Is a moonroof/sunroof a deal breaker for you?
#106
Lexus Champion
#107
Lexus Fanatic
Well, you just do that. The whole world will be watching. You'll be a celebrity.....with a Rolls or a Maybach.
#108
Lexus Fanatic
Her's a well-written article from Top Gear on panoramic sunroofs. It is a little on the long side, so I didn't copy and paste it.
https://www.topgearbox.com/cars/your...anoramic-roof/
https://www.topgearbox.com/cars/your...anoramic-roof/
#109
Lexus Fanatic
#110
Lexus Fanatic
This is another well-written article on sunroofs and their problems:
https://www.motorbiscuit.com/the-big...bout-sunroofs/
https://www.motorbiscuit.com/the-big...bout-sunroofs/
#112
Lexus Fanatic
Comes back to though, the vast majority of people don’t have problems with their sunroofs. Every car I have ever had but 1 has had a sunroof, and I have never had any issues outside of the old ES300 where it’s parked outside and the drains clog. It’s also 20 years old, and when I owned it and maintained it better and it was parked undercover it was never an issue.
It’s like a skylight in your home. They are a potential point of leakage, but they add a lot to a home.
It’s like a skylight in your home. They are a potential point of leakage, but they add a lot to a home.
#114
Racer
It’s a deal breaker for me if the car DOESN’T have a glass roof at minimum.
I wouldn’t buy a car with a solid roof. If the roof can actually open, even better.
I love the all glass roof in our Model Y. It gives so much extra headroom, has no cross beams so it’s just all open, but unfortunately has no way to open. No shades either, but it’s tinted so dark that heat and light have never been an issue.
I love the setup in our EQS even more. It has an all glass roof with a power sunshade AND it tilts and opens. Love it
Being from California, it’s in me. I grew up always driving with the windows and sunroof open almost all times of year.
Never had a car with a sunroof that had issues of any sort, except for my GS which had a nasty sunroof related rattle that the dealer had to fix (which required dropping the whole headliner).
I have zero concerns with sunroofs causing leaks and issues. They’re meant to be enjoyed imo.
I wouldn’t buy a car with a solid roof. If the roof can actually open, even better.
I love the all glass roof in our Model Y. It gives so much extra headroom, has no cross beams so it’s just all open, but unfortunately has no way to open. No shades either, but it’s tinted so dark that heat and light have never been an issue.
I love the setup in our EQS even more. It has an all glass roof with a power sunshade AND it tilts and opens. Love it
Being from California, it’s in me. I grew up always driving with the windows and sunroof open almost all times of year.
Never had a car with a sunroof that had issues of any sort, except for my GS which had a nasty sunroof related rattle that the dealer had to fix (which required dropping the whole headliner).
I have zero concerns with sunroofs causing leaks and issues. They’re meant to be enjoyed imo.
#115
Lexus Fanatic
So THATS how it happened lol
#116
Moderator
iTrader: (5)
For me the presence of a standard can't-order-it-without-one moonroof/sunroof is a dealbreaker. My last two cars came with sunroofs yet I didn't want that option to begin with. Japan market variants of both cars could be directly ordered in a hardtop variant which is what I really wanted all along.
Now some new vehicles come with full glass roofs or near full glass roofs which is also something I absolutely do not care for and am not willing to accept. It is especially annoying when such things are standard in U.S. market models but are optional in other world markets on the same vehicle.
Currently I'm on a waitlist for a 2023 Toyota GR86 M/T which thankfully comes in a plain hardtop roof as the only specification. I couldn't be happier! Sampling a couple of GR86 model at a couple of dealers I loved the simplicity that having a full metal roof affords.
My SC300, like most of the 1992-2000 SC's, has a sunroof and I never use it. I did a few times after I first bought the car just to try it and a couple of times in the last few years to periodically clean out the sunroof drain tubes as preventative maintenance... but other than that it sits dormant with the shade cover closed. Ironically the Japanese Soarer variant was predominantly ordered by customers in the non-sunroof variant while in the U.S. and Canada the SC300/400's were predominantly allocated with sunroofs with only some non-sunroof variants showing up in dealer inventories during its entire model cycle.
Going forward it is looking harder than ever to find a car that I like which has no sunroof or even worse a glass roof and that is very annoying. I really don't see a full hard top roof with no glass above as a big ask from manufacturers.
For me the lesser of the two evils is the traditional sunroof because then at least you can usually pull the overhead sun shade over it so that I never have to deal with a greenhouse directly over my head. With a fixed glass roof there is no physical shade cover to pull over and any damage incurred up top will be a glass replacement service which I do not prefer.
Another reason I don't prefer either a sunroof or glass roof is that with both you've got slightly more weight up top and that doesn't help to achieve as low a center of gravity as possible in a driver focused vehicle.
