Factory Dual tops or hard top and other soft top?

[kmillerpsu]

Hi everyone. I will be a new jeep owner soon. Looking at the 4dr unlimited Sahara version - I know, not as cool as the 2dr - but it is still better than other vehicles when someone has young kids. Plus, I just don't have as much time to go off-road right now so the smoother ride of a longer wheel base is more practical (man I am getting old).

Anyway, I really want both a hard top and soft top. I have several garages on my property where I can make an electric assembly to "easily" raise/lower the hardtop to put it on or take it off. I was hoping to swap out the torx bolts for some quick release bolts to try and make this easier/quicker. Has anyone done something similar so they can take the hard top off more often than just for the 2x per year swap with the soft top or am I underestimating the PITA this will be, even with a motorized lift assembly? Also, I talk on the phone a lot for business when I drive so having a hard top on when I need to talk will make it quieter. The challenge is those days that I don't need to talk and the hard top is off and the weatherman screws up again.

So, would you recommend going with the factory soft top or is there a better soft top that works with the hard top (or maybe a soft top that is easier to remove/install that I can take along)? I would only want a soft top that can keep me dry should it rain unexpectantly. In this type of setup, I don't need a "permanent" soft top that would have to be super tight since I would only keep it until the rain is done (sometimes maybe it stays on a few days at most).

Am I making this more complicated than I should? Thanks for any input.

[moneypit]

Welcome top the board. I have an 04 LJ so I am coming from a little differant place. I have both tops. It is much easier to buy the stock stuff and be done with it. It's warrantied and it comes with all the top bows ,which the after market stuff doesn't have. You can also by a bikini top but that does not offer much cover if it rains. I believe that the 4 DR has the sunrider top that fold back exposing the front seats. I use this all the time when the weather is unpredictable. Taking the whole top down is sort of a pain so just pulling back the front section works great. Plus wet carpet and seats begin to smell if they get wet alot. Enjoy the new Jeep, you will love it.

[wanderer1951]

x2 what moneypit says. the sunriders works well for times when theres not alot of time to take the whole top down.