Sunroofs: your opinions

[trinacriabob]

Every once in a while, I get a rental car that is equipped with a sunroof. This happens when the MC is a 3.9 LT upgrade or a GP with the Supercharger (last year) and just this weekend in a Mercury Milan Premier.

It was very nice driving the car around and seeing the stars through the glass sunroof. It was also nice having it open, sticking my hand up and catching the cool breezes off the coast.

My biggest objection is that I hear they tend to leak. Also, if the power accessory fails, is that an expensive fix?

Your experiences?

Edited August 29, 2006 by trinacriabob

[Cory Wolfe]

Have one... love it... and works perfectly on my 166k 11 y/o Mazda.

[mr.nice]

Had two experiences...once in my first car, a 1986 Camaro with Ttops. A sunroof in my leased '98 Cavalier Z24.

Camaro was 8 years old when I got it. Leaked like a seive in heavy rain.

With about 2 months to go in my Cavalier lease (so jujst before the warranty would've been up), its started a drip in a heavy rain or in the (no touch) car wash.

Up here in tis part of North America, the cold winters wreak havoc on the weather stripping. Sure, cold weather, but the odd warm spell in the middle of winter softens it up again, and allows a partial melt....but then when the sun goes down it (the water metling) freezes inside the strippping...etc.

Never again.

I had to factory order my 2004 Z71 Avalanche and wait 8 weeks, because all that were available (at the end of the month, so the salesman could make his $$) had sunroofs.

The 5-6 months of decent weather we get here they're nice, but as soon as you see that first drip, they become a PITA.

[PurdueGuy]

It largely depends on the design of the sunroof as to the likelihood of it leaking. Also, and this is a BIG also, people often misunderstand what a "leaking" sunroof is. If you ever look at a sunroof opening with it open, you'll notice a trough. Sunroofs don't really seal perfectly anyway - they have a trough with drains to divert that bit of water that gets through. Many sunroof "leaks" are actually sunroof drain clogs that back the water up & overflow the trough, getting the headliner, etc., wet.

[NOS2006]

Do not have sunroof - would like to have - would probably not get one

I'd rather get T-Tops on this ride!

[the_yellow_dart]

No sunroof - no desire.

I have a long torso. I've been in a few cars with sunroofs, and in all of them, I hit my head on the bump the edge of the sunroof makes in the roof. This includes:

Cobalt

Grand Prix

Eclipse

[Paolino]

No sunroof - no desire.

I have a long torso. I've been in a few cars with sunroofs, and in all of them, I hit my head on the bump the edge of the sunroof makes in the roof. This includes:

Cobalt

Grand Prix

Eclipse

186244[/snapback]

Same here!

[Satty]

After living with a convertible so long I really began to enjoy the openness, sunroofs are the next best thing since they're more practical. My L200 and Solara had sunroofs, the Fusion doesn't and I miss having one everyday. I may get one installed sometime, but its not in the cards for anytime soon.

[Nick]

I have a sunroof, I like it and it works well. I especially love the auto open/close, which, while it may not be anything special on newer cars (most cars with them have atleast auto open), I still find it very convenient.

Though, if I had an all out performance vehicle, I'd probably opt for no sunroof.

[ocnblu]

I was going to post something along the lines of what Perdue Guy said... most of the "warranty" issues with leaky sunroofs have been the result of clogged drains... which is not a factory defect, but a lack of maintenance on the customer's part.

I have owned two cars with sunroofs, the GTI and the ION, and I love 'em.

[Jazzhead]

I have a sunroof (the old-fashioned hand-cranked variety) on my Focus, and the power variety on my 300C. I like 'em (neither leaks), mainly because of the sunlight coming through when closed. They lend an airy feel to the cabin with more natural light. The Focus roof I will open in nice weather, but usually keep the 300C roof closed because the wind noise is atrocious. The Focus roof is, for whatever reason, much quieter.

