Downers to glass sunroof?

[smackmybutter535i]

My significant other wants me to research ups and downs of the glass sunroof before I go putting one in this spring. She seems to think that I might not like it, or SHE might not like it. But anyway I don't care as long as it looks cool, and isn't too expensive.

[BDK]

I have one, always have and plan on getting the e30 one too, the only down side that I have heard, not experienced it myself, is some say it is Hot in the summer, but to me the glass is slightly mirrored and you also have the sliding shade to kill that...the major upside to me, lets the sunshine in (never can get enough) and it makes the car seem larger inside....
the other down side, finding one complete (BMW not Saab) that is the hard part....

[al525i]

the major upside to me, lets the sunshine in (never can get enough) and it makes the car seem larger inside....
the other down side, finding one complete (BMW not Saab) that is the hard part....

all very valid points brad, one other thing i've noticed is that it looks cooler when the sunroof is in the vent position and you can see the glass panel from afar.

the downsides are that its:

a. expensive to get the actual bmw part

b. hard to find the actual bmw stuff

c. some of the new parts are no longer available if yours end up messed up

d. one more piece of glass to keep clean

e. one more piece of glass to have broken

f. distracting while you are driving (i find myself looking out the glass while driving sometimes)

really the plusses outweigh the minuses

hope this helps,

[C.R. Krieger]

[QUOTE="smackmybutter535i"]My significant other wants me to research ups and downs of the glass sunroof before I go putting one in this spring. She seems to think that I might not like it, or SHE might not like it. But anyway I don't care as long as it looks cool, and isn't too expensive.[/QUOTE]

We have one on the wife's Jaguar. I don't recall that we've ever made a point of closing the sunshade, even in summer. I suspect (without proof; someone else can do the thermodynamic calculations) that leaving it popped open in the vent position is as effective as closing the shade. Rashly assuming I can stumble across a Saab unit for Da Dog, I tend to leave the roof wide open as long as it isn't raining and the sun isn't directly on my black seats ("Owww!). I really like the glass panel in the rain, snow, or on moonlit nights when it's too cool to have the roof open.

[Shawn D.]

[QUOTE="C.R. Krieger"]We have one on the wife's Jaguar. I don't recall that we've ever made a point of closing the sunshade, even in summer. I suspect (without proof; someone else can do the thermodynamic calculations) that leaving it popped open in the vent position is as effective as closing the shade.[/QUOTE]

It's also quite possible that the glass in the Jag is coated to minimize IR transmission, so it might not foster heat gain as much as you'd think. However, I believe that your theory about airflow vs. solar energy is in error. IMO, the fly in the ointment of your theory is that you're a Yankee -- if you lived south of the Mason-Dixon line, you'd know that the bit of air flow provided by a cracked sun/moonroof is not a substitute for keeping the solar energy off a dark interior! :p

Hmm... deja-vu... I had a debate with someone who lives in Seattle WRT this very sort of argument.


[Edit by Shawn D. on [TIME]1109261073[/TIME]]

[C.R. Krieger]

[QUOTE="C.R. Krieger"]We have one on the wife's Jaguar. I don't recall that we've ever made a point of closing the sunshade, even in summer. I suspect (without proof; someone else can do the thermodynamic calculations) that leaving it popped open in the vent position is as effective as closing the shade.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE="Shawn D."]It's also quite possible that the glass in the Jag is coated to minimize IR transmission, so it might not foster heat gain as much as you'd think. However, I believe that your theory about airflow vs. solar energy is in error. IMO, the fly in the ointment of your theory is that you're a Yankee -- if you lived south of the Mason-Dixon line, you'd know that the bit of air flow provided by a cracked sun/moonroof is not a substitute for keeping the solar energy off a dark interior! :p

Hmm... deja-vu... I had a debate with someone who lives in Seattle WRT this very sort of argument.

[Edit by Shawn D. on [TIME]1109261073[/TIME]][/QUOTE]

Yeah; the Jag's lid is pretty dark. As for that 'debate', fugeddaboudit! I'm not only a Damned Yankee, I'm a Damned Yankee Lawyer. "I suspect" is one of those terms we know in Da Law Bidness as "Weasel Words". They all mean, "Well, I kinda' think, but I could be wrong and you can't blame me for bein' ignorant 'cause I haven't researched it."

[Shawn D.]

