Is a moonroof/sunroof a deal breaker for you?
05-21-19, 07:41 AM
#31
A sunroof is not a deal breaker for me but I prefer not to have one. I always buy off the lot so if a model has everything I want plus a sunroof I bite the bullet. I'm too impatient to order a vehicle. Salesmen always say it will have better resale value with one. HA. Finding one without one isn't easy. Although a Lexus dealer I worked with did do a swap with another dealer on one purchase I did.
I've only had one problem with a sunroof over the years and that was on a '07 Highlander. The motor burned out and I was told it would cost $800 to repair and I never used it! Needless to say it stayed closed until I traded it in. As was said before being in Florida I never open it because I like A/C in our climate and the quiet. I don't even open the shade because the sun always seems to glare in my eyes.
I've only had one problem with a sunroof over the years and that was on a '07 Highlander. The motor burned out and I was told it would cost $800 to repair and I never used it! Needless to say it stayed closed until I traded it in. As was said before being in Florida I never open it because I like A/C in our climate and the quiet. I don't even open the shade because the sun always seems to glare in my eyes.
05-21-19, 08:04 AM
#32
Super Moderator
I love having it and would be less likely--but not guaranteed--to not buy a car because it doesn't have one. I have it open when it suits both the weather and my mood, but otherwise leave it close with the shade open, year-round. I like the light.
What I can't figure out is when we were car shopping, my wife was completely enamored with the pano roof and how airy it makes her car feel. It absolutely was a factor selling her on the car. But she drives around with the shade closed 100% of the time. I open it when I drive it, and the next time I get in it's shut again.
What I can't figure out is when we were car shopping, my wife was completely enamored with the pano roof and how airy it makes her car feel. It absolutely was a factor selling her on the car. But she drives around with the shade closed 100% of the time. I open it when I drive it, and the next time I get in it's shut again.
05-21-19, 08:42 AM
#33
Lexus Test Driver
As of now, yes, it is. That is one of the reasons why I special-ordered my Lacrosse without a sunroof, but with (most) of the other things I wanted. I couldn't get exactly what I wanted, but it was close.
IMO, a power sunroof is just one more piece of equipment to potentially break down (sometimes just as a rainstorm is approaching), and a potential source of squeaks, rattles, and air/water leaks. it also cuts out a certain amount of the roof-panel's torsional/longitudinal rigidity, even if only a small amount.
IMO, a power sunroof is just one more piece of equipment to potentially break down (sometimes just as a rainstorm is approaching), and a potential source of squeaks, rattles, and air/water leaks. it also cuts out a certain amount of the roof-panel's torsional/longitudinal rigidity, even if only a small amount.
05-21-19, 08:44 AM
#34
Lexus Test Driver
I love having it and would be less likely--but not guaranteed--to not buy a car because it doesn't have one. I have it open when it suits both the weather and my mood, but otherwise leave it close with the shade open, year-round. I like the light.
What I can't figure out is when we were car shopping, my wife was completely enamored with the pano roof and how airy it makes her car feel. It absolutely was a factor selling her on the car. But she drives around with the shade closed 100% of the time. I open it when I drive it, and the next time I get in it's shut again.
What I can't figure out is when we were car shopping, my wife was completely enamored with the pano roof and how airy it makes her car feel. It absolutely was a factor selling her on the car. But she drives around with the shade closed 100% of the time. I open it when I drive it, and the next time I get in it's shut again.
Oh well....
05-21-19, 10:23 AM
#35
Here in Oregon we don't have all that many days of warm sunshine, but when we do, I like to drive around with everything open, as if I was in a convertible. Driving a 3rd gen RX (2010).
As for the horrible low-frequency wind buffeting, the sunroof is making the interior act just like a very low-bass organ pipe of about 10Hz. I hate it and the dog in the back seat hates it. But Lexus figured out that the organ-pipe effect would go away if the sunroof was only 90% open, so in fact when you open it the motor stops at that 90% position. And no organ-pipe effect, as least in our car.
On sunny hot days I usually prefer to close the sun shade also in order to keep the sun out of my view.
As for the horrible low-frequency wind buffeting, the sunroof is making the interior act just like a very low-bass organ pipe of about 10Hz. I hate it and the dog in the back seat hates it. But Lexus figured out that the organ-pipe effect would go away if the sunroof was only 90% open, so in fact when you open it the motor stops at that 90% position. And no organ-pipe effect, as least in our car.
On sunny hot days I usually prefer to close the sun shade also in order to keep the sun out of my view.
05-21-19, 11:07 AM
#36
Lexus Fanatic
Power windows are not necessarily the most reliable features on a vehicle, either. I've had significant (but not serious) issues on two new vehicles I've owned.
TV remotes, BTW, usually just need new batteries and that's it. It's unusual for them to actually fail, although when I first went with *** Cable, I did have to exchange the first remote they gave me for another one.
it's also why he hated TV remote controls--"It's the first thing that breaks
TV remotes, BTW, usually just need new batteries and that's it. It's unusual for them to actually fail, although when I first went with *** Cable, I did have to exchange the first remote they gave me for another one.