[american_revolution_2005]

We have had sunroofs in many cars. My moms 85 Laser XE, 85 Bronco II, 99 Concorde LXi, 99 Ford Windstar and our two vehicles now, our 2004 Tahoe LT, and our 2003 Expedition EB. We have had no problems in any of these cars with sunroofs. No leaking, no problems with how it worked.

[Robert Hall]

I have two of 'em...my Jeep has the glass type, and my BMW has a metal one...never any problems. They are great here in Colorado, as we get a lot of sunny days..

[RBB]

My current car doesn't have a sunroof, but the two cars I had before that did - well, the power moonroof, anyway.

I absolutely loved having them. If you have the means and aren't so tall you can't sit under them (I'm 6'2" and had no problems), I'd say go for it. My cars had 160K and 135K on them when I traded them in and I never once had a problem with leaks on either one.

-RBB

[staceface]

Hi Guys:

I wouldn't drive a car WITHOUT a sunroof - i've never had one leak and like Blu said, most leaks are due to lack of customer maintenance rather than factory defect. I am driving a G6 Gt with the panoramic roof, and I love it even more than the convertible. It tends to be a little more wind noise than the regular sunroof, but not enough to make it inconvenient...

[CARBIZ]

My brother-in-law had a '86 Camaro with a T-top and it leaked, but that was the '80s. The seals have improved over the years, especially their ability to resist the UV rays that dry them out.

Newer ones will last for decades, but they must be MAINTAINED. Clean out the drain holes and the trough around it and treat the gaskets a couple times a year, especially in the north where the winters are harsh.

I've sold hundreds of vehicles with sun roofs and other than the odd mechanical failure, my customers have been very happy with them.

[z28luvr01]

Have one in the Cobalt. I love it, except for the switch, which doesn't have the express open/close feature. No leaks at all after 10K miles, and I clean out the sunroof tracks/drains and lube up the seals with some silicone every so often.

[Satty]

It doesn't auto open/close if you hold the button for a couple of seconds? The Solara's was like that, you had to hold the button just a little bit longer for the auto open/close to take over.

[z28luvr01]

Nope, no auto open/close at all. If I let the switch go when the roof is halfway open, it stops moving. The funnny/stupid thing is, the HHR's sunroof (same platform) has a different switch that does auto open/close. If I get annoyed/bold enough, I may try to make that switch work in the Cobalt.

[ToniCipriani]

I have the basic spoiler sunroof with my G6. Love it, works well in the summer.

I didn't opt for the panoramic, as I couldn't justify paying 3000 bucks for a roof, and because of the problems (leaks and creaking).

[usonia]

My Maxx came with one, but my preference would be not to have one. I never use it fully open. I sometimes tilt it up when I first get in the car to let the hot air escape but I always leave the sunshade closed. I don't like to have sun shining down behind my sunglasses and I don't like the noise. Plus, having a shaved head, I don't need a sunburn on top either.

[The O.C.]

Every once in a while, I get a rental car that is equipped with a sunroof.  This happens when the MC is a 3.9 LT upgrade or a GP with the Supercharger (last year) and just this weekend in a Mercury Milan Premier.

It was very nice driving the car around and seeing the stars through the glass sunroof.  It was also nice having it open, sticking my hand up and catching the cool breezes off the coast.

My biggest objection is that I hear they tend to leak.  Also, if the power accessory fails, is that an expensive fix?

Your experiences?

186195[/snapback]

A leaking sunroof is the LAST thing I worry about nowadays....no matter what kind of car I'm in.

I can't remember the last time any one of my cars with sunroofs even leaked in a high-pressure power car wash.

Wind noise with it closed is nonexistent as well.

I think the technology has dramatically improved with sunroofs over, say, the last 20-30 years.

I can remember my 1984 Skylark T-Type with a "pop-up" sunroof that whistled at speed and would drip water in heavy rain or car washes....

Seems you used to have to put up with some compromises....but not any more.

