I notice that at MINIUSA.com you can order among others, a white decal for your sunroof. I want to order the Chili Red color because I read somewhere on this forum it was suposed to be the best color and while I like the black top, I'm thinking when its 105 degrees out, it will be 208 degrees inside the MINI. So a white top and a black sunroof which looks like it occupies 75% of the sq ft up probably won't really change the interior heat calculations either. What about the white decal? Is it opaque? Is it something that was used by NASA to keep the astronauts alive? Does it peel off in time? Does it breathe? Does it discolor? Most importantly, is it cOoL? Thanks again to this most helpful crowd of MINI people.

 

I'm sure it would help considerably with heat, as it is the very outside layer (assuming you keep it clean) and, being white, it will reflect a great amount of heat. I'm also sure that having a white decal on a black roof would look pretty...wierd

Good luck with ordering the MINI, be sure to come back here and join your build week's support group during the agonizing wait. They will be able to tell you how to track your MINI more closely than a cruise missle

 

The official MINI one is pretty opaque and it does keep the interior temperature down (I also think it makes a white-roofed car with sunroof look much better too). After 1 year, no sign of peeling or discoloration.

 

Yes, my hopes were that it was somewhat opaque and that it would make the white roof look better with the whole enchilada white.

 

Just FYI, I ordered the White Sunroof Graphic myself. Its $95 for the part, but total to install is $280 (parts+labor) at my dealer. My MA says they waste about 1 in 3 of them trying to get them on just right, so I sucked it up and ordered it to be installed.

I think it completes the look of the CR/W and I also want it to block out more of the light when the sunroof is closed.

 

I concur. I won a white SR graphic and wrecked the larger of the 2 pieces attempting the install (3M makes a wiked adhesive). Have a professional do the install.

On the plus side, I still have the rear (smaller) piece that I plan on razor-cutting into a custom rear-window graphic.

 

We got the white decal on our Mini when they first came out. I think our dealer said ours was the first they installed. Went on great and I don't think they had any problems but I don't know for sure. Didn't take them long to install.
It is a solid white and won't let light in, but that is what I wanted. If I want the sun in I open the sunroof, but didn't want the sun in when I don't. (Have light sensitive eyes).
Living in central FL it does get warm here, today it is going to 94 I think. I've thought of this before and don't know the definitive answer but I think a car will only get so hot givin' the conditions it's in. Where it helps is when you are inside with A/C on, it then keeps out the sun to keep it cooler. Much like window tinting. But if the car is sitting in the parking lot all day, tinting won't keep the car cooler. Will cut the sun damage in the car but won't stop the heat, IMHO.
Anyway I love the totally white roof.