wow thats balls right there

how much did that run you??

that's a good idea about blacking out the roof being that the sunroof is a rectangle and it doesn't follow the curves on the sides of the roof.

if you could get the windows tinted and add a visor to the windshield i think that would really tie it all together. i wouldn't be surprised if you're broke right now though

very cool

 

omg... i didn't even kno this existed!!! is there anyway you can pm details on the whole S/R?

 

Went out for a ride and to the beach with my son. Forgot the camera. Duh.

Again, the roof and installation was $1250 total. I tipped the driver that picked me up, and gave the boss there $20 to buy bagels for the guys who did the job. Hopefully he will, and not just pad his pocket. Anyways, I'm a bit on the broke side right now, but payday comes tomorrow. $1250 was a good price. It's been done for a lot more. But it is a discontinued model, not too many applications, and times are slow for the shop because they do mostly dealer work. I think there were some places on the inside that I'd have done differently if it were me, and who knows. Maybe some day I'll do it the way I would have. But the way I would have would have meant more money, more time, and more of an eye for the aesthetic way things should look and feel. I'm being picky (me and my OCD), but that's because I rarely pay anyone to do any work on my cars. If I could have bought the roof over the counter and retained the warranty from Webasto, I might have given it a shot. Heh heh. Easy to say now, huh?

I'm going to see my neighbor with the sign shop about some black vinyl. I could probably get some at Lowes or Home Depot, but I'll see if I can make a drawing he can scan and cut to size so I have to do minimal trimming. I'd do paint, but I'm not ready to commit. Vinyl's cheap, durable, and I might be able to run it up the edge of the sunroof an 1/8th or an inch to really blend the sunroof in. Then I can use an old trick I learned a long time ago that makes shoes shine like paten leather: Floor finish. The stuff they coat commercial tiles with that they then hit with the big floor buffer. It's like armor all but has a higher concentration of polymer in it. So some floor finish would probably make the black vinyl look like glass. And I can wax it. I think. Easy enough to experiment with, anyways.

I'm still looking at ways to fix the gap. I'm going to go back to the shop and see what else they can come up with. It's not that bad, but I keep staring at it when I'm walking by the car and it bothers me.

Again, no loss in handling.
Plenty of light.
I'm glad I did it.
More pics later.

 

here's what I did using Photobucket's edit tools. I used to have a tablet and stylus and Photoshop, but they're unavailable now. Anybody with skillz care to do a better job?

 

Yeah the black roof looks good (IMO).... It blends in the skyroof.

 

Looks pretty cool but it couldve been more flush with the roof so its somewhat tacky IMO. The cars handling will be reduced since there will most likely weaken the structure of the body as well as adding a heavier center of gravity.

 

For me the way it looks on the outside is outshined by the way it feels on the inside.

The handling of the car was not affected. I was able to take turns today just as quickly as I could have prior to the install. There is no perceptible weakening of the body structure. The sunroof's frame is bolstered by steel plate that replaces the factory roof cross bracing. No loss in body stiffness.
If there was an increase in weight of the glass over the steel it replaced, you can not tell from the driver's seat. And I have a good seat-of-the-pants feel for this stuff. Ya know how sometimes you know something's just dialed in, or not quite right. As far as I'm concerned, nothing has changed in my cars ride or handling, or mileage.

Given the intended purpose of this car, for me, I am happier having the giant sunroof than I would have been without it. I'd get in the car after a long day of work, and roll all the windows down to refresh myself. But the turbulence and bustling wind was a bit much. The sunroof gives me fresh air and an open feeling without the wind. I'm looking for reasons to go drive around now.

 

haha whatever makes you happy is what counts. I never roll down my windows since dust gets inside and the fabric seats attract all of that as well, so that wouldnt affect me enough to get a sunroof. It would probably look better to me on a black fit since you wouldnt see the moldings.

 

Yeah, on a black Fit it'd be no contest, it really jumps out at you on the orange car. Even a BBP would be better. Hey, can't win 'em all.

Dust - these cars have interiors that are magnetized and attract particulate matter of all sorts. Dust, dander, sand, dirt, crumbs, PB&J, french fry fragments. Just kidding. I don't eat lunch in the car. Just my PB&J on wheat for breakfast.

I spend my work days cooped up on a hospital unit with very little chance to see daylight or breathe fresh air. Maybe that's what made me do it.

If I had the money, it'd have been a Fit for the wife and a Mini Cooper droptop for me. But the Fits fit the budget better.

 

 

Thanks StormTrooper!

How's about a shot from the front?

I am actually thinking of only blacking out the area around the sunroof, up to the back edge. Like the JDM skyroof...


When they started showing the 09 previews, and mention was made of the skyroof option, I was excited. I knew it wouldn't open, but I wanted daylight. I thought it was the coolest thing. Figures they didn't send that to the States.

I've got plenty of sky now, though. And I don't always have to be looking through glass to see it! The opening as shown on the JDM from the inside is pretty much the same size as the Webasto roof in my car!

 

Is this similar to what you are talking about?

 

i dont think it looks too bad, but if you are going to consider blacking the roof out, you might as well consider painting the black trim to orange

 

it looks awesome, man. i think you're worrying too much about the corners. i didn't even notice them when i saw the pics first. only after somebody pointed it out. even then, it seems so minimal. it's only driving you nuts because it's fresh on your mind and you keep staring at them. give it a week and see how you feel about them then. cuz in the grand scheme, what you got for what you paid is flat-out top notch. great roof.

 

I like the orange roof.

 

yeah. it's tough to know when to cut off the black. i think it looks a little odd just doing the front. But if you do the back, then do you stop at the spoiler? Maybe if you got a CF spoiler it would solve the issue. ;-)

 

Yes, thank you. I saw it last night before the IMG link stopped working. But that's what I was thinking.

 

I had not thought of that. Interesting idea. But I guess it still leaves rectangular shaped black glass atop a tapered roof. It might look better integrated though. But painting the sunroof rails might affect my warranty or something. Hmm. Food for thought, thanks.

 

Thanks Brian, that means a lot.

 

What if I covered the remaining orange roof in CF-look graphic tape? And the spoiler too?

Now I'm getting carried away.

Maybe I'll just live with it the way it is for a while.