Ursa Minor Pop-Top Jeep JK

[jktowhere]

For you denver guys:

How did you or do you plan to get it he top to you? Drive there pick it up? Ship? I am curious about this. Saving on shipping cost would be a fun road trip, but time is money etc etc. I assume it would be ideal to do a summer pick up if I drove out there since I could not drive out there with a top on.

 

[brianjwilson]

I'm not in Denver but near Portland Oregon.
I had mine crated and shipped for around $450 if I remember right. (Don't quote me)
Oregon has no sales tax and California is really high. Shipping it to oregon saved me the pain of giving money to the state of California.

 

[skates04]

This is pretty darn tempting when you figure you can sell your hard top for $1000-1500. I've been planning on a roof top tent, and either the Gobi or AEV rack. I am not a fan of roof racks, going this route I would be saving another 1000-1500 by not having to buy a rack (The only reason I wanted one was for a tent)..... You knock off $2-3000 if you have a hard top to sell and the money you save by not having to purchase a roof rack.... The wheels are turning and this is really starting to make more sense! I wonder how much fuel I would save by not having the drag of a rack and RTT up there?

Has any one run BOTH setups? RTT and then the J30?

Just wondering the difference in being top heavy? The J30 obviously puts the weight lower, and is spread out better, it appears.... but do you still notice it up top much?

 

[jktowhere]

My logic is to jeep a normal hard top, and store the j30 in the garage and switch out when needed. Sounds easy (as much as switching a top can be) but is it really that easy?

 

[JDaPP]

I did not run a RTT on my JK, but I did run one on my KJ. I can tell you I like the J30 much better. I don't even know it is there most of the time, I saw very little change going from soft top to hard top weight/handling wise, but did lose some MPG (~1 mpg). I like that I don't have to load and unload the RTT before a trip, and that I can pretty much just throw a change of clothes in the car and go. The only negatives I have is I can't sit straight up in the J30 and I could in the RTT and I like my KJ because it is a little quieter on the road and has a diesel so I get almost twice the MPG. In a perfect world I would create a KJ30, but I am neither smart enough or handsome enough to pull something like that off so I will continue to use my J30 and highly recommend it to others.

Also I used all of your money justifications to buy the J30, so I think you are pretty spot on with those assessments.

 

[JDaPP]

My logic is to jeep a normal hard top, and store the j30 in the garage and switch out when needed. Sounds easy (as much as switching a top can be) but is it really that easy?

Yes, as long as you have some sort of hoist system and enough ceiling space. The top is pretty heavy (300lbs?) and it is full length unlike the normal hardtop which you can remove the front pieces from. The only other difference is the J30 attaches in the front via 2 bolts that go through the rollbar instead of the normal windshield clamps.

I keep the J30 on all the time, but if I was going to do what you were talking about I would go softtop with quick releases and the J30 as my hardtop. But that is just me.

 

[JDaPP]

I've just spent the last week reading over every Ursa Minor J30 review I can find - this is by far the best discussion about it.

So for those that have one, any thoughts on how hot the pop up might get in the late afternoon/early evening if it was painted matte black like the top?

BrianJWilson, you mentioned you spend a few nights in Utah in 100+ degree heat, how much did your white top radiate heat into the bed area?

The UMV site strongly advises against painting it black, but I just want to rule out an obvious aesthetics choice (having the black top all be one color, rather than white and black, on my steel blue metallic '08 JK). I'm eager to hear any thoughts anyone cares to offer.

Thanks to Cobble and Brian for being early adopters on this new camper option and sharing their experience so thoroughly on this site and others.

My top is all black. My father-in-law was supposed to only paint the sides black, but he "misunderstood" me and painted the whole thing black. I was on deployment, so not much I could do about it. I have not noticed any major change but I have not really had a chance to camp in 100+ heat in the middle of the day. I would just do the sides if you want to go that route.

 

[bikemanx2]

Well my wife and I were able to meet bigfish this morning to have an in person look at his j30. Thanks again for meeting us? I think we are sold and will be ordering one this spring. I was most worried about the room length wise since I am 6'3 but it had plenty of room. Very nice unit that we are excited to get!

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk

 

[bigfish]

No problem, bikemanx2. Just tell John at UMV I sent you and to finish those quarter panel storage lockers before starting your build. Some of us have been very patient...

