Time to order a hardtop for winter here in the Northeast. Anyone have opinions on the relative merits between the Mopar Freedom Top and Bestop (server hundred $$$ more) version?

Of special interest would be pictures of the inside headliner on the Bestop. Int he catalog write-ups it sounds like it's a bit more "finished" then the Mopar version.

The double vs. triple panel thing doesn't mean much to me since I use a Safari and deck cover in the warm weather months and don't expect to remove parts of the hard top until I remove the whole thing in the spring.

Does anyone know if the leaking issues have been resolved on the latest Freedom Tops?

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

The windshield seal on the JK has been improved as well as the seals on the Freedom Top. There was a TSB for the older models, and the ones produced after January all got the improved seals. My main decision for getting the hardtop with the Jeep was that it was a $1,395 option (dual top) and I could work the financing with the deal. The bestop and the MOPAR are over $2k plus freight.

 

NO, the leak issue for the factory hardtop has NOT been resolved as a "real" fix. Or the Soft top either. I'm hearing about 08's leaking. My 07 was built in July, leak.

 

From the comments of new JK owners with the hardtop and the experience of those with the Besttop, I would definitely go for the latter. The leaks have not been fixed on the MOPAR top.

 

I thought that Bestop produced the MOPAR tops

 

Not positive, but I thought that Bestop only produced the soft tops for DCX (MOPAR).

 

perhaps........

 

I have an early '07 born 10/06; if i don't take the time seating the front panels I definitely get a leak. If I take the time to seat the panels correctly, I don't leak. I'm not saying there aren't issues as I have had plenty besides the this, but i really would love to get a chronicly leaking roof next to one that doesn't leak at all and see what exactly the differences might be.

Me, I have issues with the soft top!

 

Like people have said NO the leaks aren't fixed with the Freedom Top. The leak I have is really not that bad. It's three or four drops ONLY in a really large storm. I think the Best top one will leak just not in the same place. I know that the my friend had the split one for the TJ and it leaked near the seatbelts and down into that panel. I would guess the JK version will do the same.


I can't believe people are having issues with the soft top. My TJ NEVER leaked from the top. It did leak around the doors and it took a few trips to get the door seals fixed but it never leaked once it was fixed. My JK soft top has never leaked and the door seals have never leaked. I have the non-sunrider top FYI.

 

non-sunrider soft top here too. It leaks (hopefully "leaked") like a S.O.B.