[math4scher]

I apologize if this is not really a "new thread". Do you think the moon roof deletion on the M235i is a good idea or not? If you have/ordered a M235i, please let me know what you chose and why? This is probably the only option choice I really haven't decided on yet - thanks as I'm getting ready to pull the trigger on a M235i any day now!

P.S. Thanks so much goes out to each of the forum members who took time out from their busy schedules to give me the insights/suggestions/advice that I needed to arrive at my very tough decision.

[Greenkirby21]

it depends.

as a free option.. unless you are a hardcore track person.. i would probably keep it.. it is "free". Might even hurt resell if you try to see your car and they saw you deleted the moonroof.

Now if the car came standard with a lower price, and moonroof was a 1,000 option like it is on the other cars, then it would be a no brainer for me.

but removing something that is free is hard to do. I doubt in daily driving you will see the 35 lbs weight loss.


I am really curious as to what the MY15 models will have..

I bet the sunroof will no longer be standard, and instead we will get standard leather or something.

[TB///M3]

I thought about this too and decided to keep the roof.
If BMW would have reduced the price or replace it with a carbon roof, bye bye sunroof.

[ciwhamc]

For me I deleted it for many reasons. Weight was one but more for head room. You gain almost 1.5 inches. Especially in the rear seats. Also one less thing to break. I find it funny people go on so much about weight. Saying remove all options to save weight. Premium pack an tech packs are going to add mabey a few pounds . The sunroof is quite a lot.

[ska///235i]

Deleted

One less thing to break and I never use it anyways...i dont care about resale value as I almost always trade-in cars and you get rape even if you have all options.

the weight saving is huge...exactly what the previous poster said

Another thing is the molding surrounding the moonroof will wear and that just doesnt look good...imo

[math4scher]

So far, all very good valid points both ways. I would need to view more responses before I am totally swayed one way or the other. However, as I write I'm slightly leaning towards deleting for the following reasons; one less thing to go wrong and for the additional head room - weight is not a major issue for me because I would never go to he track. THANKS!

[valentinbmw]

IMO i would recomend you to keep it, i like it a lot and i think the car looks better and is great to use it on hot summer nights, i did't have it on my 135 i and i missed a lot.

[BEM-S4]

Are you getting black interior? If so I'd keep it reduces the closed in feel, especially if you ever have anyone in the back.

As far as rear seat headroom goes I wouldn't worry about it. If someone is big enough that it's an issue they won't be happy back there anyway. The back seat is either cool or not for someone, unless your passengers are the 0.00001% of the population for whom the extra inch would make it ok.

[hyperzulu]

If you have no compelling reasons to delete it, then I would say keep it. Anything can go wrong on a car, but the moonroof should be fine for many years. Never a problem in mine. Perhaps after ten years, but I would imagine other things to fail too by then.

Weight is not a huge issue unless you're going to race the car. It adds maybe thirty pounds. That's like adding a couple spider monkeys to your roof. Nobody's gonna notice that.

Headroom could be a concern for you. It isn't for me. Sit in a car with the moonroof. If you fit fine, then keep it.

[Lucky13]

Wow, I've been reading BMW websites and owned BMW's for 20 years and have never read of a broken moonroof/sunroof. Sounds like BS to me, really a broken moonroof give me a break. If you don't want to pay for it fine but broken moonroof is really funny.

[ciwhamc]

OK not bs at all. Look up a service bulletins on sunroofs. You will see quite a few for broken slides leaking water and broken sunshades. X3 had such bad water leaks and moon roof problems they had to redesign the whole cassette more than once. I have personality replaced about 20 sufroof cassettes and have fixed quite a few water leaks. One whiched caused 7k in water damage. Type in e46 or e39 sunroof in to Google and I am sure someone will be talking about there sunshade that broke and the dealer wanted to charge quite a bit to replace.

I have been a BMW technician for 10 years.

[SmallTownBoy]

Originally Posted by math4scher

So far, all very good valid points both ways. I would need to view more responses before I am totally swayed one way or the other. However, as I write I'm slightly leaning towards deleting for the following reasons; one less thing to go wrong and for the additional head room - weight is not a major issue for me because I would never go to he track. THANKS!

I decided not to add this CA$1,200 option on my Canadian M235i build, with black DKT interior. Reasons:

Cost - Don't use/enjoy it enough to warrant the added option price.
Reliability - Another thing to break/leak/rattle/squeak
Headroom - Not a big issue in the front, but makes some difference in the back seats where it's tight for anyone over 5'10"
Weight - Adds a fair bit, at the top of the car where it affects more.
Appearance - Prefer the look without the moonroof, both interior and ext.
Ventilation - Better air circulation with the moonroof open, cools car faster, but not enough to outweigh the cons.
Resale - Not sure on this one, goes either way. I figure I'll be taking a hit with the 6MT anyway, if/when it's time.
Sound - probably quieter ride, not sure.
Health - No need to wear a hat in the car to keep the sun off my male pattern "rooftop solar panel"
Intangibles - Not as nice when you're at the lookout with your sweetheart, but you can always throw a blanket on the hood, eh?

