To sun roof or not to sun roof

[fishobob]

Afternoon folks,

Well I'm still thinking about and planning what accessories to get and what modifications to get done on the new Defender that I want to purchase in the next month or two..

Currently tossing up whether to go a sun roof or not. I plan on getting a white Defender, so I figure I wouldn't have as many heat issues that the SXV owners seem to have with theirs and their black duco. I know Gav110 speaks highly of his and doesn't have any heat issues with his Silver Defender. I've always wanted a sun roof and like the idea of a bit more ventilation around my boof head and through the cabin and also a bit of star gazing through it at night ha

I haven't seen any pictures of them on a Defender though. I presume it's just a manual pop up glass sun roof and not one of the sliding ones?

So for those of you who have a sun roof on your Defender - what are your opinions on it, have you had any issues with it and would you get another sun roof in your next Defender?

I also plan to get an overhead roof console at some stage. Where is the sun roof on the Defenders and would this affect the possibility of installing a roof console?

Cheers and all the best,
Rob

[VladTepes]

Just another place for it to leak..... IMHO.

[Psimpson7]

I love the one in mine. It has never leaked even a drip.

Downside is it needs to be tinted or have a shade.

Its a pop up one yes, and at least when mine was supplied I believe was dealer fit?

[rainman]

I can't speak from experience with a Defender sunroof, but I do have one other car with one. Here in Queensland you rarely have an opportunity to use one because you get sunburnt and it's so hot you have the air conditioning on anyway. Obviously it would be a slightly different story in Melbourne, but I still don't think I'd bother if I had the choice, and I certainly wouldn't pay any extra for one.

However, the BIG upside to the sunroof I do have is that you can pop the back up slightly so when the car is parked in the sun, and with tinted windows, there is a massive, massive difference to the interior temperature of the car when you get back into it - so much so that I am actually considering installing a small pop up vent on my 130 purely for this reason.

[p38arover]

A waste of money, prone to failure, and worthless. It is a pity my RR has one standard - at least it's convinced me that they are pointless in this climate. If my roof wasn't welded on, I'd get a roof from a standard model and swap it over.

They prevent the installation of something useful, e.g., a roof console, and roof racks have to be high enough to clear them.

They also take up valuable headroom in some cars (it always rubbed on my head in my daughter's Peugeot).

[Lotz-A-Landies]

Don't do it!

The majority of people I know have leaks (including me) and finding someone to fix it properly is harder than finding an Land Rover Tickford station wagon.

Just take a look at how many people with them have gaffa tape over the edges.

I will acknowledge that the occasionsl few don't have a problem.

[Psimpson7]

A waste of money, prone to failure, and worthless.
.

In your opinion Ron. Sounds like my opinions of P38's

They are pretty cheap, incredibly simple in a Defender, You could fit an entire new one in about an hour and have one other random benefit in that they make the head lining much much less liklely to droop.

Mine has 2 stages of opening so it can be used with a roof rack if needed.

If you want a pic I can grab one from mine to give you an idea Rob?

I would be interested to see if any Defender owners have leaks from theirs... comparisons from RR owners aren't really relevant!

pic:

[KarlB]

I have one in my 2010 Defender 90. Love it. No leaks. Cools the vehicle down quickly when it is hot etc. One of the best accessories for the price.

The new ones in Defs are wind-out (not like in Psimpson7 pic) and can also be completely removed.

Cheers
KarlB

[Psimpson7]

The new ones in Defs are wind-out (not like in Psimpson7 pic) and can also be completely removed.

It would be interesting to know if they have standardised them, as when mine was new they seemed to fit different styles depending on the day!

[Lotz-A-Landies]

<snip>
I would be interested to see if any Defender owners have leaks from theirs... comparisons from RR owners aren't really relevant!
<snip>

I've had them of the same design (my partners one at the time) as in the pic and my comments still stand!

We were in the car when it shattered in a hail storm! Have never seen that happen with a metal roof.