which soft top should i buy???

venisfan19 · 01-13-2003, 03:47 PM

i purchased a 2000 sahara about 3 weeks ago. i love everything about it so far....Summer is gonna be here very soon and my jeep came with a hard top and full doors with no soft top hardware. i want to buy a soft top in Feb. i have heard you get what you pay for in a soft top and i dont mind spending the money for a good top i like bestop's sailcloth, and also the bestop "sunrider" design with the flip back front section. please let me know what you all think about as far as those 2 tops. And other brands like pavement ends, Kayline, steel horse, and all the options out there...thanks

**Jerry Bransford** · 01-13-2003, 03:54 PM

For a Jeep that new, I wouldn't even consider anything but the factory Sailcloth soft top. I don't often recommend Mopar aftermarket products but their Sailloth top is worth the extra money.

Yes you can buy Bestop's Sailcloth top but that does not include the supporting hardware used to support the top... it's strictly a replacement for the factory fabric and windows, not a complete kit.

The fit and quality of the Mopar Sailcloth top (which is made by Bestop) is head and shoulders above anyone else out there... and it erects and is taken down far more easily and quickly than any other brand out there. You can't get the Mopar top mechanism for which there is no close equal except by buying it used or through the dealer. If I were looking for a new soft top, I think I'd keep my eyes open for a used complete Sailcloth soft top off a fairly new TJ. They come on the market regularly and will save you a ton of money.

Tombs · 01-13-2003, 05:15 PM

Yah, I'm also in that boat too. I did go to the dealer just this morning as a matter of fact. For the top and all the hardware and everything to be able to have a top, the dealer said about $1300.00. Talk about sticker shock.He told me they don't sell a complete top and frame with hardware kit and that I would have to order the parts all seperate. I asked him what do they do if some one orderes a soft top and he told me they can do that on a new vehicle but they don't do a complete kit if you have never had a soft top on. I told him IT ALL SUCKS. He agreed and said I should save about half that and buy aftermarket.

w4rmk · 01-13-2003, 06:24 PM

Yeah I got some good advice from my dealer when I bought my jeep. I asked the question "should I get a soft / hard / or the combo top". The salesman told me, if you ever want the soft top you are better off starting with the soft top and buying the hard top later. Because if you start with the hard top you don't get any of the hardware to install a soft top. I am very glad that I took his advice. Now that I have the soft top I don't think I really need a hard top anyway. The new sail cloth is amazing. The road noise is minimal and there is hardly any flapping except in extreme wind. (I have the full doors).

Later,
Richard
03 Sahara

Tombs · 01-13-2003, 07:08 PM

Yah dude, that's what the dealer said why it was so much. They have to find all the parts for the frame for the soft top, then price each part individually. The right side frame, the center frame bar, the left side frame and so on and so forth. Like I said, IT SUCKS.

Jeep4fun · 01-14-2003, 11:15 PM

Here is another website of a soft top that I will be buying in a short while
rockgearinc

I am buying it so that I can roll up the sides into the top. It can get cold/rain up in the mountains.

This soft top is not for every body, probably not for somewhere where it rains alot

macb · 01-15-2003, 06:34 AM

I looked at the rockgear also - very nice...but since I already had
the factory sailcloth (head and shoulders above my old CJ soft top)
I decided to just go with the safari from bestop instead.

go with the mopar (I hate to say that) because it is the best fit and
quality for the TJ right now.

I have not seen the Besttop sailcloth yet it might be good as well
but you still need hardware which ain't cheap!

good luck and remember - jeeps look best TOPLESS!

g-LOW · 01-15-2003, 09:08 AM

You need to check out eBay. Soft tops of all different brands litter eBay and they are in all different conditions from new to junk.

Tips on getting it cheap-

1. Find someone who has misspelled something important in the title of their listing...they won't get many hits on searches and thus you will not be competing with as many bidders because their item will be hard to find.

2. NEVER bid on anything you really want to buy until the very last seconds of the auction. All you do is drive the price up.

3. Lots of times people who offer the "Buy it Now" option will include free shipping if you use "Buy it Now".

Good luck.

BugMan · 01-15-2003, 11:25 AM

JUst so you know. Best Top makes the factory soft tops. So if you save money buying the Best Top go with it. In fact the address on my factory top which is still in the box, is the same as Best Top. It actually says Best Top Winona, MN. HTH

venisfan19 · 01-15-2003, 03:43 PM

trying to get a top off ebay....im it doesnt work out i will just get a mopar top with all the hardware.......or a bestop super top

Jeep4fun · 01-15-2003, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mcgawb
jeeps look best TOPLESS!

I couldn't agree more

Jeep4fun · 01-15-2003, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by g-LOW

2. NEVER bid on anything you really want to buy until the very last seconds of the auction. All you do is drive the price up.

So why did I win on Ebay tonight on something that I bid on two days ago? I agree there may be a chance of driving the price up, but that is not always true