do a lot of interstate driving you might want to get a hard top.
 

acbaldwi`

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I am looking over my WT build with my wife last night for 22, she asked about the hardtop and if we really needed it. I truly don't know, I've never owned a convertible so I have no idea if one is better over the other. I have my 73 Bronco and the hardtop for it is suspended from the ceiling in the garage and I really don't have the room to hang another up there. So space for it is an issue, I live in Middle Tennessee, hot from April to late October, more rain than snow in the winter and usually mild winter sometimes it can get very cold for a week or two. So is a soft top a good year round top? Pros and cons of a soft top. Thanks

Im in denver it can get well below 0 at times during the winters.... drive a jeep with a soft top all the time you'll be fine if the heater is any good at all
 

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VehiChase

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I am in middle TN as well - directly 10 miles south of Nashville. As for my 1989 Bronco.. I got tired of taking on and off this top over the last 22 years of owning her. Its harder and harder to find two friends to pull together to remove or add that 200lb beast... so now I just leave off the hard top all year. This Bronco fits in my garage so she stays hidden only a couple months.. because as you know the weather is great most of the time for a convertible. The top I am using now is much better than the "fastback" option I had on for years ( pic attached ). This top keeps the sun off my kids while still enjoying the open air.

I myself struggled with what I wanted. With the FE I ordered.. I see me leaving on that main rear back cap ( almost always ) ... looking to go possible with one of those 1/3 tops that will quickly open above the driver/passenger (link below ) Still have to do some digging into that but that's an option.

https://www.bestop.com/products/sun...4XnlBPnb-O14LHwQuHeMPnpYM4NhzbxxoC6XEQAvD_BwE

Best of luck on your Wildtrak order! I may be seeing you driving around here in Middle TN!

Ford Bronco Do I really need a hardtop IMG_1462


Ford Bronco Do I really need a hardtop Bronco Snow


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WVBaptist

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I had an OBX reserved with a hard top. I've never owned a convertible either so I just did the hard top because they look better, the glass windows instead of the plastic side window.

In July I changed my order to soft top cause I didn't want all the headaches and extra wait time.
My dealer set me up with an abandoned BB order in late July. It has the soft top and I love it!

I've put nearly 10K miles on my BB soft top and I have zero regrets. It is so super convenient. Wind noise isn't bad at all on the soft top. You have to get used to a little extra noise even when the roof in closed, it almost reminds you of a sedan or SUV with the back window open just a crack.

I just feel like if I'd gotten a hard top I would have had the roof off a lot less because you have to bag and store the roof panels and such.

I live in WV weather a lot like TN
I think if you go for the softie you won't regret it.
 

PatientlyWaiting

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I am looking over my WT build with my wife last night for 22, she asked about the hardtop and if we really needed it. I truly don't know, I've never owned a convertible so I have no idea if one is better over the other. I have my 73 Bronco and the hardtop for it is suspended from the ceiling in the garage and I really don't have the room to hang another up there. So space for it is an issue, I live in Middle Tennessee, hot from April to late October, more rain than snow in the winter and usually mild winter sometimes it can get very cold for a week or two. So is a soft top a good year round top? Pros and cons of a soft top. Thanks
I have a Wildtrak as well. I'm going to stick it out and wait. I had a soft top on my jeep for years. It was convenient being able to drop the top in a few seconds. On the flip side, it was loud, it was cold, and mud and dirt was almost impossible to get out. This time around I'm getting a hard top. I think it looks better on the Bronco. I'm also not a fan on the sagging back windows that you see on the soft top.

In the summer, I'll throw on a Bimini top when I know there is going to be a stretch of dry weather. The other bright side is its a lot cheaper to add a soft top later than it is to add a hard top later.
 
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daddycreswell

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I am in middle TN as well - directly 10 miles south of Nashville. As for my 1989 Bronco.. I got tired of taking on and off this top over the last 22 years of owning her. Its harder and harder to find two friends to pull together to remove or add that 200lb beast... so now I just leave off the hard top all year. This Bronco fits in my garage so she stays hidden only a couple months.. because as you know the weather is great most of the time for a convertible. The top I am using now is much better than the "fastback" option I had on for years ( pic attached ). This top keeps the sun off my kids while still enjoying the open air.

I myself struggled with what I wanted. With the FE I ordered.. I see me leaving on that main rear back cap ( almost always ) ... looking to go possible with one of those 1/3 tops that will quickly open above the driver/passenger (link below ) Still have to do some digging into that but that's an option.

https://www.bestop.com/products/sun...4XnlBPnb-O14LHwQuHeMPnpYM4NhzbxxoC6XEQAvD_BwE

Best of luck on your Wildtrak order! I may be seeing you driving around here in Middle TN!

Ford Bronco Do I really need a hardtop EPSON117.JPG


Ford Bronco Do I really need a hardtop EPSON117.JPG


Ford Bronco Do I really need a hardtop EPSON117.JPG
Slick FB, I want one of those but really no where to park it. It's clear I need to build a larger garage. I like that Bestop option, might have to think about that. I assume that's the same thing that Ford is offering for a price of $1,190.00?
 

AJKitebrder40

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I stick with hard top, primarily for aesthetics, but also because if I'm going on a trip, I need roof space for surfboards, etc. trying to use soft top racks is a pain and not doable on long trips.

Hard top/bikini top with MGV, best of both worlds.
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