Hi all - after some time just browsing this forum, I've finally signed up. First post, too.
Intro:
I bought this JK not quite 3 years ago. The photo is from just after purchase. No visible mods since then, though I do have a new radiator and a new water pump. I guess that no coolant puddle on the driveway might be considered a "visible mod." Anyway, I'm living the reality of the "Just Empty Every Pocket" mantra.
I'm in the Seattle area, but you can tell from the photo that the PO lived in the southwestern US. (There sure ain't any palm trees in MY backyard!) But there are at least two advantages to posting that particular photo over a more local, more current shot: in THAT photo, the sun is shining, and the Wrangler is clean.
This is my first Jeep, and my DD, though in the last 3 years I've put only about 10k on it. Other than a few cursory trips down fire roads, I haven't off-roaded it. It's a blast to drive despite the fact that most of my miles are freeway miles, and freeway driving doesn't seem to be the "sweet spot" for a 2 door Wrangler. And yes, I do get grief from my friends (who are non-Jeep owners) for not having a winch on it. Maybe one day!
Question:
After 15 years (I'm nearly positive it must be original) mostly in the desert sun, the soft top has degraded and the stitching has torn out on a significant length of one seam. That's a reasonably big deal because folks, the rumors are true... it rains a bit around here. I'm in the market for a replacement. I haven't seen anything appealing on Craigslist, so I'm on the verge of just ordering a replacement (just the top & windows, not the hardware) from Bestop.
Bestop shows two replacement options for the soft components.
Black Diamond Sailcloth for $730
www.bestop.com
and Black Twill for $1175
www.bestop.com
The twill is significantly more money, though the photo for the twill version actually shows a fold-back section not shown on the sailcloth version photo, so I'm not sure that it's an apples-to-apples comparison. Probably a question for the Bestop people.
No problem paying more if the twill is that much better than the sailcloth. Any recommendations out there on whether or not that's the case?
Dave
Intro:
I bought this JK not quite 3 years ago. The photo is from just after purchase. No visible mods since then, though I do have a new radiator and a new water pump. I guess that no coolant puddle on the driveway might be considered a "visible mod." Anyway, I'm living the reality of the "Just Empty Every Pocket" mantra.
I'm in the Seattle area, but you can tell from the photo that the PO lived in the southwestern US. (There sure ain't any palm trees in MY backyard!) But there are at least two advantages to posting that particular photo over a more local, more current shot: in THAT photo, the sun is shining, and the Wrangler is clean.
This is my first Jeep, and my DD, though in the last 3 years I've put only about 10k on it. Other than a few cursory trips down fire roads, I haven't off-roaded it. It's a blast to drive despite the fact that most of my miles are freeway miles, and freeway driving doesn't seem to be the "sweet spot" for a 2 door Wrangler. And yes, I do get grief from my friends (who are non-Jeep owners) for not having a winch on it. Maybe one day!
Question:
After 15 years (I'm nearly positive it must be original) mostly in the desert sun, the soft top has degraded and the stitching has torn out on a significant length of one seam. That's a reasonably big deal because folks, the rumors are true... it rains a bit around here. I'm in the market for a replacement. I haven't seen anything appealing on Craigslist, so I'm on the verge of just ordering a replacement (just the top & windows, not the hardware) from Bestop.
Bestop shows two replacement options for the soft components.
Black Diamond Sailcloth for $730
Replace-A-Top™ for OEM Hardware - Jeep 2007-09 Wrangler JK; 2-Door
Sailcloth Replace-A-Top takes the tried-and-true formula of our original Replace-A-Top, and adds heavier sailcloth fabric. This premium multi-ply fabric helps reduce road sounds, absorb wind noise, and keep interior climate more consistent than dual-ply fabric. Requires factory original hardware...
www.bestop.com
and Black Twill for $1175
Replace-A-Top™ for OEM Hardware - Jeep 2007-09 Wrangler JK; 2-Door
Sailcloth Replace-A-Top takes the tried-and-true formula of our original Replace-A-Top, and adds heavier sailcloth fabric. This premium multi-ply fabric helps reduce road sounds, absorb wind noise, and keep interior climate more consistent than dual-ply fabric. Requires factory original hardware...
www.bestop.com
The twill is significantly more money, though the photo for the twill version actually shows a fold-back section not shown on the sailcloth version photo, so I'm not sure that it's an apples-to-apples comparison. Probably a question for the Bestop people.
No problem paying more if the twill is that much better than the sailcloth. Any recommendations out there on whether or not that's the case?
Dave
