SJS Canopies - are they any good?

[BlueBeast]

Just wondering if anyone has any experience - good or bad - with SJS canopies? Dealer I bought new D22 from uses Ironman and SJS and says no problems with either. Maybe he just doesn't get to hear the stories if buyers take the complaint back to manufacturer?
I have done a little bit of searching and seen a few comments on poor quality of SJS. Likewise, also seen a few saying how good/affordable etc they are.
Any advice appreciated - I need to throw my Engel in asap to avoid dehydration while driving...

 

[KraftyPg]

Personally I think their quality is crap and that is how they justify the low price and I'd prefer to spend the extra dollars and get something with a bit of quality. I don't like Flexiglass, ARB or Ironman either but atleast those companies do build with some degree of quality. There has been a collection of newly imported canopies onto the Australian market the last year or so and for the money you spend it pays to compare them to the dearer models and see just where they cut corners to keep the price down.

 

[BlueBeast]

D'oh, you're not making it any easier for me! Got my 10k service done yesterday and spoke with dealer mate - he says no issues or complaints with SJS or Ironman in the 12 months he has been using them.
From what I have been reading here though I reckon I will spend the extra $ rather than take a chance on poor quality. New truck after all and I don't want to cheapen it with a low quality canopy.
Thanks for advice, it is appreciated.

 

[KraftyPg]

There is atleast one person on here with an Ironman canopy and he has had no problems with it. There is probably others with them too but I've see Woody's Ironman and it does the job nicely and is way better quality than SJS. I know I'd rather buy one $3000 canopy from one of the leading brands that's been putting canopies on utes for 20 years than risking half that on a company that has been importing for 12 months and barely has experience in the kind of conditions our vehicles get driven under.

 

[flashum1]

i have an sjs canopy on my d40. only thing i can fault after almost 2 years is the paint, a few little bubbles and cracks here and there. oh, and the rear spoiler is a little loose and won't tighten any further. considering it only cost me $800+gst brand new I cannot complain. if i were to pay almost $3000 like they are asking today i'd have paid an extra couple of hundred and bounght a flexiglass sport. i'd like to add lift up side windows to mine but it'll cost like $300 and im not sure i need them that bad. i'd prob ably pass on ironman for what they are asking, they look very similar to sjs.
conclusion - flexiglass

 

[BlueBeast]

Here is my 'update' of sorts on the subject.
I was out near the listed SJS office today doing a job so decided to drop in and have a look. SJS are not there! Jumped on the internet via mobile phone to check phone number for an updated address - "...the number you have called has been disconnected.."
Does not seem overly professional to me and surely no way to run a business. What if spare parts are needed? How does one make contact?
On the way home I dropped in at the Ironman showroom to have a look there. A 5 week wait until I can even see one in the flesh. Price $2295 plus extra $528 for colour coding - standard in white only.
Seems to me that nobody wants my money.................

 

[KraftyPg]

I think the location and phone number of the SJS factory was discussed in another thread and we found that the location and phone number as advertised in the 4WD rags is wrong. No idea why and I agree it does appear a bit unprofessional but who knows why it happens and eventually an address and phone number was found and listed I believe. They have an ad on Ebay that I think has their correct address on it.

If you dropped into the Ironman factory on Centre Rd I'm suprised you found anything, they guys that run it are deadshits and extremely unhelpful to walk up customers. When I priced their canopy the guy couldn't even tell me how much extras like colour coding, tinting, and tilt up windows were and it took him 3 days to ring me back with an answer.

Go down to Avenger, Jess (a forum member here) will help you out, they appear to be more expensive than Ironman but by the time you finalise all the extras other companies want to add to make their canopies as practical as and Avenger canopy you'll find the cost is only about $200-300 different and that's made up for in the service Avenger offer over the likes of Ironman.

 

[Biscuits]

have a look at 3XM. i just got one fitted for 2350. that is with colour code and fitting.

It has passed the weather test and installers made sure to seal my tub. So i think it is brilliant for the price.

check here Canopy Thread

more pics of my 3XM here Grimlock

 

[Hodge]

I will be in the market for one down the road and have taken SJS in consideration. We have a few vehicles at work fitted with their canopies but they're very recent. Quality feels ok, but test of time is yet to show it's true colours. I haven't got any priced yet or anything. I'll wait for when i actually decide to fit one, then i'll do a more thorough research.
As for location? I'm sure they were on Plenty road, preston, last time i showed interest. I could be wrong though or they may have moved.

