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Yes, as mentioned above, I've always been under the impression that all cars' windows come with UV protection built in. Even if they're not tinted, they have a built-in film to stop the UV rays. I think they block out 87% or so. Otherwise, everyone would have a sun burn from driving in the sun!
Automobile glass is very efective at blocking UVB, the radiation that causes sunburn. It is less effective on blocking UVA, which can cause skin cancer. The front windshield is laminated glass, and the lamination effectively blocks both UVA and UVB. The side windows are usually not laminated, so they allow more UVA rays. Either a factory tint or an aftermarket tint can further reduce UVA and UVB.
I'm not sure if the MINI sunroof is laminated glass. If it is, it will block both UVA and UVB rays. The sunroof also has a factory tint, which would also block UVA / UVB to some extent. The fabric shade also blocks some UVA/UVB.
My guess is that very little UVA and UVB are getting through the sunroof and shade, but the only way to verify that would be to have the sunroof glass tested in a laboratory, unless MINI has a specification they've released on the UVA/UVB transmittance, which I doubt.
There are both clear and tinted aftermarket films that can be added to the sunroof to block 100% of UVA/UVB, if someone wants 100% protection.
Make sure you take a peak at the FAQ section. The perforated material does not have the life expectancy of the opaque (solid) material; approximately 2yr vs. 5yr, respectively.
06-23-2008, 11:02 AM
