Sunroof? Yes, another car thread 😂

[mmasc]

Do you have and do you like/hate the sunroof in your car? It seems like they’re very common in the newer models now.

Two vehicles I’ve looked at this week are basically the exact same car and same price. One has a sunroof, one doesn’t. So, would you prefer the one with it or without? 

Edited March 15, 2019 by mmasc

[Ali in OR]

When we got our wheelchair-accessible van (a converted Honda Odyssey), we were in the midst of our homeschooling years and also driving around to various kid activities. I decided that the sun roof was a desirable feature not because we open it, but because it's basically a window in the roof when we pull back the cover and it lets more light into the car. If you are doing schoolwork in the car with one kid while the other kid is taking a class at the middle school, and you're in Oregon in the winter, extra light is a good thing! Obviously you can live without it, but if you're in a darker/colder part of the world, it can be a good thing. Maybe folks in Florida wouldn't be so excited about getting more sun into the car.

[Mbelle]

I never use the sunroof.  It usually makes it too hot or the extra light just adds more glare.

[MEmama]

I looooove having a sunroof.

I probably wouldn't pay extra just to have one, but it came packaged with seat heaters (which prior to test driving my current car in subzero temperatures I swore I'd never want, and now wouldn't want to do without, lol). 

I keep the shade open open all year for extra light--a nice bonus during our gloomy winters. :)

[DawnM]

I love sunroofs.  Most of our cars have had them.

[Ann.without.an.e]

I am a sun lover so I love having a sunroof.  I wouldn't have paid a bazillion dollars more for it but I like one and the cards seem to stack in such a way that I have ended up with one again.

For us, leather and AWD were our non negotiables.  If we had gone with the Subaru Ascent, the sunroof would have stacked a good bit on (but dear, have mercy me, they have an amazing panoramic sunroof that I drooled over), but with the Pilot you have to move into the EX-L for the leather and you automatically get a sunroof so 🙂 

This is why the Pilot was cheaper for us than the Ascent.  The basic Ascent is cheaper than the basic Pilot but once you add on things like leather, etc. The Pilot gets cheaper.

Edited March 15, 2019 by Attolia

[Bambam]

I live in TX. I wish I had a sunroof again - sure when it is noon in the summer, you need to keep the light-blocking inside cover closed (not sure what that is called!). I like the extra light in winter (although it is typically sunny here). On spring and fall days, I like to open it to let the wind ruffle my hair too. I wouldn't pay extra for one, which is why I don't have one! 

[alisoncooks]

Once the novelty wore off, we seldom used our sunroof. So far we've not had any problems (leaks, etc) but I always think that the more moving parts something has, the greater the chance of something breaking. 

[mmasc]

1 minute ago, alisoncooks said:

Once the novelty wore off, we seldom used our sunroof. So far we've not had any problems (leaks, etc) but I always think that the more moving parts something has, the greater the chance of something breaking. 

This was my first thought. (Probably because my first car had leaking t-tops!) But then we test drove the identical one with the sunroof, and I loved the extra light. But it was cold and dreary here that day, so that’s probably why I liked it so much. If we live in our normal, hot sunny locations, then I can see how I’d not want extra sun coming in. But we never know where we’re going to live, so I can’t take that into consideration! 😆

[edelweiss]

I have had a sunroof in my last two cars.  I never ever use it. It is just something that came with my car because I wanted other features.

[Ann.without.an.e]

18 minutes ago, mmasc said:

This was my first thought. (Probably because my first car had leaking t-tops!) But then we test drove the identical one with the sunroof, and I loved the extra light. But it was cold and dreary here that day, so that’s probably why I liked it so much. If we live in our normal, hot sunny locations, then I can see how I’d not want extra sun coming in. But we never know where we’re going to live, so I can’t take that into consideration! 😆

 

My sunroof still works beautifully in my 15 year old Pilot with 230,000 miles haha.  I guess didn't hesitate because of this.

[Pen]

I’ve not sought one, but have one as part of features my vehicle came with.  I don’t use it a lot, but like it.  It can be totally closed, closed as to rain etc but let light in, or opened in various ways.  I almost never use it when driving, but  In winter I sometimes use it for light when waiting for dc at activities.  In summer I open it for air and to let heat out if people or dogs are in vehicle when parked.  A past situation had shade cloth ready to allow hot air out through windows and sunroof without sun heat.

[Pen]

A 20 plus year old Accord spending most of its life in rainy Oregon had no trouble ever with sunroof.  (Trunk leaked though).  Current vehicle is 10 years old, also no sunroof troubles.  

[CAJinBE]

I was looking at Nissan reviews recently and there was noticeably less headroom for the backseat passengers in the models with a sunroof. It's not an issue for children obviously.

[gardenmom5]

with will give you a higher cost basis.  what other features are different - as it is very likely there are differences in other things.  look closely.

three of our cars have sun roofs.  in each case - they were standard at their trim level.   they are useful for cooling a parked car off fast in the summer.  there are times I like them, and times I don't care. 

dh complains because it's not a convertible (he can deal with it - he totaled three.).  dd's last car had one, and her new car has one.  in neither case was she looking for one, they just came with it at her trim level.  she couldn't care less.  