[QUOTE="Shawn D."]IMO, the fly in the ointment of your theory is that you're a Yankee...[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE="C.R. Krieger"]I'm not only a Damned Yankee, I'm a Damned Yankee Lawyer.[/QUOTE]

Lissen here, I didn't call you no Damned Yankee -- there is a difference. A Yankee lives outside the South -- maybe they've visited the South, but they've gone back home. A Damned Yankee is is a Yankee who has visited the South and has stayed! :@

As for the lawyer stuff, I won't go there... %)

[Velocewest]

So if I was born in the south (Atlanta), moved to the 'north' (NW actually), moved back to the mid-south (Memphis), moved much farther south than the south (Hong Kong), moved back to the NW and then still visit the south occasionally, WTF am I?

[C.R. Krieger]

[QUOTE="Shawn D."]Lissen here, I didn't call you no Damned Yankee -- there is a difference. A Yankee lives outside the South -- maybe they've visited the South, but they've gone back home. A Damned Yankee is is a Yankee who has visited the South and has stayed! :@

As for the lawyer stuff, I won't go there... %) [/QUOTE]

Well, ya know ... with year-round motorcycle-ridin' weather, think of me as a Prospective Damned Yankee Lawyer. Got a Damned Yankee high school buddy over near Birmingham. I've been eyein' some places in Oklahoma, too (although that may be a tad too far west to qualify as 'south', huh?).

[Shawn D.]

[QUOTE="Velocewest"]So if I was born in the south (Atlanta), moved to the 'north' (NW actually), moved back to the mid-south (Memphis), moved much farther south than the south (Hong Kong), moved back to the NW and then still visit the south occasionally, WTF am I? [/QUOTE]

Well, I was gonna say that if you say "Y'all" once in a while, you'd be an Expatriate Southerner, but if you don't you'd be a Vestigial Southerner, but seeing your signature saying "Southern by birth, somewhere else by luck... " I'd say you're a Renounced Southerner.

[tacm]

WHY IS THIS GUY ALWAYS A BALL BUSTING PRICK?

[Evan#2 Seattle]

[QUOTE="tacm"]WHY IS THIS GUY ALWAYS A BALL BUSTING PRICK?[/QUOTE]

What the hell are you talking about?

[ej in NorCal]

Back to the original question:)
I have had a moonroof installed. I have not experienced any downers with it, at all.
The uppers are the added headroom, I am 6'1", and the overall coolness of it!
Hey, but what do I know? I live in California with them cement ponds.

Erik

[Edit by ej in NorCal on [TIME]1109278624[/TIME]]


[Edit by ej in NorCal on [TIME]1109280740[/TIME]]

[al525i]

Shawn is a ball busting prick, because thats shawn. i like him for that because he bows down to noone, even another ball busting prick ~0

thats shawn's purpose on the board, he's here to make our english blunders unbearable to live with and to compel us to repent for our grammatical sins :p

And although Shawn may definately be a ball buster, he's not a prick, he's just a bit rough around the edges with an engineer's sense of humor.

ok, i'm done

you can blast me all you want %)

and if you get mad at this post, click here and you'll be mad no-longer
http://www.illwillpress.com/pics/eye.gif

[Justin_FL]

[QUOTE="al525i[/I]And although Shawn may definately be a ball buster, he's not a prick, he's just a bit rough around the edges with an engineer's sense of humor.[/QUOTE]
Especially when he is a wearin' dem teef! Talk about some nasty toofers, Shawn!

[Velocewest]

[QUOTE="Shawn D."]Well, I was gonna say that if you say "Y'all" once in a while, you'd be an Expatriate Southerner, but if you don't you'd be a Vestigial Southerner, but seeing your signature saying "Southern by birth, somewhere else by luck... " I'd say you're a Renounced Southerner.[/QUOTE]

I couldn't resist changing my location just for this thread... :p

Isn't the original I copped that from something to do with a school, like "Texan by birth, and Aggie by the grace of God" or some such BS? I never understood that grasping need people have to identify with a college. I stopped thinking about college about 15 seconds after I left campus.

[shifty]

[QUOTE="Velocewest"] I stopped thinking about college about 15 seconds after I left campus.[/QUOTE]

Oh geez, so did I! Matter of fact, I stopped thinking about college BEFORE I left campus, and my last couple of quarters' worth of grades showed it!

[Dinan e28]

Just make sure to get the front cable covers with the roof . They work great with no noise.

[C.R. Krieger]

[QUOTE="tacm"]WHY IS THIS GUY ALWAYS A BALL BUSTING PRICK?[/QUOTE]

Why are you always the first one to turn nasty in a thread?

[bobs]

I would be a bit concerned about additional risk exposure vs. steel in a rollover event. Though the moonroof is certainly made of tempered safety glass (like the rear side windows), I would close the shade on the track just to further contain any shards.