[Satty]

The sunroof in my Saturn was aftermarket and it didn't leak at all. I'm not sure if there was any extra noise as a result of it since the wind noise from the a-pillars would drown out anythign else.

[regfootball]

I've had sunroofs in like 6 cars now I think and they've all been trouble free. the one on my oval Taurus never closed quite flush but even then it didn't leak, it whistled a bit.

I have one on my 500 and Aztek now.

I like the GM design of the roof over the top of the car. Its cool. I didn't think I would like it but it really looks cool and saves head room.

I would like to try a panorama sunroof like on G6 or a vista roof like on the new Ford edge, but worry about potential issues. Mostly I would be concerned that the sunshades block enough light on top.

[Flybrian]

One in the Bonnie, never a problem even in the worst of rainstorms. The one feature I wish my Olds had is a moonroof and my next car will definitely have one.

[Delta Force79]

I have one in my 95 Riv....it dosen't leak, but I hardly ever open it...during the day the sun shines in a washes out the creen on my Sirius, and when it's closed the sun shade is always closed because the wind noise is horrible. I've had a few problems with the sunroof opening....where it won't open for an entire day but it'll vent...then the next day it works again....that has happened 4 times since I bought it this past Feb. So I like to play it safe and keep it closed.

[razoredge]

The past two cars have sunroofs. We would not buy a new or newer car without one. Spoiled. Factory sunroofs are not a problem as has been discussed. Aftermarket sunroofs are another story. They do not have the drain troughs. Stay away.

Best bet is a G6 retractable.............................

Solstice....................

C6 convertable...........................

XLR.....................V

[Sixty8panther]

Voted: "Have a sunroof - like it - works well"

I use the sunroof in the Q45 on regular occasion. It works

well 99% of the time. The '97 STS was my first car with a

sunroof and shortly after I got it the novelty wore off. What

made me dislike sunroofs slightly was that around 130,000

miles the STS developed a annoying and painful sounding

grinding noise when the sunroof would open. Also it's been

misaligned when closed for a while. Worse than anything is

the super annoying non-intuitive switch on the STS.

FWD and transverse motor aside this was my the biggest

annoyance with that car. You'd have to let go at the

-P-R-E-C-I-S-E- second so that the roof would stay closed

and NOT open up in tilt mode.

I can't believe I still own that car. First person with $1500

can have the damn thing. It's got 145,00o miles on it and

pisses out oil like a faucet. Still it will do the 1/4 in 14.9.

Edited August 30, 2006 by Sixty8panther

[razoredge]

Voted: "Have a sunroof - like it - works well"

You'd have to let go at the

-P-R-E-C-I-S-E- second so that the roof would stay closed

and NOT open up in tilt mode.

186616[/snapback]

97 LSS does not do this, if you push it by mistake the second time it goes to tilt. Must have a malfunction in a relay ? Knowing GM I cant believe there is any difference between an STS sunroof and our Olds sunroof.

[bowtie_dude]

We got a Hebasto 1-touch programmable sunroof installed in our 06 Escape when we got it back in March. Before I really didn't see the big deal about sunroofs, didn't ever really want one, but my wife did.

Now, however, I've really grown to like it and will likely try to get one with my new car.

[Flybrian]

I can't believe I still own that car. First person with $1500

can have the damn thing. It's got 145,00o miles on it and

pisses out oil like a faucet. Still it will do the 1/4 in 14.9.

186616[/snapback]

Now I know why you don't sell cars for a living anymore...

[DetroitNut90]

My dad's '91 Explorer had a moonroof that only tilted. Our '81 Jaguar XJ6 has a power sliding unit. Both are water-tight, but we never used the one in the Explorer, and the Jag's only gets opened to air the cabin out when we move it around.

I love how sunroofs make the cabin feel more open, so yes, I'd get one.

[regfootball]

how bout those VISTA roofs?

cool as beans vista roof?

the custom cruiser makes me moist. I would kill to get one in good shape.

