After Market Sun Roof

[megasmart 0]

Anyone ever put in an after market sun roof? I just don't want to pay $1200 for the electric one.

[MikeT 744]

In what?The car either comes with a glass roof, soft top or a corrugated plastic roof. The latter would not be suitable for any sunroof.

[megasmart 0]

The coupe pulse comes with a standard glass roof and has an optional electric glass sunroof for $1200.I assumed the standard glass roof doesn't open. Does it? I was just wondering if anyone that had the corrugated plastic roof ever had a sunroof installed.

[IMSMRT 0]

I don't think there is much there to actually install a roof in!I love the smart sunroof!

[MikeT 744]

I was just wondering if anyone that had the corrugated plastic roof ever had a sunroof installed.

I would doubt that it's possible, because the corrugations are over 1 cm in depth IIRC. So getting that to (a) look decent and ( seal out the rain would be a serious challenge!

[SmartieParts 12]

$1200 well spent if you want a sunroof - Steven

[MikeT 744]

That is $1800 LESS than the cabriolet....

[darren 192]

The coupe pulse comes with a standard glass roof and has an optional electric glass sunroof for $1200.

Correction: Starting with the 2006 model year, the pulse coupé comes standard with the solid composite roof, and the glass roof is a no-charge option. If your dealer does not check the "glass roof" box on the order form, you're not getting a glass roof.

Trust me... i know.

[ValgardForkbeard 2]

The coupe pulse comes with a standard glass roof and has an optional electric glass sunroof for $1200.

Correction: Starting with the 2006 model year, the pulse coupé comes standard with the solid composite roof, and the glass roof is a no-charge option. If your dealer does not check the "glass roof" box on the order form, you're not getting a glass roof.

Trust me... i know.

And I disagree. I had read a post about this before ordering my car, and mentioned it to the salesman. He told me that the glass roof was still standard equipment on the pulse, and nothing had to be done to get it. And now, when I drive my 2006 pulse coupe, I can look straight up and see sky.

Maybe one of the smart specialists on here can throw in their $.02 worth.

MG

[Duck 16]

No, it was definately an option on the 06's. Ryan made sure to even show me that on the order form when we went through it - he had to activley click "Glass Roof" to get it to show (pulse), the default is now solid (well it's nothing now since you can't custom order anymore).-Iain

[darren 192]

And I disagree. I had read a post about this before ordering my car, and mentioned it to the salesman. He told me that the glass roof was still standard equipment on the pulse, and nothing had to be done to get it. And now, when I drive my 2006 pulse coupe, I can look straight up and see sky.

You can disagree, but facts is facts. Maybe your smart specialist knew that the glass roof as per 2005 specs was the preferred choice for pulse buyers... after all, the smart Canada Web site and all the marketing materials still listed the glass roof as standard on the pulse.

However, i am speaking from experience. Our car, a stream green pulse with twister green interior, was ordered right around the time of the 2005/2006 changeover. Our smart specialist was ordering using 2005 info, and he did not check the glass roof option. Much to our dismay, when i went to take delivery of the car, it did not have a glass roof.

So after some intense negotiations, we came away with a star blue metallic pulse, with leather and sunroof for the same price. While i do still really like the glass roof for its "open to the sky" feel, the sunroof is fantastic, because we can get more airflow through the cabin and vent summer heat build-up very quickly. And the leather is great. So in the end, we're happy customers, even if it's not the colour we originally wanted. The only thing that annoys me is that if i wanted another colour other than stream green, i think we probably would have ordered a ruby red metallic/black passion. But the blue is cool.

