Buy Now or wait for Sunroof? Need your Help/Comments/Suggestions

[tschwab]

OK, Heres the deal. Ordered two identical trucks two weeks apart, one with the sunroof and one without (wife & I decide the sunroof would be a kind of a cool option).



Truck #1 (No sunroof) is in and Truck #2 (w/sunroof) is about 6-8 weeks out according to the dealer, maybe longer based on what I'm reading in various TDR posts.



Already sold our vehicle(s), so if we go for truck #2, my wife would have to use our daughters car (she lives on campus, but would be an inconvenience for both of them) until truck number #2 comes in. Fortunately, I have a company car.



The dealer is suggesting we go after-market on the sunroof and the company that does the work is very reputable and does a high quality job, which I know to be true as I have had them do work for me in the past. Has any one here had an after-market roof put in?



I'm really nervous about putting in an after-market sunroof after reading several horror stories on the internet, not just leakage and wind noise, but headliner issues, wiring issues etc, plus the fact that putting in an after-market sunroof in a vehicle that was not made for it at the factory - Could this hurt the strength and crash worthiness of the truck?



In discussing all of this with the wife, we are both OK without going for the sunroof, though it would be nice. She really doesn't want to wait for truck #2 and I really don't want an aftermarket sunroof put in the new RAM.



Thoughts/Comments - Please

 

[JeepinDoug]

If the dealer is so trusting of the aftermarket sunroof company, how about they cover the warrantee? I wouldn't let a hack start cutting away at my sheetmetal. Then again I don't like sunroofs, they're a PITA to maintain. Seals are hard to find what seals you need, debris plugs the drains and water overflows into the headliner. I'd say get the HT and use the AC.

Doug

 

[jelag]

The company that DC sends the trucks and cars to for sun roofs and convertible tops does this for most of the manufactures... . My BIL used to fly the lear jet the company owned bofore the ower died... . This portion of the company has been sold off to new owners but they use a a water jet... . very high pressure water to cut the roof off, or the hole for the sun roof. . this complete process is controlled by a computer... . If you really want the truck with the sun roof I'd wait... ... No sun roof installed locally will compare to what the factory does... .



Just my 2 cents worth...



Jim

 

[klenger]

To answer your question about waiting for the factory sun roof or not, only you can make that decision. What I can tell you (from personal experience) is to buy exactly what you want (or at least can live with for the life of the vehicle) as it is very expensive to trade after a year or two.



Personally, I wouldn't order the sunroof even if I had to option as I don't care for them all that much. I don't have the sliding rear window either.

 

[Marty1]

I'm in the same boat.

Don't believe the dealer... unless your truck has already been built, there is zero chance you'll have a truck with sunroof in 8 weeks.

There have been a handful of trucks already built with sunroofs but not delivered & are being held back.

I'm being told that they "MAY" be available to start building again in a month or so but that will put delivery around 16 weeks away minimum.

The chance of your truck being first on the sunroof assembly line is very remote. There are thousands of trucks waiting for the option to be available again & I wish I could wait but I can't.

I've had several new vehicles with factory sunroofs... I've never ever had one leak before.

You will be sorry if you have an aftermarket roof installed... either wait for them at the factory or be happy without one.

Fat chance I'll be letting a guy cut a hole in the roof of my new truck.

I think you guys that are against sunroofs must have gotten a bad installation back in the 70's in your Pinto hatchback! Ha Ha! Oo.

Sunroofs have come a long way since then & they DON'T leak... that's an old wives tale.

 

[JeepinDoug]

I think you guys that are against sunroofs must have gotten a bad installation back in the 70's in your Pinto hatchback! Ha Ha! Oo.

Sunroofs have come a long way since then & they DON'T leak... that's an old wives tale.

Mine was a Jeep (DC) and the dealer couldn't fix it.

 

[Marty1]

Maybe I'm just lucky then but I think I can safely say that other than the cheap transportation cars... 80% of all new vehicles have got them.

I don't think there is a luxury car or SUV even built without a sunroof is there?

I actually never use a sunroof but I do like the added light they offer for driving in dreary rainy Vancouver. Not very often I get a chance to open it without getting wet!

 

[MFalkinham]

My '98 Lincoln commuter car has a factory power-moonroof that has never leaked even in heavy rains and car washes. I use it almost daily, and it gives the car a much more "open" feeling with the extra light. It also has a sliding cloth sunscreen if you don't want that light.



It sounds like you have your heart set on one, so I would just wait for the factory installed model. Or, have you tried doing a nationwide dealer inventory search (such as autotrader) to locate another existing new Ram with sunroof? Might be worth the flight & drive... ... .....



- Mike

 

[mberry]

I had one on order. Decided that it wasn't worth it to me as I would never use it. Buy what you want and be done with it. I happen to agree with the rest of the group to get the factory sunroof option imho.

 

[tschwab]

Thanks all,



Your comments/advice mirror what I was thinking. We have decided to go for truck #1 and NOT have an aftermarket sunroof installed.