To sunroof or not to sunroof

[Norm Dion]

I plan on buying a 2005 Accord, if they ever hit the market! My main question is whether to spend the extra amount for the sunroof, that is, LX vs EX. What kinds of maintenance issues can I expect with the sunroof? Are they prone to break down? Leak? Like all my cars, I intend to keep it 10-12 years. By the way, on paper I don't see a great deal of difference between the '04 and '05. Comments anyone?
TIA

 

[Artfulcodger]

I plan on buying a 2005 Accord, if they ever hit the market! My main question is whether to spend the extra amount for the sunroof, that is, LX vs EX. What kinds of maintenance issues can I expect with the sunroof? Are they prone to break down? Leak? Like all my cars, I intend to keep it 10-12 years. By the way, on paper I don't see a great deal of difference between the '04 and '05. Comments anyone?
TIA

Norm

Sunroof is the only way to go. I have a 99 Camry and the roof works as the day it was new. No sign of leaks and no maintenace required as yet. Fantastic for in town driving yet I find them just too noisy at highway speeds. I will never have a car without one from now on. The car smells fresher and cleaner albeit requires greater interior wiping down due to dust settling. I would love to have a screen topped roof just to cut the UV rays as on bright hot days it does get a bit warm. I don't believe even on current Hondas or Toyotas they are available with the screen but I would sure have one if available.

Good luck

Mike

 

[Howard Lester]

"Norm Dion" wrote

I plan on buying a 2005 Accord, if they ever hit the market! My main question is whether to spend the extra amount for the sunroof, that is, LX vs EX.

I think you may be asking the wrong question. I chose the EX because I
*wanted* the sunroof. First decide whether or not you want the feature. If you find you want the EX but not the sunroof, then do as a friend of mine did: buy a Camry. (He would have bought the EX if he could have gotten it without a sunroof.)

 

[Elmo P. Shagnasty]

I plan on buying a 2005 Accord, if they ever hit the market! My main question is whether to spend the extra amount for the sunroof, that is, LX vs EX. What kinds of maintenance issues can I expect with the sunroof? Are they prone to break down? Leak? Like all my cars, I intend to keep it 10-12 years.

I have a 13 year old Civic Si in my family, with the factory sunroof.

It's been exemplary. I have to say, that's something that Honda does very well.

 

[nntp]

The sunroof on my 91 Accord EX-R still works fine and doesn't produce much wind noise. I can still listen to the radio while it is fully open.

 

[Charlie S]

I bought a 01 Accord EX because of the 4 wheel disk brakes and the 6 CD sound system. This is my third car/truck with a Sun/Moon roof. In hot weather, I keep the sunroof up when I park and that keeps the car a lot cooler. Never had a problem with the sunroof, never had a leak.

 

[motsco_ _]

I plan on buying a 2005 Accord, if they ever hit the market! My main question is whether to spend the extra amount for the sunroof, that is, LX vs EX. What kinds of maintenance issues can I expect with the sunroof? Are they prone to break down? Leak? Like all my cars, I intend to keep it 10-12 years. By the way, on paper I don't see a great deal of difference between the '04 and '05. Comments anyone?
TIA

Only consideration is your stature. If you're 6'- 3", it might not be for you. Otherwise, they're fantastic.

Rolling the seat back is not the right way to compensate for too little headroom. It can lead to bad fatigue on long trips because of incorrect posture. (we had a VW like that. Unloaded it when we discovered that the error)

'Curly'

 

[Norm Dion]

Thanks all. Looks like I'll be springing for the sunroof.
Norm

 

[Rob]

I plan on buying a 2005 Accord, if they ever hit the market! My main question is whether to spend the extra amount for the sunroof, that is, LX vs EX. What kinds of maintenance issues can I expect with the sunroof? Are they prone to break down? Leak?

Norm (!)
I've had sunroofs (including 1 self-installed, yikes, and aftermarket ones that sometimes leaked) and moonroofs (electric) all my life in cars until I just got a toyota prius, and discovered I longer care about sunroofs (sunrooves?).

But I will say that I don't believe you will have any leakage problems with a factory moonroof. If you like 'em, go for it. My wife's EX has one and it's pretty nice. If you live in a rust area, consider this: my wife's '90 corolla started rusting along the front edge of her moonroof, which caused us to decide to trade it in in late 1995.

Rob

 

[Artfulcodger]

Norm (!)
I've had sunroofs (including 1 self-installed, yikes, and aftermarket ones that sometimes leaked) and moonroofs (electric) all my life in cars until I just got a toyota prius, and discovered I longer care about sunroofs (sunrooves?).

But I will say that I don't believe you will have any leakage problems with a factory moonroof. If you like 'em, go for it. My wife's EX has one and it's pretty nice. If you live in a rust area, consider this: my wife's '90 corolla started rusting along the front edge of her moonroof, which caused us to decide to trade it in in late 1995.

Rob

Rob

I would love to here your impressions of your new Prius. This car has me very intrigued.

Mike

 

[RMoore]

I have a 1986 Prelude with 235,000 miles and the sunroof still work great. the wind deflector is a great dealer add on.

 

[kiselink]

I have a 1986 Prelude with 235,000 miles and the sunroof still work great. the wind deflector is a great dealer add on.

What does the wind deflector get ya? Less wind? What about noise?

I havent had any problems with my 97 sunroof - however I find it rare that I use it. It is to loud on the highway! To hot in the summer.

