sunroof cost??

[nitrocarmsn]

i have a 96 tour with 81K miles and i was wondering what it would cost about to put in a sunroof, i have always like sunroofs or a moonroof, but i think moonroofs cost more, has anyone added one to their cars, let me know about how much it would be, thanks.

[alex894]

$ 600-800 depending who does it for you.

But keep in mind that a ****ty job is going to give you trouble: leaks, rust, bad @$$ seals and so forth. I'd rather pay more and get it done right.

And go for the moonroof...looks better

[SVTJON87]

whats the difference from moon and sun roofs?

[JTod]

With a moon roof the hole in the roof is replaced by a tinted piece of glass that you can see through. A sunroof is a metal panel that you can't see through.

[elraido]

I always thought a sunroof was when you could only open it to "vent" while a moon roof you could have it open all the way.

[IRingTwyce]

I always thought a sunroof was when you could only open it to "vent" while a moon roof you could have it open all the way.

I looked them both up on dictionary.com. They both essentially had the same definition. Both pop up or slide back. The moonroof definition said 'transparent' while the sunroof definition made no distinction. I guess 'sunroof' can describe all roof openings, whether metal, glass, or canvas, while moonroof is glass/plexi only.

[alex894]

there's little difference between Sunroofs and Moonroofs, that's why moonroofs are often refered to as sunroofs.

Sunroofs use metal and plexy and are often painted if not tinted. Non motorized sunroofs could only be used for venting only because you could only operate them like the ones on school buses.
Moonroofs are made of either plexy or glass but they have a sliding piece of material made to match the headliner, or another light filtering material (often black with tiny holes in it).

As for problems, there is a $h#t load of problems with the mechanisms for sunroofs, the plastic gears break more often because there is a lot more weight to pull/push/slide. Glass is easier to work with, replace and find parts that fit.

Fixing sunroof/moonroof mechanisms ain't rocket science but takes time and patience. Make sure the seals fit tight when you get it in, the tigher the better;

I'd also prime and repaint the cut outs, paint peels on heat (from the cut often). What I did with mine is that I left 1/2 inch extra and made the cut out smaller, so I can bend the 1/2inside. The reason for that is to make better seal with the rubber.

Hope this helps.

[LauraSVT]

I worked for a Ford Dealer during the early part of this decade. We used to use a company called Classic Soft Trim for installation of aftermarket moonroofs. If I recall correctly, they charged about $1500, installed, for a power glass roof that not only slid back, but tilted up. The roof switch wasn't factory, but it was clean and low profile. You could check them out at http://www.classicsofttrim.com/.

Also, you might contact Webasto, the original equipment manufacturer of many a Ford moonroof (including the Startlight 4 in both of my '94 Taurus SHOs -- triva tidbit You can reach them at http://www.webasto.us/home/en/homepage.html

Webasto's telephone menu, however, can be a bit tricky. Somewhere around here, I've got the OEM number. Here it is -- 800-995-5911.

[alex894]

Good links Laura,

I'll see how much they actually sell their moonroofs for.... my dad wants one..I'll install it myself again.
..and $1500 ... typical dealer pricing ...

Cheers.