We're thinking of getting a Webasto-Hollandia glass sunroof fitted professionally to the Xantia, since we'll have it for at least another 10 years all being well.
Does anyone have any direct experience of having this done? We're in Australia but I imagine there are far more Xantias with sunroofs fitted in UK.
All advice and comments welcome - I'm hard to offend!
Thanks
JohnW
Fitting aftermarket sunroof to Xantia
Moderator: RichardW
Fitting aftermarket sunroofs would be absolutely NO-NO here on the Northern hemisphere - because of the winter salt road conditions.
It's a direct invitation for corrosion & water leakage problems.
Also it's wellknown that aftermarket sunroofs fitted instantly degrades the trade value of the car.
Having stayed in hot & dry Texas years ago - I'd instantly put my money in a decent A/C system instead - if not already fitted.
Remeber that you "pay" for the fresh air from a sunroof with rheumatism, odd wind noises, burning heat from the glass - and grief from carwashes (amazing how much water such machines poors over the car [:D][:p]).
An extra hole in the chassis body of the car
It's a direct invitation for corrosion & water leakage problems.
Also it's wellknown that aftermarket sunroofs fitted instantly degrades the trade value of the car.
Having stayed in hot & dry Texas years ago - I'd instantly put my money in a decent A/C system instead - if not already fitted.
Remeber that you "pay" for the fresh air from a sunroof with rheumatism, odd wind noises, burning heat from the glass - and grief from carwashes (amazing how much water such machines poors over the car [:D][:p]).
An extra hole in the chassis body of the car
You shouldn't have any problems at all fitting a sunroof; they don't leak at all provided they are properly fitted and maintained and make quite a difference to the cars ventilation,and I have only ever had one that was really noisy. In my case its a personal choice; I hate aircon[:(!]. The main problem with glass roof panels is the sun in summer; much of this can be averted by using reflective film on the inside.
They are not hard to fit yourself should you choose to do so; if I buy a car that doesn't have one I generally get one from the scrappie; just make sure you cut the right sized hole; as any scrappie will tell you its amazing the number of people who just draw round it, cut the hole, watch it fall through the hole, and then go back to the yard to get a bigger one[:I]!!!
They are not hard to fit yourself should you choose to do so; if I buy a car that doesn't have one I generally get one from the scrappie; just make sure you cut the right sized hole; as any scrappie will tell you its amazing the number of people who just draw round it, cut the hole, watch it fall through the hole, and then go back to the yard to get a bigger one[:I]!!!
Thanks guys - two very different opinions indeed. I agree with the issues raised by both of you!
If I go ahead it, it will be professionally installed and only if the one I'm interested in has a sliding opaque panel as well as the glass. In Australia in summer, even film on roof glass isn't enough!
Almost no chance of finding one in a wreckers in Western Australia - they only sold 20-30 here in total!
JohnW
If I go ahead it, it will be professionally installed and only if the one I'm interested in has a sliding opaque panel as well as the glass. In Australia in summer, even film on roof glass isn't enough!
Almost no chance of finding one in a wreckers in Western Australia - they only sold 20-30 here in total!
JohnW
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DoubleChevron
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Hmm,
My BX has a tilt slide sunroof. I'd gladly not have it there, it rattles like crazy and restricts head room... There's only about 2weeks of the year where you'd open it, then it's usualy siezed from lack of use. In winter it's to cold to open it, it summer you'd die of heatstroke if you even dreamed of using it.
The CX C-matic I was recently given has an electric sliding sunroof. I gotta admit, I quite like it, when it opens a small air spoiler lifts to prevent windnoise. It's quite comfortable traveling at 110km/h with it's sunroof open. The biggest problem with this cars sunroof is the great restriction in headroom.
The only car I'd ever fit a sunroof to is a 'DS'. They would be great with one of those full length webasto sunroofs [:D]
I'm not sure why you'd want a sunroof in a Xantia, they have quite adequate air-con (unlike CX's and DS's
).
seeya,
Shane L.
My BX has a tilt slide sunroof. I'd gladly not have it there, it rattles like crazy and restricts head room... There's only about 2weeks of the year where you'd open it, then it's usualy siezed from lack of use. In winter it's to cold to open it, it summer you'd die of heatstroke if you even dreamed of using it.
The CX C-matic I was recently given has an electric sliding sunroof. I gotta admit, I quite like it, when it opens a small air spoiler lifts to prevent windnoise. It's quite comfortable traveling at 110km/h with it's sunroof open. The biggest problem with this cars sunroof is the great restriction in headroom.
The only car I'd ever fit a sunroof to is a 'DS'. They would be great with one of those full length webasto sunroofs [:D]
I'm not sure why you'd want a sunroof in a Xantia, they have quite adequate air-con (unlike CX's and DS's
).seeya,
Shane L.
John,
As you know I have a BX 16V which has a sunroof as standard. Like Shane, given the option, I would do without it for several reasons. Up here in the tropics, about the only two times you can use it is winter afternoons and night times.
