[nairanupg]

Growing up, always dreamt of an Open top Gypsy driving in the hills. Had taken a test drive of the Thar 2 years back and realised the soft top is not for me, definitely not in Mumbai and most definitely not when its going to be my only vehicle, and not just because of the soft top.
Circa 2021, wrong side of 30 and the requirement being that the vehicle is used 90% of the time in our cities where driving even with windows rolled down is a big no-no means a Hard top is an absolutely non-negotiable criteria. Having said that, with my passion for biking intact, the dream of driving an SUV with the wind in my face is a drool worthy proposition. I am game for a convertible Hardtop, provided its automated and easy to operate with clean lines.

[Shanky_1002]

I would choose soft-top or the convertible provided I can find a way to cover/tie the folded bars/soft-top, not sure if the hardtop can be safely removed at home as needed, storage would also be a challenge. The lure of an open Jeep with wind the hair during early morning or late night drives is too good to resist. Thar for me would be a recreational/ adventure vehicle for short distances trips/weekend getaways.

[GTO]

Another significant advantage of the convertible will be that its 10X more fun to offroad open-top, than in a hard-top. Simply put, you are one with nature. Keep the top open when the weather is good and as the morning progresses, you can pull it back up in <10 minutes.

[Ketan]

Thar 2020 is going to be my second car. Taking my parents around would be the only family car related requirement that is rare when my parents are visiting me for about 3-4 months in a year, I'm going to keep my ever reliable XUV 500 for that duty and any other where its needed. My wife and son would join me in almost all adventure / weekend trips, it may be a real rare scenario if any of them would complain about a convertible-top jeep.
At this same time, I'm also thinking of using the New Thar for my long trips, towards northern part of India or to my native in GJ from Bengaluru which is like once or twice in a year type.
I'm trying to understand how bad it may go on my long weekends trips like 450kms one way that I make once in a month or two type and long trips like 2K+ kms one way that I make once in a year type. If I take convertible top thar for such trips, I'm trying to prepare myself on safety aspects, not leaving valuables in it while parked unattended. I'm also trying to prepare myself about the outside noise and flapping top noise on such a long trip.
I have ridden my motorcycle extensively in remote locations in southern India and around the western ghats, although its not a valid comparison but I'm going to compare open top jeep with my motorcycle experiences while I'm planning to take it to most places where I travelled with my motorcycle. With that, I'm concerned about my trips longer than 500kms one-way, is it going to be so bad in terms of security, safety, fatigue that I may regret with the experience going forward? Right now, I'm so excited about the open top and ready to rough it out the way I always do on my adventure trips. Still trying to find out more than the popular advise that says don’t use convertible top jeep for more than 200-300kms trip and keep it only for weekend trips.
Any more insights or advise based on your experiences with soft-top (since there wasn’t many convertible top options earlier) jeep that goes beyond the popular opinion? Thanks in advance. For now, I've voted for convertible top while I'm still dreaming about one in rocky beige

[abhikb]

Originally Posted by Ketan

Thar 2020 is going to be my second car.

Any more insights or advise based on your experiences with soft-top (since there wasn’t many convertible top options earlier) jeep that goes beyond the popular opinion? Thanks in advance. For now, I've voted for convertible top while I'm still dreaming about one in rocky beige

First of all many congratulations for booking the Thar 2020.

Coming to the soft top, apart from the safety and security issue, on the highways after say 70-80 kmph the soft top starts fluttering like anything and will make noise at high speeds. In addition to that dust and water will make its way in from some or the other place so you will have to keep an eye after a drive in the rains and wipe it to avoid rust issue. Lastly, Mahindra is not known to provide good quality zips in their canvass soft top, so the 1st thing to go out will the canvass zips after say a year of usage.

Now coming to pros of having a soft top, Jeeps either look beautiful topless or with a canvas which really enhances the character of the vehicle. With the convertible top you will have the flexibility of both the options, summer gods are lenient over Bangalore so driving the Thar with soft top will not be issue in summers, you can imagine the condition in any of the cities of Gujarat.

I have a Thar 700 which has been my primary vehicle since last 20 months, I had kept the soft top for a year since I liked the look of a Jeep with a soft top (sadly Thar CRDe didn’t had the option of a convertible top). I had gone through and discussed with almost all the OEMs manufacturing hardtops for Thar CRDe somehow didn’t like the look of neither the FRP hardtop nor the metal ones. Now doing road trips were becoming difficult due to security concerns and while you are driving for say 12-14 hours a day, having a sleepless night thinking someone might tamper with the Thar is the last thing to have. After much deliberation I went for a semi hardtop which retains the original soft top look from the outside and also provides the convenience and safety when compared to the soft top. Now the Thar is silent as any other car, is lockable and secured. Attaching photo my Thar 700 on how it looks after the semi hardtop.



My suggestion would be, let the Thar set in first, see what you enjoy and what irritates, I know many people who own Thar CRDe and have kept the original soft top with 1 lakh+ on oth ODO. So if you are able to live with the cons of a canvas top don’t change and enjoy it as it comes. A Jeep is best enjoyed in its stock form.

