https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/...op-vs-soft-top-a-review-of-all-options.30745/How loud is it compared to the hard top?
I always thought it would be silly to spend $800-$900 on one myself. All one has to do is just pop off the freedom panels. But last summer, it seemed everytime I’d take the panels off, it would start raining! Kinda got to be a pain for me. So last time they had a rebate going, I decided to bite the bullet. I am very pleased I did. Now all I do is pop the latches and throw it back. If it rains, pull it back down. When I get where I’m going, if no big wind, I’ll just pull the top back down without latching so birds don’t doody in the seat, and when I come back out, throw it open again. I’m really enjoying this better. It is a bit loud when closed, but not enough to bother. Not any great amount worse than the panels, in my opinion.How loud is it compared to the hard top? Quadratec lists it for $800, seems like a lot for a little convenience of half a soft top.
Sounds like you'd really enjoy a full soft top at that point! Any reason you didn't go for that, or is the hard top just what it happened to come with when you bought it?I always thought it would be silly to spend $800-$900 on one myself. All one has to do is just pop off the freedom panels. But last summer, it seemed everytime I’d take the panels off, it would start raining! Kinda got to be a pain for me. So last time they had a rebate going, I decided to bite the bullet. I am very pleased I did. Now all I do is pop the latches and throw it back. If it rains, pull it back down. When I get where I’m going, if no big wind, I’ll just pull the top back down without latching so birds don’t doody in the seat, and when I come back out, throw it open again. I’m really enjoying this better. It is a bit loud when closed, but not enough to bother. Not any great amount worse than the panels, in my opinion.
Very nice! Just curious - are the latches are hardware all Mopar branded? I remember you saying you didn't want the Bestop logo everywhere.The Sunrider is so awesome it deserves a thread. Post your Sunrider pics here in rad places! I just installed mine so nothing inspiring yet.
I mean, the jury is still out on if the Rugged Ridge softtop is any good in the first place, and it's also well over $900 last I saw. I get your point though.I can't wrap my mind around $800 for it, when you can get a whole soft top from rugged ridge for less.
But it seems that the only thing that sucks about the sun rider is the price. Everyone who owns one loves it.
As far as I perceive it, having the freedom panels off or the sun rider back is as good as having the whole top off. Its open as far as you can perceive. Its too bad for the folks in back. Ha.
In April RealTruck, a vendor on this site quoted me $750 for the RR top minus a $100 rebate for a total cost of $650.I mean, the jury is still out on if the Rugged Ridge softtop is any good in the first place, and it's also well over $900 last I saw. I get your point though.
I found a Sunrider for $650 last year, and I don't regret a single dollar of it. No the freedom panels aren't that hard to operate, but when you compare:
To:
- Having to undo 3 latches (x2)
- Having to get out of the vehicle
- Lifting the panels over the sport bar without losing hand-hold or banging the panel on anything
- Storing the panels in a bag, or in the rear of the truck
- Having to do all of that in reverse if the weather takes a turn for the worse
The case makes itself.
- Two latches
- Flip it open
Honestly, I did not like the look of the soft top when I first saw them. The hard top seemed a bit more “streamlined” looking to me. As time has gone by, and if for some reason I decided to trade for another Gladiator, I would get the soft top. But since I do have a hard top, this was a good solution for me. Plus, I have only taken the hard top off once, and that was to install headliners in it.Sounds like you'd really enjoy a full soft top at that point! Any reason you didn't go for that, or is the hard top just what it happened to come with when you bought it?
The $800 has been the tough spot for me.I can't wrap my mind around $800 for it, when you can get a whole soft top from rugged ridge for less.
But it seems that the only thing that sucks about the sun rider is the price. Everyone who owns one loves it.
As far as I perceive it, having the freedom panels off or the sun rider back is as good as having the whole top off. Its open as far as you can perceive. Its too bad for the folks in back. Ha.