I've had the traditional leaks due to both blocked drains and bad adjustment. It rattles like all hell; not the actual sunroof but the internal panel and the cables attached to it, it restricts head room and the biggest problem of all, it causes bad flexing of the bodywork which in turn creates rattles and cracks things on the dash area.
One of my sons has a TZi without a sunroof and it by far feels a more solid car and has less rattles due to this "feature."
If it were me, there's no way I'd do it based on my own experiences.
Alan S
As you know I have a BX 16V which has a sunroof as standard. Like Shane, given the option, I would do without it for several reasons. Up here in the tropics, about the only two times you can use it is winter afternoons and night times.
I've had the traditional leaks due to both blocked drains and bad adjustment. It rattles like all hell; not the actual sunroof but the internal panel and the cables attached to it, it restricts head room and the biggest problem of all, it causes bad flexing of the bodywork which in turn creates rattles and cracks things on the dash area.
One of my sons has a TZi without a sunroof and it by far feels a more solid car and has less rattles due to this "feature."
If it were me, there's no way I'd do it based on my own experiences.
Alan S
Alan and Shane,
You've got to laugh. Here I am posting in UK hoping for advice, as they do more sunroofs there, and the responses come from home!!!
We called the sunroof added to our R8 the moonroof! I love it at night and early mornings and have this theory that if I drive the R8 fast enough rain won't come in when the roof is open! Can't quite prove it however....
What I really like is the open feeling the glass roof gives. As you point out, it is no use at all for cooling, just no use. The headroom thing is real - our factory sunroof in the 306 causes some head brushing on the rare occasions we have tall rear seat passengers.
The only worry I have is the potential for loss of rigidity, given how great the Xantia is in this regard. Non-reversable, cutting a hole...
And I haven't had a single reply from anyone who has actually done it professionally to a Xantia.
So I won't do it. And you'll both agree.
Many thanks.
JohnW
You've got to laugh. Here I am posting in UK hoping for advice, as they do more sunroofs there, and the responses come from home!!!
We called the sunroof added to our R8 the moonroof! I love it at night and early mornings and have this theory that if I drive the R8 fast enough rain won't come in when the roof is open! Can't quite prove it however....
What I really like is the open feeling the glass roof gives. As you point out, it is no use at all for cooling, just no use. The headroom thing is real - our factory sunroof in the 306 causes some head brushing on the rare occasions we have tall rear seat passengers.
The only worry I have is the potential for loss of rigidity, given how great the Xantia is in this regard. Non-reversable, cutting a hole...
And I haven't had a single reply from anyone who has actually done it professionally to a Xantia.
So I won't do it. And you'll both agree.
Many thanks.
JohnW
John,
I'm a bit sus on another front too.
A few years ago I was driving a work van one night when the two way radio called. As I bent forward to answer it, there was a great whack on the headrest of the seat and this turned out to be a bloody great bat that had decided at that moment to fly into the van. Had the call not come on the radio, I don't know that I'd be here now. As a result, I tend to drive with as few openings as is humanly possible in case next time I'm not so lucky.
My son who was in the passengers seat that night still has strong recollections of this incident & still refers to it to this day.
Alan S
I'm a bit sus on another front too.
A few years ago I was driving a work van one night when the two way radio called. As I bent forward to answer it, there was a great whack on the headrest of the seat and this turned out to be a bloody great bat that had decided at that moment to fly into the van. Had the call not come on the radio, I don't know that I'd be here now. As a result, I tend to drive with as few openings as is humanly possible in case next time I'm not so lucky.
My son who was in the passengers seat that night still has strong recollections of this incident & still refers to it to this day.
Alan S
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blueboy2001
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The reason you won't get many replies from people who have had aftermarket sunroofs fitted is because in the UK the majority of Xantia's came with sunroofs - Air Conditioning has only really caught on here in the last 4 years or so in mainstream cars.
Coupled with the fact that the Xantia is not a particularly desirable car here, making prices are very cheap, anyone who wanted a Xantia with a sunroof would more than likely buy one with a factory fit roof rather than spend money on adding one with all the associated problems.
Coupled with the fact that the Xantia is not a particularly desirable car here, making prices are very cheap, anyone who wanted a Xantia with a sunroof would more than likely buy one with a factory fit roof rather than spend money on adding one with all the associated problems.
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by blueboy2001</i>
The reason you won't get many replies from people who have had aftermarket sunroofs fitted is because in the UK the majority of Xantia's came with sunroofs - Air Conditioning has only really caught on here in the last 4 years or so in mainstream cars.
Coupled with the fact that the Xantia is not a particularly desirable car here, making prices are very cheap, anyone who wanted a Xantia with a sunroof would more than likely buy one with a factory fit roof rather than spend money on adding one with all the associated problems.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
Thanks for that - makes sense! I note your "adding one with all the associated problems" too....
I've noticed that they don't seem desirable in UK. Is this a deservedly poor reputation for some reason or just that there are lots of them and they are reaching a certain age?
