Sun roof

monseiur

Hi all,
Just looking for opinions / professional advise.
Is a sun roof/panoramic roof considered a good idea on a car ? Are they susceptible to leaks and other problems - is it something to avoid at all costs. Never had a car with one, all going well, plan to check out a 2018 VW Tiguan with an electric one next Saturday
Thanks

Truckermal

Always wanted one and got a A6 lately with one, they really add lots of light into the Car.

I have not heard any horror stories but try and get the windscreen/window replacement part of your insurance to cover replacement in case some scrote decides to smash it.

jimmycrackcorm

Early sun roofs wear frequently leaky but aren't an issue there days. Sun roof has an advantage in the summer of it is hot you can allow air into the car when parked.

bazz26

Have a sunroof in my current car and had it my last car, never had any leaking problems with them. It's nice to have extra light from it in the cabin especially this time of year and if the interior is the default dark grey or black that most cars seem to come in these days.

As said check with your insurance company as some of them may not cover replacing panoramic roofs as standard even with glass cover due to the cost involved. You may have to explicitly add it to your policy.

Casati

Leaks less of an issue but the VW sunroofs are known to creek / vibrate. That car would be under factory warranty of course so they should put that right but only if you point out any issues to them

colm_mcm

They’re great but they can eat into headroom. They also make the cabin a little noisier.

I miss having a sunroof. Every car I’ve had since 2001 has had one bar the one I have now.

Toyotafanboi

A 2018 Tiguan sunroof is very very prone to leaking. It's so popular though that any half busy dealer will be very good at fixing them under warranty.

I wouldnt let it out me off though, it totally changes how the Tiguan feels inside as the pan roof goes all the way back to behind the rear passenger seats so you get great light and it is backlit at night time.

accensi0n

Have an electric sunroof in a 99 nissan almera, havn't had any issues with it.
Interior cover is constantly left open, the car feels incredibly dark if I close it.

aFlabbyPanda

I've a panoramic roof in my current car (3008) and my last car (fabia) as others said they are great for light but I find the car is colder than my wifes octavia.

ArrBee

An added benefit of a good sunroof is the ability to have it cracked open a bit for air even in the rain.

Lyan

I'm never getting a car with a sunroof again. I had nothing but problems with the sunroof on my old Yaris. Water dripping on my head some mornings, dampness, and mold.

The Bishop Basher

It’s a personal preference obviously but I got my first panoramic sunroof in a (new to me) X5 about 6 months ago.

I’ve always been on the lookout for one and haven’t been disappointed. It’s lovely to be able to pop it open on a hot day or even just use it as a vent.

It also let’s in tons of light and the interior feels a lot more spacious. I’ve had the same car without one so can compare.

Would definitely recommend.

colm_mcm

Lyan wrote: »

I'm never getting a car with a sunroof again. I had nothing but problems with the sunroof on my old Yaris. Water dripping on my head some mornings, dampness, and mold.

Yaris don’t tend to have factory sunroof. Is there a possibility that it was aftermarket? Factory ones were manual and had a winder above the rear view mirror

R.O.R

You'd be hard pushed to find a Tiguan without a panoramic roof, unless it's the basic Trendline model.

Pano Roof has been part of the Tech Pack for the past 3 years or so and everything coming in for stock has the Tech pack fitted.

raddoc

I have had an opening sun roof on almost every car I have owned since the 1980s. They are great for light and air. I think the ones with the additional option to tilt open a little at the back edge are the best (Toyota Lexus).

colm_mcm

raddoc wrote: »

I have had an opening sun roof on almost every car I have owned since the 1980s. They are great for light and air. I think the ones with the additional option to tilt open a little at the back edge are the best (Toyota Lexus).

Don’t almost all sunroofs do this?

landmarkjohn

Love my sunroof.... wouldn't have a car without one. It's a BMW and the seal wears over time and you hear a bit of wind noise at motorway speeds which makes you close the sliding bit! New seal €40 every 6 years isn't bad.

bazz26

landmarkjohn wrote: »

Love my sunroof.... wouldn't have a car without one. It's a BMW and the seal wears over time and you hear a bit of wind noise at motorway speeds which makes you close the sliding bit! New seal €40 every 6 years isn't bad.

Where are you buying those seals?

Atlantic Dawn

With air conditioning the only funtion I see for the sunroof is to let light in, wouldn't spend money getting one but if it was a used car and in it already I wouldn't mind.

ArrBee

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

With air conditioning the only funtion I see for the sunroof is to let light in, wouldn't spend money getting one but if it was a used car and in it already I wouldn't mind.

that makes sense.
Personally I hate using AC and will turn it on maybe once every 2 years when it gets to 30C.

pippip

ArrBee wrote: »

that makes sense.
Personally I hate using AC and will turn it on maybe once every 2 years when it gets to 30C.

You know the AC is also a dehumidifier which stops windows from misting up during winter, and keeps moisture down within the car. Also keeps the system lubricated, keeping it off for long periods of time isn't the best and can cause it to fail. I don't think I've ever turned off the AC.

ArrBee

pippip wrote: »

You know the AC is also a dehumidifier which stops windows from misting up during winter, and keeps moisture down within the car. Also keeps the system lubricated, keeping it off for long periods of time isn't the best and can cause it to fail. I don't think I've ever turned off the AC.

Yes.
I also know the downsides and don't find myself needing the "benefits" you list.

monseiur

monseiur wrote: »

Hi all,
Just looking for opinions / professional advise.
Is a sun roof/panoramic roof considered a good idea on a car ? Are they susceptible to leaks and other problems - is it something to avoid at all costs. Never had a car with one, all going well, plan to check out a 2018 VW Tiguan with an electric one next Saturday
Thanks

Thanks all for your advise / opinions greatly appreciated...now I have one less thing to worry about !

M.

lawred2

colm_mcm wrote: »

Yaris don’t tend to have factory sunroof. Is there a possibility that it was aftermarket? Factory ones were manual and had a winder above the rear view mirror

...

so did they or did they not have factory sun roofs?

colm_mcm

lawred2 wrote: »

...

so did they or did they not have factory sun roofs?

Yes, manual one as an option- but as said - they didn’t usually have them - they were super rare

Put a few electric ones in aftermarket alright

landmarkjohn

bazz26 wrote: »

Where are you buying those seals?

Conlon BMW, Limerick. Think it was around €40.... good whilst ago.. I'm going to find out again soon!

It's very similar to draft excluder. Remove the old seal, clean area to spotless. Peel off the backing of the new seal and press it on same position old one came off, trim off surplus. (E65)

EDIT: €32 for the new seal in 2014, found it in my comprehensive excel service record

bazz26

landmarkjohn wrote: »

Conlon BMW, Limerick. Think it was around €40.... good whilst ago.. I'm going to find out again soon!

Cheers, they are my local main dealer too.

Lyan

colm_mcm wrote: »

Yes, manual one as an option- but as said - they didn’t usually have them - they were super rare

Put a few electric ones in aftermarket alright

It was a factory sunroof.