Team-BHP - Sunroofs & their usage

Now that we are at a good ~450 votes, I thought it would be nice to take a look at the results we have so far.

Approximately 41% of people are in favor of wanting to use the sunroof either regularly or once in a while (options 1 & 3); whereas the rest of them either don't want the sunroof on their top variant or have been forced to buy one as there was no option.

What intrigued me was the ~4.5% of people who actually forgot they have a sunroof in their car :)

Although TeamBHP polls may not accurately reflect the actual market sentiment about sunroofs, but it is still quite an interesting result nonetheless. Would be interesting to see if Indian OEMs actually offered this as an optional extra so that both parties are happy - like how they do in the US/EU region.

I don't have anything against the sunroof, and equally I don't consider it an essential feature. There was no sunroof option for the Punto. I had the option to add the sunroof on both the Octavia and the Karoq, but I didn't due to the cost factor (more than €1000).

The only car with a sunroof that I have spend considerable time in is my in-laws' C-class. But, most of the time I spend in that car is spend driving, so I haven't really admired the sunroof.

A big OT but still related to Sunroof's.

A new way to use the sunroof

Quote:

The video, which has become viral on the Internet shows a moving Honda City on the empty roads. The video, which has been taken from behind the vehicle shows sky shooters and rockets being fired from inside the car through the sunroof of the moving vehicle. The small video shows several firecrackers being burst by the occupants of the Honda City on the move

Source

I was super excited when i first saw a panoramic sunroof. It does give an airy feeling to the cabin.

To me the usage is simple - Whenever we can drive with windows open, we can drive with sunroof open.

Such scenarios are rare in metros - Smoke, dust, excessive honking, noise and harsh weather is the normal day in most metros. We drive with A/C on and windows closed - If this is your typical usage then no point in having a sunroof.

Of-course it'd be great to pop it open in ghats, early morning/late night drive, or on a relaxed evening drive along the coast. If such drives are part of your lifestyle by all means it's a meaningful and exciting feature to have.

Sunroof is a nice to have feature to enjoy the short summers in our part of the country. It is a nice to have feature but its not a deal breaker while i chose my vehicles.

I have not used it regularly in my previous vehicles. I had an option of opting out sunroof and saving some money on both of my current vehicles which i eventually did.

In last 9 years, the number of times that I drove with windows open, or even put AC in the 'outside air' mode is only a handful. I could care less about the 1 feet hole in the roof which the driver can't see. But car manufacturers like Mahindra (talking about XUV300) decide that 7 airbags have to accompany expensive - and useless for many - features such as a hole in the roof. Why should safety be dependent on luxury?

I loved Toyota's approach in Yaris, giving 7 airbags as standard. Too bad that toyota showed its greed and Indian market showed its colors, and even Toyota have started offering it with lesser number of airbags in lower versions.

I had voted for I forgot I had a sunroof in my car! based on my personal experience in the US.

1. 2006 CR-V: first car in the US. Tried to use the regular sunroof in Texas but never really enjoyed it. Too much heat coming through glass, and too much noise when fully opened.

2. 2008 BMW 3-Series: Second car in the US. Again tried to use the sunroof in California but never really enjoyed it.

3. 2016 Acura MDX: Third car in the US. I was already used to not using sunroofs. I had already made up my mind that its one of those gimmicky features that are not very functional.

4. 2003 Lexus LS430: Fourth car in the US. Again, never opened the sunroof even once.

5. 2014 Telsa Model S: Fifth car in the US. This had a glass roof with proper heat rejection. what a revelation. I have sat and driven model S without glass roof (primarily service loaners) and can appreciate the glass roof that most Teslas come with.

When I moved back to India last year, and was researching cars, I realized for my budget, Indian market is still stuck with either no sunroof or same old small hole with no purpose. Obviously this small hole didn't sway me one way or other because I know if I couldn't bear heat & noise in Texas and California, I can't bear the heat/noise/pollution on Indian roads. I think I left motorcycling for same reason. Too much heat, noise etc while some people express it as the freedom to feel the wind in the face etc.

All said, the market seems to be catching up quickly to panoramic roofs. Maybe my next car will have a panoramic roof with proper heat rejection.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeroen (Post 4684117)

Start with ensuring as little as possible debris collects around the base frame corners / drains. The best way to do so is not to open the sun roof! Which defeats the purpose of having one in the fist place (unless you have one of these transparant ones.)

But seriously, cleaning out the corners is a good idea. If possible blow some air through it. Be careful with how much pressure you put on it. If you pop the rubber hose of the tube, you have created a leak. I have also used a nylon cable, originally meant for pulling electrical wiring into conduits. It is sturdy enough to be pushed down and bends/flex sufficiently.

On some cars you will actually see the rubber hose sticking out underneath the sills or next to it, (on the inside). Make sure they are there, know what to look for. If the rubber hose protrudes out that is good, but if it gets pushed inside the sill, the water will be running into your sills. Which is not good.

Test it now and then, preferably after cleaning by pouring some water into the corner and see it drains all the way properly to underneath the car. Check for puddles!

Good luck

Jeroen

@Jeroen: D-I-Y by ajmat
@ajmat: surprised you forgot this nugget of information

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techn...ot-repair.html

Going against the trend with Option 1 : Yes, I want that sunroof & I will pay for it.

My wife and I both do a lot of night drives, and the sunroof is almost always used (in summer, we just open the shade up; and in cooler weather we either crack or fully open the sunroof).
It just has a charm about it - the bigger the better, especially on long drives!

My parents however - may fall into Option 2 - I forgot I had a sunroof.
Why? Because whilst buying the Tiguan dad was the one who was happy to get the model with the sunroof (my niece & nephew love it and it does brighten up the interiors considerably), but they never use it!