[gardenmom5]

9 minutes ago, CAJinBE said:

I was looking at Nissan reviews recently and there was noticeably less headroom for the backseat passengers in the models with a sunroof. It's not an issue for children obviously.

dd bought a rav4 with a sun/moonroof - plenty of backseat headroom (and leg room)  for 2ds.  (6+ft, and 200lbs.)

 

we've never had an issue with leaks in a wet climate - and 1dd's car was 22 years old.

[sarahbobeara]

We hardly use ours in our Odyssey and our other 2 vehicles do not have them. I prefer to hide from the sun whenever possible (we are now living in FL, so I hide even more!) and I find that with the sunroof propped open or the sunshade pulled open (so glass closed), there is a huge increase in wind noise. I prefer to listen to my rockin' 80s music so I hardly ever open it. Some evenings when I come home from the beach and feel young and carefree for a few more minutes, yes I pop it open and enjoy ALL the wind.😂

I probably won't get a sunroof in my next car unless it comes standard. I certainly would get a noise barrier type slide, not just a mesh netting. (The VW we were looking at a few years ago had a mesh slide instead of a full solid slide. No matter what you would still have sunlight in your car, and the mesh would probably not age well? IDK, I didn't want to deal with it.) 

My husband loves to crank the sunroof open when he drives, but somehow I always end up sitting full in the sun and he ends up in the shade.🙄

[stephanier.1765]

I live in Florida and almost never use the sunroof. Too much light and too much heat. Plus there's the thing where it blows my lovely locks into a tangled mess. On the drive home during temperate temperatures, I do open it and love the feel. It does bring a touch of joy to the day.

[MEmama]

2 hours ago, CAJinBE said:

I was looking at Nissan reviews recently and there was noticeably less headroom for the backseat passengers in the models with a sunroof. It's not an issue for children obviously.

Yes, that can be true in Subarus as well. A friend's DH is around 6'5 and had to get the base model Forester (he wanted the trim I have instead) because the sunroof mechanisms reduce headroom by a couple of inches, making it uncomfortable for him. 

I'm 5'3 and would have never considered that! 😂

Edited March 15, 2019 by MEmama

[May]

I had one n my 2002 Honda Accord. I seldomed used it. DH has one in his RAV 4 and I’m the only one who ever uses it. He didn’t even know where the control was to open and close it😳

Edited March 16, 2019 by May

[crazyforlatin]

Don't get one, ours is leaking in rain water. It's too expensive to fix, so dh caulked around it but apparently it's not enough to keep it all out. I've been scooping out water from the front passenger seat floor. 

[mmasc]

9 minutes ago, crazyforlatin said:

Don't get one, ours is leaking in rain water. It's too expensive to fix, so dh caulked around it but apparently it's not enough to keep it all out. I've been scooping out water from the front passenger seat floor. 

That’s a real bummer. I’m sorry! Do you mind sharing what year it is? 

[crazyforlatin]

22 minutes ago, mmasc said:

That’s a real bummer. I’m sorry! Do you mind sharing what year it is? 

It's 2006, not Honda, American car.

[school17777]

I love having a sunroof in my Odyssey and I use it year round.  I do have a wind deflector, so that cuts down on the noise.

Dh has one in his Equinox, but it was so noisy, it was unusable.

So, I’d test drive it on the highway (where the noise increases) to see if it’s tolerable or not to help decide.

[Emba]

We have a sunroof but just because it happened to come in the car that otherwise fit our needs and budget.  I actually don't know why one would want a sunroof, I don't get it (more greenhouse effect heating action, and I don't like wind in my hair), but we've only had this car for a few months, which have been winter months, so maybe I will understand more after the weather warms up enough to try using it?  But in general it seems like another electronically controlled thing that will eventually stop working and be useless.  Hopefully it won't choose to fail while open. 

[Ottakee]

Well, it was 32 and sunny today in Michigan and I was wishing my mini van had a sunroof.  My last one did but this newer one doesn't have the leather/sunroof package....and I wish I had upgraded to that.

[katilac]

I really like my sunroof (which is actually a moonroof, idk). 2009 Honda CRV, no leaks, no problems. 

 

[mmasc]

22 hours ago, Ottakee said:

Well, it was 32 and sunny today in Michigan and I was wishing my mini van had a sunroof.  My last one did but this newer one doesn't have the leather/sunroof package....and I wish I had upgraded to that.

But I think (?) I remember that you got cloth bc your kids like the feel better, so you made the right choice. 🙂 

[Ottakee]

1 hour ago, mmasc said:

But I think (?) I remember that you got cloth bc your kids like the feel better, so you made the right choice. 🙂 

I got the cloth as my MIL paid for the van (it was hers first before she passed away) and I wasn't sure I could swing the upgraded cost for leather and sunroof....but now wish I would have.

That said, my kids say they prefer the cloth.

[Melissa B]

A sunroof is a requirement for me. I don't actually open it that often, but I have the visor pulled back so the sun can shine in at all times. I had to get rid of my Honda Pilot with a sunroof earlier this year (240,000+ miles) and bought a Volkswagen Tiguan especially because of the extra large sunroof.