Edited August 30, 2006 by regfootball

[Northstar]

I had/have one in the Alero, but not in the GTO. I do miss it sometimes, but I just roll the windows down anyways, plus the GTO is so much fun to drive that I hardly ever wish I had one. Sometimes when it's a beautiful day out I wish I had one, but most of the time I don't even think about it.

[toyoguy]

something about 100lbs on the roof of a car will never appeal to me.

But I think my next car will have one, they are becoming universal on nearly everything these days.

[I hope GMRULES again]

Have had 2 and never had any problems at all. Actually like it most this time of year when it starts getting a little cooler I open it more often, I'm not a big fan of the sun beating down on my head.

[trinacriabob]

how bout those VISTA roofs?

the custom cruiser makes me moist. 

186720[/snapback]

VISTA roofs are COOL. Very much an Oldsmobile styling cue.

And don't you love the twin waterfall grilles which were another Oldsmobile styling cue?

"It's a great feeling to have an Olds around you" was a slogan of theirs when I was a kid.

Back to sunroofs/moonroofs.

[regfootball]

something about 100lbs on the roof of a car will never appeal to me.

But I think my next car will have one, they are becoming universal on nearly everything these days.

187120[/snapback]

you need to make the sunroofs a little sturdier, otherwise, they shatter and fly off like they do on those Scion Tc's.....

[regfootball]

i could SO haul sheets of drywall in that customer cruiser, and the gods above could them through that VISTA ROOF

Edited August 31, 2006 by regfootball

[ToniCipriani]

Voted: "Have a sunroof - like it - works well"

I use the sunroof in the Q45 on regular occasion. It works

well 99% of the time. The '97 STS was my first car with a

sunroof and shortly after I got it the novelty wore off. What

made me dislike sunroofs slightly was that around 130,000

miles the STS developed a annoying and painful sounding

grinding noise when the sunroof would open. Also it's been

misaligned when closed for a while. Worse than anything is

the super annoying non-intuitive switch on the STS.

FWD and transverse motor aside this was my the biggest

annoyance with that car. You'd have to let go at the

-P-R-E-C-I-S-E- second so that the roof would stay closed

and NOT open up in tilt mode.

I can't believe I still own that car. First person with $1500

can have the damn thing. It's got 145,00o miles on it and

pisses out oil like a faucet. Still it will do the 1/4 in 14.9.

186616[/snapback]

We should really find a guy now and start adding FWD in EVERY single post.

[The O.C.]

I like the GM design of the roof over the top of the car.  Its cool.  I didn't think I would like it but it really looks cool and saves head room.

186441[/snapback]

GM's spoiler-type sunroof does save headroom......however, EVERY single one I've been in roars quite loudly in the fully-open position at freeway speeds.

I'm sure it's because with the spoiler-type, it's opening up directly into the rushing airflow.

I much prefer the "normal" slide-back design that is quite a bit quieter at speed when fully open.

[regfootball]

GM's spoiler-type sunroof does save headroom......however, EVERY single one I've been in roars quite loudly in the fully-open position at freeway speeds.

I'm sure it's because with the spoiler-type, it's opening up directly into the rushing airflow.

I much prefer the "normal" slide-back design that is quite a bit quieter at speed when fully open.

187453[/snapback]

mine is quiet.

[bobo]

I've had four sun/moonroofs with no problems (2 Acuras, 1 Honda, 1 Lexus; the Aurora also had one, but I didn't own that car long enough for it to count). A sunroof is almost obligatory for me. I like the ventilation in the mornings and night. The extra light is also nice when the sun isn't blistering. I wouldn't get one of the louver-type panoramic sunroofs. My brother has one in his MB ML-Class, and it rattles like crazy.

[XM DUDE]

I had one in the last car and don't have it in my current Tahoe as it is either too hot or too cold where I live so it isn't a necessity to me.