R56 R56 dual pane sunroof
4th Gear
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 419
Likes: 2
From: Grants Pass, OR
I have only had one other car with a sunroof and that was useless due to wind noise as well. Is there ANY car where the sunroof can be opened at highway speeds?
4th Gear
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 332
Likes: 0
From: DFW
Both my MR2 and my Acura Integra had very usable sunroofs. I had the sunroof open on either one whenever the weather was nice. Admittedly, the sunroof was way easier to open on the Acura than the Toyota though. :D
4th Gear
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 546
Likes: 56
From: Denver, CO
Personally to me the Mini sunroof is a horrible implementation of a sunroof. I had one in my old Toyota Celica, Acura Integra and my Toyota MR2 and loved them all. But here in Texas there's months of the year where your car tries to impersonate an oven and having a good solid covering to cover the sunroof is necessary. Both of those cars had good heat shields built in (Kind of on the MR2) that blocked the heat and light from the sun.
I had a loaner Mini Cooper with the sunroof and I can tell you that mesh screen wouldn't be worth anything in August here. I know you can buy some aftermarket items to stuff up in there but I think that looks terrible personally compared to something that is stock on other cars. When I was shopping it seemed like every single car here had a sunroof, almost as if they had been giving them away. I was happy to find me a car that didn't have one at all.
Of course, England isn't exactly the hottest or sunniest place, but still...a proper sunroof cover doesn't seem like it'd be all that hard to do. And if I lived someplace that wasn't in the triple digits for over a quarter of the year it might be a better option, but not here and not for me not now.
I had a loaner Mini Cooper with the sunroof and I can tell you that mesh screen wouldn't be worth anything in August here. I know you can buy some aftermarket items to stuff up in there but I think that looks terrible personally compared to something that is stock on other cars. When I was shopping it seemed like every single car here had a sunroof, almost as if they had been giving them away. I was happy to find me a car that didn't have one at all.
Of course, England isn't exactly the hottest or sunniest place, but still...a proper sunroof cover doesn't seem like it'd be all that hard to do. And if I lived someplace that wasn't in the triple digits for over a quarter of the year it might be a better option, but not here and not for me not now.
I live in Houston and you are right. In July/August my cars A/C couldn't keep up with the heat. I had the sunroof tinted and it helped but not as good as a solid shade. I bought the $35 solid shades that suction cup to the sunroof and it's perfect.
When I want complete block, I put them on but then can folde them up and stick them in the glove box.
Before I tinted my sunroofs the car way like an oven. They must not have tested the Mini in Texas in August. I wish they offered the pull shades in solid as an accessory, but the suction cup shades work for me when I need them.
I had an aftermarket sunroof put in one of my cars before. Look at Webasto. They are really nice and have nice features. Expect to pay about $1500 to add a sunroof. Leaking doesn't happen anymore with aftermarket roofs. The installations look factory. There's probably a local installer and you can go by and look at other roofs they have done. Call any Chevy/GMC dealer and ask them who they use for their roofs. It's really popular with those vehicles.
Last edited by texasmontego; Nov 30, 2011 at 08:05 AM.
6th Gear
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 2,064
Likes: 15
From: Silly-con Valley
My CRX had (still has, though it's not mine any more!) a fairly small sunroof. It was pretty noisy, but with the plastic wind-guard installed (like a fairing over the first ~1/4 of the opening) the wind noise was very much reduced.
4th Gear
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 440
Likes: 0
From: Chicago
I had an aftermarket sunroof put in one of my cars before. Look at Webasto. They are really nice and have nice features. Expect to pay about $1500 to add a sunroof. Leaking doesn't happen anymore with aftermarket roofs. The installations look factory. There's probably a local installer and you can go by and look at other roofs they have done. Call any Chevy/GMC dealer and ask them who they use for their roofs. It's really popular with those vehicles.
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