I'm getting closer. Thinking about ordering my 06 maybe this weekend, or even before. I've gotten a lot of good advice so far but still have a question about whether I should order the sunroof.

Reasons to order it:
** We smoke and tilting the sunroof up a bit when it rains is the way to get the smoke out of the car without letting the rain in. At least that's how we've always done it with other cars.

** Better Resale Value.
** Wife thinks I should

Reasons not to order it:
** Let's the hot sun in, ( the screen provides no blocking ).
** Less head room.
** Less Secure.
** Cost more.

I've heard that the dealer can provide tinting of it before I take delivery. Does anyone know about how much that will cost, and if the tinting does a good job of blocking the sun ?

Any other advice to help make the decision ?

Thanks.
Floyd

 

Getting the tinting done by any decent independent guy will be a LOT cheaper.

I have a sunroof in my 2003 MCS and for many reasons, our experience with it is the reason that my wife did NOT want it on her 2006 Cooper.

But your #1 reason to get it is very good: because your wife wants it!

 

>>But your #1 reason to get it is very good: because your wife wants it!<<

hahaha. Not necessarily. Since she almost hit the roof when I told her I was going to get the standard shift. She thinks I'll hate it after the novelty wears off.

 

Went through that process, since we've had that feature on two other vehicles and never used them, didn't get it on the mini, it's hotter over here than across the big pond. But thats something you and your wifey will have to figure out. Personally(sp) I wouldn't buy a used mini with a sunroof. Just my two scents worth.

 

Wouldnt smoking in the car all the time actually lower the resale value regardless of the sunroof?

I really wanted the sunroof, but after sitting in a few cars with sun roofs I'm glad I dont have it. Lets way too much sun in. Car is much much cooler without it.

+ less weight for auto-x is always a bonus.

 

If your wife says get it. Get it. I had it on my 03 but do not on my 06. On 90+ degree days like we had recently. I don't miss it except for the part that you can open the car all up before getting into it to cool it off. Now that the temps are nice. It would be nice to have. One thing I do miss about it is that I like to have fresh air while I am driving. Opening the sunroof does a lot better than cracking the window and getting that permanent wind blown hair look on one the side of your head.

My wife talked me into in 03 and it turned out to be a good choice.

 

Ramjet:
>>Personally(sp) I wouldn't buy a used mini with a sunroof. Just my two scents worth.<<

Is that because you also wouldn't buy a new Mini with a sunroof either or is there some other reason ?

Digby:
>>Wouldnt smoking in the car all the time actually lower the resale value regardless of the sunroof? <<

I don't think so. Not unless something get's burned. It's not that hard to get the smell out of a car. Much easier than if you smoke in your house ( which I won't do ). And if it does, I don't care. Since I'm a smoker, and like to sometimes go on long drives, I totally enjoy a smoke while driving and hopefully I'll never have to stop enjoying that until I quit one day. Which brings up a whole other subject that sits badly with me about different manafacturers making cars without ashtrays anymore. Don't get me started no that one. :impatient

The keeping the car cool is the best reason I have for not getting the sunroof. I was wondering if they made the car heavier or lighter. I guess you're saying they make the car heavier. That makes sense. The glass is probably alot thicker than the sheetmetal.

 

Im probably one of the few who are anti-sunroof. Im not sure where you live but if its some place with warm weather, you might grow to hate it. Almost everyone i know and have seen, never use their sunroof except once in a blue moon, atleast where i am. Its too darn hot and most people have it closed so they can have the A/C on. Also it is like a giant window for the sun to cook your interior while it is out in the parking lot. For instance if you order a car with a white roof (which reflects heat very well) having a sunroof basicly nix's out the heat reflective properties of the white roof and just allows the sun to bake the interior. It also adds more weight to the roof, and possibly reduces head room. Oh and you would be saving $$$ by not getting it. But then again i am a non-smoker, so im not sure how important the sunroof is when it comes to smoking. perhaps you could crack a side window?

 

Yea thanks SB. Good point. You can use the key to open the windows and sunroof before you get in the car on the Mini's can't you ?

I think the tinting may help. Like to hear from someone who has done it. Also, I think there's an aftermarket thing made that rolls up real nice and then you can put it on the inside of the sunroof. It fits it perfectly and is also held in by the screen. I could go that route.