[Speedie 4]

The Glass roof was a no cost option - there was a kuffull when the 2006 model year cars showed up some with out the expected glass roof - which turned out to be the fact that the sales people were not aware they had to indicate the option - they changed the default in the system after that I believe which solved the issue - there was a thread on it.On putting the after market sun roof in - don't even consider it - the roof is part of the structure of the smart (seem weird but yes glass and plastic can be a load bearing part of a structure) - unless you figured out a really well engineered manner to distribute the loading around the sunroof you would probably have grief - after all the deep grooves in the plastic roof are for more than a fashion statement - they provide rigidity and extra strength to the roof.The sliding sunroof is very well engineered, looks good on the car and IMHO is worth the money (and I have a strong Scottish heritage).Cheers,Cameron

[Duck 16]

I'm willing to bet the tridion/frame is identical for all 3 cars, though... it's just wether or not it has all the plastic bits and seals for glass roof, solid, or sunroof module... you can even see on the solid roof how the interior is all the same, it's just a big piece of carpeted cardboard on the inside.I imagine the ribs are for just making sure the plastic doesn't collapse - it's not like it's going to protect you in a roll over. That's what the outside frame bits are for.So I think you could retrofit a sunroof in... it would just be a headache trying to get all the parts out of MB I bet.-Iain

[herbie 0]

Hey,

I've been considering adding a sunroof myself to a pure. But given that the ribs are in the way, it's impossible to get a decent looking installation. I done two sunroof installations in the past on 1/2 ton vans and in the front of the sunroof there was a smooth surface but in the back there were the ribs. These ribs not being visible didn't matter as much as the roof of the van was not seen.

I wonder if the ribs could be intergrated between two smooth layers of plastic with the nice fuzzy side inside of the cabin and the outside done without the ribs; or even a honeycomb middle could be done for reinforcement.

Then I think an aftermarket sunroof could be installed...my 4-2 cents worth...

[Bob_in_Europe 0]

I have the factory sunroof in my car (which I lucked into)... The local smart (only) dealer said the facory roof is a rare option.It works quite nicely; tilts up in rear and then slides back along two tracks on the roof exterior.At the end of travel, it makes a ratcheting noise (worse when cold), which I assume is due to the previous owner/dealer lubed it with wrong grease.And it recently developed a rattle in the rt rr corner above the headliner...(The rattle and ratcheting I will have to sort out when the weather warms up...)It comes with a nice headliner, and is comparable in size to those found in larger cars (which makes it seem quite big), has a pop-up airfoil (doubles as a bug catcher) and a nice perforated fabric wind/sun/bug screen that slides back into a cavity between the headliner and roof.I bought this version of the car (v. a cabrio) because I thought the car would be safer in an accident (side-impact & roll-over), the glass would not deteriorate like the cabrio roof (and crappy plastic rear window), more robust against theft/vandals, and nice headliner... All in all, quite happy (as long as that ratcheting noise doesn't portend failure of the drive mechanisim when the roof is fully open ((and probably about to rain))...)Only wish I knew who supplied it, so I could ask them about cleaning and greasing the drive mechanism prior to actually doing it...Cheers.

[MikeT 744]

I think it is a Webasto, just like the "crappy" cabriolet roof , which in my case makes no ratcheting noises :DThe sunroofs seem to be a very common option over here. I would guess that at least 10% of coupés have them.

[Kofångar-Lasse 2]

.

Is the Lorinser mentioned here before ?

In the early days Brabus had a Ragtop as an option.

Yours Truly, CcL

[Speedie 4]

Bob - could be the limit switch is not working - the roof uses a drive motor very similar to the window motor - if the limit switch doesn't kick in - the motor will keep on retracting until the slip clutch (if it has one and it is not just chewing up the gear) kicks in. The roof seems to be opened and closed using steel cable - sort of the same as the door windows.Cheers,Cameron

[Barry Van der Ende 1]

