Michigan Bronco Club

Questions for the Soft Tops!

(New to the group, female, first new car).

Like many of you, I switched from the hard top to the soft top hoping I would get my Bronco sooner rather than later. It worked! I'm picking it up today! Very excited, obviously.

Questions for those of you who also chose a soft top, being that we live in Michigan:

1. I have read a lot about people leaving their doors unlocked when they have a soft top so people won't cut it trying to get inside. Should I do that? I love the Ford keypad entry, but I guess I wouldn't be leaving my keys in the car if I'm leaving the doors unlocked. What are you guys doing with your keys, locks, etc.?

2. How are you going to wash this thing?! I'm worried about snow and salt, but I've read we're not supposed to use the car wash due to scraping up the windows. Are you guys going to be using those hand wash bays? I feel like I'm going to be wanting to wash it every day in the winter, but not if I'm freezing and trying to wash it in a bay. What is your winter wash plan?

Thank you so much in advance! I feel like I don't really know what I'm doing. LOL.

Congrats on getting your Bronco! I am loving my soft top so far, and the Bronco of course...
1. I am not worried about someone cutting the soft top, but I don't leave valuable things laying out in the vehicle. Hid things under the seats, or under a blanket in the back if you are worried. If someone wants to get in, they are going to get in, either cut, smash, break... Does this kind of break in happen often, or do people just worry about it happening? I have never heard of anyone's soft top being cut open around me, but I live in N. MI.
2. I have only hand washed so far, and haven't washed the top yet. I bought a soft top cleaner and treatment from Chemical Guys, came with a soft top brush, but haven't needed to use it. I don't think I would use a brush at a car wash bay on my vehicle though, you never know what the last person used it on. I would only use the power washer. Do you have a garage at home to wash it in?

I have never had a soft top vehicle before, so I too am curious about maintaining it.
As hard as it will be to do, my plan is to park my Bronco for the winter once they start salting the roads.

@VelocityBronco

@VelocityBronco Hadn't really thought about it being more "urban legend" than actually happening. Used to have a beat up convertible so I didn't care that much about the top, but you're right, I don't think I've actually heard of anyone getting their top cut open. You just hear "stories" about it.

Thanks for your help!

Breaking down your #1.

Let's think about two scenarios.

1. I am a petty thief, I peer into your bronco looking for a quick score. Coins, stereo?, items left inside. Door locked? I probably will not cut the back of the soft top and crawl up to get a couple quick things and bolt.

2. I am a professional thief (thieves), I plan on stealing your entire vehicle. I have all the tools to cut the top and break in and I am gone with your ride to part out.

Strictly my opinion, don't leave valuables in vision, lock your doors. Worry about any soft top tom foolery if/when it happens. Get an outdoor RING camera at home if you don't have one. Almost everywhere else you park should have cameras.

@gjproducer

@gjproducer That is my thought, I am not going to make it easy for someone to get in and take something. If they want in bad enough, they need to earn it. I have insurance to cover damages. If its locked, they might just move on to the next car and not bother cutting or breaking glass. If its unlocked, they hop in and take anything they want. And you will have to tell your insurance agent that you left it unlocked?

@gjproducer

@gjproducer @VelocityBronco Thanks for the help! At night it will be in the garage, so mostly just worried about it in random parking lots. Seems to be a non-issue, I'll just lock it and be on my way.

We have a lot of people that park cars in their driveways because they either have too many for the garage or too many other toys in the garage. Most of the thefts occur when people don’t lock their vehicles. Many years ago, my wife left her laptop in the minivan overnight and someone just smashed the window and took the computer. As everyone said, lock your vehicle and don’t leave something valuable that can be seen and you probably avoid 90% of the thefts.

We have also had a few neighbors come out the next morning to find their vehicle on blocks and all 4 tires gone.

I have the hardtop, but if I had a soft top, I would still use the same touchless/touch-free wash that I use now. Not sure if I would do the full "Works" package with the soft top though. Being touchless it's high-pressure water and high-velocity fans with no scrubbing (though some have wheel scrubbers), so you SHOULDN'T have any issues with the top's windows. I used my local ones probably once a week since I got mine back at the end of July and so far haven't had any issues (despite having the hardtop v1.0 that had many reports of leakage).

@MontyMoose

@MontyMoose Thank you so much! Great suggestion.

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