[nachob]

Originally Posted by ciwhamc

For me I deleted it for many reasons. Weight was one but more for head room. You gain almost 1.5 inches. Especially in the rear seats. Also one less thing to break. I find it funny people go on so much about weight. Saying remove all options to save weight. Premium pack an tech packs are going to add mabey a few pounds . The sunroof is quite a lot.

Resale, is bunk IMO. Google WTB ads for cars with no sunroofs. The 1M did not have a sunroof for a reason, it's bad place for extra weight. The truth is you probably won't feel it on the street but there are a lot of pluses go going slick top and almost no downside. Almost all the 10 year old E46s sunroofs rattle when they get old. I have never seen one leak myself so I don't see that as a concern but they do rattle when old. Again, if you were buying a 335i sedan, I would get the sunroof. The M235i is not an M2 but you can make it closer by dropping the sunroof. The car is already too heavy and saving the weight up high plus slightly more headroom is a great bonus.

I think it's awful how so many base their decisions on resale value which they are usually wrong on. We had this discussion when the 1M came out. All these people were spending 6K more for a loaded 1M because of resale value. A fellow 1M owner near me sold his car near the same time I sold my no option car. After 18 months he sold it for 1K more than the exact same stripped model but paid 5K more for it. Both cars still sell for same price nowadays and I actually ignore ads that say loaded. Again, not for every BMW but the M235i is targeted at enthusiasts and no sunroof is a plus to tall people, those that want to wear helmets and those that want an already heavy car as light as possible. Sunroof M235i will be dime a dozen like Loaded M3s. The lighter ones are rare and there are small group that makes them desirable. So drop the weight.

Good luck.

[BMW F22]

I personally like the look of the car with a sunroof. It's all personal preference. Even though I have used the sunroof on my old E90 a handful of times, it's still nice to be able to open it to get some sunlight or just have some nice wind flowing in from the top.

Resale value, on the other hand, is a hit and miss depending on the buyer. Think about it, some people on here on don't like sunroof. So when it comes to selling they wouldn't care for it either way. Others, however, might prefer a sunroof and it could be a deal breaker for them. I worked at a dealership long ago and you'd be surprised how many people wanted a sunroof in their car. Whether or not they used it is a different story.

[oscr972]

I deleted. I like the look without it and prefer less weight. When I had one I rarely used it. Like an earlier poster mentioned, I expected BMWNA will provide a build credit of some kind in the future if you delete.

[ska///235i]

1 more for delete....if you plan to vinyl wrap the roof, no moonroof has the cleaner look

[yep]

Definitely keep it. Awesome on sunny days with blue skies. Interior is small enough and has a closed off slightly claustrophobic feel to it as it is, no need to make it worse by removing the moon roof.

I can't imagine why anyone would delete this option when it costs $1K+ to get on most BMWs. To save 35 pounds? LOL, go on a diet fat boys.

[bernstem]

If you can feel a performance difference between a sunroof and non-sunroof car, by all means delete it for performance reasons. If you need the extra headroom for whatever reason, delete it. If you can't tell the difference in driving the car, then it is an aesthetic preference and do whatever you want, but don't claim you are deleting it because it is a better handling, lighter, stiffer or whatever car.

I doubt it will have much impact on resale value, but it might be slightly harder to sell a car without a sunroof since 90% of car buyers could care less about perceived performance differences. They are simply going to see one car with a desirable option vs one without it.

[DanG]

Originally Posted by yep

Definitely keep it. Awesome on sunny days with blue skies. Interior is small enough and has a closed off slightly claustrophobic feel to it as it is, no need to make it worse by removing the moon roof.

I can't imagine why anyone would delete this option when it costs $1K+ to get on most BMWs. To save 35 pounds? LOL, go on a diet fat boys.

This is my feeling also. Love having the light shine in.

[Kash]

If I were you; I would delete the moonroof. Why? I don't want a hole in the roof especially, above my head.

I see moonroof as a safety issue.

[kerm1t]

never would've imagine people would want it deleted. i personally love it and helps the look of it as well. but im in sunny california

[Lucky13]

Originally Posted by Kash

If I were you; I would delete the moonroof. Why? I don't want a hole in the roof especially, above my head.

I see moonroof as a safety issue.

Man that's a new one, how long did you have to work on thinking that one up. That's about as dumb as the one about another item that can quit working like power windows, doors, locks on and on. Only a couple million sun/moon roofs sold every year in a America. I guess all the deaths are being hidden by the press. Ever hear of wearing a seat belt.