Hi all,

Got my first Jeep in December and loving it so far. Now that the warmer weather is finally approaching I have some questions about getting ready for Summer. I'll probably put a lot of questions, so if you can answer any of them I appreciate it a lot and thanks in advance. I imagine most of you won't mind helping me spend my money.

Top down: I only have the soft top on my 2-door sport. I had it back and the doors off for the first time last weekend, and it was a blast. One question with the back window, is it better to take it right out or is rolling it up okay? And if rolling it up is fine, mine didn't come with those loops that you can tuck it in. Should it have? Could I ask the dealer for these?

Taking the doors off: is it recommended that I put those four screws in the hinges each time I have the doors in? Would it be risky leaving them off for the better part of the summer?

Stuff to buy; here are some things I'm looking at picking up:
Bike rack - Are spare tire mounted ones okay? Like the Yakima SpareTime one? I've heard things about them being too heavy on the wheel.

Seat covers - Are these pretty much a must for protection from mud, inevitable rain, etc? And is it worth it to pay more for good ones? I've heard Wet Okoles are like the best, but I don't know if I'd like Neoprene, or anything leather-like. Ones I do think look good are the Trek Armor ones. How are these? Oh and should I get them for the front AND back seats?

Speaking of getting caught in the rain.. is there anything I should worry about if this happens? Like should I have something to protect the radio/electronics in the dash and stuff? Or is the vehicle relatively, "waterproof"?

Floor liners - These look like something I should get for sure as I don't see the carpet in there being a good long-term solution. The Quadratec branded ones look pretty good and reasonable. Agreed? Any others I should consider?

I'm thinking I might get some sort of storage thing for when I need to leave my Jeep and might have my doors or roof off. There's a lockable hidden under-seat one. Anyone have any experience with these?

Anything else cool and/or useful I should consider? The floor is yours now on this one. What are some of your favourites or "must-haves"?

Bonus Question: I know one benefit of Jeeps is that the fairer sex tends to be fond of them.. Any good tips, advice or stories to make sure I really enjoy my Jeep to its fullest this Summer?

Again, thanks very much in advance to all who can help me out. All the best.

 

I can help you a little. As far as the four nuts on the door hinges you can just toss those to the side for now. I got the Quadratec liners and love them,perfect fit. They do look like the rugged ridge and best top,just a different logo. I also got a spiderwebshade,the long version to keep my wife and daughter from getting burnt. Their are some coupon codes if you search the internet,but well worth the money and you can leave it on with the top up. Also,with the doors off you might want to grab some off-road mirrors,different laws in different states but better to be safe than sorry. I would love to here someone's input on the electronics and getting caught in the rain,at least you could still put the top up even if you had no doors and windows. Hope this helps.

Keep Calm and Chive On

 

The best way to take care of your rear window is to zip it out and leave it hanging up at home. Rolling it up will cause it to scuff against itself and scratch.If I am going to run top down for more than 4 or 5 days I take the top off and hang it on the garage wall.

 

I got the locking under seat drawer and love it. Would definitely get this if you are leaving the doors off.

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If you have a hitch I would go with a hitch mount rack. Bikes and spare would be a lot of weight on the gate. If you don't have a hitch, they are pretty cheap and take 10 minutes to install.

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I have the Trek Armor seat covers and I am very happy with them. They are a perfect fit and don't slide around at all. I can't compare them to any other seat covers but this is a quality product and def worth it. There are some other threads on here and YouTube videos that show how to get them on with ease.

I have a 2 dr JK and haven't used the rear seat since I bought it so I took it out. I just bought the front seat covers for now. Figured I can always go back and get the rear if I needed and it's not like you get a deal if you buy the front and rear at the same time.

 

I can speak about the bike rack. I used one last summer. Everything worked properly. The bikes are going to move around just a little, and if you run 2 bikes on it, they might rub each other.

I liked this rack the best because I could take it on and off easily, leaving only the mounting post in the middle of the spare time.

I have a stock sized spare tire and nothing was bent or ripped of after using that rack.

Let me know if you have other questions.

 

If you are gonna have 'fun' in the jeep. Make sure the doors are on

 

x2 on the spider shade. Good quality and still allows you to enjoy the "naked" experience.

If you're gonna spend the money for good seat covers, Trek Armor is the way to go. Very good people to work with also.

I don't have the Yakima, spare bike rack but do run a spare mounted rack. Haven't had any issues with the 35's I run either. At the same time, if I had a hitch, I would buy a hitch rack.

I've heard other women say, including my wife, that guys in Jeeps look more confident than others. Take that and run with it!

 

Haha now that's some good Maritime advice right there!

Thanks to everyone else so far too. Lots of good tips.