Last edited by mmarshall; 05-21-19 at 11:17 AM.
05-21-19, 11:17 AM
#37
Lexus Champion
I've had two failures with respect to opening windows, and both were on cars without power windows - on my '77 Corolla, which I had in high school, and on my '85 CR-X, which I had in college. On the Corolla, the crank lever broke off. On the Honda, the window gears stripped. People often think mechanical equipment can't fail but it absolutely can.
I did experience a sunroof failure. That was on my 2001 Saturn SL2. Granted, it got a lot of use, as I have my sunroof slid back any time it isn't raining. I can't remember the exact issue (this would have been in 2005), but it had to do with the tracks. It lasted about 4 years and 100k miles. It was expensive to fix, and I was ready to be done with the car, so I just sold it as is.
On our Highlander (panoramic sunroof), I tried out the power shade once, on the day we bought it. It hasn't been closed since. I also never close the shade on the GS, but living in western Washington, heat isn't often an issue. I enjoy the extra light.
I did experience a sunroof failure. That was on my 2001 Saturn SL2. Granted, it got a lot of use, as I have my sunroof slid back any time it isn't raining. I can't remember the exact issue (this would have been in 2005), but it had to do with the tracks. It lasted about 4 years and 100k miles. It was expensive to fix, and I was ready to be done with the car, so I just sold it as is.
On our Highlander (panoramic sunroof), I tried out the power shade once, on the day we bought it. It hasn't been closed since. I also never close the shade on the GS, but living in western Washington, heat isn't often an issue. I enjoy the extra light.
05-21-19, 04:22 PM
#39
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
BTW, in the Florida climate you are in, I can understand not using it much. For most of the long summer, (and even in some other seasons), open it up, and you let in either extreme heat/humidity or thunderstorms.....not the most appetizing of choices. That's also one reason why virtually-standard air-conditioning, in many vehicles, replaced the old swing-open vent-windows decades ago.
I'm not just dissing Florida, BTW. Though somewhat shorter in length than in Florida, our own D.C. summers can also be miserable......in June, July, and early August, Washington is often hotter than Miami (and almost as humid), with frequent storms. Many tourists have never endured the kind of summers we get.....they come here to see the sights, and are absolutely shocked at the heat-indices here. The Park Police often set up aid stations on the Mall, during the summer, to deal with the inevitable cases of heat-exhaustion. Years ago, before the advent of A/C (the Capitol was the first major building in the country to get it), Congress took an annual, month-long August recess for a reason.
I'm not just dissing Florida, BTW. Though somewhat shorter in length than in Florida, our own D.C. summers can also be miserable......in June, July, and early August, Washington is often hotter than Miami (and almost as humid), with frequent storms. Many tourists have never endured the kind of summers we get.....they come here to see the sights, and are absolutely shocked at the heat-indices here. The Park Police often set up aid stations on the Mall, during the summer, to deal with the inevitable cases of heat-exhaustion. Years ago, before the advent of A/C (the Capitol was the first major building in the country to get it), Congress took an annual, month-long August recess for a reason.
05-21-19, 04:35 PM
#40
Lexus Fanatic
yes i’m quite familiar with florida and d.c. weather. While not a competition, in your post you left out the fact that in florida we have 4-5 months of fabulous WINTER weather with little rain when a sunroof or convertible is awesome if you’re into that sort of thing, while you’re dealing with frigid temperatures, snow and ice, where a sunroof is not quite so useful.
One potentially interesting comparison, which has not yet been brought up in the thread (though I'm not sure if it would be in line with the original thread-topic) is if, for those who like "Al-Fresco" (fresh-air) driving, which would they prefer....a traditional sunroof/moonroof or a folding hardtop, which is offered only on a few vehicles. The Miata, of course, is (now) one of them, although its manual-folding top is so quick and simple that only those who are physically handicapped in their right arm or shoulder would actually need the power-folding hardtop.
Last edited by mmarshall; 05-21-19 at 04:40 PM.
05-21-19, 06:01 PM
#41
Great question, people seem to be passionate one way or the other. I do like the glass of a moonroof, but not the noise and chance of mechanical breakdowns, chance of rattles etc etc. Most all my off the lot cars have had roofs and that's fine although I will tell you I never opened them after the first day of ownership test. I special ordered my current daily and ordered it to my specs. No sunroof. Have had it 5 years with zero regrets. YMMV 
05-22-19, 12:36 PM
#43
Pole Position
Agree on all fronts, and I like the way my car (LS460) looks with it tilted open. Only in the summer do I not leave mine tilted open throughout the day (due to the guaranteed 3pm downpour here in FL). Even when the roof is closed I typically have the shade back as I like the extra natural light coming in to the car (unless it's August or Sept here in FL and just insanely hot even with max AC going). It's funny, I will put my 460's rear window shade up, put both rear passenger shades up, but leave the sunroof shade open 90% of the time.
04-08-23, 10:52 AM
#45
1st Gear
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I had my heart set on a lightly used ES but they all come with sun or moon roof. Husband’s head touches roof even with adjusting seat. Bummer. We’ll have to go with something else because it sounds from reading here we can’t even order a new one without in the USA.