Ongoing General Automotive Thread 2.0

[Locke]

Originally Posted by DownInFlames

What's installed in the bed? It looks like what I would need to haul 4x8 sheets and still have a bed cover.

Maybe its a tent? Maybe he lives in there now? Kind of like the 'Oscar the Grouch' of Ford Trucks?

[woob]

Soft canopy. Apparently safari mode?

[Sliver]

It's called a Softopper. Collapsible, removeable, has sides and a back you just roll down. Self install took under an hour. It's super cool. You order online...$1200 USD for the one for the Maverick. They make them for every truck.

It's like a bimini top for a boat. Basically a collapsible topper.

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Originally Posted by Sliver

It's for my work, so it had to be a truck. Ford Maverick Lobo. Dual clutch torque vectoring rear differential, dual piston from brakes off a Focus ST, crazy tight steering situation...maybe that's off the Euro Focus ST, too? Not sure on that. Factory lowered.

This thing is a blast. Dudes autocross them right out of the box. In Lobo mode with traction control off I was drifting corners.

Niice buy Silver - inspired buy. I love these unique models that break the mold of the ordinary. Does this mean the Tremor is gone?

This'll be the the nicest shop truck ever - maybe put it in valet / teen mode for the delivery driver of your shop?

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by I-Hate-Hulse

Niice buy Silver - inspired buy. I love these unique models that break the mold of the ordinary. Does this mean the Tremor is gone?

This'll be the the nicest shop truck ever - maybe put it in valet / teen mode for the delivery driver of your shop?

The Tremor is still the 'work truck' that's just for me...that one I don't share with the team. The Lobo is going to be the more dedicated work truck, but it doesn't work very hard at my job. Our products aren't super heavy, but they do require a truck and we do truck around daily. I'll take the Lobo home whenever I want to tear around a bit. I have it home this weekend, for instance.

My guys are cool...I'm happy if they get to have some fun driving during the day. Forget valet mode, I'm going to show them how to put it in Lobo mode hah.

[DoubleF]

The softopper concept seems cool, but the deployed pics online threw me off.

Sliver, does it actually look like a loose BBQ cover when it's deployed?

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by DoubleF

The softopper concept seems cool, but the deployed pics online threw me off.

Sliver, does it actually look like a loose BBQ cover when it's deployed?

No way, dude. It's drum tight. Not sure what you were looking at.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by DoubleF

The softopper concept seems cool, but the deployed pics online threw me off.

Sliver, does it actually look like a loose BBQ cover when it's deployed?

There's a product by Wildtop that is similar and has the advantage of being able to install roof racks. It allows for carrying bikes or kayaks or whatever and maybe even a pop up tent.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by Sliver

No way, dude. It's drum tight. Not sure what you were looking at.

This. Sides looked good. Back looked loose.

https://www.mavericktruckclub.com/fo...ailable.25473/

[D as in David]

Originally Posted by DoubleF

This. Sides looked good. Back looked loose.

https://www.mavericktruckclub.com/fo...ailable.25473/

Sounds like someone i once dated.

[cam_wmh]

Well this is unexpected, and pretty neat.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by DoubleF

This. Sides looked good. Back looked loose.

https://www.mavericktruckclub.com/fo...ailable.25473/

I see why it looks like that. It's a plastic window so I think it's just catching a bunch of light in a weird way in this pic. IRL it's very tight. The window is like a Jeep window on their soft tops. Actually the fabric is like a Jeep top's fabric...probably the same stuff.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by Sliver

I see why it looks like that. It's a plastic window so I think it's just catching a bunch of light in a weird way in this pic. IRL it's very tight. The window is like a Jeep window on their soft tops. Actually the fabric is like a Jeep top's fabric...probably the same stuff.

Sorry, I wasn't trying to shoot it down. I was actually wondering if you were getting a truck before when you said we wouldn't guess, but I wasn't sure you could whip a truck around. The combo with the Softopper actually seems pretty cool and while I wouldn't put a truck at the top of the list for a next vehicle, it's not technically off the list either.

I just ran into some reviews where some people said soft is no good with some non flattering comparisons and it's all hard top or nothing. Either way, it did seem super cool, but there were some worse pics that I stumbled on and I don't know if it was just pics an off brand being brought into the discussion or if some people didn't read instructions and installed it super poorly.

The Jeep comparison makes sense to me. Seems really neat. Congrats on your ride!

