Trying to decide whether to get a sunroof or not in my Cooper S. I'm a little concerned about the fact that the "windowblind" provided is not so much blind as just a little nearsighted, as it lets in a substantial amount of light at all times.

I live in a very sunny climate and wonder what it will be like to not be able to turn the sun off during daytime driving. My current car has a sunroof, which I leave shaded probably 80% of the time during the day... though the 20% of the time that I open it up is quite glorious. I feel that I'd hate to part with that 20%, while at the same time I'm not sure how I'll adjust during the other 80% of the time that I'm tooling around to having the sun beating on my noggin.

If you've got the sunroof and have any feelings about this issue I'd love to hear them. Do you get used to all the light? Do you ever wish you could turn it off?

 

Well, I'm sure there will be an after market slide out cover for it, if you dont like the sunshade. Im not a particular fan of all those holes, and I don't always want to see the sun, so if it were an option, I'd pick it up. However, it's not going to stop me from getting a sunroof.

 

Get a limo tint on your sunroof. That should take care of the excess sunlight.

 

I had my sunroof tinted with V-kool 40 . It works fine for blocking the heat. I use a layer of thermal insulation to block of the light if needed

 

Depending on where your "sunny climate" is, you should consider something to block the light if you do get the roof.

The shade/diffuser does an adequate job when you're driving, but the car can get hot very quickly when parked.

 

The combination of the way-far-away front windshield, anthracite headliner, all-too-big rearview mirror and tinted windows in my car... well, I would just feel too clausterphobic if it weren't for the sunroof.

 

I also got it mainly for claustrophobia reasons. Also, my last car had it, and it only seemed natural. I don't mind the sun shining on me; I plan on tinting it in the future though.

 

Invest in a baseball cap for the days when the glare catches you from above. As for the heat, get dark tint and pop up the tilt function when you park on sunny days. I wouldn't give up the sunroof for anything. But, as often suggested to MINI, should they monitor comments on these sites, a solid shade would be nice.

 

If you enjoy sunroofs at all I'm betting there's a solution for any problems you might foresee. The MINI sunroof has been around since the car was introduced and the setup has been basically the same. Lots of folks have tweaked it to suit and I'm sure you can, too.

 

Here are some ready made sunroof shades:
http://www.stratmosphere.com/mini_interior.htm

There used to be a site (that I found from a thread here) that showed how to make your own "pop out" sunshades from the ones that you buy for the front window.... can't find it though. It involved taking apart the shade and resizing it and reinserting the wire around the edge..... looked good and they folded away well. But I can't find it now!

 

For me I didn't want the sunroof becasue I have a white roof and thought it stood out too much up there. My rental MINI has a sunroof, but the top is black and it blends in great, but the sunshade is more of a mesh and doesn't block out all of the sun, something to think about

 

You can always get the white vinyl decal. Looks like a solid white roof, but lets in some ambient light. In combination with even the mesh sunshade, it cuts that down even more.

 

just put vkool 40 and i'm sure you won't feel the heat of the sun

 

Another point of view-it probably weighs around 40lbs (my guess-motor and glass) more than the roof it replaces. At the highest point of the vehicle that makes a small but measurable difference in handling. Also, it may somewhat decrease overall chassis rigidity a small amount as well.

I like to track my car so it is a no brainer for me, but maybe possibly a minor con for you on your pro/con list.

 

I have both a sunroof and these shades, they're brilliant! Just pop them in and it's as if there was no sunroof at all. Plus, even with the sunroof open, you can pull closed the built in shade that cuts down on the suns intensity and it keeps stuff from fallen in. Personally, I'm a big fan of the sunroof, I'm luuvvv'n-it!

 

Agreed! I live in AZ and have the Stratosphere shades, which I'll probably leave in most of the summer. I'm still glad I have the sunroof and enjoy the option of keeping the mesh shade closed even with the sunroof open!

 

I am new to the forum and drive MS Mini a 2007 MCS with sunroof. I live in Tucson AZ. I cut up a silvered windshield cover to fit. Stuck it in place. When I park in sun, I tilt the sunroof so that the hot air can flow out above. The car stays remarkably cool.

 

Welcome miniemee! A rather cool first post... pun intended.

 

After reading months of positives and negatives on this forum , I am sure glad ,100%, that I did not go for the sunroof option. I went for the white roof instead. For us living in the southern sun climate, "Florida" in my case , hot roofs and direct sunshine is very hard on us.

 

i also agree. i like to remove it at night. takes less than 5-10 sec to install. i also bought the sunshades for the rear and side windows from MINI accessories.

 

I think the sunroof defines the character of the car. I live in the Los Angeles area and get more than enough sun. The shade works. Maybe this summer I will have to put an extra shade in there to cut down more on the glare.

Paul

 

My 02 MC has a sunroof and while I like the feel it gives me of open-ness, I know I'll forgo another sunroof when I buy my next MINI. My sunroof is tinted and I have the shade drawned all the time. So why not go with a solid top? It's cheaper and I won't have to wear a darned baseball hat everytime I go driving in the sun. Plus I burn easy! Ouch!

 

I'm in SoCal, and wouldn't be without my sunroof. If the inside gets too hot when parked, then just hit up on the A/C to Max and it cools down just fine. Plus, there's no beating the blowing wind while motoring along the coast or up in the mountains!

 

I opted for the sunroof (in the premium pkg) and had to get a good limousine tint to block the So Cal sun during the day. Even with the tint, when the sun is overhead, I find it helpful to have a baseball cap nearby. But when the weather is right, or on those nice evenings, the sun/moonroof is a nice thing to have.

 

The sun roof is one of those options I would probably skip to keep the cost of the car reasonable. It costs $750 if you consider the cost of the premium package vs the just getting the other options indivually.