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DV8 Slant back hardtop review

19K views 19 replies 10 participants last post by  Klokeofdarkness 
#1 ·
So over the weekend I did this:
 

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#2 ·
DV8 slant back hardtop review

I found precious little information about these things as far as practical reviews, mostly just "hey cool, I'm about to buy one..." Well, after looking at hardtops for a year I did, almost without any hard information.
Now I've got the thing installed and decided to put this out there for other people who might be looking.

Packing:
Excellent: The top arrived crated and plastic wrapped. I though it was well done and would only have been damaged from mishandling during shipping.

Instructions:
Installation instructions had some effort and thought behind them with several pictures. I did read through before installing the top but it could have used a few details.
My last Jeep was a 2 door, dual top TJ and when I read "remove soft top hardware" I only really heard "take off the soft top." Not having dual tops on my JK Unlimited, I didn't realize there were rear door frames. Figured it out, but it caused some initial fumbling.
Color instructions were nice but some of the close up pictures were so close, it was hard to tell what I was looking at. Also labellling 2 door/4 door would have helped with deciphering what was going on.
Torque values should be included if they are different from the OE values. Not providing them leaves DV8 open to liability claims and leaves installers without a clear guideline.

Build quality:
I would characterize overall quality as mostly good. Stainless or black chromate fasteners for the glass would have been a nice touch. The ones that are there appear to be zinc plated. Finish for the black gel coat was good, not show quality. A few air bubbles along some of the edges were evident. If I were painting this top body color, I would insist on filler and sanding before paint.
Fit was good for an aftermarket part. It is fiberglass and was originally built with dimensional data from no more than a couple of vehicles. The factory hardtop is more flexible and should be a factor to think about when you are trying to fit fiberglass. I was able to align everything without enlarging any mounting holes.

Performance:
I had found a few details about this through searching but not very much other than a reference to one top leaking. Guess what - my factory top leaks too. A popular vehicle in high demand is not an excuse for this. Lots of open top vehicles have been produced without leaks so I do not see "it's a Jeep" as an excuse for either the OE or aftermarket parts. That being said, the day after installing the top I took it through a high pressure, touch free car wash. I parked it after the wash and inspected around the interior for leaks. I was happy to not see water coming in at the windshield corners or the rear glass area (no spare tire mounted). The passenger front door did let in some water but this was without the supplied corner shims being installed. I will try it again after adding them and see if there's an improvement.
Moving from soft top to hardtop, I am listening to the radio at a little less than two thirds of the volume I previously was using on the highway.

Overall, I am happy with what I have seen on this top.
 
#3 ·
Found an issue over the weekend while doing a wash/wax. The driver side top widow is chipped along the edge. Looks like it happened during glass cutting.

Something like this, in my opinion, should have been caught and scrapped before it was ever installed into a finished top. I tried taking a picture but the light was not good in the garage at night.

Planning to notify DV8 to see how they handle it. I can't picture a scenario that doesn't require me doing more work than I signed up for.
 
#5 ·
After 1+ year of ownership I don't think they will do much to help you out. Heck, I've been asking them for over 3 months about their fender liners on this forum with no response (and they're a forum sponsor), even their website was down last I checked. I have the feeling customer service isn't on the top of their priority list. I'm just about ready to give up on DV8 and go with a company that actuall cares about their customers. Good luck with your issue.

EDIT, Just realized you said after looking for 1 year, not owning for 1. My bad, still have a feeling things won't turn out the way you're hoping.
 
#6 ·
I've had a few email exchanges both directly from DV8 and the vendor I bought the top from. They gave me the option of either a discount or replacement glass.
I'd rather have the glass repaired so that is what is in progress. Probably a little more trouble than I want because I don't have a local dealer but so far the response seems to be what i would expect.
 
#7 ·
I don't have there top but I did get bumpers from them. had a small problem with the back one and they were right on it. Offered a new bumper right off the bat. I didn't feel that was need so we found a way to fix the problem and I was happy.
I'm glade they are working with you on this as I have been looking at getting a hard top from them.
 
#8 ·
As follow up to this, I just received a new rear glass panel and adhesive from DV8.

Not super thrilled about having to do the installation myself but this is a small company and they can't take losses on customer service like a much larger one would.

Response and follow up were excellent and they did fix the problem.
 
#10 ·
It is a bit of a long story. The wheels were sitting as leftovers from our Q7. They just didn't look right on it and there's not much of a market for them so I bought a set of adapters and put them on the Jeep. Now I have an Audi bolt pattern and use the Q7 compact spare, which is about 17 inches across when fully deflated.
 
#11 ·
Following up on this top after living with it for 6 months.

About 6 weeks ago I had a leak develop which got my driver's seat wet for my drive home from work. Before contacting DV8, I went back through their instructions since I remembered they were somewhat specific about top alignment. I found I was off-center by about 1/4" so I loosened all the mounting bolts, took the front panel off, and took the time to measure both the left and right distances from the top to the windshield frame and the left and right top protrusion from the door frame. Reassembled and leaks are gone.
That being said I believe there is room for improvement on the removable panel. Seal compression looked much higher and the edges than the center, which basically means the seal gap is not consistent along its edge. Something that should have been spotted in during construction. If the seals don't last, there are automotive grade options out there to improve the situation.
Also noted some seal degradation at the rear gate. Sooner than I would expect to see cracking from UV break down. It is not a problem but I'll keep an eye on the rest of the exposed rubber to see how it goes.
Otherwise no issues. Still happy with the top and get lots of compliments on its appearance.
 
