Most people in India seem to find this feature pointless; I for one enjoy having a sunroof. However, a sunroof has its pros and cons. The Team-BHP guide to sunroofs will help you understand whether this feature is for you (or not). The sunroof is a contradiction in itself, some people even call it a moon-roof. Surprisingly, one of the biggest markets for these is in the UK where they have not much sun. Sunnier climes prefer the air conditioning.

Coming to the Indian context, the cars having sunroofs are mainly:

• High end VW Passats
• High end Skodas (not on the Laura and Fabia anymore)
• High end Chevrolets
• All German cars except for the cheap corporate editions
• I end Hyundais - i10 and i20
• Honda have belatedly joined the band wagon, but it still does not make any difference to the overpricing of the Accord and CRV.

What about us Maruti and aam jantha cars who want to fit a sunroof ?
In no uncertain terms: DON'T! A sunroof should be integrated into the structure of the car's roof panel, ideally at the factory level. Also, the seals of an after-market unit will never be that good. Cutting a roof in your car is a hit and miss job  one sneeze leads to many drops. Besides, an open after-market sliding roof is a drag aerodynamically as it slides over the roof. Remember, fitment is not reversible, unless you remove the roof panel and weld a new one on.

I need a hole in my roof like I need a hole in my head!!!
It may seem so, yet the sunroof has its uses:

• Extinguishing stubborn father-in-law cigarettes at speed when he insists on lighting up despite your expressing displeasure
• Quick dissipation of flatulent smells
• Getting excess heat out of the car, open roof for a few minutes and the hot air rises out.
• Fresh air without buffeting and during small showers (more on this later)
• It looks cool!!! Yeah, am a bit of a poser!

Where and when is the sunroof most suitable?

• Early morning and late evening
• Temperatures between 20-25 deg C
• Overcast
• Bangalore after October
• Driving through the tea gardens

 Where should you not use a sunroof?

• Next to a bus
• In Cherrapunji or closer to home - Agumbe
• Summer
• Passing road works
• Rush hour
• When stationary in traffic

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Modes of Operation:
A sunroof has various modes of operation

Open - Partially open or fully open, you choose. I like to keep the side windows only about 4-5 cm open so I get fresh air without the mess / dust. A deflector should pop up and direct airflow over the roof, so very little dust comes in. Tip : Keep your rear windows at least half open to allow airflow and reduce buffeting at speed.

Tilt -  I use this a lot. It enables air to be circulated without using the A/c. Also helps fresh air get into the car when parked. During the summer, tilt reduces heat build up. I can also drive during small showers and have fresh air circulating without getting wet.

The wind deflector

Some cars like the Audi Q7 comes with a netting so that passengers are relatively safe. Believe me, keeping it open brightens up the car and my day, but you need a good turn of speed and good weather. That is rare in itself.


In the case of a moon roof:
Closed but shutter open - You get more light in your car, but realize how incompetent your car wash guy is in cleaning the roof.


Closed and shutter closed - best advised in summer and also when driving with short skirted company amongst buses.

My car has a sunroof, what should I know ?

Drainage - Above all, how it drains water and the drainage points. Dust gets everywhere and with water becomes muck, this can clog your channels. First thing is to open your roof, take a bottle of water and pour it around the channel. Get out of the car and see where it flows. Note the drainage points and how they can be cleaned.

Schematic diagram for VW & Skoda cars:


Here you see the front drainage hole for the sunroof (car came back from a respray so the area is a bit dirty - expect a lot of muck to flow through!)


The rear holes cannot be seen as it is deep in the recesses. In the case of VWs, the front drains through the windscreen pillars to a nipple in the front door hinge area.


These nipples can get blocked. It's best to clean the nipple by squeezing them and pouring water down the sunroof channel occasionally.

Water flows through the front door.


As for the rear: The pipe will be hidden in the boot behind the trim / lining. Merely pull the lining, and pinch pipe at bottom to clear muck. This drips through the rear wheel arch.

Should I use Drainex?
No - I cannot vouch whether it will hasten corrosion or react with plastic or rubber.

Prevent rubbers from perishing
Open the sunroof once a week. Dont add any grease etc. Leave that to the service folks.

Electric motors
These can fail. Make sure you know where the fuse is and also the back up operation. Find out location of motor. There will normally be a nut or a bolt head to turn, in order to manually wind roof to the closed position. Details will be in your owner's manual. The system is similar to a big sliding car window.

Issues that Crop Up:

Damp roof patches after rains - Check drainage channels and clean.
Water falling on me during the rain - Sunroof seals worn / distorted.
Had an accident?  Check sunroof drainage channels. Pipes should not be dislodged or cut; pour water to check
 

Hazards:
Coconuts / mobs / overturning. You might need to buy a whole new unit and dealers do not have a clue on how to install. Hit the roof panel and the sunroof movement gets distorted

Do NOT:

• Allow anyone to traffic surf: i.e stand while car in is motion  you can damage your eyes, crack a rib or even get thrown out under high speed braking.
• Allow people to sit on roof, or out of roof as distortion can jam up roof panel.
• Sticking limbs out except when car is stationary

Odd uses
Carrying odd sized items like ladders, tall plants etc. Ensure the item is held securely.

How do I check a pre-worshipped sunroof-equipped car for the ideal surya namaskar experience?

1. Check open / close operation.
2. Pour water in the channel and check drainage.
3. Subject car to a pressure wash and check for leakage / dampness.

Summarizing:
Sunroofs are nice to have, provided you have the weather and the speeds to enjoy it in. If you keep an eye on the drainage, leaks and ensure regular operation, you have a bright future. The main con is that no one has ever repaired a sunroof or knows how to address leaky seals.