Hard Top

OK, so it's summertime here in Florida, and that means I'd like to take my kayaks to the beach and various other launching points along the Gulf of Mexico that are nearby.

Unfortunately, the current rack options pretty much suck. :-)

I'm currently running with the hard top on, just so I can use my Thule gutter mount rack along with a pair of Thule Hull-a-Port kayak holders which allow 2 kayaks to be carried semi-vertically. It works, but...I might as well be driving a stupid Hummer H3 if I'm going to be cooped up in the hard top in the summertime, right? I need to pull my soft top out of storage!

I'm prepping a writeup of what roof rack options are out there, and what's coming...so look for more info soon.

permalink | posted on 14-Jun-2007 | Topics: Hard Top  Racks  Soft Top  

In preparation for the cold air intake install, I've been keeping an eye on my MPG meter. So far this tank of gas has averaged between 19 and 20 miles per gallon, according to the trip computer. This is for a four door automatic, with the soft top on.

I don't put on a lot of miles, so it takes some time to empty the tank. I work from home, so my main commute is taking my son to school and back and a few errands like the post office, Costco and Home Depot. This past tank also included a trip into Tampa for a hockey game which dropped some highway miles in there too. Considering the Wrangler has the aerodynamics of a brick, I can't complain about the gas mileage. If I was commuting more than 10-20 miles a day, I might be thinking differently about that. :)

I have the soft top on the Jeep right now, I'm thinking of putting the hard top back on temporarily to see if that affects the mileage significantly. The Wrangler feels noticeably quicker accelerating and driving around with the soft top on. I don't know if it's because the top weighs less, of if it's just that you hear the wind whooshing by over your head. The hard top probably has a better aerodynamic profile, but it's a lot heavier. My guess is that at highway speed, the hard top is better for the fuel economy.

permalink | posted on 20-Mar-2007 | Topics: Engine  Hard Top  Soft Top