I currently have a 1995 honda Civic. In Southern California in the summer, that car can turn into an oven when parked. I have all the windows tinted as dark as I legally can, but it's still a problem. I've noticed that MINIs with the sunroofs don't have a solid shade, only the semi-transparent mesh. Have any of you had problems with your sunroofed car heating up parked in the sun? If so, what solutions have you found? Does anyone make a solid shade to replace the mesh?

 

ZIPPEE Shades makes the foldable solid shades like you would use on your windshield. They are suction-cupped on and at highway speeds I never lost one. They used to guarantee they won't fly off or they would replace them, not sure if they still have that. If you don't like that option then just tint them as dark as possible. Not sure if CA has a law limiting the tint on a window that you don't look through to drive with.

 

+2 on the zippee shade.....i take mine out IF I open the sunroof, but if it is hot and bright....I tend to keep it closed.

 

My car used to be an oven in the summer, but I put a 20% tint on it and that did a lot towards keeping it cooler while still letting a good amount of light through. I imagine a sunroof decal would also help keep the cabin temperature down.

 

+1 on the Zippyshade

Cheap, easy to install/remove and can be stored in the seatback pocket behind the passenger seat.

 

in the summer

if my car has been parked in the sun for long

as soon as I get in I pop the sunroof .... which lets hot air rise & escape

by the time I'm ready to move . . . . or no more than 2 minutes ... I close the SR and I'm happy happy.

 

We use Zippee Shades and crack open the sunroof - plus the windows are tinted.

 

Not only does the car turn into an oven, sunroof rattles due to thermal expansion. Some solid vinyl cured both symptoms. Wish I didn't have 1, car would've been lighter.

 

My car is black on every option with a sunroof and I live in Texas. It's hot, but the sunroof makes a negligible difference. It's really a non-factor and I wouldn't use heat as a basis for deciding whether to get a sunroof or not.

Similar to complaints about the sunroof adding weight, it's a statistically irrelevant metric to base your choice on. How many drivers here could determine in a blind test whether MINI has a sunroof based on driving feel alone? I suggest not a single one...

 

,,,,and I would only add that the Zippy Shade has two sides to it. One side black like the tint of glass ( which IMO attracts heat.... ) and a reflective silver side. I put that reflective side facing out for best results

 

Here in AZ, H*ll yes! I just put some shades up there, and it works wonders.

 

20% tint and with the screen in place works fine for me. it was $50 extra when i tinted my clubman .

 

I use the Zippy Shades and I leave both side windows open just alittle so the heat can escape.

Its warm but not like it was before !

 

Never thought of this but it's a great idea. I'll have to flip em around from now on.

 

I had the Zippys, but I finially broke down and had 5% limo tint put on the sunroof. I made a huge difference. 5% may sound really dark, but it's not. You can still see out but it really reduced the heat, it doesn't get stuck when closing like the Zippy shades did.

You can tilt the sunroof with the Zippy shade, but the don't recommend opening it.

SO again, just get it tinted with 5%.

 

Oh ya in my wife's old R56 in Florida...DAMN...it was hot as hell. Didn't help in was black as well but in her 4 mile drive home from work, the car never cooled off and she was sweating.

 

Not that I notice. At least no hotter than my old Civic, or my current Ranger, both without sunroofs.
Window tint and windshield sunshade when parked definitely make a difference.

 

The Zippee Shade looks interesting. I think I'm going with limo tint for the sun roof though. If worse comes to worse I'll get the Zippee Shade.

 

I have a perforated Union Jack decal on my sunroof. I can barely see it from inside the car. The sign company I bought it from said that it blocks 25% of the light. In most circumstances, it keeps the interior pretty cool. When it is real hot outside, I leave the sunroof in the vent position, when I park.

Dave

 

I have 5% tint on my sunroof & use a folding reflective windshield screen and I fare OK here in Florida. I pop the sunroof up if it's not raining to vent some of the heat, which helps too.

 

Yesterday it was 60 degrees and I left my car in the sun while I played 18 holes. Get back, sunny day and sunroof won't open till I've driven a couple miles and I guess it cooled off. Happened before in 100 degree heat but not 60. Any suggestions to keep from happening?

 

Texas here, my last Mini had a sunroof and it was miserable in the summer commutes. I went out of my way to find one without a sunroof when I bought my JCW.

 

I find it kind of odd that people believe making a window darker in color (by means of tint) would reduce the amount of heat build up in the car. Black absorbs more heat because it captures all light wavelengths. If anything, a reflective film or those perforated decals (ideally light in color) that cut light transparency down significantly would allow less light and therefore heat to be absorbed and subsequently transferred into the car.

I'd never be able to go without a sunroof, though. It makes the car feel much more spacious.

 

Thanks for all the responses! It seems there's no consensus on whether it is a significant problem - probably depends on where you live. I've decided I won't let the sunroof limit my buying choices. I have one in my car currently, but don't ever use it. If I had one though, the Zippeeshade looks like a pretty good fix, and if not, there's always tint.

 

I'd hate to have a sporty little car and not have the option of open or closed.