Sunroof haters, unite!

I hate sunroofs. I have stopped and looked at cars that were for sale simply because they were slicktops.

<---autocross nerd.

Osterkraut wrote: For a few of you: Sunroof: metal. Moonroof: glass.

That's 70's and 80's B.S. Now they are all "sunroofs". Especially the MINI... which lists the massive expanses of glass specifically as a "sunroof."

A MINI in Florida with a sunroof could be arguably dangerous... "May I interest you in purchasing a solar oven to drive around in?"

Ian F wrote:

Osterkraut wrote: For a few of you: Sunroof: metal. Moonroof: glass.

That's 70's and 80's B.S. Now they are all "sunroofs". Especially the MINI... which lists the massive expanses of glass specifically as a "sunroof." A MINI in Florida with a sunroof could be arguably dangerous... "May I interest you in purchasing a solar oven to drive around in?"

Ugh, don't remind me about that. Have a Cooper S with the glass roof, and holy oven batman. I refuse to drive the thing in the summer. And this is coming from a guy that drives an assortment of A- garbage, and B- black cars with dark interiors.

I certainly wouldn't pay the associated premium to buy a new car with a sunroof. Since I usually buy used, I'm at the mercy of whomever owned it before me. All of them seemed to like sun (or is it moon?) roofs (rooves? Man, this is confusing). Hate the lack of helmet clearance (I'm 6'2") in my current Nissan when I'm racing, but love it the other 99.99% of the time. Since my A/C compressor drags on the motor like someone just threw a battleship anchor out of the trunk, I tend to drive windows & roof open whenever possible.

bravenrace wrote:

Woody wrote: I hate the rear spoiler on my WRX, but it was the only way I could get one with a sunroof.

Seriously?

Yup. 2004 was the first year that you could get a sunroof in a WRX, but it only came with the Premium Package, which included the rear spoiler (yuck!), and the Winter Package (heated seats, mirrors and wipers).

mndsm wrote: Ugh, don't remind me about that. Have a Cooper S with the glass roof, and holy oven batman. I refuse to drive the thing in the summer.

Add the sunroof to a marginal A/C system... and every Spring, my g/f complains... "I think the a/c in the MINI needs to be looked at... it just doesn't get that cold.."

"Sure dear..." as I get out of the TDI, brushing icicles off my nose...

HiTempguy wrote: Almost ALL sunroofs are like this, those that think otherwise are kidding themselves. Also, the problem is that once a huge hole is cut in the roof, attaching a panel there doesn't bring back the structural integrity. It's like T-tops, they really do just plain suck for the enthusiast. I don't think I've ever owned a car with a sunroof, and it is an honest deal breaker for me above everything else.

Lot's of good information from a guy who's never owned a car with a sunroof

I like them, but don't care much for the power variety. The power sunroofs can, and sometimes do break. I like the old school glass flip up panel that's removable. I have owned at least a dozen sunroof cars, and can't recall one ever leaking.

How about one of these?

Zomby woof wrote: Lot's of good information from a guy who's never owned a car with a sunroof

I've had to deal with enough of them/drive enough of them to know better :P

My wife has a Trailblazer with NO sunroof. The accountant told me 3.25 years ago he could get me a Trailblazer for my salesman car. Sweet! Then he called and said they will get me one with a sunroof since they had a better deal. Sweet!

Then my Trailblazer came and realized I lost some headroom. Not Sweet.

I almost bought a smoking Sentra Spec V deal because it didn't have a sunroof and sat on the dealers lot for almost 6 months.

I am in the I hate sunroofs club too. Good thread.

Add me to the do not like category. My RX-7 has one and 75% of the rust repair I have done to it was rebuilding the roof. I came this >< close to deleting it, but didn't because it makes getting in and out of the car a lot easier when loaded in my trailer. My fat butt doesn't go through the window with out some lube.

Haters gonna hate, and I'm one of them. I've had two cars with sunroofs, 95 Saab 900S and 87 RX-7. The Saab's sunroof never worked and it leaked. Usually the headliner was just damp but during heavy rainfall it would drip into the cabin, on top of my head. Duct tape helped but it looked like ass.

