When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Am I the only one that despises sunroofs/moonroofs??
Now that the dark cloud of contract negotiations with the U.A.W. is all but over, I can get serious about my search for a Challenger. With 2 kids on college, and a 3rd starting school next spring unfortunately a 2-4 year old car will be safely within the budget.
I HATE sunroofs, just never cared for them. I have owned a few cars with them, and despised every one of them. It seems the all eventually leak, I had one car with a aftermarket sunroof that occasionally would jam up and not close. I just fail to see the logic in paying extra for a car with a big hole in the roof. I really see no point in a performance car with a sunroof.
I suppose I’m a hypocrite, but I do love t tops. I have had probably a dozen different G body cars with t tops and enjoyed them. Every t top car I owned leaked a little during heavy rain so there is zero doubt i’m a hypocrite in that regard.
It seems the majority of Challengers have sunroofs. It’s really frustrating when I find the ideal car, but it has a sunroof.
So, is it just me? Am I the only person in readerland that won’t give a car a second look if it has a sunroof? More than one salesman has looked at me like I’m nuts when I tell them don’t bother if the car in question has a sunroof.
I dated a girl in highschool who had an 80s VW golf that had a moonroof. The first time she opened it she drove under a tree and a branch fell into the car and hit her in the head. She refused to open it again. I remember being in that car in the sweltering heat, and of course it didn't have AC, and she wouldn't open it.
So, I'd guess she probably still hates sunroofs as well.
Now that the dark cloud of contract negotiations with the U.A.W. is all but over, I can get serious about my search for a Challenger. With 2 kids on college, and a 3rd starting school next spring unfortunately a 2-4 year old car will be safely within the budget.
I HATE sunroofs, just never cared for them. I have owned a few cars with them, and despised every one of them. It seems the all eventually leak, I had one car with a aftermarket sunroof that occasionally would jam up and not close. I just fail to see the logic in paying extra for a car with a big hole in the roof. I really see no point in a performance car with a sunroof.
I suppose I’m a hypocrite, but I do love t tops. I have had probably a dozen different G body cars with t tops and enjoyed them. Every t top car I owned leaked a little during heavy rain so there is zero doubt i’m a hypocrite in that regard.
It seems the majority of Challengers have sunroofs. It’s really frustrating when I find the ideal car, but it has a sunroof.
So, is it just me? Am I the only person in readerland that won’t give a car a second look if it has a sunroof? More than one salesman has looked at me like I’m nuts when I tell them don’t bother if the car in question has a sunroof.
You love T-Tops but hate sunroofs? You can't stop T Tops from leaking but the sun roofs I have owned have never leaked. T-Tops depend on the rubber seals to keep it from leaking but the sunroofs have a drain tray with drain tubes. When sun roofs first came out they tried the rubber seal style to keep it from leaking but they finally figured out the drain tray style.
x2 on loving T-tops but not caring for sunroofs. T-tops are 70s/80s and bad@$$. I don't have a car with T-tops though. I don't care for sunroofs because they take up head room.
x2 on loving T-tops but not caring for sunroofs. T-tops are 70s/80s and bad@$$. I don't have a car with T-tops though. I don't care for sunroofs because they take up head room.
I agree 100%!
Many years ago my wife was looking for a car. She found a Pacifica (I think) that she liked. When I went and looked at it I couldn’t sit in it. I had to tilt my head, no way to sit normally. The dealer had an identical car with no sunroof, I could sit in that one just fine.
Maybe it was an Avenger? I have slept since then, can’t recall what kind of car it was.
I like sunroofs. Had several with no issues. Right now we have 2 rigs with them, my wife's Traverse has it. And my Alero has one. I always wanted t-tops. Bought an 87 442 with them. Leaks and hanted handling them.
Sunroofs are the poor man's convertible. If a convertible option wasn't available, it's the next best thing today. Probably why so many Challengers have them.
Not hating them, but not a fan of them. Don't hate on T-tops either, but could take them or leave them. The 85 442 has T-tops, the 84 H/O and 87 442 are plain hardtops. The 2010 Camaro SS has a sunroof (no convertibles that year), as does my 2020 GMC Denali. Found out the Denali Ultimate came with a sunroof no matter what so I had no choice. Didn't really want the sunroof in the truck, but it wasn't a deal-breaker. I've opened it once, just to see if it worked.