 

[Rob]

I would love to here your impressions of your new Prius. This car has me very intrigued.

Mike

Mike,
I think the Prius is a fantastic car. I have almost 12,000 miles on it (it's a 2004 model) with no problems other than the dealership blowing up the ECU during a software recall/upgrade...they had to keep it from Friday to Monday p.m. to get the part to fix it.

I'm averaging close to 50 mpg. in fairly short-trip (6 miles at a clip) suburban driving; about 52-53 on the last 3 tanks, when I've been trying harder. Quiet, well-built, lots of features and cool gizmoes. My car was the cheapest trim line available ($19,995) but has power windows & mirrors, climate control, single CD stereo, ABS, traction control, lit steering wheel controls of stereo, climate, and both defrosters. It is very cool to have the gas engine shut off at stoplights or while cruising. The transition off/on is pretty seamless, other than an occasional slightly rough shutoff.

I have been on a waiting list since January for another new Prius, which I now expect in a month or so, a 2005 model (unchanged from
2004) but with a $3000 option package ("package 7") that will give me side airbags, smart key, HID lights, Stability Control, and a few other things. (I also wanted a Prius with gray interior instead of the light tan I have now.) I found a new 2004 Prius locally in August that had the top ("package 9" $6000) option package, which includes NAV and a 6-disk stereo, and planned to buy that, but my dad was intrigued by the NAV in my wife's Accord, so I let him buy that Prius and I bought his to drive while awaiting my package 7. (This might read somewhat confusingly; of the 12,000 miles on my Prius, my dad put on the first 8-9 thousand -- he bought it new-- and I've put on the rest since the beginning of August.)

I don't need the NAV on two cars. I highly prefer the ease of use of Honda NAV over Toyota NAV. I love my wife's EX 4-cyl. Accord; she considers leather & heated seats a must-have; neither is available on Prius except aftermarket. I'm so happy to have a Toyota again (have owned many in my life, from Celicas to Land Cruisers), and my first Honda (automobile, anyway), after driving Ford Explorers for last 10 years (not sure why...they were pretty good vehicles, I must admit, though). I wish you didn't have to hide the odometer setting on the Accord to see the outside temp.; and wish it had memory seats and lit steering wheel buttons...pretty minor complaints. For the Prius, my wish list would be power seats.

you have any more questions you'd like to ask me about the Prius.

Rob

 

[Artfulcodger]

Mike,
I think the Prius is a fantastic car. I have almost 12,000 miles on it (it's a 2004 model) with no problems other than the dealership blowing up the ECU during a software recall/upgrade...they had to keep it from Friday to Monday p.m. to get the part to fix it.

I'm averaging close to 50 mpg. in fairly short-trip (6 miles at a clip) suburban driving; about 52-53 on the last 3 tanks, when I've been trying harder. Quiet, well-built, lots of features and cool gizmoes. My car was the cheapest trim line available ($19,995) but has power windows & mirrors, climate control, single CD stereo, ABS, traction control, lit steering wheel controls of stereo, climate, and both defrosters. It is very cool to have the gas engine shut off at stoplights or while cruising. The transition off/on is pretty seamless, other than an occasional slightly rough shutoff.

I have been on a waiting list since January for another new Prius, which I now expect in a month or so, a 2005 model (unchanged from
2004) but with a $3000 option package ("package 7") that will give me side airbags, smart key, HID lights, Stability Control, and a few other things. (I also wanted a Prius with gray interior instead of the light tan I have now.) I found a new 2004 Prius locally in August that had the top ("package 9" $6000) option package, which includes NAV and a 6-disk stereo, and planned to buy that, but my dad was intrigued by the NAV in my wife's Accord, so I let him buy that Prius and I bought his to drive while awaiting my package 7. (This might read somewhat confusingly; of the 12,000 miles on my Prius, my dad put on the first 8-9 thousand -- he bought it new-- and I've put on the rest since the beginning of August.)

I don't need the NAV on two cars. I highly prefer the ease of use of Honda NAV over Toyota NAV. I love my wife's EX 4-cyl. Accord; she considers leather & heated seats a must-have; neither is available on Prius except aftermarket. I'm so happy to have a Toyota again (have owned many in my life, from Celicas to Land Cruisers), and my first Honda (automobile, anyway), after driving Ford Explorers for last 10 years (not sure why...they were pretty good vehicles, I must admit, though). I wish you didn't have to hide the odometer setting on the Accord to see the outside temp.; and wish it had memory seats and lit steering wheel buttons...pretty minor complaints. For the Prius, my wish list would be power seats.

you have any more questions you'd like to ask me about the Prius.

Rob

Thanks Rob for a most informative reply

The Prius is on my list for the next car and hopefully by then they may offer leather and a moon roof.

Mike

 

[Rob]

offer leather and a moon roof.

Mike

they might have to change the roofline before a moonroof can be put into the Prius...I've heard that aftermarket companies can't install them.

As far as leather, Katzkin (katzkin.com) makes a leather kit for the Prius that many aftermarket installers use...I've read good reviews of it on Prius groups. I stopped in a local place yesterday and they quoted me $1200 to install leather, including on all 5 headrests, the center console lid cover, and the door armrests. $300 more to add seat heaters to both front seats. I'm contemplating it...however, the Alcantara (fake suede) upholstery that comes in the Prius (I believe it is also used on certain BMW's) is growing on me.

A guy who works for me who is 6'2" or so recently bought an '04 accord; he had to pass on the moonroof because it took away too much headroom.

rob