IS THE R56 SUNROOF AS LARGE as the R53's?

Sorry for shouting, but it's a point which ought to be considered. I haven't seen a photo of it where the opening appears as generous.



(06 Cooper, and I LOVE the open feel my sunroof allows.)

 

... (not counting the Mini) and I can say I don't miss the additional light as much as I thought I would. My last four cars all had black headliners (three of 'em had no sunroof) and, truth be told, I expected to be craving the light and air of a sunroof within a week of getting the first of the three. It never happened.

Additionally, I've never been all that fond of the "physics of glass sunroofs." Think about it; first there's the additional weight (in the form of the sunroof frame, tracks, drains and motor plus the glass itself) the total is heavier than the sheetmetal that's absent from the roof panel in a car without a sunroof. Then take this extra mass and put it as high up on the vehicle as is physically possible. Not a formula for optimum handling.

Obviously as vehicle weight goes down, the incremental mass of any sunroof rises disproportionally. Then too, the Mini's dual pane glass adds even more incremental weight. Remember, glass is appreciably heaver than HSLA steel.

Nope, neat as they are, sunroofs have fallen off my list of "must-haves."

 

Yes, it is as large. The R56 roofs open in the rear as well as the front which adds more mechanism to the operation. Yet more weight to the top of your car. I had heard that the weight of the sunroof was 62 lbs but can not verify that number. I could believe 55 lbs, but I think 200 lbs is more than a little high.

I do not know if they have changed the inside sun shade for the R56. But my biggest complaint was the heat gain from that huge glass roof. This is why some people install decals over the glass just to reduce the inside temperatures. The current inside sun shade is a perforated sheet of cloth that does not completely block the light. There is no way to close off the light should you want to.

In my wifes Audi A4 the sun roof can be completely covered so that no light can get in when necessary. This minimizes the heat gain in the summer.

Thank you very much but I will continue to have my MINIs without the sunroof.

 

Check out posts 18, 35, and 38 in this thread. The sunroof unit itself weighs 55 pounds, and the thinking is that the structural reinfocement of the roof that the sunroof opening requires adds another 10-15 pounds (even after considering the lost weight of the solid roof section that the sunroof replaces). I've never seen a definitive answer, but 200 pounds seems like a huge overestimation.

All of this may change for the 2007 model, of course, or it may not.

For what it's worth, I love the sunroof in my car, and never seriously considered not getting it.

 

The sunroof is quite heavy. BUT, I love mine, and I'd get it again if I had to do it over. No squeaks or rattles or leaks here at 30,000 +

 

Thank you !

That is exactly the information I was looking for.

No squeaks, rattles or leaks = order sun roof.

Done deal.

dean.

 

IF we were talking about tracking or auto-crossing the Mini, no arguement about losing the sun roof--be gone you bad boy!

But... we are talking about a street car on this thread. In this context, I think there's no need to be worried about an additional 55 or 62 lbs. I've driven numerous Minis (on the street only) and with utmost certainty I cannot feel a performance difference between sunroof vs. no sunroof.

So I think it comes down to cost, build quality/maintenence and whether the transluscent screen that closes out some of the light, but not all, is adequate.

I would not be happy with a squeaky, rattly or leaky sunroof. I must have good "carma" because both of my Mini's have been awesome and reliable. As for too much light when the screen is closed, I solved it by wearing a ball cap the few times that extra light actually bothers me.

As for the armrest, I use the "rear" cupholder regularly and would not want to compromise its function by having an armrest in the way. I'm not sure about the current OEM optional arm rest, but some aftermarket armrests require giving up the rear cupholder as that is where the armrests are attached.

 

Good luck Dean! I'm sure you could be happy either way -- it's a MINI!!!

 

Not to be a thread hog, but...

One of the problems with MINI, in general, is how the car becomes a black hole that sucks you in. With my previous auto purchases and leases, I never spent the time zig-zagging back and forth on options/packages. It's like being a kid in the candy store with a $50 bill.

Ultimately, my inner child needs two Minis. A lean, rad, modded racer, (sans sunroof), and a daily-driver loaded with creature comforts.

I laugh when I see the many conflicting posts about options. For me, each option quandary sets the stage for the next. Example:

Option/opportunity- I wanted the full JCW package, but I needed a roof rack for practical purposes. Opposing quandary- For resale purposes, I fretted over who would be interested in buying my used JCW MCS, outfitted with sunroof and even worse--OEM bike rack mounts drilled into and attached to the roof? If a sun roof is a deal breaker for some gear heads, what about a roof rack?

