Sunroof?

[Cubsfan]

Ok, I'm looking at a new Altima, and one of the options is a sunroof. I've never had one before (and I kind of have mixed feelings about having one). Have you had a sunroof? Would you get it again?

Some of my friends say it's nice, some say it sucks (less headroom, and the times that you want it open is when it's sunny, and it just makes it hotter in the car). What do you think?

(By the way, it's like a $700-$800 option)

[bachviet]

I have moonroof but I hardly use it. Mine came with the EX model from Honda so it wasn't an option. I wouldn't get it if it were an option.

[DankNstickY]

i say go for it. i think it'd be cool to have one. i have a civic lx, so my car didnt come with one. and why would it be less headroom, if not more? open it up, and stick your head out the top.... but yea, i dont know if you'd want to go elsewhere to get it installed other than factory to save some cash maybe... but i say go for it.

[Showtime]

I liked it when I had it, but dont really miss now. Though in So Cal you get a lot of chances to open up.

-j

[BrewMaster]

i've had a moonroof in my last 3 vehicles and i used it only 2 or 3 times a year. they are unecessary. save your change for something else.

[ski]

I don't see the point of sun/moonroof. Having the sun shine on your head for $800 isn't worth it to me. I guess if you've had one on every car, you'd miss having one on a new car.

[Cubsfan]

Interesting. I think I'm leaning toward not getting one, but I'm wondering if why so many people like them is that they are in California? Here in Colorado, it would probably be completely worthless 4-5 months a year (unless you enjoy getting snowed on )

[sizemic1]

We have sunroofs on both of our cars..and really..I could take it or leave it.
It is kinda nice to crack it to get some fresh air flow w/o the noise of opening up a side window. But all in all, I might open it fully a couple times a month.

[speedracer120]

It's nice if you smoke or like outside ventilation, but otherwise like you stated a waste of a sacrifice in headroom, when the seals fail it'll cause a lot of annoyances, and lastly you live in Colorado man.

[JackHammer]

I think the moonroof.sunroof cools down a hot car faster. In the summer time, when I get out of work, alls I do is open the moonroof and the car gets cooler faster. Plus it helps a lot with the ventilation. Driving with an open moonroof seems to pull more air out of the vents, I think. I love mine in my prelude. The next car I get, has to have one.

[OremuS]

Interesting. I think I'm leaning toward not getting one, but I'm wondering if why so many people like them is that they are in California? Here in Colorado, it would probably be completely worthless 4-5 months a year (unless you enjoy getting snowed on )

I have had cars with them, without them, and I have had them installed. Overall I would say that having one is better than not having one. My rundown of cars with and without are as follows:

89 Nissan 240SX - with manual pop-up sunroof
86 Mustang GT - without
99 Pontiac Grand Prix - had power sunroof installed aftermarket
04 Accord EX - with factory moon roof

I live in Ohio (east side of Cleveland...we got about 120 inches of snow this year), so I can appreciate the loss of use during the winter months. I get the most use out of it in the spring and fall, however in the summer it is nice to leave it cracked open or open it when you get into the car to cool things off. It is also nice to open the roof and the rear windows...kinda gives a convertible type feel with the wind moving around and whatnot. Ultimately it comes down to personal preference. If you are going to get it, go with the factory one. After market ones are pretty weather tight, but they usually do not open as far as factory ones. The one I had put in the Prix was around $600 installed.

Hope this helps.

I think the moonroof.sunroof cools down a hot car faster. In the summer time, when I get out of work, alls I do is open the moonroof and the car gets cooler faster. Plus it helps a lot with the ventilation. Driving with an open moonroof seems to pull more air out of the vents, I think. I love mine in my prelude. The next car I get, has to have one.

It definitely pulls more air out of the vents. Gives the incoming air a place to go.

[DarkFury]

I don't see the point of sun/moonroof. Having the sun shine on your head for $800 isn't worth it to me. I guess if you've had one on every car, you'd miss having one on a new car.

Heh...

And to think... I spent about $1200 to have one installed in the HEMI.


But honestly... I LOVE my sunroof/moonroof and I use it all the time when I'm driving around... especially if I'm out on the highway. On the highway, the noise level is less with the moonroof open versus the side windows when you just want to have some fresh air.

People who have moonroofs but never use em... just don't realize what they are missing. The only time I don't use mine is during the winter when it is snowing. However if it gets "hot and stuffy" in the ride... you can bet that I crack the roof if there isn't any snow or rain outside.

Consider it a "cheap alternative" to having a convertible.

It's nice if you smoke or like outside ventilation, but otherwise like you stated a waste of a sacrifice in headroom, when the seals fail it'll cause a lot of annoyances, and lastly you live in Colorado man.

BTW... not all sunroofs leak like that.

Most modern roofs (i.e. installed from the dealer or professional trim shops... NOT Ziebart) have weep channels in them for drainage. This sends the water from rain or washing around the roof and down into your vehicles side pillars to the ground.

Also... most good roofs have a firm rubber gasket seal around the glass. My T-Bird has a roof and it has never leaked. That's on a 9 year old car... Pretty much, as long as you can keep the weep holes free of debris.... you probably won't have a leakage problem with a roof nowadays.

[Memo]

I like them. Fresh air on long drives keeps me awake and the moon roof makes it so you don't have to have the windows down with lots of air blowing in your face.

[PiPhiAngel]

seemed like an option that i couldn't live without since i love the sun so much (bet you couldn't tell if you saw my super pale skin )-- but never used it after the first few weeks. still nice to have though, for those long car rides.

