Between my wife and I, we’ve probably owned 5 or 6 vehicles that have sunroofs. While having one almost always seem like a cool idea, we almost never use them. And when I do use one, it’s either just to cool off a parked car or just a few minutes of driving.
My sunroof usage is:
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When it’s summer and the car is baking hot inside, first thing open the sunroof and let that hot air out!
It works wonderfully in cooling of your car, so quick!
I don’t know exactly how to answer, because I suspect we have different definitions of “use” here.
I only occasionally open the sunroof. But, I almost always have the inside panel open so that it is a window that faces up." Other than the hottest days of the summer, I keep that panel open, and I really enjoy having the extra up facing " window."
I recently lost my car that had a moonroof (2011 Scion xB Special Edition) to an accident, but for the 10 years I had that car, I used that thing all the time. If it wasn’t warm enough to need the A/C i had the roof open. It is a much better way to cool the car than the windows because the air flow is never forceful enough to move even a reciept on the passenger seat and is never loud to have to shout over to talk with passengers. Mine opened two ways, too: slid back to produce a large hatch opening and tilted up in the back for a subtle reverse flow. I really, really miss that car.
I don’t have a sunroof on my current car, but I did on my last car. As already noted, it was a good way to quickly cool off a hot interior, and I’d at least use the “vent” setting (which tilted open the back of the sunroof) for air circulation on a regular basis.
I probably only drove around with it all the way open in the evenings, but it was a fun thing to do.
Like 30% of the time when I roll my windows down.
Don’t like convertibles or sunroofs; don’t like sunshine on my head or face when I drive. My current car (C-Max plug-in) has a panoramic fixed glass roof which I regard 99% negatively — the modern equivalent of a padded vinyl roof. It doesn’t make the interior much brighter (maybe “half a stop”), it precludes using a luggage rack or rooftop bike rack, it weakens the roof, decreases insulation, and presumably increases noise. In summer it increases greenhouse heat.
Maybe in winter the greenhouse heat might be useful, but I’ve covered the inside of the roof with mylar bubble insulation, and will probably leave that in place year round.
I would say “almost never” for me and “occasionally” for my wife (except “occasionally” is not an option).
I bought my car less than a year ago and I’ve driven with the sunroof open just a handful of times. I find the wind noise is too much except at low speeds.
I am also always concerned about parking with the roof open, seems like it would be an inviting target of pigeons and other air-poopers.
mmm
In 30+ years of car ownership I don’t believe I have owned a car without a sunroof (or moon roof).
My first car was a 1989 Honda Civic with an aftermarket moonroof that you could pop up while driving or you could pop two clips and take it completely out while stopped.
I’ll often have my roof open now on sunny cool days.
If it is warm-ish outside, we have it open between home and the autobahn, and between the autobahn and the destination.
The only time we open it on the autobahn is if it is warm-ish and we’re stuck in traffic. Otherwise it’s way too noisy.
We almost always have the shade open, so we get light from above.
^ This.
I have cracked it when I park to keep the car a little cooler. But it’s pretty rare. I don’t live in a hot climate. Except when I go to Denver I suppose.
Jeep Wrangler soft-top. I open the roof once or twice a year. If it is hot, I want to use air conditioning. If it isn’t hot, my gf says it’s too cold. Then there is my gf’s hair to think about.
But that one or two times each year makes the convertible worthwhile.
Same here, the older car has one, not so much because I wanted it but because it came bundled in the particular options package I preferred; the newer car doesn’t. The main use has been as described there too – a long press on the remote door opener opens all windowns and the sunrooof, thus letting hot air blow out which is not a bad thing if it has just spent from noon to four in an open parking lot in San Juan in a sunny day in July; I’d open it up if it was a good weather day and I was driving by the shore.
Abominations, I say these are.
But, there are stories of people freaking out over this often unknown feature. The spare key-fob gets wedged somewhere in the house and intermittently opens all the windows and sunroof, leading the car’s owner to think someone broke in.
Somewhere between the “Frequent” and “Seldom” choices. Almost always for venting, as it wouldn’t be safe for me to crane my neck around and tilt my body, just to look straight up and slightly behind me to watch the clouds while I’m driving.
We both think sunroofs are dumb as toast. Ms. Napier’s car has one – it was a reasonable used car purchase overall but the sunroof was an undesired feature. It leaks. Of course it leaks. I don’t think it’s possible for a car to have a giant window in the roof, one that opens no less, without it leaking. It pees dirty water all over the cloth seats at random intervals. We’ve had the dealer work on it, we’ve studied online forums, and I’ve even tried routing out the drain tube monthly per suggestions – who needs this nonsense? It’s ridiculous.
And I’ve never wanted to look out the roof!
At this point, I think having a window in the roof would make a car purchase a non-starter for both of us.
I specifically sought out a car with a sunroof and use it almost every day if it’s above 50 degrees or so. I generally do the tilt-up rather than sliding it back. That gets me fresh air without all the wind rushing noise of opening a window.
All the time (sliding light cover pushed back).
Open to the outside air any time the temps/humidity/no precip allows, which in the fall here is pretty much all the time. Won’t even consider a vehicle if it doesn’t come with one.
My wife’s car (a '12 Passat) has a sunroof, but I personally NEVER use it. Mostly because the sunlight coming through the sunroof tends to illuminate the backs of my sunglasses, or makes me squint if I’m not wearing sunglasses.
She uses it somewhat often though.