USVI-On-Line

Why do the jeep rental companies require that the jeeps keep their tops on?

Sudden showers while you are on the beach drenching the interior

The possibility of inexperienced island drivers having a few drinks and driving a little to fast on steep curvy road

Inexperienced island driver not securing personal items while driving the North Shore Switchbacks

I give you this list as someone that owned a vehicle without a top when I first moved to the island and these may or may nor have happened to me

But those things would never happen to me!

I think Xislandgirl's reasons are probably correct, but I've heard putting those tops back on can be a pain and would imagine that's a hassle the rental car companies just don't want to deal with

Feel free to take off your top, but don't be surprised if some stare and snap photos.

EastEnder wrote:Feel free to take off your top, but don't be surprised if some stare and snap photos.

Maybe they would throw me some beads.

I think it has more to do with putting the top back up than anything else.
The old style jeeps had very simple tops - easily removable.
The newer jeeps for rent here now are much more complicated and with doors and window frames, a lot of attachment points and channels to make the top fit correctly and watertight - a ripped or damaged top is now a very expensive replacement, and will take the Jeep out of service in most cases - the old Jeeps were often rented without tops once the top was torn, but it was a simpler time and visitors had different expectations on many levels, fewer possessions to carry to the beach or town, and water damage or worrying about casual theft was of less concern.