Just purchased a used 2001 S40. I love this car, but definitely miss having a sunroof. I understand that many cars already have the wiring in place for sunroofs and such.

1) Can I get an aftermarket power sunroof?

a) if so, where?

b) Is this advisable?

2) Are there any other options?

My wife had a '97 Corolla that she leased from new.

She wanted a sunroof and the Toyota dealer said that they would have one put in. I balked at this at first, but the dealer told me that they seldom get cars with the factory installed sunroofs. I'm sure their main issue is that in case someone doesn't want one they don't have to give a buyer a free sunroof to get them to buy a car off the lot, but the guy did comment that he actually liked the aftermarket ones better and they were (slightly) cheaper. One point was that the aftermarket sunroof we got had a lifetime warranty. Try to find a new car manufacturer that will give that. It also had a one-touch open/one-touch close feature and it automatically closed when you shut the key off - I don't think the factory unit had these features. This last feature, I found to be a pain in the neck, but it was good for my wife who tends to neglect closing the sunroof from time to time. The sunroof had a nice factory installed look and never leaked during the three years that we had the car.

The moral of the story is that I have found that aftermarket sunroofs can be as good or better than new, but I would find a reputable shop to do the work and expect to pay about as much as you would have for a factory unit. You should probably also make sure that they offer a good warranty and ask for references. Your dealer may also be able to give a referral.

Again, in the case of a new Volvo it is not just a matter of quality but also integrity of the body.

Yannis

All sunroofs leak. Factory installed units are equiped with gutters and drain-tubes that lead through the pillars and keep your headliner dry. Asothers have said, it's not worth the cost to have it done right.

Koz.

Joining the chorus, to do this correctly, you'd have to replace the roof panel, and even the headliner on a sunroof-equipped car is different, not only because it has a hole in it, but it's designed to hang about 2" lower than the non-sunroof variety. I suppose you could get all the body parts from a wreck, but it hardly seems worth the effort.

I have an aunt who bought a Chevy Nova with a dealer-added sunroof and it always leaked.

I have 2 cars with factory sunroofs. If I had a choice and the sunroof wasn't bundled with other equipment, I'd forgo it because I'd rather have the headroom and never have to worry about leaks.

If you have that irresistible desire for that "wind in the hair" feeling, Edmunds gioves a private party price of $2622 for a '90 Mazda Miata, which is probably less expensive than converting your present car correctly.

-Groundhog

I have been somewhat unhappy with an aftermarket sunroof (not in a Volvo). The materials do not match the quality of oem, and it has leaked under the top gasket. On the other hand, it does not rattle like the one in my 01 T5, and power options (auto close, etc.) exceed those of oem. This was a reputable product perhaps not well installed.

Be aware that if you are going to install an aftermarket sunroof on a car that did not have it, they (installers) will have to cut on of the bars that are there (like a cross member) which in turn will weaken the car, overall, and it may not offer you as much protection in the event of a roll-over accident or if something heavy lands on your car.

The cars that have factory installed sunroof, are constructed differently than those that do not, therefore it is not advisable.

Yannis