My occupation is auto manufacture, and even we struggle with the names.
A sunroof is typically metal, and typically either only pops up, or goes out over the top of the car as it retracts.
A moonroof is typically glass, with a fabric shade underneath that you can move solely, or it will take with it when it retracts. These will "pop up" but also will retract under the roof, above the headliner.
So, there is fuzz on whether it means metal or glass, or method of retraction. There are not many "70s sunroofs", like on the 72 H/O, made any more; those are now glass, and are moonroofs. There is also something called a pano roof, short for panoramic moonroof, that goes the whole width of the roof panel.
I don't want a moonroof, but they rarely ever leak anymore. I actually enjoy that cars have them; if I get the same model that does NOT have one, I get more headroom, because the headliner is a different one, but the roof is the same, so I get the space the moonroof would be in.
I have two vehicles with sunroofs and one with T-Tops (Hurst Hatches). The ones with the sunroofs are a 2010 Ford Flex and a 2012 Expedition. The sunroof on the Flex got off track and I took it to somebody that finally got it closed. He disconnected the switch and I sealed it with silicone. The one in the Expedition still works fine but I never use it because I don't want it to come off the track. We never even open the sun shield inside. My 75 Hurst Olds has Hurst Hatches and yes they leak. We were at a car show about 230 miles from us we go to every year. It rained on Friday going down and on Sunday coming back. When you are sitting still both of them leak. When we were driving they did not leak. It was not raining very hard so that probably made a difference. I love the T-Tops. Rarely does the car ever get in the rain. I usually take them out and leave them in the garage if we are just going for a cruise.
So what's the difference between a pano roof and a targa top?
A T-top has removable panels you remove and stow and there is a bar in the middle between the A pillar bar (windshield bow) and B pillar bar (roof, sail panels)
A targa top is a one piece removable panel, typically, that you remove and stow and there is nothing in between the A pillar bar (windshield bow) and B pillar bar (roof, sail panels)
A pano roof is on a sedan car, so there is a roof rail going from the A pillar all the way back on both sides. In between those rails is a really wide moonroof.
I really see no point in a performance car with a sunroof ... It seems the majority of Challengers have sunroofs ... Am I the only person in readerland that won’t give a car a second look if it has a sunroof?
Matt,
Ages ago when I bought my Challenger new, I had a difficult time finding one in the color I wanted, without a sunroof, and without extra markup for color. My bank put me in touch with their auto buying agent who found one two states away for $5000 less than dealers in my state quoted.
I didn't want the sunroof because of the headroom factor and because it adds its weight far above the center of gravity--which reduces cornering capability. Where's the upside?
While my stable is currently full of 1994-1996 Cutlasses, If I ever run across a low mileage one with a sunroof, I am grabbing it and will sell one of the ones I currently have that lack the sunroof.
As for the 79's my H/O has T Tops and it's the perfect scenario. My wife hates having the T-Top removed, so, I drive with mine off, her side on, Happy Wife, Happy drive. Can't get that with a convertible or a sunroof. And half the rattles strangely go away driving with this setup............
So,the Pontiac Thunderbird had a T top and the first vehicle shown above is Targa top, right?
thunderbird is Ford. Not sure what they had in line of t tops, prob the later zillions of mustangs.
My Infiniti has a metal sun roof, hidden when retracts, has head liner material on, vents also, when it’s closed you don’t know you have one. Best I’ve seen.
Last edited by Burd; November 19th, 2023 at 02:25 PM.
What I like about my sunroof is you can tilt it up & put the air vents on the upper dash setting and get a nice air flow without having to roll the windows down. There's plenty of days when it's not hot enough to run the A/C and you need some air flowing through the cabin.
I love a sunroof. Like I said I have owned so many cars with sunroofs. I have Never had one leak or break down. I love the airflow. Crack it a little. When you don't need the AC. Perfect. 👍
thunderbird is Ford. Not sure what they had in line of t tops, prob the later zillions of mustangs.
My Infiniti has a metal sun roof, hidden when retracts, has head liner material on, ents a,so, when it’s closed you don’t know yiu have one. Best I’ve seen.
DOH! of course I knew that, what was I typing, the Pontiac FIREBIRD.
