The allure of the soft top....

[[DELETED MEMBER 27901]]

Hey folks - I was just curious if the coolness and allure of being able to drop the top and enjoy some sunshine quickly wears off with a soft top?
Where am I coming from? My teenage is interested in a Bronco soft top for the reasons above (friend has a Jeep soft top), but I'm not entirely sure that will happen as often and they think it will. We're down south where it's hot and humid 9 months out of the year.
My wife and I think a hard top is a safer bet which in our head holds up better over time; I personally can't get over not being able to open up the back if you want to get some larger item in the car with a soft top.

Curious to hear what ya'll think? Thank you

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[Danielsand]

Ford could easily solve this problem...

That's a funny looking Ford.

 

[Deleted member 64703]

Ford could easily solve this problem...

I hear ya and I go back and forth on the Sky One Touch but, at the end of the day, it's just a louder panoramic moonroof......that often leaks. Plus, you can't remove the windows and doors.....at least not the uppers by themselves.

 

[PrepVet]

I wouldn't own a Bronco if it weren't a soft top.

 

[JWBroncoATL]

South Carolina Bestop Trektop owner. Sold my hard top after using it for a week and will not go back. I love my Trektop!

JR

I'm thinking about purchasing a soft top and curious to hear why you like the Bestop Treetop better than the OEM softtop?

 

[jacknifetoaswan]

I'm thinking about purchasing a soft top and curious to hear why you like the Bestop Treetop better than the OEM softtop?

I originally purchased it for flexibility along with the OEM hard top. I intended on using the hard top for summer (insulation from hot weather) and the soft top during our winter, but after having the Bestop on, I just never went back to the hard top. The flexibility of flipping the top back and removing the windows in five minutes was a big plus for me. I have no real issues with insulation, and while it is louder on long trips, I've done multiple 1000+ mile road trips and had no real complaints.

As for Bestop vs OEM top, various reasons, but it just looks better to me. The OEM top looks sloppy and like someone draped a quilt over a tent frame. The Bestop fits tightly and the windows are very taut. I prefer the slight slantback over the extreme slantback I've seen on Jeep Bestop tops, as well. The OEM top has better modes of operation, definitely. You can flip it to multiple different open options as well as remove it completely very quickly. It would take me about 45 minutes to completely remove the Bestop and then there's no convenient way to hang it for storage off the vehicle. Still, I'd rather have windows out and two quick latches to flip the top fully open than have something that looks the way the OEM top does.

JR

 

[29AGAIN]

I wouldn't own a Bronco if it weren't a soft top.

I wouldn’t own a Bronco if it weren’t a soft top AND A MANUAL.

 

[Fatfireman]

I still have trouble figuring out why parents feel the need to buy teenagers a new $50K+ vehicle to drive. That's just me.

Finally.

 

[Bacon is Life]

If I had to do it all over again, I would have opted for the hardtop for a few reasons:

1) The factory soft-top is hot garbage. They should have stole a page from the Wrangler... as those softies were 100x better, IMHO. Difficult to put down & put up, window removal is 1960's tech, roll bar scratches and bacon window wrinkles were my biggest gripes.
2) Since aforementioned factory top was such a mess, I opted for the Trektop. While not bad, I do miss the space I lost from the factory softie. And this top is a bit louder than the factory. It can be cumbersome to retract with one person. But it it addressed a few of my pet peeves...So I am making do. ( @Bestop_Team ...I've been begging for 3 years... bring us the Supertop Ultra Squareback ...you'd have people lined up, that top was a perfect softie. MAKE IT HAPPEN! PLEASE!).

I would absolutely get the factory hardtop and quickly install the Bestop Skyrider. Best of both worlds. And you have a fully functioning rear window with minimal compromise.

 

[Marc L]

From now until Oct. (Chicago area) I'll thank GOD EVERY DAY for making the dual top option I originally ordered die because of the hard top troubles. O my how much fun this is. I'm 71 and I've never had this much fun in a vehicle...well, other than certain date nights with my wife....SO MUCH FUN! And to think I'd planned to just change them out with the seasons. No reason, to. Ford heat is fantastic, but I do cheat and park in the garage.

It was sub 40F this morning in Chicagoland so hopefully you didn't have the top down today.
We haven't switched tops yet as this will be our first summer with the Bronco. I still am concerned that switching hard-to-soft and back again will be a PIA with lots of cursing.

 

[CarmeloS]

( @Bestop_Team ...I've been begging for 3 years... bring us the Supertop Ultra Squareback ...you'd have people lined up, that top was a perfect softie. MAKE IT HAPPEN! PLEASE!).

If I had a dollar every time we asked them for a squareback, I'd be tons of land out west to offroad and then build a mansion to boot

 

[Eljohno]

I wouldn’t own a Bronco if it weren’t a soft top AND A MANUAL.

I wouldn't own a Bronco if it weren't a hard top and a 2 door.

 

[CarmeloS]

I wouldn't own a Bronco if it weren't a soft top and a 2 door.

fixed

 

[mikedkelly]

I live in Central Texas, went soft top. No regrets.
I put my top down whenever it's above 70 degrees which even happens sometimes in the Winter, and below 90-95 degrees.
Even if it's in the 100's when I go somewhere early evening, it'll usually be in the low 90's by the time I head home after the sun goes down.
I open the soft top every chance I get and I've had it for almost 3 years now.
Even if it looks like it's going to rain but it feels good outside, I'll put the softop down knowing that if it starts raining I can just pull over and put it back up in less than a minute.

Get the hard top, soft top is going to mold your vehicle

 

[Truckin]

Soft top and even the ski rider folks.
anyone use a brushed car wash? Bestop advises against due to soaps.

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