[Merlin]

Anything that makes it more of an open air feel is good in my book.

Personally I drive a convertible and always will. I need to have the open air feel. Get the sunroof.

[Nija]

I love my sunroof. I use it almost every single day.

[Cubsfan]

Seems like people either use it every day, or never use it at all. Wonder which group I would be in...

What really irritates me is that the one option I would like is the Bose stereo. However, in order to get that, I would have to also get the sunroof. So combined, that's like an extra $1400-$1500 dollars just for a stupid stereo.

[bachviet]

Seems like people either use it every day, or never use it at all. Wonder which group I would be in...

What really irritates me is that the one option I would like is the Bose stereo. However, in order to get that, I would have to also get the sunroof. So combined, that's like an extra $1400-$1500 dollars just for a stupid stereo.

Welcome to the world of Toyota and Nissan. Honda hardly has any option for any of its models. If you want to get moonroof, you have to go with the EX. You can't get the moonroof with a LX or DX model.

[Merlin]

You can probably get a much better sound system aftermarket for less.

[bachviet]

You can probably get a much better sound system aftermarket for less.

For lots of newer cars, it's almost impossible to install new stereo systems without major modification, which costs lots of $$$. Some of the new cars have the stereo control integrated with the AC control so you can't remove it.

[Cubsfan]

For lots of newer cars, it's almost impossible to install new stereo systems without major modification, which costs lots of $$$. Some of the new cars have the stereo control integrated with the AC control so you can't remove it.

Or you lose the use of the steering wheel mounted controls.

[DarkFury]

Seems like people either use it every day, or never use it at all. Wonder which group I would be in...

What really irritates me is that the one option I would like is the Bose stereo. However, in order to get that, I would have to also get the sunroof. So combined, that's like an extra $1400-$1500 dollars just for a stupid stereo.

honestly... just because it says "BOSE"on it from the factory, don't believe the hype that you are really getting something "good" there.

You can't spray perfume on sh@t to make it smell better...


If you have $1500... you can get some really nice aftermarket speakers and a decent amplifier and keep your stock radio (if you must) and have a decent sound. Personally, this is what I did in the Hemi... I kept the radio with the steering wheel controls and added front and rear Kenwood 6 1/2 and 6x9 speakers plus an amp. Then I added some subs and another amp for the BOOM. Needless to say... the Hemi is ROCKIN' now.

For lots of newer cars, it's almost impossible to install new stereo systems without major modification, which costs lots of $$$. Some of the new cars have the stereo control integrated with the AC control so you can't remove it.

Every stereo has either a line out or a speaker out... therefore you can still get signal and go aftermarket behind the head unit.

Good sound comes from clean signal and power... and there are all kinds of neat toys that will allow you to keep the output level of a factory system low enough to not distort yet amplify it so that it sounds really good. I have a Kenwood pre-amp EQ that does this for me in the Hemi... and honestly, I don't even have to turn my radio up past 8 (out of a potential 36 levels) to get some really decent sound out to the speakers with no distortion.

And honestly, there was no "major modifications" to doing it this way.

[StonedWheat]

I wish I had a sunroof. Like DF said, it's the next best thing to a convertible.

[bachviet]

If I were to modify the sound system, I would go all out with head unit, EQ, amp(s), speakers, and subs. IMHO driving an amplifier with a stock HU via speaker wires is not the right way to do it.

[GracieBayb]

heck yesssssssssssssssssssssssssss

[ShawnLee]

I thought it'd be cool, but I don't think it's worth it. But if it's for the stereo? Eh.

[guiseppewv]

Also... most good roofs have a firm rubber gasket seal around the glass. My T-Bird has a roof and it has never leaked. That's on a 9 year old car... Pretty much, as long as you can keep the weep holes free of debris.... you probably won't have a leakage problem with a roof nowadays.

I have an Accord that is 11 yrs old and the sunroof (factory installed) has never leaked. Knock on wood.

[PrObLy]

I have a moonroof on my car and whenever it's nice out and not raining...that sucker is open. It's just a great feeling and gets a lot of air moving around too. I use the A/C very seldomly (read: ~100 degrees w/ high humidity) because the moonroof is so effective.

Having the sun peeking through from above seems to make longer rides a bit more pleasurable too.

[DarkFury]

I have an Accord that is 11 yrs old and the sunroof (factory installed) has never leaked. Knock on wood.

umm... knock on "simulated wood dash" maybe?

[DarkFury]

If I were to modify the sound system, I would go all out with head unit, EQ, amp(s), speakers, and subs. IMHO driving an amplifier with a stock HU via speaker wires is not the right way to do it.

But losing the functionality of the steering wheel controls was less appealing in my case...

Yes, I would normally prefer an aftermarket head unit.... but as I stated earlier, if you can get a clean signal out of your head unit, then there are ways to process that signal and get the same desired effect using a stock head unit.

On top of that... with the radio looking "stock", it tends to make the vehicle less appealing to the less savory parts of our society who would love that new aftermarket HU you just installed.

I assure you... my stock head unit combined with my pre-amp EQ delivers quite enough power to drive the 10" subs in the Hemi (via the mono amp that is pushing them). Make it so bad... I had previously bougtht an "Audio control line driver" and I didn't even use it since I was able to get plenty of good signal from just the HU and the EQ alone.

For folks who are leasing... (not that I recommend that practice..) this is an alternative to getting good sound with minimal modification.