I have no problem with T-tops or sunroofs. I had two mid 70's vettes with t-tops, and the tops were off if it was nice out. One of the cars did leak, and even with new seals the water came in when it rained. I had one car with a sunroof, and the same applied with it,if it was nice out, it was open. But, I did not have it open on the highway, too much wind noise. Funny, i have a good freind who despises convertibles, t-tops and moon roofs (as an owner), but his just purchased Outback has a moonroof. His wife and daughter got involved in the ordering process!
I have no problem with T-tops or sunroofs. I had two mid 70's vettes with t-tops, and the tops were off if it was nice out. One of the cars did leak, and even with new seals the water came in when it rained. I had one car with a sunroof, and the same applied with it,if it was nice out, it was open. But, I did not have it open on the highway, too much wind noise. Funny, i have a good freind who despises convertibles, t-tops and moon roofs (as an owner), but his just purchased Outback has a moonroof. His wife and daughter got involved in the ordering process!
I'll end up with an early 70s Corvette with the convertible option. We also have a hard top that was from another one for it.
I had two Toyotas with sun roofs that did not leak, Later I had a third gen. Camaro with T-tops that would leak. I discovered that cleaning the rubber seals on the T-tops and applying a generous coating of DC-4 silicone grease would stop the leakage until the next time the T-tops were removed.
Back in 1980 I bought a lightly used '78 98 Regency coupe which had a large moonroof, a factory optioned ASC conversion. It worked fine but I did have to replace the weatherstrip around the outside. It was a novelty and we used it a lot and liked it. Since then I have had at least 8 family cars that came with sunroofs included in option packages and we have never used any of them. Never had leaks or problems, just don't like them.
My wife's 2012 Caddy has a moon roof that has not leaked in the 8 years we've had it. I like to have it open whenever the weather is good. I've had an '82 T/A, and my wife currently has a '94 T/A in additon to her Caddy. Both of the T/As had/have T-Tops. I love 'em, and they've never leaked in the time I/we've had them. I love a sunny day drive with the tops off, but I've got to wear a head covering of some sort or my chrome dome gets sunburned If I have to choose between a vehicle with T-Tops VS one without, that are otherwise alike, I'll take the one WITH. I also had a '79 T/A back in the day, but it did not have T-Tops. But it DID have an Olds 403!
Love the open-ness of them when the weather is nice & when they are working/sealing properly.
Had one in an 81 Toro & had certain cars after that where it was a MUST have when looking for that particular car.
But ..... then I had quite the dud/drama with a 2001 Grand Cherokee.
Major leak developed when it rained.
Assumed incorrectly that it was a seal &/or clogged drain issue.
Was not either ... but the fact some genius bean counter decided that glorified wire loom was an acceptable material for the drain tubes & could hold up to all the cold/hot cycles.
These had basically disintegrated (imagine that) over time to the point where the water was leaking out at the side pillars of the windshield.
Total WTF moment when I yanked the trim from the pillars & saw that the drains tubes had basically crumbled away to nothing.
Since then I have sworn off moonroofs on anything that is NOT a hobby/toy car that lives in an enclosed garage 99.9% of the time.
Same can be said for T-Tops.
Had an 84 Calais in which I LOVED having them out - but they were not without issue.
I had even replaced the seals in that one, when it was only @ 13 years old.
Oddly enough (tho not surprising) with my luck - I had bought a t-top 79 T/A for the 403 that that leaked NOTHING from the t-tops & that car was barely held together.
Sometimes when I dream about new vehicles I can't afford that don't make me vomit (few & far between) I find it quite annoying that most times when you climb up the trim level ladder - you often get a moonroof (or even worse a pano roof) whether you want one or not.
Being forced into a moonroof/pano roof just to get some higher options is pretty lame IMHO.
One would think the lawyers & bean counters would be more than happy to make moon/pano roofs an OPTION so they could make more money - not to mention raise their quality control scores & customer satisfaction.
People generally don't go out of their way to PRAISE a product, but they will certainly RANT about a product when it sucks.
I am sure there are plenty of vehicles that have lowly QC ratings due to creaky/leaky roofs these days.
I am of the belief that those that really really want a sun/pano roof will in fact pay extra for one.
November 16th, 2023, 04:06 PM
I don't have a car with T-tops though. I don't care for sunroofs because they take up head room.
If I have to choose between a vehicle with T-Tops VS one without, that are otherwise alike, I'll take the one WITH. I also had a '79 T/A back in the day, but it did not have T-Tops. But it DID have an Olds 403! 