That probably sounds best. Keep the wife happy, keep the options open etc..

Too bad it will cost :
$850 for the sunroof
$xx for the tinting
$xx for the block thingy.

 

Smoking in a car will take a large chunk out of the resale, don't kid yourself. I have several friends in the car business, a quick $500 to $1000 hit for smokers cars. It is not the smell alone it's the tar build up on the electronic bits and pieces that screws things up. Get the sunroof to held compensate.

RR

 

Well....I cringe at the thought of someone smoking in ANY car, let alone a MINI..... but I would deffinitly get it. I have one in my 03' and love it. If I were to order one today I would put in a sunroof with no regrets!

-Cody

 

I got a sunroof on my 03 MINI......if I was buying another MINI I wouldn't get it. I don't use it enough and sooner or later it's likely to leak.

 

My son-in-law sold cars for a time and he said cars that were smoked in were bears to move. Nobody wanted them so they rarely offered trade-in values as high as non-smoker cars.

Myself, if I step in a car and it's been a smoker's car, cleaned up or not (you can never remove the smell) I won't touch it.

 

I love my sunroof on my 2006 MCS PW/PW. Its a unique sunroof compared to other cars. When I had my sunroof in my matrix, I would slide the solid sliding block closed all the time, made me forget I even had one most of the time.. But my MCS sunroof is all big, dosnt let the light in too much and when its open in the right weather is amazing.

As for smoker cars, wouldnt touch one with a 093490284001 foot pole... cant stand it.

 

I really like having a sunroof, and tilt it often to keep fresh air moving through the cockpit without excessive noise.

I occaisionally have a cigar on long trips in the MINI and actually find that tilting the sunroof creates more smoke inside...try opening the vents and cracking the windows just slightly instead (am I really giving advice on how to smoke cigars in the MINI?? I'm going to catch it from my kids if they read this!)

 

We have the sunroof and live in Alabama, had it on our 1st mini and have it on our current mini, wouldn't do w/o it, if you close the screen, that shades it alot, I don't notice that the car is any hotter than any of our other vehicles that don't have a sunroof (ours is tinted).
We also smoke, and it is great for airing out the car, we don't smoke in it unless we are taking a long road trip, but everyday driving, we wait and don't smoke in it.

 

I have a double theat combo: sunroof and a black roof. I bought those sunscreens from stratmosphere.com and they fit and work wonders! I mean, the car is still how on those sunny sunny days with them in, but I left them out one time just to see and the car was A LOT HOTTER. I will say that they help tremendously. But, having the sunroof will definitely combat the smoke in the car.

 

Bzn by,
Did you get the tint from the dealer or elsewhere ? Do you have the mirrored type tint or just a real dark one ??

Sheenabea,
I think the stratmosphere is what I was talking about. A shiney thing that rolls up ? What do you also put one on the windshield ?

Thanks.

Oh to those who hate the smokers cars.
I'll make sure to not sell you mine.
But fyi, I always get very near the kbb "good" value, as an acv for my trade.

 

I'm getting the sunroof. Wife and kids want it bad.

It adds weight... and introduces potential future problems (motors crapping out, leaking etc). But I want it anyway.

If in the future I decide it lets in too much light, I will add the white vynil decal (that makes the whole roof look solid white).

 

The dealer did our tint and it is not the mirrored.
I would definitely go with the sunroof.

 

I opted to go without the sunroof.. no regrets. There is plenty of air and light in the mini without one.. no noise and less weight on top. My other car has a sunroof.. we never use it and it cuts down on headroom.

 

No S/R here and no regrets. I've had them before and could take them or leave them. Didn't want to add another source for rattles and didn't like the perforated shade with our heat here. I also have a silver roof which to me looks better w/o the big black rectangle in the middle.

 

My dealer is going to have my sun roof, the 2 back windows and the hatch window tinted by an outside source they use, 250.00.

 

I went from an Audi TT (obviously no sunroof) to an S2000 (convertible) to the MCS.The sunroof for me was the perfect in between. Also, the retractable mesh shade is awesome for keeping the roof open and cutting down on sun glare. I love it!

 

You forgot:
Leaking in the rain should any of the seals crack or break.
Easier to vandalize
One more mechanism to break.

If you want to let the sun in, buy a roadster like a Miata or Honda S2000. When we want sun, we have an MGB.