At some point, I just had to remind myself that I was building a car for myself... and not to worry about paying more for English Leather upholstery or a sunroof, along with the JCW performance package and worry about whether there's someone out there equally eccentric who will buy it from me someday. When and If I cross that bridge, I'll deal with it then.

Darn it, my inner child only had a $20 bill...

 

I think if you are aware of the pros and cons of the sunroof it's a decision as personal as the color of your car. There are negatives and positives and no right answer.

It costs $850 or a bit less in a package. It let's light in, maybe too much for some. It lets air in. It adds a bit of complexity that may go wrong. It weighs about 50lbs. near the top of the car. (Someone calculate how much an extra 50lbs. on the roof raises a 2500lb MINI CG and how much that hurts cornering speed...) Did I miss anything?

 

Just balance that out with the bigger, heavier wheels, and you're set.

 

I agree - not a real consideration.

I've run the numbers and the answer is - it adds the weight to the center and back of the car, contributing to a now perfect 50/50 weight distribution. ,something all those racers forgot to anticipate.

Seriously, 50 lbs. is nothing. I've met very few people who are so competitive about autocross (Solo 2 that is) that they'd let 50 lbs, event on the roof, influence their decision. Anyone that into it would be well advised to wait a year to see where the R56 is classified by SCCA before purchasing . For most, autocross is about doing the best with what you got, not downgrading your car at purchase in the hope that you can win trophies.

 

Thanks !

I have told my salesman that he has seen the last of my changes. I really have been over thinking this.

dean.

 

Peeled off my tattered UJ sunroof decal this weekend.

Man it's LIGHT inside now.

 

since last 4 cars, i am paying extra for sunroofs that i dont utilize....

 

C'mon--we had a great (and long) fall--didn't you even open it then?

 

When I test drove the MC here in the Southwest, one of my first thoughts was, "Where's the shade I pull closed to get the darned sun (even though diffused) off my head and shoulders?"

My last sunroof was in a 2002 Audi A4. With that, if you didn't want the sun intruding you simply slid the shade mechanism closed. I loved it open at night but was glad to be able to close it off during our bright Southwest daytimes.

Here in the Southwest, it seems the only new MCs for sale are sunroofed. I suspect the thinking is that anyone who lives here in the Southwest lives here because they love the nearly 360 days/year of sunshine. I do, but I like the option of getting out of it when I choose. Also, I presume the sales people believe that tall people are not the ones who buy small cars. Well, I'll get my new custom ordered MCS next month but as a tall person (6'3" and more than average height, especially from the waist up) I want every inch of headroom possible (no sunroof for me).

 

With the sunroof, you also have a weaker roof structure. Cutting a large hole in the roof and filling it with glass has that effect.

 

A little side note, just for grins. I had a wreck a couple of years ago and broke my back. I couldn't get out of the car (door was jammed anyway), but the car was pristine on the driver's side. No one saw the accident (long story). Finally a car came along and the driver paused, obviously wondering why it was on the "wrong" side of the road, where it had ricochetted after hitting the tree. The connection with the sunroof? It was broken out, and was the only way I could signal the guy that I needed help.

Now I don't advocate buying a sunroof on the basis that you might need it in a wreck, BUT I was sure glad I had it that day...

 

How tall? I'm 6'2 and some change and have no problems in the car..

 

I'm glad I have the sunroof, I will get one again if available in whatever new vehicle I purchase. The MINI sunroof is one of the more unique setups in the automotive world. I like to drive with the windows open in nice weather, the sunroof opens up the car that much more and makes it seem bigger. Another bonus in this case is that simply tipping open the sunroof with the windows open eliminates the low frequency 'flutter' resonance when driving.

I'd reconsider if I thought I would be AXing the car competitively, but this MINI spends most of it's time in everyday driving. Besides, my size alone spoils any competitive edge I'd have against a similar car. Unless all I am doing is turning left.

 

I didn't get the sun roof becuase I didn't want the extra heat in the car. Even with a solid shade (if one were available), the sun shining down on the glass is going to heat the car up.

One good thing about a sun roof is that when the birds poop on your car, there is less chance they'll hit paint

 

I love my sunroof. It makes the car much brighter inside and I love the fresh air. Being able to watch the night sky is wonderful too. I weigh 135lbs wet and I don't race, so I don't care about the weight.

 

Just need to insure the wrong fingers never touch the sunroof controls. My now eX-wife decided it would be nice to get a little fresh air in the car one winter day, and tried to open the power sunroof on our Saturn SL2 with 3+ inches of frozen-solid ice on the roof. Before I could grab her hand the deed was done, and the sunroof completely destroyed. I'm convinced most sunroofs work pretty well so long as they are never opened by a blonde.

 

Another nice thing is that I only have to wax a 7 inch strip around the edge of the roof.