Sun (moon) roofs?

I like the enhanced and much quieter airflow exhaust provided by the "tipped" moonroof those few times during the year between the summer oven and the winter ice box I can use it. I worry though about the integrity of the seals over time and where to watch for the inevitable leak. I'll have to get up in there and see how it all works and look for weak points. Maybe just keeping it clean is all that is needed. I'm not confident in that, given how fast the windshield wiper rubber bakes to a crackly crunch.

 

The seals aren't 100% with an opening moon roof. There is an internal gutter system going down the roof pillars.

 

I've been following pretty much the same 303 and Shin Etsu regimen suggested here.

One good traffic jam with an enthusiastic co-pilot on bubble duty is worth the price of admission.

Thank goodness for that.

 

You're selling me on this idea, I'd file it under "kind act of randomness" if I were stuck in a traffic jam and I saw a few bubbles drift by from a fellow strandee.

Now on the practical side: Though I love the idea, it's gotta fit in the car somehow. Something ruthlessly compact.

Amazon's got some Sharpie-sized mini bottles with wands, but only in a 102-pack for $20. B09MYS7LZB

I'll have to look for something similar locally. If I strike out be ready for a group-buy thread.

 

Oh yes, I see. Took a flashlight tour of the apparatus. Yesterday it was two years and 65,000 miles since purchase of my 2021, and the area up there was pretty clean. Wiped up a little dust. There must be fairly close tolerances when closed. I'll study up on 303 and Shin Etsu next, keep things tight up there.

 

I get what you're saying, but don't assume they're the same stuff. Wiper makers assume multiple replacements over the life of the car, door & window gasket makers don't or can't, so they have to use different materials and designs for longer life.

The 303 spray has given us decent results on previous cars, the current ones aren't really old enough to measure anything.

 

Yuuuge Advantage!!!
.....if you're an automobile mechanic, automotive glass retailer or you sell sunshades or moisture mitigation products!
There are two types of celestial ceilings:
The ones that leak....
...and the ones that WILL leak.

 

Agreed on the relative durability of various rubber compounds. In my travels I have found the Bosch beam blades to be superior to other compounds. The challenges in Arizona are long-term solar UV of course, and lately bug spatters. There is some new ingredient in the moth butter that takes the edge off a wiper blade in short order. I'm replacing a set of Toyota Sightline wiper blades that lasted about 4 months. For my moonroof maintenance kit I ordered the Shin-ETSU grease and picked up a bottle of 303 at Autozone. 303 is somewhat hazardous so I'll be minding the label.

 

gummi pflege for use on rubber seals. Used on high value collectable cars.

 

My X3 has a panoramic sunroof, with a front half that opens and a rear half that doesn't. There's also a blind that covers the whole thing.

As far as advantages are concerned....

- For me, it makes the cabin a much more pleasant place to be. I hired a Peugeot 508 last week - a lovely car, but very low slung, and with a black roof. I felt like I was driving a tunnel. It was a bit claustrophobic. In my car it's nice and light when driving during the day.
- I've got two kids, so the back seats get used a lot. Having a large glass roof makes an even bigger difference in the back than it does in the front. It stops people from feeling sick in the back.
- Blackpool illuminations. I used an ID.3 for them, and it was hard for the kids in the back to see the light display (I admit this is a niche application, relevant only in one part of North-West England from August to November, although it is January this year).
- Other up-high stuff. I got a Model 3 Uber in Dubai recently, and it was good to be able to stare at the tall buildings while sitting in the back.

The big disadvantage is that I get a bit of windrush.

I do tend to close the blind when I'm parked, so that the inside of the car doesn't get too hot. I don't know how I'd feel about one that doesn't have a blind.

The blind also means that I can use the setting that almost closes the blind, but not quite, and tips the roof up. If I'm parking on a hot day when it's not going to rain and I can't find a tree to park under, this lets the hot air escape, and stops the car from being too painfully hot when I come back to it.

I prefer panoramic glass sunroofs that open. But a glass one that doesn't open is also better than a metal roof for me.

A few people have said they hate them and @bisco resents when it's part of a package with other stuff he wants. I get that. (I also hate the package thing. Yes, I want leather. No, I don't want giant wheels that ruin the ride. Why would you think that just because I want leather I would want stupid wheels? Etc.) But for me it's the other way round - not having a pano sunroof would be a dealbreaker for me. It's why, for example, I'd choose an Ioniq 5 (pano sunroof) over an EV6 (the kind of tiny sunroof you used to get in the 80s).

 

i think the conclusion is that there is no overall advantage, but only a personal advantage for those who enjoy them for myriad reasons.
for me, i don't like the sun, and don't need a sunroof for fresh air. but that's just me.
we have never opened the sun/moonroof on our 2013 hycam. i think one of the grandkids did once though.

 

I like the idea, but realistically only use the crack function, as the sun is not my friend.

 

Yes, I think more than anything else (apart from colours), it's really down to personal preference rather than concrete advantages and disadvantages.

 

Forgot to mention..... If you want fresh air without a lot of the traffic noise you get from an open window, an open sunroof is good.

 

Over the years we have enjoyed a roof opening on some of our cars. An interstate drive on a nice day allows fresh air into the cabin without the buffeting and noise that often comes with open windows at high speeds.

That said, we've had drainage problems with them as well. Parking anywhere near some pine trees seems to attract the needles that clog the drainage, leaking water into the interior of the car..

 

I now have a second car with a sunroof. If I had any choice, I would never add the option to my car. One of the least useful options. I just hope when I sell my car, it will get a bit more for it.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

I agree it's pretty useless most of the time. My wife's Acura MDX has one but we're not taking it on any long trips since it only gets 21 mph on the highway and uses premium fuel. We haven't opened the roof since we bought the car.