JohnW
The reason you won't get many replies from people who have had aftermarket sunroofs fitted is because in the UK the majority of Xantia's came with sunroofs - Air Conditioning has only really caught on here in the last 4 years or so in mainstream cars.
Coupled with the fact that the Xantia is not a particularly desirable car here, making prices are very cheap, anyone who wanted a Xantia with a sunroof would more than likely buy one with a factory fit roof rather than spend money on adding one with all the associated problems.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
Thanks for that - makes sense! I note your "adding one with all the associated problems" too....
I've noticed that they don't seem desirable in UK. Is this a deservedly poor reputation for some reason or just that there are lots of them and they are reaching a certain age?
JohnW
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by alans</i>
John,
"a bloody great bat that had decided at that moment to fly into the van."
Alan S
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
I quite understand that one too. The largest flying thing I've hit was a flock of galahs at about 140 kph in western Victoria. Quite a mess but no damage. The windows were shut at the time......
I think the risk of loosing some rigidity might be the main decider for me. I love the Xantia's great feeling of strength. And, as I said, hard to reverse a cock-up!
JohnW
John,
"a bloody great bat that had decided at that moment to fly into the van."
Alan S
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
I quite understand that one too. The largest flying thing I've hit was a flock of galahs at about 140 kph in western Victoria. Quite a mess but no damage. The windows were shut at the time......
I think the risk of loosing some rigidity might be the main decider for me. I love the Xantia's great feeling of strength. And, as I said, hard to reverse a cock-up!
JohnW
Hi
I've had 3 Citroens and none of them have had a sunroof, factory or otherwise. A friend has a Pug 205 with an aftermarket roof fitted which is manually operated and this does not restrict headroom as it only tilts or removes. It doesn't leak but as for noise well its impossible to tell as the car is incredibly noisy to begin with.
Personally I love sunroofs but for me they don't need to open, I just like the extra light that they let into the car. I think I've heard of something caled a moonroof which is simply a window bonded into the roof presumably that would maintain most of the original rigidity.
On the subject of air-con, Cits in the UK have probably the least effective system imaginable with regard to cooling and this a view from colleagues in the trade as well as a personal one. Maybe Citroen know how crap our weather is and downgrade the system - just joking.
I find the air-con in my Xantia is more usefull for dehumidifying during the Winter than for cooling during the summer.
Mark
I've had 3 Citroens and none of them have had a sunroof, factory or otherwise. A friend has a Pug 205 with an aftermarket roof fitted which is manually operated and this does not restrict headroom as it only tilts or removes. It doesn't leak but as for noise well its impossible to tell as the car is incredibly noisy to begin with.
Personally I love sunroofs but for me they don't need to open, I just like the extra light that they let into the car. I think I've heard of something caled a moonroof which is simply a window bonded into the roof presumably that would maintain most of the original rigidity.
On the subject of air-con, Cits in the UK have probably the least effective system imaginable with regard to cooling and this a view from colleagues in the trade as well as a personal one. Maybe Citroen know how crap our weather is and downgrade the system - just joking.
I find the air-con in my Xantia is more usefull for dehumidifying during the Winter than for cooling during the summer.
Mark
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by mark_sp</i>
Hi
Personally I love sunroofs but for me they don't need to open, I just like the extra light that they let into the car. I think I've heard of something caled a moonroof which is simply a window bonded into the roof presumably that would maintain most of the original rigidity.
On the subject of air-con, Cits in the UK have probably the least effective system imaginable with regard to cooling and this a view from colleagues in the trade as well as a personal one.
Mark
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
Thanks Mark. Well, the new 307 wagons have an optional fixed glass roof, which I sampled briefly in Ireland a few weeks ago. Lovely and airy. However, in Australia...... Our sun bakes, broils and burns and I use the sunroofs in our Renault R8 and Peugeot 306 mostly early in the day, late in the day, or at night. Lovely then!
Interestingly, our Xantia has absolutely excellent standard climate control A/C which works like a dream, even when it is near 40 degrees (Centigrade). Dehumidifies well in winter, as you say. But cools very well.
Cheers
JohnW
Hi
Personally I love sunroofs but for me they don't need to open, I just like the extra light that they let into the car. I think I've heard of something caled a moonroof which is simply a window bonded into the roof presumably that would maintain most of the original rigidity.
On the subject of air-con, Cits in the UK have probably the least effective system imaginable with regard to cooling and this a view from colleagues in the trade as well as a personal one.
Mark
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
Thanks Mark. Well, the new 307 wagons have an optional fixed glass roof, which I sampled briefly in Ireland a few weeks ago. Lovely and airy. However, in Australia...... Our sun bakes, broils and burns and I use the sunroofs in our Renault R8 and Peugeot 306 mostly early in the day, late in the day, or at night. Lovely then!
Interestingly, our Xantia has absolutely excellent standard climate control A/C which works like a dream, even when it is near 40 degrees (Centigrade). Dehumidifies well in winter, as you say. But cools very well.
Cheers
JohnW