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by DoubleF

Sorry, I wasn't trying to shoot it down. I was actually wondering if you were getting a truck before when you said we wouldn't guess, but I wasn't sure you could whip a truck around. The combo with the Softopper actually seems pretty cool and while I wouldn't put a truck at the top of the list for a next vehicle, it's not technically off the list either.

I just ran into some reviews where some people said soft is no good with some non flattering comparisons and it's all hard top or nothing. Either way, it did seem super cool, but there were some worse pics that I stumbled on and I don't know if it was just pics an off brand being brought into the discussion or if some people didn't read instructions and installed it super poorly.

The Jeep comparison makes sense to me. Seems really neat. Congrats on your ride!

Hah, didn't think you were shooting it down, don't worry!

Yeah, most of those guys don't know jack sht. I've had hard toppers, hard tonneaus and now a softopper. 99.9% of reviewers are car enthusiasts and don't understand trucks or how trucks are used.

When you think about it, almost everything you own had components in the back of a pick-up truck at some point in its journey to you. Your food, your clothes, your furniture...all along the path from raw materials to finished goods pick-up trucks are needed. Car guys like cars because they're fun and they handle well. When they review trucks, I always chuckle at what they focus on because they never "get" it. A truck isn't a car and its not used in the same way. It's a tool that can haul and tow. The Lobo is a unicorn in that respect in that it can handle and be tossed around like a hot hatch, but also do most truck things.

This softopper can collapse in one minute to open the entire box, which means you can put tall items in the back of a truck. A hard top absolutely caps the height of your loads in a very limiting way. The plus side of a hard top is added security; however, they're hilariously easy to break into, so the security is more of an illusion. The softopper is really for people who use their truck for truck things and need the flexibility. The price point is also really cheap for what you get.

But yeah, honestly, these guys don't have a clue what they're talking about...I'd ignore them. This is the only bed cover that can offer an open or enclosed box to adjust to your load in seconds. Removing a hard topper is a big endeavor requiring two people and storage. I had a hard topper on my old F150 and I did love it in many ways, but too many times it bit me when I needed to carry a tall load (e.g. a commercial air compressor, some machinery for my shop, a load that measured fine to get into the truck, but I hadn't accounted for the height of the pallet, etc.).

[PepsiFree]

Maybe I was just looking for it but I’ve seen a couple Mavericks since this reveal, and can’t remember ever having seen them before that.

Can confirm, very small.

Thought one was Sliver, white with a black soft cover on the back. Should’ve honked just in case.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

Maybe I was just looking for it but I’ve seen a couple Mavericks since this reveal, and can’t remember ever having seen them before that.

Can confirm, very small.

Thought one was Sliver, white with a black soft cover on the back. Should’ve honked just in case.

Geez, had to have been mine. Wasn't driving it yesterday, but the shop put about 100kms on it. You would have really confused my guy if you started talking "sliver" to him haha.

edit: and we have the sides rolled down now for some cargo that needed to be covered, so if it wasn't in safari mode that would track

[DoubleF]

I grew up with the FORD = Fix or repair daily thing... but I must admit, Ford has some offerings lately that piqued my interest. Whether it's the Escape, Mach E, Lightning... even the Maverick has occasionally turned my head even before Sliver mentioned it. Even the Bronco brings up child like memories of vehicles.

[Sliver]

Fuzz I see you're in here: I have my bed extender installed and it does give the six-foot bed you pine for. It's really slick.

[Fuzz]

Ya, the soft top is a tempting route. I'll have to take a picture next time I take my hard topper off. Probably only once a year I need to do it. I built a wood frame I can quickly assemble that I back the truck up to, then I transform from a pickle to the world's largest turtle, and walk it back onto the rack, so I can do it myself in about 10 minutes.


You are selling me on the soft top idea. Is there a way to rack stuff above without an entire separate cage? If I have long materials I often put them on the roof, and had thought about a canoe.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Fuzz I see you're in here: I have my bed extender installed and it does give the six-foot bed you pine for. It's really slick.

Sure, but a 6 foot turns into an 8 foot! For me personally the 6 foot bed is mostly because I can put bikes in the back and close the tailgate and topper. It makes it so you can just toss all manner of stuff and not worry about the weather, or losing stuff. Ultimately I want a travel trailer, and be able to have bikes in the truck with everything else sealed and covered(dusty roads).