I use to have a B210 Datsun that I bought used. It had an aftermarket sunroof. It was a low profile aluminium and plastic/rubber bezel that fit through the roof. A smooth edged poiece of tempered glass fit over top of the beszel and was sealed by the rubber of the bezel. The hindges and clamping mechanism held the glass wather tight to the bezel when closed, but when open there was a 2 to 3 inch gap arround the back of the glass for ventillation. I like this type of sunroof because it is functionally simple, and very thin (1 to 1.5 in at the hindges and clamp handle, with less than 3/8 in. above the existing roof when closed). This is the type of Sunroof I would like to install, but it fitted on a roof without ribs that was relatively flat. I have a Smart Pure with the black plastic ribbed roof liner. I think the type from my B210 would fit spacewise ( its roof was not much bigger than my Smart's roof, and the sunroof took up only 2/3 of it's width), but what to do about the ribs? At the back it could ride on top of the ribs, filling in between then with something. At the front I would probably have to remove them all together to get the right look, or at least smooth them down. The Early BRABUS version of the Smart had a smooth roof, with a ragtop sunroof (as Kofanger-Lasse indicated with his pictures). Any thoughts

[MikeT 744]

I would say: trade yours for a car with a sunroof! Even pures had it as an option in early 2006.

[smart142 605]

I spotted a sunroof on the German ebay that looks like it would work.

Here's the german translated description:

1 electric fold sunroof of BRABUS, suitably in smart Coupe / Fortwo with glass-or plastic roof, until 03.2007 model. Delivery inclusive of all necessary assembly parts (cable, switch, sealings), Dachinneverkleidung in grey part expert opinion and

installation instructions. Article condition: NEWLY the complete roof unit of the vehicle is replaced by the BRABUS fold roof module. The plastic fold roof frame is delivered completely with incorporated fold roof.

It looks like it goes on the existing roof. Brabus is a respected company.

Food for thought and you wouldn't lose headroom.

My rough calculations:E550+40(delivery to germany)+100(delivery to Canada)

= approx $1000

Here's the link to the german ebay sun roof

[BlackDog 0]

I spotted a sunroof on the German ebay that looks like it would work. It looks like it goes on the existing roof. Brabus is a respected company. Foor for thought and you wouldn't lose headroom.

It completely replaces either the solid or glass roof. But a guy in the UK who has one of these fitted says that it is extremely noisy at motorway speeds and doesn't recommend it unless you're a town only driver. Looks very good though.

[Bates82 0]

http://www.thesmartclub.com/board/showthread.php?t=11914

[Francesco 71]

My wife was watching me do some simple wiring mods this weekend and said,"[sigh] I guess you bought the wrong car if you're making changes already..."

I explained to her that first, I'm just returning things to the original locations and functions, and second, I'm personalizing my ride. But to me, adding an after-market sunroof is akin to admitting you bought the wrong car.

[Barry Van der Ende 1]

My wife was watching me do some simple wiring mods this weekend and said,"[sigh] I guess you bought the wrong car if you're making changes already..."

I explained to her that first, I'm just returning things to the original locations and functions, and second, I'm personalizing my ride. But to me, adding an after-market sunroof is akin to admitting you bought the wrong car.

It is not that you bought the wrong car, it is that you want something unique, a one of a kind vehicle. I believe I bought the right car, the sunroof options offered by Smart was not what I wanted. A solid glass roof wasn't for me, and the covertable was to expensive and complex to me. A simple flit open sunroof is all I wanted, but unavailable from the dealer. I thought I could always put in a after market sunroof later. Unknown to me, these have gone out of vogue. Even CTC doesn't carry them any more as they become more like a Wallmart. I've looked on the internet and phoned local auto glass places, and only one place even do them anymore. They will not do the Smart because of the plastic roof the ribs and its material and being unable to get a sunroof that small. It seems that most sunroofs of this type installed today are in trucks and vans or larger Luxury cars. All is not lost though, I was able to get a line on a low profile sunroof from a old suzuki swift, that was factory installed and seems small enough. It is still stuck in a piece of roof and has been outside for a while, but is dirt cheap. It will give me an idea of the feasableof the job. I will probably have to figure out some thing to fill in between the ribs to seal it. I also won't be doing it, if at all, until the warrentee period is over for the car, to avoid any problems. That is if this sunroof is in any shape to be mounted again, and I can find some one willing to do it for me (I don't have the stamina, space or tools to do it any more, even if I may have the will)