My RX-7's power sunroof is in decent shape for its age. It works and it doesn't leak, although I need to help it along sometimes. Which is great because the A/C is dead and the car gets freaking HOT thanks to the large windshields and heat from the firewall. However, there is quite a bit of wind noise up or down and it is beginning to rust, a common problem on FC RX-7s. I'm 5'8" and I fit fine without a helmet but I have to rake the seat back a little and pop the sunroof when I am wearing a helmet. My turbo-swapped RX-7 is a hardtop but I think the body is not in great shape, which sucks because hardtop FCs are rare in my area.

I had to scour the country, but I managed to get my 09 Cobalt SS w/o sunroof, but with LSD. I found a few w/o sunroof but they didn't have the LSD, which should be standard in this car anyway.

I like how they did the sunroof on my Civic so that it doesn't slide into the roof but raise up and go over the roof.

Ian F wrote:

Osterkraut wrote: For a few of you: Sunroof: metal. Moonroof: glass.

That's 70's and 80's B.S. Now they are all "sunroofs". Especially the MINI... which lists the massive expanses of glass specifically as a "sunroof." A MINI in Florida with a sunroof could be arguably dangerous... "May I interest you in purchasing a solar oven to drive around in?"

The terminology has blurred, especially with the metal sunroof pretty much an extinct bird. But a lot of us drive 80's cars.

I detest sun/moon roofs as well, but I love convertibles. Not only are sunroofs trouble prone they are also like saying ya can't make up your mind. 'Hardtop, convertible. Hardtop, convertible. Oh, my poor brain hurts from trying to make up my mind...' The GTi had one of those crank roofs, one of the lift 'legs' broke while I was trying to close the damn thing in a thunderstorm. The roof cocked sideways and got jammed, I had to pull under a bank drive through and snatch the damn thing loose. In the process, something inside the roof of the car left a HUGE scratch down the middle of the moveable panel.

Like Per, I will stop and look at something or do a doubletake just because it does not have a sunroof; for instance today I saw a slicktop 3rd gen MR2 going the other way.

Did you hit a hot topic or what? Three pages in a handfull of hours.

Anyway, lifetime member of the sunroof haters here. I have two cars I drive regularly with no AC and no sunroof. My barely-ever-get-to-drive-it E30 had a sunroof but I took out the motor and locked it into place. I'm not a hater because of headroom, I'm 5'4" so I fit everything, don't care about the cost, etc. I just don't like them, can't really explain it.

Sadly, my wife absolutely loves them and really wants them on any of her vehicles. It's ironic because it's almost a deal breaker for both of us and always causes problems when buying a car we'll share.

I agree that on a street car the weight, positioning of the weight and slight loss of structural integrity are really a non-issue. On my daily driver/track day Civic, maybe, but I'm not a good enough driver for it to really matter.

To each his own but I'll pass on a sunroof every time (and AC and power windows and power door locks and power steering and, well, you get the point)

hate sunroofs... that said my Integra and my CRX have sunroofs...

Hate 'em.

No need to cut a hole in a perfectly good roof. If you want wind in your hair get a convertible, or at least a targa.

I always thought that Targas were the worst of the compromises.. unless the car was designed for them from the very beginning like the 914 or the X 1/9.

The 911 Targa needs not apply

Not a fan. Of the cars that I've owned that have had them, I've never opened them.

I drove my Step-dad's Mazda3 around last weekend, and I didn't even know it had a sunroof for the first day. The sliding cover did a great job of blocking the sun and heat.

For a street car, I love them. For a track car, obviously they are a pain.

Not a hater, I won't buy a car with one for myself. Too many friends have had too many problems for me to ever want one.

Meh, don't matter to me. I can take it or leave it, not a deal breaker for me. Just don't use it if you don't want too. SWMBO hates sunroofs and wouldn't look at a car with them. Now the car she chose last year has a sunroof, couldn't get the options she wanted without getting the sunroof. I don't even think she knows how to use it, just stays closed with the inside shield blocking it. My RX8 has a sunroof and I've only used a couple times. Don't see any advantage to it really other than taking up head room. Good thing I don't autocross the RX8 cause my helmeted head would hit the roof all the time. Annoying. Oh well, my helmeted head hits the top of the Miata when the top is up too. I do autocross the Miata regularly and when it's cold and rainy do leave the top up, otherwise top down.

Years ago I located an almost perfect RX-7 GTUs and bought it with my wife in mind. She hated it; no power options or sunroof. No matter how unique or whatever she just wasnt interested in the lack of modern conveniences.
Another car that comes without a sunroof is the 2004-2006 Pontiac GTO.