4lex

While researching the ES 350, I found several threads here discussing panoramic roofs. However, they are not always labeled as such, and are at least two years old. Thus this update.

Like PhillyPhan in 2016 (see https://www.clublexus.com/forums/es-...-question.html ), I live in AZ. As he described, all AZ dealers offer their ES 350s only with panoramic roofs. So I drove one.

In Tucson, on a balmy 85 degree afternoon, I felt significant heat on my hand when I placed it two inches directly below the blind (shade); both the sunroof and the blind were closed. The pano roof was tinted by the dealer (the tint is quite dark, so tinting probably won't help even if a shop would do it).

As you know, the sun is quite intense here, and summer temperatures are often above 100 degrees for much of the day. The panoramic roof also cuts headroom by an inch, potentially bringing the heat a little closer.

Given where I live, my plan to keep this car a very long time, and my fear of maintenance issues way down the road (I'm the original owner of a 1996 Avalon), I'm buying my ES 350 without the pano roof. (It's a special order because I am also ordering the Marc Levinson with it.)

Obviously, YMMV.

Mike728

Just a correction. The dealer did not tint the roof. It is tinted at the factory. I can not see in mine from the outside.

I hope you enjoy your ES when it arrives!

Dave Mac

I too live in Arizona and have had a pano roof for just over a week. I saw very few new ES 350's without the pano roof and the only explanation I got was that Lexus must have committed to a supplier to build a certain number of pano roof cars and are not fulfilling the commitment as the model is in it's final months. I have gotten to like the look of the black roof a little but that is the only thing I can say about it - I'm not going to like it when it gets hotter. I don't even like moon roofs and certainly don't need two of them.

You are doing the right thing with your special order - I just didn't have the luxury of time with this purchase or I would have had a car with bi-led lights, a power opening trunk and NO PORT-IN-STALLED OPTIONS. Aside from that I really like the car. I didn't see any cars with ML sound but I did see some without the pano roof locally, but the wrong color.

Dave Mac

lesz

Since I don't live in Arizona, I can't say anything with certainty about the heat issue. I've had a Generation 6 ES with the standard sunroof and one with the pano roof, and, on days with 95+ degree temperatures in the Midwest, I can't say that I've noticed any difference with regard to how much additional heat is generated because of the pano roof, but it does make sense that the larger glass surface of the pano roof would result in more heat inside the cabin.

What confuses me, though, is your statement about headroom. With the pano roof, there should be more headroom in the back seat than with the standard sunroof because, with the standard sunroof, the headliner is lower because of the space that is required for the glass to slide back under the sheet metal. With the pano roof, since it slides back over the sheet metal, the interior headliner does not need to be lowered, which should result in more back seat headroom, not less. As far as front headroom is concerned, since the glass with both the pano roof and the standard roof is on the same plane as the sheet metal, I would think that the front headroom should be the same with both roofs.

Dave Mac

Lesz - I too, wondered about less headroom with the pano roof but I believe it is correct and the reason may be the way the interior shade(s) open as two layers as well as maybe the extra reinforcement that may be required for a glass roof car.

I was told that the way the pano roof opens - like the Tesla and others - would result in reduced noise when open but I don't find that to be correct. Less of a buffeting effect perhaps but the same noise plus the unattractive look from the outside. But I am starting to like the closed roof look and the guys at Discount Tire think it's a cool look as well.

The salesman that demonstrated the opening of the pano roof for me said - "don't worry about it, you will never use it anyway" (in Arizona) - a statement that in my case has always been true. I just hope it doesn't introduce a significant amount of heat to the interior or the car this summer.

Dave Mac

4lex

Correction noted and appreciated.

But that leads me to another question: what factory tint comes on an ES 350 (particularly driver/passenger windows and sunroof)? The dealer says very little because Lexus seeks to provide a car compliant with tint laws throughout the United States.

I saw this very helpful post awhile back about the IS (post #25 in https://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-...cs-here-2.html), which suggests a darker tint all around, but I cannot find anything for the ES 350. I'm trying to get the dealer not to send my special order out for aftermarket tinting because I'm planning to add 3M 70% Crystalline to the side windows (my wife does not like dark tints; I'm just looking for heat resistance). Knowing the factory tint will help me evaluate my tint choice.

Dave Mac

I believe the factory "tint" is really more like shading with UV protection - not very noticeable until you get a non Lexus logo replacement glass and can really notice the difference (personal experience here).

With your special order car just make it clear to your salesman that you do not want tint dealer installed on your car. It will involve he or she stay on top of it but I have always been successful with it. My salesman usually takes the keys from the locked car so they can do the tint.

Would you believe that on my new purchase which was from inventory rather than special order, the car was tinted and just as soon as my salesman marked the car sold he had the tint removed. Then he was off for a day and they re-tinted the windows. They removed it a second time and after having the car for just 10 days I am still trying to get that adhesive off the inside of the windows. It is really sticky. And I'm just wondering if my rear window defroster wires were already damaged by the removal. Ordinarily, I would refuse a car that had been tinted and removed.

And in the same line - if you order your car without the traditional "port-installed-options" (do they even get prepped at a "port" now that they are U.S. built) you again will have to have your salesman give you frequent status updates. On my last special order (Japan built) ES I had to tell them three times "no port-installed-options". they just kept reappearing on the car. The PIO's can include everything from trunk carpet (your salesperson would probably give you this), wheel locks which I immediately remove and pay Lexus Parts about $35 for four new lug nuts, a cargo net, and maybe a trunk lid spoiler or door sill lights. Total cost can sometimes be $1K.

Dave Mac

Dave Mac

SW17LS

Correct, the factory tint doesn't do anything to reject heat.

If heat is an issue for you I would have a high end ceramic tint applied to the interior of the sunroof glass. You can get a very light or even clear tint that won't darken it any but will provide amazing heat rejection. The 70% crystalline you're adding to the windows will work well. For heat rejection I would also do the rear window obviously, and the windshield.

john341

I was going to say the same. But personally I will never get a pano-roof or a car with sunroof if it was easier to buy one like that in today's market.