h astropods .......a few things i would like to tell you. When the glass on your roof slides, it is called a (electric)moonroof. When the glass pops up and outward at an angle via a inside manual handle..thats a sunroof. NOW, if a moonroof or sunroof is part of the design/engineering of a brand new vehicle from the factory, it will be designed for roof structural safety from the very beginning. If you have a brand new vehicle and you want a SUNROOF IN A VEHICLE THAT NEVER CAME WITH ONE, THE DEALER WILL SEND YOUR BRAND NEW VEHICLE TO AN AUTOGLASS SHOP AND THEY WILL CUT YOU A HOLE IN YOUR ROOF AND INSTALL AN AFTERMARKET ONE . I am a former autoglass man and i helped to install sunroofs on brand new cars and trucks. Most of the time i was just assisting the older and more experienced guys with the sunroofs. I tell you DON'T BOTHER. FIRSTLY, YOU WEAKEN THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE CAR, the cut metal will eventually be a source of rusting down the road, leaks may or may not happen . Usually a big problem with the leaks are around the sunroof seal...it gets dried out and water leaks thru the glass and rubber seal, it tears over time and the sealant for the metal frame that glues to your roof get brittle and leaks happen. MY ADVICE: order a factory moonroof or live without it.

 

I'll add my two cents worth to the last comment: I have a non sunroof HHRSS so that I have more headroom. But my comment is that when you take a non-sunroof HHR thru a carwash, you can sometimes hear the roof flex and sound like its buckling under the pressure of the spray on the roof. The point is: pretty weak area already, I wouldn't cut into it for aftermarket. As a matter of fact, I bet the factory sunroof(moonroof) actually strengthens the roof due to the additional rails and bracketry.

 

Thanks for all the replies, I'll pass on the aftermarket sunroof...

 

Why would anyone do this......

 

The last one I saw was a kit made in China, installed by a couple goons that I wouldn't even allow to wash my car.

 

ChevyMgr and I must have been separated at birth ('cept he's probably a little older... 33 years would mean I had to start this stuff at age 9 ).

I have personally cut, chopped, and otherwise hacked multitudes of cars into many pieces... from convertible conversions to sunroofs to completely hand-fabricated metal. But there is absolutely no way I would go with a dealer installed sunroof at any price... ever.

 

If the sunroof is really that important, wait until they can get an SS in with everything you want. You are purchasing a brand new car. Don't settle.

 

I have heard that installing an aftermarket sunroof will actually be considered "damage" as if you had wreaked your car and had it fixed.
Glad you decided to not do it. common sense prevails.

 

i agree...... my past experience you do NOT want to have an aftermarket sunroof install..... hard to get warranity issues taken care of and resolve... the sunroof mfg dont want to or you have a hard time getting them to resolve issues.....chevymgr can correct me but i know that the service dept wont work on them they are sent back to the installer.

make the dealer locate you with factory sunroof......jmho

 

did i ever mention the time a customer came to our shop asking for help? He was zooming down the freeway in his 1989 or so chevy camaro iroqu z-28 and his passenger decided he wanted to take his t-roof glass section off. WHILE DOING ABOUT 120 KLMS AN HOUR/75MPH. i think that was in 1992 and the replacement t-roof was $1500 or so. BY the way..them t-roofs were crap too..they vibrated, the rubber seal eventually leaked and i'm pretty sure if you rolled your car..your head came flying off.