Anyone have an aftermarket sunroof?

Post by **jonnymopar** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 9:08 pm

I really want a sunroof in my 03. Looking quick at other 2nd gens with sunroofs, it looks like a specific roof panel, so either I cut and weld in a sunroof top, then paint the car, or aftermarket. (no, I'm not cutting my roof off!)

I had just a basic flip-up moonroof in my Daytona and I loved it. Actually increased your headroom instead of taking it away to make room for the internal tracks.

A friend of mine has a dealer-installed aftermarket sunroof in her 03 Stratus and it looks like a damn clean installation and has worked perfect, leak-free, since she got it back in mid 04. If I'm really paranoid enough, I could actually take my car to that same dealership (it's about 1.5 hours away).

kbobob · Post by **kbobob** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 2:33 pm

question.....would this aftermarket sunroof have the vent tubes then if its done by the dealer???

Post by **jonnymopar** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 10:25 pm

Where do vent tubes go? Down the B-pillar??

ragek23 · Post by **ragek23** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 12:12 am

the stock sunroofs are ok but the shade on them has no locking mechinanism so the shade slams shut when u accelerate. It really pisses me off and due to this id say aftermarket would actually be a better option

glasswars · Post by **glasswars** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 12:34 am

ragek23 wrote:the stock sunroofs are ok but the shade on them has no locking mechinanism so the shade slams shut when u accelerate. It really pisses me off and due to this id say aftermarket would actually be a better option

Hahah yeah mine always closes on the littlest bumps.. I hardly use it.

kbobob · Post by **kbobob** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 12:37 am

hmm....my shade is always open..never closes....i feel clasterphobic with it closed....i guess mine likes me cause it stays where i put it.

i am not 100% sure on this...but i know the rear drain tubes for the sunroof come down the c post into the trunk down by the wheel well and out the floor between the wheel well and the tail light, as for fronts i think they come down the a post and drian somewhere around the fender area....not really sure on the fronts....

i was just wondering if they go through the trouble of putting them in with an aftermarket sunroof installed by the dealer.

TNK · Post by **TNK** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 12:39 am

i would love a sunroof in my 04. so someone post up some info.

Post by **Diablo0** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 1:49 am

I've only seen one aftermarket sunroof on a Neon and it was an ACR that I was looking at purchasing for my swap. Just looking at that aftermarket made me cringe with how bad of quality it was and the thing wouldn't even close without having to get out of the car and beat on the glass. I know some aftermarkets are great but I'd still stick with stock as I think you're better off for quality and figment. If it wasn't for that sunroof I would have bought that ACR but that killed it for me, ACR or not I didn't want to be stuck with a POS sunroof that I would have had to pay a few grand to fix and make look better.

kplaya186 · Post by **kplaya186** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 8:43 am

My girlfriend had one in here 99' neon. It was the biggest piece of crap I had ever seen. It leaked all over the place and that caused the motor to burn out. I would definetly stay away from an aftermarket sunroof.

koreysxt · Post by **koreysxt** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 10:37 am

I beleive there are 2 classes of aftermarket:

* The $200 pop-up ones which are guaranteed not to leak, but will. (What are they going to do, buy you a new car?)

* The $1000+ powered moonroof ones. (saw ones of these a dealer added to a Stratus. it was very nice, but a $1200 option).

I like OEM sunroofs as well. I'm just not always willing to pay the extra $700-900 at time of purchase.

rich tideswell · Post by **rich tideswell** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 12:32 pm

if i remember correctly, factory sunroof cars had extra structural support added to them too (compensate for the big hole in the roof)

I also heard webasto was the oem supplier on these as well

personally, if you want a sunroof, find a donor car out of the j-yard and take everything you'll need (glass, motor, support, switches.....)

PHSXT · Post by **PHSXT** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 2:04 pm

ragek23 wrote:the stock sunroofs are ok but the shade on them has no locking mechinanism so the shade slams shut when u accelerate. It really pisses me off and due to this id say aftermarket would actually be a better option

i never had this problem, maybe i am lucky

Post by **jonnymopar** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 2:26 pm

rich tideswell wrote:personally, if you want a sunroof, find a donor car out of the j-yard and take everything you'll need (glass, motor, support, switches.....)

No, that's the problem. Like I said in my first post, the OEM sunroof cars look like the whole roof panel is sunroof-specific. I'm almost sure of it. If it was as easy as a junkyard run, this would have been completed long ago.

Great to get people's opinions. Thanks alot. Keep 'em coming.

Post by **Diablo0** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 3:08 pm

It is a whole roof thing. The roof is completely different from the non-Sunroof model to give more support to the roof. It also has the bolt points for the assembly as well as a rolled lip at the opening where the glass fits in to make a tight seal.

neonpla · Post by **neonpla** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 6:16 pm

joe has one, his username is ilpadrino on here.

titansxt · Post by **titansxt** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 2:02 am

I have a Webasto roof, but I am not sure if it is the aftermarket one because I have never seen it in any other Neon. So maybe rich tideswell can fill me and us in on that.

Did some research and found this;
This is the one in my car.
http://www.webastoshowroom.com/19Dodge_ ... 00_04.html

rich tideswell · Post by **rich tideswell** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 8:35 am

titansxt wrote:I have a Webasto roof, but I am not sure if it is the aftermarket one because I have never seen it in any other Neon. So maybe rich tideswell can fill me and us in on that.

Did some research and found this;
This is the one in my car.
http://www.webastoshowroom.com/19Dodge_ ... 00_04.html

the one in the link looks pretty close to the factory one, switches are different though