Panoramic Sunroof - Has anyone had problems with one?

wazza

Looking to buy a car fitted with a panoramic sunroof. It is a sunroof that goes from the windscreen to the back of the car. Was wondering how strong they are and if anyone had problems with them cracking etc. Like the front windscreen the sunroof is part of the stuctute of the car and was wondering how will it stand potholes, rough roads etc. Ford S-max owners have reported seeing crack in the sunroof after a few years. Nissan brochure says they are very strong.

Just that in the past i had a cricket ball smash through my small sunroof on a '96 mondeo.

sassy_one

Their re enforced glass, so will be very strong

benham3160

Glass forming part of the vehicle structure isn't anything new or novel, the rear windscreen is a "structural" part in some cars too, and you rarely see those spontaneously crack.

Place your faith in physics, I can assure you the manufacturers wouldn't have included more glass on the whim that it "might" work, if it's made as the same stuff as the windscreen it's infinately strong. Try smashing though a car windscreen with a hammer if you want to test it.

Regards,
Andy

wazza

I am aware that the sunroof is very strong but i leave my car parked on the main road overnight. Some time ago i was woken up one night by drunks. One of them was standing on a taxi's roof taking a leak. True this type of behaviour is not common where i live but what will happen if he stood on my roof? Will the glass crack with this plonker jumping up and down? Can anyone stand on their panoramic roof and see if it takes their weight? Just joking.

Have rang my current insurers and they say it is not covered under windscreen cover and that i have to put a claim in which can affect my NCB in the long run. (Have not bought the car yet, just asked them what if i had a car with a panoramic sunroof)

Inactive

benham3160 wrote: »

Try smashing though a car windscreen with a hammer if you want to test it.

Regards,
Andy

True, yet a small stone thrown up can destroy one in a moment.;)

harveybobbles

Change insurance to an insurance company that covers the pan roof under the Windcsreen Cover. Some do, some dont.

As for them cracking - I've only ever seen one crack and that was on a Civic that had been hit by a stone. The chip had been there ages aparently, then it just spread into a crack...

Inactive

harveybobbles wrote: »

Change insurance to an insurance company that covers the pan roof under the Windcsreen Cover. Some do, some dont.

Agreed, not all insurance companies are the same, like anything else you usually get what you pay for.

netlang

Mine is covered under the glass cover on the CRV. I was told when I had my windscreen changed that if the roof went I would have to replace the windscreen and roof together at a cost of approximate. £4000!