Triple sunroofs - how to block the sun

**Arapiles** · 28th January 2018, 02:47 PM

I bought my D4 a couple of months ago. It's an excellent vehicle, but it came with the triple sunroofs and whilst in mild weather they help make the car very light and open the mesh only sunscreen is odd and impractical - it's the only car I've owned that doesn't have a solid screen for when the sun's too hot. It's also the only car where we've felt that our kids should wear sunblock in the car. Unfortunately, from my research on AULRO and the internet it appears that dire things will happen if I tint the glass darker and there don't seem to be any after-market fixes. But, particularly as my car lives on the street, it needs something to filter the sun. Enter Renshade:

Renshade - Perforated aluminium window foil

http://www.concertinafoilbatts.com/p...Jan%202017.pdf

Renshade is a sheet of paper covered on both sides with silver foil. It operates as a radiant heat barrier (quite effectively, we used to use it in our house on unshaded West-facing windows). The manufacturer claims an 85% reduction in inward radiant heat. At the same time, it is perforated and therefore does allow filtered light through - the perforations are 10% of the surface.

So, it claims to block 85% of heat and 90% of light.

I fitted single sheets of Renshade that I had in my shed to the three sun-roofs: the front opening sunroof was a bit fiddly but with the OEM sunscreen drawn it looks OK. I could still open the sunroof, but I'm struggling to think of any reason I would. The two rear sunroofs were simple, and I realised belatedly they they didn't really need to be a precise fit because the overlaps simple went into the gap in the roof lining. The Renshade was simply fixed with double-sided tape.

This is what the middle sun-roof looks like (on a very hot day) with the Renshade fitted and the OEM blind drawn:

20180128_143359.jpg

This is what it looks like from above:

20180114_133702 2.jpg

Cost? Nothing, because I already had the Renshade.

Time? About 20 minutes, and I don't doubt that it could've been done more neatly.

Effectiveness? Very good - the light from the sunroofs is now very filtered and there is definitely less heat coming through. The foil does feel hot if you touch the inward face but I have no sense that it's radiating heat, which some fabric sunshades very obviously do.

Obviously, it would take seconds to remove, so it's completely reversible.

Overall, I'm pretty happy with it.

DiscoMick · 28th January 2018, 03:17 PM

Sounds good. I've never understood why anyone would want a sunroof, or a convertible vehicle, in such a hot UV extreme climate as Australia, particularly when skin cancer is our number one killer.
But I must ask, why can't the sunroofs be tinted?

**Arapiles** · 28th January 2018, 03:39 PM

Originally Posted by DiscoMick

But I must ask, why can't the sunroofs be tinted?

Well, apparently, if you believe the internet, it makes them prone to exploding and therefore tinters refuse to do them.

Tombie · 29th January 2018, 10:58 AM

No cancer risk with the sunroof in the closed position... no UV passes through..

**Homestar** · 29th January 2018, 11:48 AM

Originally Posted by Arapiles

Well, apparently, if you believe the internet, it makes them prone to exploding and therefore tinters refuse to do them.

Nope, I don't believe that for a minute - they are made from toughened glass, same as the side windows they are happy to tint. The sunroof on SWMBO Veloster (double sunroof) is tinted - we had it done when we bought it, along with the side windows. Not that it really needed doing as there is an interior shade that covers the whole lot if needed, but it was done mainly for the looks.

And think about it - do you think the manufacturers would make something for a car that was that prone to exploding just from a bit of plastic being stuck to it and heated up in the sun. There would be a report a day in the media if sunroofs spontaneously exploded for any reason.

**simmo1** · 29th January 2018, 11:57 AM

I have an RRS TDV6 2014. It came with the dreaded sunroof. Pretty well all the vehicles ordered by southern coast dealers come with sunroofs, as in Melbourne etc. We couldn't get one without unless it was a special order. Inland dealers such as Albury etc ask "why on earth would you want a sunroof".

To try and manage the heat intrusion I have been thinking of having the glass vinyl wrapped in a colour close to that of the care, white. I wonder if anyone else may have done this and whether this would work. Anyone got any thoughts with this type of solution.

Cheers, Simmo

**~Rich~** · 29th January 2018, 11:58 AM

I’d be worried to do the rear one due to the glass size and it’s a permanently fixed item with little allowance for expansion and contraction. Heat would create more expansion and a greater chance of a failure.

**loanrangie** · 29th January 2018, 12:25 PM

I have a sunroof and the 2 moon roofs, fist car with a sunroof and i'm liking it. Can drive with the roof just tilted up or fully open, good to leave open while i'm at work to allow a bit heat to escape. The mesh blinds do a reasonable job at keeping the sun out.

**PhilipA** · 29th January 2018, 03:15 PM

To try and manage the heat intrusion I have been thinking of having the glass vinyl wrapped in a colour close to that of the care, white. I wonder if anyone else may have done this and whether this would work. Anyone got any thoughts with this type of solution.

While not a sunroof I have clad my D2 Skylights with Chrome vinyl cladding. It has been there a couple of years with no problems.
Along with painting my roof silver it has lowered the temperature greatly on my originally Oslo blue car.
Regards Philip A

**Pedro_The_Swift** · 29th January 2018, 03:57 PM

I cant imagine life without a sunroof, I use my two every day of the year.

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