Oh, and about my older car, my expectation is that if as it gets older the sunroof begins malfunctioning (and probably it will be more for lack of use), I’ll just put in fresh weatherstripping, close it, and pull the fuse.
Both our cars have one, and both leak when the drains get plugged. I have a roll of wire I keep around to unplug the sunroof drains.
I had no idea leaks were a problem with original factory sunroofs. When my car died while I was a broke law student, my mom gave me her 20-year-old Toyota Avalon with a sunroof and bought herself a new hybrid. The front bumper was held together with tape, the seats were split to hell under the slipcovers, the steering wheel had a permanent layer of grime, and at least 5 things rattled when I went into a turn, but that sunroof was still peachy.
Up until we got a 2013 terrain (had to buy quickly as the previous car was totalled) that had a sunroof I thought like this post. “I’d pay extra to be without the sunroof if I had to.” That was from car experiences going back a lot of years both factory and aftermarket installations that were nothing but a leaking POS. However they are dramatically improved in more recent times. The terrain sunroof worked flawlessly as does this 2018 Acadia we have now.
I’m now of a mind that I won’t “seek out” a sunroof equipped car as I only occasionally use it but I’d never turn down a car otherwise properly equipped because it had one.
One other observation, if a car was in an accident with significant body work that could affect the functionality of the sunroof.
I’ve had two cars with sunroofs. The only times I think I used either one was when things got…er, personal with my GF. It was also good to have a tilting/telescoping steering wheel.
I also mostly use it to vent. I rarely drive with the windows down because I don’t like the noise so I rarely drive with the moon roof open. Probably the exception would be the first few nice nights of spring.
My first car, a 2 door hatchback, had a sunroof.
It was used as a means of entry and exit for the passengers in the backseat, so that the people in the front didn’t have to get out to let them out.