 

[Blu Roo]

I saw a really neat canopy at the 4x4 show in Brissie recently and haven't heard anyone speak of them on the forum. I'ts a steel canopy by a mob in Western Sydney called Razorback Gear.
It had a rear tailgate demister, interior light with 3 way switch that can be activated manually or by the tailgate, hidden clamp system(no drill installation) over the rail mount design, colour coded finish, roof rails and rated to carry 100kg with racks or basket.
With sliding windows, central locking, fitted for $3100 for duel cab. $3300 if you want liftup windows. Really nice looking canopy.Has to be better than fiberglass in my opinion and conpetitively priced.

 

[case84]

I no were there will be a very good canvus canopy and roof rack for sale very soon

 

[glenelg]

I have been looking into getting a canopy so many to choose from. The razorback looks very good but I was told they only do side sliders for Navara's. Has anyone seen a pegasus canopy They seem really neat and tidy inside out they too claim a no drill installation Alphaline have these in stock. Then we have Carryboy, Fiber Tec, OEM, 3XM (uhggly), not to mention the ones already mentioned. Too difficult to choose without seeing them in person.

Anyone had any experience with any of these??

 

[KraftyPg]

No drill means they use "J bolts" or the like down the side rails, bear in mind that the D40 utli-track rails mean that the back bolts may get in the way if you remove the cleats. My Avenger uses two "J bolts" at the front and four nuts and bolts drilled into the panel at the rear and when it comes down to it I'd much rather drilling 2 holes almost next to each other than having "J bolts" like the old mans TJM has especially when you see just how flimsy all the panel work in a tub really is.

 

[buldogweddlarry]

D22 Canopy

Which canopy Fibreglass or Steel

 

[KraftyPg]

Thats a bit hard to figure out with no information

 

[gwilks]

hi there sjs canopies are a rip off ,i should have gone the extra mile and paid for quality ,ive been burned by the warranty on them,had a crack on the rear right pillar and bubble on the paint after a year. they claim to have a life time warranty on them yeah right, did the claim and actually had been approved for it to but the company that i brought off from on ebay in melbourne state wide auto dont want to replace it , ive rang numerous times and they tell me its being delivered the next day, day after day for months and months i am furious if i didnt live in victoria i would have been down there already.all i can say is dont give in to the cheap and nasty canopies ,you get what you pay for i suppose.

 

[gwilks]

Just wondering if anyone has any experience - good or bad - with SJS canopies? Dealer I bought new D22 from uses Ironman and SJS and says no problems with either. Maybe he just doesn't get to hear the stories if buyers take the complaint back to manufacturer?
I have done a little bit of searching and seen a few comments on poor quality of SJS. Likewise, also seen a few saying how good/affordable etc they are.
Any advice appreciated - I need to throw my Engel in asap to avoid dehydration while driving...

hi there sjs canopies are a rip off ,i should have gone the extra mile and paid for quality ,ive been burned by the warranty on them,had a crack on the rear right pillar and bubble on the paint after a year. they claim to have a life time warranty on them yeah right, did the claim and actually had been approved for it to but the company that i brought off from on ebay in melbourne state wide auto dont want to replace it , ive rang numerous times and they tell me its being delivered the next day, day after day for months and months i am furious if i didnt live in victoria i would have been down there already.all i can say is dont give in to the cheap and nasty canopies ,you get what you pay for i suppose.

 

[KraftyPg]

hi there sjs canopies are a rip off

I know I could be jumping to conclusions here but that's what they pay me to do so here goes.

Are you a pissed off SJS customer with a Nav or are you just surfing the net looking to bag out the name?

 

[gwilks]

I know I could be jumping to conclusions here but that's what they pay me to do so here goes.

Are you a pissed off SJS customer with a Nav or are you just surfing the net looking to bag out the name?

im a pissed off sjs customer with a triton as i googled sjs canopies to see if anybody else is having the same propblems as me and it came up with this site some one asking about there canopies so i thought i would let yous know whats going on so this wouldnt happen to any of yous. more to the point its probly more where ive brought it from in melbourne wich are more the problem,i have calmed down alot since then ,just giving you the heads up thats all ,im sorry if ive offended anyone on here .ps my computer typing skills arnt the best but im good at texting.

 

[KraftyPg]

No one is offended and warning others at times is a good thing but I do feel it's important for people to understand where those who complain are coming from.

The last thing any forum wants is to become a place where slandering of a company for the sake of trying to hurt them becomes the norm. Airing legitimate grievances are fine but there is always two sides to every story and while this forum is relatively free from such stuff, daily I see people on other forums just join to bitch and make a bad name for companies and I think this forum is above that kind of crap.