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I don't have one yet, but I thought I'd start a thread on sunroofs.
I have driven cars with the inexpensive pop up glass 'roofs. One was a Plymouth Sundance driver's ed car and the other was a friend's Metro. Here I'll address the cheap "pop up on the back edge" glass sunroofs, which I believe can also be removed & stowed away. (We'll assume the installation has been done right and there are no quality or leakage problems.)
Advantages:
1. Fun! Nice to have some more sun and breeze sometimes.
2. May help ventilation and also keep the car cooler when parked with it open or removed.
3. When opened with the back tilted up, it reflects the sound of other cars approaching from your rear in traffic. (Noise really bounces off that glass.) It can thus help your awareness of things coming up from behind you when tilted open.
4. It could come in handy when transporting something otherwise too tall to fit normally. (This is probably a rare thing though.)
5. It may add value to a car.
6. It could allow you to better watch for Highway Patrol planes and helicopters checking for speeders.
7. An extra exit point in an accident where you may be wedged in and/or your doors won't open.
Disadvantages:
1. It provides another place for a break-in. This goes especially if you forget to fully close and latch it or if you leave it off the car and forget about it. Also could be another quick and easy piece of glass for vandalism.
2. Same as above for rain: It'll provide a nice soaking for your interior if you forget!
3. It could break or malfunction, whereas a solid roof would be pretty "idiot proof." It's also additional glass which could shatter in a bad accident.
4. At night, especially with overhead street lighting, it allows excess light into the car and can mess up your view into your day/night mirror. (Too many reflections.)
5. Kept closed in the sunshine, it allows more heat to build up in your car faster.
6. Reduces privacy in some situations. (Again, probably rare.)
I really liked the "sound reflection" qualities I had in that driver's ed Sundance. I also simply enjoyed the "change" of having one in the car.
Comments from others? Especially those of you who already have one. Just be sure to specify what type, so we aren't talking "apples vs. oranges."
Karl
I have driven cars with the inexpensive pop up glass 'roofs. One was a Plymouth Sundance driver's ed car and the other was a friend's Metro. Here I'll address the cheap "pop up on the back edge" glass sunroofs, which I believe can also be removed & stowed away. (We'll assume the installation has been done right and there are no quality or leakage problems.)
Advantages:
1. Fun! Nice to have some more sun and breeze sometimes.
2. May help ventilation and also keep the car cooler when parked with it open or removed.
3. When opened with the back tilted up, it reflects the sound of other cars approaching from your rear in traffic. (Noise really bounces off that glass.) It can thus help your awareness of things coming up from behind you when tilted open.
4. It could come in handy when transporting something otherwise too tall to fit normally. (This is probably a rare thing though.)
5. It may add value to a car.
6. It could allow you to better watch for Highway Patrol planes and helicopters checking for speeders.
7. An extra exit point in an accident where you may be wedged in and/or your doors won't open.
Disadvantages:
1. It provides another place for a break-in. This goes especially if you forget to fully close and latch it or if you leave it off the car and forget about it. Also could be another quick and easy piece of glass for vandalism.
2. Same as above for rain: It'll provide a nice soaking for your interior if you forget!
3. It could break or malfunction, whereas a solid roof would be pretty "idiot proof." It's also additional glass which could shatter in a bad accident.
4. At night, especially with overhead street lighting, it allows excess light into the car and can mess up your view into your day/night mirror. (Too many reflections.)
5. Kept closed in the sunshine, it allows more heat to build up in your car faster.
6. Reduces privacy in some situations. (Again, probably rare.)
I really liked the "sound reflection" qualities I had in that driver's ed Sundance. I also simply enjoyed the "change" of having one in the car.
Comments from others? Especially those of you who already have one. Just be sure to specify what type, so we aren't talking "apples vs. oranges."
Karl
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