#12 ·
Thanks for the 6 month follow up review. I'm sure this thread will help others during their research of this hard top.
 
#13 ·
Ok, it still leaks. Not like a sieve but there's some seepage in the same spot above the driver seat if it sits in heavy rain.
I've also noticed the front panel is not quite square with the rest of the top or the windshield frame. I'll have another look at the seal contacts when I align the top and wait it out again.
 
#14 ·
Seeping and seeping. I finally figured out what's going on with this top.

I was able to fix the issue by ordering some .5" X .75" D-type automotive weatherstripping and putting it along the forward facing edge of the rear top.

Now about those seals that come from DV8: I should have caught this sooner but I wasn't originally looking for flaws in the design. Automotive seals (and other types as well) should not be design for full compression in their intended application. I know this because it has been my job in the past. The removable panel is basically a heavy load that you further clamp down onto a face seal. It causes excess compression set and leads to early failure. Basically a mistake you'd expect to see from someone with little experience in OE applications.

This can and does often work in applications with tightly held tolerances - not the case here. What I added is effectively a partially compressed annular seal that should not see significant compression set over time.

I still like the top and the leak is fixed.
 
#19 ·
Seeping and seeping. I finally figured out what's going on with this top.

I was able to fix the issue by ordering some .5" X .75" D-type automotive weatherstripping and putting it along the forward facing edge of the rear top.

Now about those seals that come from DV8: I should have caught this sooner but I wasn't originally looking for flaws in the design. Automotive seals (and other types as well) should not be design for full compression in their intended application. I know this because it has been my job in the past. The removable panel is basically a heavy load that you further clamp down onto a face seal. It causes excess compression set and leads to early failure. Basically a mistake you'd expect to see from someone with little experience in OE applications.

This can and does often work in applications with tightly held tolerances - not the case here. What I added is effectively a partially compressed annular seal that should not see significant compression set over time.

I still like the top and the leak is fixed.
Do you have a link for the weatherstripping you put on? I'm having the same issues with my dv8 hardtop.
 
#15 ·
Update on the top at 9 months.

Sealing is kind of a poor design. I fought with the seeping issue between the rear and front section for a while. With additional seals added, I got the problem solved at the expense of additional wind noise due to shifting the front section alignment. I finally got everything corrected by aligning the front section so that it was quiet and then "cramming" a rubber seal into place along the gap between the front and rear sections. The car is quiet and it doesn't leak, I just didn't enjoy solving the issue myself.

Finishing materials after 9 months is also an issue. My current Jeep is garaged at night and generally a mall queen as reference for its level of care. The black paint on the top was described by the detail guy as "severely sun faded with streaking on the sides." I've never used anything on the top except Meguair's car wash so I can only attribute it to poor quality paint. The detailer used a product called Penetrol to resurrect the appearance (it is a paint additive but apparently a car detailer secret mainstay). Also, the finish on the rear window hinges had degraded to a rough "velvet" texture. Coming from an automotive engineering background, I can say these are not even automotive aftermarket quality materials. I may get around to having the top sanded and painted body color some time.

Lastly, the DV8 badge you see in the picture popped off. I have it but it was attached with double sided tape. Again, not automotive grade as it would have held longer than 9 months.

In spite of this, the top does not currently leak, is tremendously quieter than the OE versions, and I still like the fastback look. It still draws attention and compliments and people periodically ask me if it is a new model.
 

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#17 ·
I just purchased my Rubi and it came with the DV8 top. Bumping this to see if anyone has had trouble with frequently removing the top for fair weather topless driving. I plan on buying a garage hoist, so I can ride without the top on nice days, but not sure if I'm going to have to fight with it every time.

Thanks in advance for your comments!




 
#18 ·
I just sold my Jeep for another vehicle so this chapter has closed.

If I were planning to remove a hard top frequently, I'd tell you to stay far away from this one and go with the factory hard top. The DV8 top is difficult to align and difficult to keep sealed. I can't imagine trying to keep it correct with frequent removals.

I finally managed to get it situated but it required a few refits and measurements, plus the addition of extra sealing strips between the rear and front sections. Overall it did not leak except for touch free car washes due to the high pressure spray.
 
#20 ·
Cannot say thank you enough for your review and time @Just_John. Currently trying to find info on the 2 Piece Dv8 Tj top. Your info really gives me the idea that I might want to stay away from it.
Looking for a 2 piece top with a good seal for a TJ but noise and leaks are my biggest concerns.

I would happily (well not really) to spend $3,000 for one that has no issues than $2,100 that does. If anyone has any suggestions on one et me know.

Next question is if we decide to go with a 1 piece, What is the overall Consensus when it comes to the best Jeep Top brand?
 
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