Car Chat General discussion about Lexus, other auto manufacturers and automotive news.

Sunroofs, safe or unsafe?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 06-22-07, 07:09 PM
  #16  
mmarshall
Lexus Fanatic
 
mmarshall's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Virginia/D.C. suburbs
Posts: 91,412
Received 87 Likes on 86 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by Lil4X
I love sunroofs, especially down here in the tropics where a conventional convertible is impractical. It may or may not have an effect on structure, depending on the vehicle (Lexus sunroofs are rather modest by comparison to those if other makes in terms of overall size) if they don't interrupt major structural members. If the coachwork is otherwise sound, problems with squeaks and rattles are minimal. They do require maintenance to avoid troubles, and like mmarshall, I miss that wrench . . .
Almost any sunroof will have some effect on body and roof structural strength, although like you said, on some vehicles that effect can be very small. But even the small amount IS there....for a cutout to have NO effect would be to deny the laws of physics and metallurgy.

And, not surprising.....Volvo and Mercedes, in their tradition of making superlative car body structures, generally do sunroof body integrity best....especially the Mercedes S-Class.
mmarshall is offline  
Old 06-22-07, 07:21 PM
  #17  
kphu
Lexus Test Driver
iTrader: (8)
 
kphu's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: MA
Posts: 1,537
Likes: 0
Received 5 Likes on 4 Posts
Default

Gotta have the sunroof!!! Its a must have. Around dusk is the best time to use it, not too hot and not too cold.

My first toyota Supra didn't have it but the 2nd one did. Man I missed the old supra. Of course both of my lexus have it and any other car I will buy in the future.

I agree with many of the comments mentioned already. Your parents' arguments doesn't hold water. The accident they heard was probably a 1 in a million.

Do as you say, your old enough to make your own decision. Don't regret not getting the sunroof!!!
kphu is offline  
Old 06-22-07, 07:37 PM
  #18  
lexboi250
Lexus Champion
Thread Starter
iTrader: (10)
 
lexboi250's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Where good things grow
Posts: 1,664
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

thanks guys for all your replies. I think there's no doubt i'm getting one with a sunroof, I know they will blab, but wth, i don't live with them, so I can stand it once a while when i go visit then. Anyways, yeah, like most people here, I can't stand a nice car without a sunroof, I'm just gonna tell them, "it's a lexus, what you expect, sunroof is included in the standard package", but i'm sure they aren't dumb either that they'll believe me, but whatever.
lexboi250 is offline  
Old 06-23-07, 10:33 AM
  #19  
GS3Tek
Moderator
iTrader: (8)
 
GS3Tek's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: so cal
Posts: 12,364
Received 168 Likes on 127 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by lexboi250
and his friend got into an accident where 2 out of the 3 cars rolled over, people the one with a sunroof died and people in the one without a sunroof survived.
EVerytime I hear rollover, it's associated with suvs.
Were they driving suvs and avoiding something or making sudden lane changes?

With cars, how do you roll over if you're not driving fast, off a shoulder, off a cliff, make a 90 deg at 80 mph,...???
GS3Tek is offline  
Old 06-23-07, 11:08 AM
  #20  
blacksc400
Car Chat Moderator
iTrader: (4)
 
blacksc400's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Las Vegas!
Posts: 10,143
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Default

if you are getting a Lexus, GL finding one without sunroof..
blacksc400 is offline  
Old 06-26-07, 06:54 PM
  #21  
rai
Lead Lap
 
rai's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Maryland
Posts: 620
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by mmarshall
I'm not a fan of sunroofs. They add cost, complexity, lessen roof and body rigidity regardless of how strong the A, B, and C-pilars are, cut out from one to one-and-a-half inches of headroom in the average vehicle, are a potential source of leaks, squeaks, and rattles, can jam open or closed, and, worst of all, can fail just as that nice big summer thunderstorm is approaching with two or three inches of rain. Years ago automakers used to give you an emergency hand crank, shaped like an Alan wrench, to manually crank it closed if the electric motor failed, but that practice has gone by the wayside, perhaps from cost-cutting.

My advice? Save your money and buy a conventional roof.
+100

I actually hate sunroofs. I had one in my Passat and used it a couple of times in 8 years. Waste of money but a lot of times they are forced on you. I will go out of my way and not buy a car just b/c it has a sunroof.

My passat had 2 power window motors stop working in the span of 6 months. I was sure my sunroof would stop working and I'd get stuck with another expensive service.

1) waste of moeny (for me I don't use sunroofs). I have a vert as a second car. Once used to a vert (open air) I will never think a dinky sunroof is cool/fun etc but that just me.

2) extra moving parts mean another thing that can break/leak etc..

3) less headroom

4) extra weight for a feature I don't need or want. this may be trivial but the fact is the weight is not wanted (by me)

thats why I don't like them. I'm not sure about the safety. But I don't think its that much more dangerous with a sunroof. I suppose a rock (?) can fall thru your sunroof but that's a rare thing.

NOTE: I drive a vert so pretty much I am giving up safety for that. Its not something I want to think about but you have to live and not worry about the last 1000% safety. If you want safety driving a car is about the most dangerous thing we do on a daily basis.
rai is offline  
Old 06-26-07, 07:04 PM
  #22  
zzzzdoc
Lead Lap
 
zzzzdoc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Florida
Posts: 602
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by 4TehNguyen
its too bad a sunroof is standard on many vehicles


Never liked them. Never use them. Always unhappy that they seem standard on almost all cars.

That being said, I've never seen them involved in an ejection in an accident (and I've seen thousands of accident victims). Of course, you don't see ejections with people wearing seatbelts anyway.
zzzzdoc is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
LexusIS007
Car Chat
1
04-07-16 10:57 AM
court5
IS - 2nd Gen (2006-2013)
2
06-27-14 03:45 PM
TheLexguy
IS - 2nd Gen (2006-2013)
1
05-18-13 01:09 PM
poorkidlol
IS - 2nd Gen (2006-2013)
8
11-11-11 06:19 PM
PAVGR
IS - 2nd Gen (2006-2013)
14
09-03-10 12:12 AM



Quick Reply: Sunroofs, safe or unsafe?



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 08:04 PM.