How do we feel about sunroofs?

dean1484 said:

I liked them until I started warring glasses. A sun roof or even a glass roof causes weird bad glare on my glasses while driving.  So I am not a fan unless it is overcast or dawn or dusk or at night. 

This is my experience as well - glare from back of my glasses right into my eyes. If I drive a sunroof car I pull the shade closed. 

..and I am 5'-17" tall so they're pretty much a non starter anyway. 
 

+1 for slicktops

Sheesh. I used to care about stuff like weight and complication, but I've owned at least a dozen cars with sunroofs, and I've never had a single one leak. I did have one fail, but it turned out to be a wiring issue that was easy to fix. And the headroom thing has never been an issue for me at 6'0".

I love them, and will always have one if it's available. All windows down and sunroof open is a great way to experience open-air motoring without the compromises of a convertible, plus it's available on literally every body style from sedans to wagons to SUVs and trucks.

I like them.

My last Rabbit had a hand cranked one, and it made that car even more delightful on a warm, sunny day.

I like the panoramic on the Mini, too, though I don't actually open it as often, or even pull the screen back.

Hate, hate, hate....

I don't like losing 3" of headroom. I never use it. Most look like a complete afterthought, especially in this world of amorphous blob jelly bean cars.

My favorite sun roof is the one that's on someone else's car.

Don't hate them but not a fan.

One word if you want to let the sun in: 911 Targa...

Awful, for all of the reasons mentioned, plus in addition to leaking eventually, they make noise eventually. 

My wife likes them, but even then sometimes the option package required to get one is stupid. Oh? You want a sunroof? You'll have to have $2500 of extra E36 M3, minimum to get that.

codrus (Forum Supporter) said:

I used to think they were cool until I got a Miata -- a sunroof is a pale imitation of what a real convertible will give you.  Now I prefer not to have them because the small utility of them isn't worth the loss of headroom, additional weight, and potential leaks.

 

 

Same this is why I have owned so many Miatas and now a Boxster.  A car that is designed as a convertible does the top down thing so well.  I've also owned a few vehicles with T tops and they are far better than sunroofs.  

If we go down the convertible road then I would rather ride a motorcycle.

I have them on a couple of cars and rarely use them.  One is used often...my 1975 Mercedes 450sel. It opens and closes like a vault. It is huge and meaningful. 
Maybe I also just like that it works. 

I love them in a DD and use them quite a lot.  I will pop the back of mine up, with the shade in place, and crack the passenger side rear window. Very good air circulation without my ears taking a beating from wind or other vehicle noise.  I have also never had one leak in the 6 or so cars we have had with them.  Being only 5.9 I have never had any headroom issues but that would change my mind if it had. 

madmrak351 said:

If we go down the convertible road then I would rather ride a motorcycle.

Full leathers and a helmet doesn't deliver the same experience as shorts, t-shirt, and a convertible.

I'm pretty tall with a long torso... and live in a part of the country known for raining 9 months of the year.  
Sunroof is a hard no.  

Heavy, complex, prone to leaks, and blocks helmet.

Zero stars, would not sunroof again.

Weird, I avoid vehicles without them because they feel claustrophobic. I've only had one leak out of about 10 and that was an old Range Rover so I'm not sure that really applies.  

Only had one vehicle with one (nissan pathfinder), and liked it, especially on a summer's night.

During the day, especially summer days - the cover was closed, too much right onto my balding head

Not a fan, but I'm 6'3", so headroom is important. My wife's 2019 Rav4 with a sunroof has many inches LESS headroom than my 2015 WRX without. It's to the point that I can't have sunglasses on top of my head while sitting fully upright. My first car, a 1991 RX7 had a sunroof and I did use it because it had no AC, but I had to nearly lie flat to drive it with a helmet on. I would have preferred it to not have the sunroof, but then again, I'm not a convertible fan either.

My wife's last two cars have had sunroofs due to their trim level and they get used very rarely, mostly staying closed with the sun shade pulled closed.

I just hope my next car doesn't automatically include one.

In reply to Colin Wood :

Convertible wanna-be's. 

My 1986 GTi had a manual sunroof.  At one point the cables went bad and I replaced them during my lunch break in the parking lot with basic hand tools.  I liked the sunroof on that car.

My 1997 Jetta has an electric powered sunroof.  I use it almost daily.  I have had to clean the drains a few times and I was shown a trick to cut the end off the little valve on the end of the drain tube.  The sunroof works fine and I like the sunroof on this car.

My wife had a 1992 Maxima that had a power sunroof.  My wife and I both enjoyed the sunroof on that car until one cold winter day when my wife slowed down to stop at a traffic light and received a cold shower from the sunroof.   My wife said never again and her current Honda Accord has no sunroof.

In reply to codrus (Forum Supporter) :

Understand how you can feel this way. However for me I feel safer in the helmet on the bike. Had a miata for 2 years just felt more exposed and less involved in the process. I know the car should be safer but it is not how I felt. And its not like I have never been hurt on a motorcycle. Not logical but it is how I feel. And I never drove the Miata as  aggressively as I did a fixed roof car.

Out of the nearly 30 cars and 1 truck that I have owned, I had 1 car with a factory sunroof and 3 cars that were factory convertibles.   I specifically ordered a sunroof on the car that had it, a 74 Audi Fox 2 door.  As much as I wanted a silver car, I took a red one because that was the only way to get a sunroof at the end of the model year.  I thought that a German sedan " necessitated " a sunroof for the full European car effect.

To me, a sunroof or moonroof makes a car just that much more special.  It's sort of like the difference between having a shirt that you bought at a department store and having a shirt (even from the same store) that has been monogrammed.   BTW, the sunroof in the Audi never leaked and actually was the only section of roof not rippled when I had a bad accident one morning speeding to work.

The convertibles?  When I was a kid I had the top down 24/7 nearly 365 (lived in Florida).  Nowadays, even though I still live in Florida, the top is rarely lowered.  I like the styling and the ability to lower the top when I feel the need.  But as a senior citizen I find the high speed wind blast with the top down can be annoying on a daily basis.

madmrak351 said:

If we go down the convertible road then I would rather ride a motorcycle.

DD has a sunroof.  Project car one is a convertible and I have two MC's.  I'll take all three paths for the win Alex!

When you're shopping the bargain basement, you get what you get. The only sunroof I had that didn't leak and squeak were Fieros as they were well designed into the car. My 97 Saturn SC2 had one, and one repaired I'll admit to using and sort of liking. Haven't had a sun roof since and don't miss it.

I hate sunroofs.

I use it on my Prelude literally every time I drive the car. Sometimes even when it rains.

I had one frighten me pretty good one night in a mildly modded 89 Prelude with a wind guard. Giving it all I had, doing about a buck 20 and I heard this awful racket. I thought for sure I'd destroyed the motor. Took it out of gear and slowed down, couldn't replicate until one time about 85 with a goofy crosswind and it turns out the wind guard was not made of very strong material and was flapping against the roof.

Also made me hate a certain Honda forum for all the snide comments when troubleshooting. 
 

As someone else just said, I buy cars that are bargains, not typically because I chose the car, but I'm always happier with my purchase if it has a sunroof. It's a little more fresh air and I suppose that's well said that it feels a little special. No, it's not a convertible but they have do their drawbacks too. Only had a couple but no leaks.

Also: Very convenient for high school shenanigans.