[trammway]

If someone gets a Thar convertible and makes up the mind later for hardtop, is there an option from Mahindra as an accessory?

[ambarkhan]

there should be another poll option for the convertible hard top. Like what is offered on Bronco or Jeep Freedom panel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1dThtJTR_Y

[airguitar]

Bump. Was looking for a bit of technical links on what materials are used to make the hard and soft tops. What are they made of and what is the actual composition that makes up that material? Is the hard top FRP ?

[Ketan]

Originally Posted by airguitar

Bump. Was looking for a bit of technical links on what materials are used to make the hard and soft tops. What are they made of and what is the actual composition that makes up that material? Is the hard top FRP ?

All New Thar hard top is FRP, although not sure about what grade, doesn't look like a very high grade. I assume the after market FRP HTs e.g. one from Bimbra has a better FRP or a combination FRP material than the stock has.

I'm still hopeful to see if M&M is going to bring in a removable HT or someone in the aftermarket can bring in a quality option. I'm completely enjoying everything else about this Thar!

[DirtyDan]

Originally Posted by Ketan

...Any more insights or advise based on your experiences with soft-top (since there wasn’t many convertible top options earlier) jeep that goes beyond the popular opinion?...

Rag tops are filthy dirty and YOU WILL GET FILTHY removing and reinstalling them. I have many kms on cycles and in convertables and I love the open feeling but it comes at too high a cost in safety and convenience for my liking. My 2013's original rag top disintegrated, zippers, plastic windows and top, after only three years. I put a special steel fabricated half cap on my 2013 Thar and a Bimbra fiberglass top on my 2018 Thar and I have been as happy as clam with them both. If you are really set on a rag top then please know that there are shops that specialize in repairing and modifying rag tops and some of them are quite reasonable. It's up to you and how much inconvenience you can tolerate.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by Ketan

All New. I assume the after market FRP HTs e.g. one from Bimbra has a better FRP or a combination FRP material than the stock has.
!

Is it really plausible that an after market hard top in India will actually be better than the OEM one? There would be a great deal of money invested I imagine, by rhe OEM to build a product which stands up to hard use and which causes minimal complaints. Will an after market supplier, however ‘hallowed’, in India, really invest as much in research, development and testing as the OEM can and will? And then there are the questions about Minimum Order Quantities in the manufacturing process as well.

Yesterday I happened to be at the Mahindra Service for some small checks on the Thar. I saw a veritable ocean of brand new Thars in the back yard and spilling over into their main yard. I didn’t bother to count. Most of those I saw were hard tops. Now considering such numbers, I would think that the OEM will much more easily be able to fulfil any MOQ with due attention to quality than the after market.

After all, Bimbra and others aren’t quite in the same league as BesTop and others who do first class, beautifully engineered hard tops and soft tops for the Wrangler in the US. It is also true that India being a highly price sensitive market, has its financial limitations too, as compared to the US.

Frankly, most of our after market providers like Bimbra and Azad and VIN and Prad and Swastik Fabs and Auto Ignite and all are more about ‘fabrication’ than ‘engineering’ per se.

I do not intend to disrespect any or all of them at all. Indeed I am a fully paid up and reasonably satisfied user of some perfectly functional accessories made and installed on my Thar and my Gypsy, by some of these providers.

But in a brand new vehicle such as my Thar, I tend to personally prefer a more ‘tried and tested and proven’ hard-top where there is solid unquestionable accountability. And I will more likely get that peace of mind from the OEM one, vis a vis, the after market.

[sourabhzen]

Originally Posted by GTO

Another significant advantage of the convertible will be that its 10X more fun to offroad open-top, than in a hard-top. Simply put, you are one with nature. Keep the top open when the weather is good and as the morning progresses, you can pull it back up in <10 minutes.

Not in North as the climate is in extremes - too hot, too cold, too polluted and too dusty when it's not raining.

[sandeeprawat]

Originally Posted by Ketan

Thar 2020 is going to be my second car.

For now, I've voted for convertible top while I'm still dreaming about one in rocky beige

Assuming you got CT Thar, do you or any other have any experience to share of your long term ownership with convertible top e.g. quality of top, quality of ride, safety, comfort, maintenance etc.

Thanks

[Ketan]

Originally Posted by sandeeprawat

Assuming you got CT Thar, do you or any other have any experience to share of your long term ownership with convertible top e.g. quality of top, quality of ride, safety, comfort, maintenance etc.

Thanks

Nope, I couldn't change my booking config. In a way it was a practical decision I guess, I could do more with the Thar in HT. Although I wished I can get a decent long term convertible HT solution, preferably from M&M.
I've had friends with CT, I travelled with them, it's not for travelling distance, at certain speeds, to certain places where security, safety or external elements, a concern. I know a few who have moved from CT to HT later on.
We say, Thar cannot be a primary car, a second/third, as a lifestyle vehicle. I'd say if its CT, it should be a second/third of lifestyle vehicles in the stable which you can pick when you exactly want that open jeep experience.