I picked up the top at UMV. Since I already traveled all the way from Denver, I promptly made a trip down to Baja to 'test' it out. Obviously, I can't speak for the shipment costs. I got my top before the 2013 price hike too and when gas was $4/gallon, so my travel numbers are not going to work for you either. But I think that with the jaunt to Baja, it was the better option to travel to CA for pickup. Another perk is that the UMV guys install it for you and check that everything is kosher.

I sold my HT for $1500 in Denver. I then bought a Trektop on CL for $200 for the trip to CA and then sold it there. I ordered the standard top with no options, except that they installed 4 Rigid Industries A-Series lights in place of the normal light kit.

All said and done I was around $5k for the conversion... not including travel expenses for my impromptu Baja vacation with a short stop at UMV.

Compare that to a Gobi rack and a comparable RTT like a AutoHome Maggiolina (made overseas and you pay shipping) it is very economical and overall a better solution.

 

[brianjwilson]

Yes, if you pick one up without many options and sell a hard top for around $1500, it's really a great solution compared to a heavy bulky rack and even taller roof top tent.

 

[Septu]

Yes, if you pick one up without many options and sell a hard top for around $1500, it's really a great solution compared to a heavy bulky rack and even taller roof top tent.

Depends on the tent. If you go with one of the hard top ones (CVT, Autohome, James Baroud), that keeps things pretty low, and gives you a few options. But I would imagine the price for the rack and tent would be similar to that of the popup.

 

[brianjwilson]

The auto home is over 12" tall isn't it? Even a low profile rack is going to put the base of the auto home 3" or more above the roof. So 15" or more compared to 6" of the Ursa Minor. Plus the Ursa Minor can have a roof rack to carry other toys.
It may not be for everyone but there is a huge difference between my top and other friends nearby with racks and roof top tents. Height, weight, wind drag etc all makes a difference whether you're running down the highway at 70+ mph or off road on brushy trails, rocks, off camber etc.

 

[jeepovich]

Two more weeks left till I get my unit!

This is how I came to justifying the purchase. When comparing J30 to RTT, it has to oranges to oranges vs oranges to apples. CVT, Autohome, James Baroud and other hard shell/clamp type of RTT are the only RTTs that should be considered. The cost of those units on the average is in $3500 and up range. Then you have to add the cost of roof rack. Considering possible options for RTT and miscellaneous bits (taking into a count like shipping , taxes, installation) the total cost can easily reach $5000- $ 6000
On the other hand, the final cost of my J30 including matching paint job minus top lid , map pocket option , rear light option, front 12V and USB option, roof rack mounts on top lid, plus CA tax , plus installation = $7500. Then I get to sell my hard top lets say for $1500 . Now I'm at $6000.
After establishing the $$$ aspect of the comparison (remember oranges to oranges) between J30 & clamp type RTTs lets look at the ownership and use. As an advantage J30 allows you to enter/exit from inside the vehicle. That means using vehicles heater/a/c , deploying in snow/wet condition and standing up inside (big plus for me) is possible. RTT can not do that. Another point is that with J30 you now have carpeted hard top vs ugly, white interior of OEM unit.
Vehicle height: J30 adds 6" . RTT by it self is at least 7" then you have to add the roof rack height and possibly the height of RTT mounting hardware. That may add 12" to 17" to the total vehicle height. ALso the RTT and roof rack combo are not as air dynamic and may generate louder noise and decrease MPG in comparison to J30.
After showing all advantages of J30 and almost same cost in comparison to clamp type RTT to my lady, she gave her OK. Two more weeks left till I get my unit !

 

[KellyM]

Hi JDaPP:

Would you mind posting a picture of your all black top? I am trying to decide what to do color-wise when I order my J30. I have a white Jeep and was originally thinking of painting the sides of the top portion black like you intended.

Thanks,

Kelly

 

[Wiant]

Why is Ursa Minor charging $250 a piece for rear quarter panel glass when the OEM top comes with rear quarter panel glass?

I assumed UM was buying OEM tops and then converting them to accommodate the J30 camper top. If UM is NOT using OEM tops I'm significantly worried about the consistency of fit from an aftermarket top with the JKU frame. How many stories have we all read or heard about aftermarket tops leaking like crazy?

$500 is a hefty additional charge to get the J30 to minimum OEM specs and does not compensate us for the risk of ending up with a leaky roof for 3x the price.

Is there a UM rep that can address this concern?

Thanks.