Now some new vehicles come with full glass roofs or near full glass roofs which is also something I absolutely do not care for and am not willing to accept. It is especially annoying when such things are standard in U.S. market models but are optional in other world markets on the same vehicle.
Currently I'm on a waitlist for a 2023 Toyota GR86 M/T which thankfully comes in a plain hardtop roof as the only specification. I couldn't be happier! Sampling a couple of GR86 model at a couple of dealers I loved the simplicity that having a full metal roof affords.
My SC300, like most of the 1992-2000 SC's, has a sunroof and I never use it. I did a few times after I first bought the car just to try it and a couple of times in the last few years to periodically clean out the sunroof drain tubes as preventative maintenance... but other than that it sits dormant with the shade cover closed. Ironically the Japanese Soarer variant was predominantly ordered by customers in the non-sunroof variant while in the U.S. and Canada the SC300/400's were predominantly allocated with sunroofs with only some non-sunroof variants showing up in dealer inventories during its entire model cycle.
Going forward it is looking harder than ever to find a car that I like which has no sunroof or even worse a glass roof and that is very annoying. I really don't see a full hard top roof with no glass above as a big ask from manufacturers.
For me the lesser of the two evils is the traditional sunroof because then at least you can usually pull the overhead sun shade over it so that I never have to deal with a greenhouse directly over my head. With a fixed glass roof there is no physical shade cover to pull over and any damage incurred up top will be a glass replacement service which I do not prefer.
Another reason I don't prefer either a sunroof or glass roof is that with both you've got slightly more weight up top and that doesn't help to achieve as low a center of gravity as possible in a driver focused vehicle.
Last edited by KahnBB6; 04-17-23 at 05:33 PM.
#118
Super Moderator
When I got my 99 RX300, it was used an just happened to have a sunroof. Was not one of my items that I was looking for per se. However, when I lived in Mexico, the sunroof proved useful as I used to stick the XM radio antenna (small round device with a magnet) on top of the handle to open it and it worked like a charm to get the signal so far south of the US border.
With my 2016 CT and now 2017 CT, it was an option, but again did not need it for any purpose. Sun hits so hard here in Miami, actually a blessing not having it. If I wanted the sun, I would go back to a convertible which I had once over 25 years ago, a 1990 BMW 325ic.
With my 2016 CT and now 2017 CT, it was an option, but again did not need it for any purpose. Sun hits so hard here in Miami, actually a blessing not having it. If I wanted the sun, I would go back to a convertible which I had once over 25 years ago, a 1990 BMW 325ic.
#119
Lexus Fanatic
My SC300, like most of the 1992-2000 SC's, has a sunroof and I never use it.
There is no feature in a car that is a "dealbreaker" for me in every situation, and I think for most people thats the case. Don't want the sunroof? Just leave it closed and the shade closed. I don't roll windows down but I don't want a car that has windows that don't roll down...cars in the US come mostly with sunroofs because thats what market research has shown vehicle manufacturers the majority of US buyers want...so people who don't want a sunroof just have to keep the shade closed. Thats life when you buy products that are mass manufactured.
Last edited by SW17LS; 04-17-23 at 06:43 AM.
#120
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Then you can't buy the vast majority of cars made today.
But, how did you come to own a vehicle that has a sunroof if its a dealbreaker for you? I think "its a dealbreaker unless its a car I really want then I will buy it anyways" kind of thing. THATS why they are standard.
There is no feature in a car that is a "dealbreaker" for me in every situation, and I think for most people thats the case. Don't want the sunroof? Just leave it closed and the shade closed. I don't roll windows down but I don't want a car that has windows that don't roll down...cars in the US come mostly with sunroofs because thats what market research has shown vehicle manufacturers the majority of US buyers want...so people who don't want a sunroof just have to keep the shade closed. Thats life when you buy products that are mass manufactured.
But, how did you come to own a vehicle that has a sunroof if its a dealbreaker for you? I think "its a dealbreaker unless its a car I really want then I will buy it anyways" kind of thing. THATS why they are standard.
There is no feature in a car that is a "dealbreaker" for me in every situation, and I think for most people thats the case. Don't want the sunroof? Just leave it closed and the shade closed. I don't roll windows down but I don't want a car that has windows that don't roll down...cars in the US come mostly with sunroofs because thats what market research has shown vehicle manufacturers the majority of US buyers want...so people who don't want a sunroof just have to keep the shade closed. Thats life when you buy products that are mass manufactured.
what about power sliding doors on a van?
what about power rear hatch doors?
or General Motors….Sierra had a power tail gate
where is the outrage?
Spoiler
Last edited by Toys4RJill; 04-17-23 at 07:20 AM.