Sunroof - how good? Do they leak?

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Loismustdye

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#2307538 28-Aug-2019 21:47

Got an 8 year old kizashi with one and never had a leak with it.
Have previously owned a WRX that had one as well and again no leaks.
As an aside our kids love them, watching the stars as we drive at night or the clouds during the day.

Technofreak

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#2307549 28-Aug-2019 22:01

Senecio:

I have a panoramic sunroof in my current car. No leaks and I love it, even when closed having all of that glass real estate above you really brightens the interior cabin up and makes it feel more roomy than the size would make you think. Akin to putting a sky light into a dark kitchen.

Loismustdye: Got an 8 year old kizashi with one and never had a leak with it.
Have previously owned a WRX that had one as well and again no leaks.
As an aside our kids love them, watching the stars as we drive at night or the clouds during the day.

Good points. Looks like my fears may be unfounded. I hadn't heard bad things but it just seemed to me to be a leak just waiting to happen. Perhaps time to rethink my reticence.

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sonyxperiageek

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#2307557 28-Aug-2019 22:40

Technofreak:
dafman:

Sunroof likely to be fine. Resale however ... ?

I think the ZB is a really nice looking car, but Holden aren't selling many cars at the moment and their reputation has taken significant hammering over recent years (the two may be related). There was even recent rumour that GM may have even be looking for buyers for 'Holden' (although Holden deny this). Personally, I would be wary about investing into the Holden brand at this point in time (unless I got a really good upfront discount).

In case you didn't read my first post. I don't buy for resale value. By the time I'm ready to sell, the car is worth next to nothing due age and Km.

I'm not sure where you got the reputation issue from. It's certainly not been my experience with the Commodores we have owned. All the recent model Commodores are certainly well regarded.

Sure Holden has struggled in Australia with the ZB. That has nothing to do with how good the car is, it's all to do with that fact it's not built in Australia. The sales in New Zealand have been significantly better than in Oz. Pretty well every review rates the ZB as being noticeably better than the old VF it replaced and VF was regarded as the best of the Australian Commodores. The number of cars being sold (especially in the medium to large category) is down for all marques, as SUV's and Utes have become very popular.

I want something that isn't Japanese, or Korean and has reasonable performance and handling at an affordable price. The ZB fits the bill and has had good reviews, even by the Aussie motoring writers. The Yanks like the Buick variant of the Commodore.

I think most of the "reviews" are just that certain media have a good relationship with Holden Marketing and so they help them out a bit here and there. Because from all the forums and social media comments by individuals alike, most Holden fans say the last true Commodore was the VF and will simply refuse to buy a ZB.

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Technofreak

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#2307568 28-Aug-2019 23:21

sonyxperiageek:

I think most of the "reviews" are just that certain media have a good relationship with Holden Marketing and so they help them out a bit here and there. Because from all the forums and social media comments by individuals alike, most Holden fans say the last true Commodore was the VF and will simply refuse to buy a ZB.

Yes the VF is last of the Aussie Commodores and sadly you cannot buy them new anymore. I've driven the VF, in fact I started off down the track of looking to buy a VF. I really like the VF and think it is a great car. I've owned Commodores right from when Holden started making them.

I decided to look at a ZB as well and changed my mind, deciding to go for the ZB instead. In my opinion, after driving both cars, it really is a better car than the VF. I don't think all of the reviewers are like you suggest, and are just being helpful for Holden marketing.

I'd be willing to bet none of those individuals you "quote" have ever driven the new ZB. If they had, they wouldn't be saying they wouldn't buy it. Refusing to buy it because it isn't Aussie built is just being silly.

I love those arm chair experts who don't actually have any experience on the matter they are pontificating on.

Anyway I started the thread to find out about sun roofs.

Thank you to those that provided their thoughts on my questions. It has been very helpful.

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clevedon

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#2307588 29-Aug-2019 07:51

Technofreak:

sonyxperiageek:

I think most of the "reviews" are just that certain media have a good relationship with Holden Marketing and so they help them out a bit here and there. Because from all the forums and social media comments by individuals alike, most Holden fans say the last true Commodore was the VF and will simply refuse to buy a ZB.

Yes the VF is last of the Aussie Commodores and sadly you cannot buy them new anymore. I've driven the VF, in fact I started off down the track of looking to buy a VF. I really like the VF and think it is a great car. I've owned Commodores right from when Holden started making them.

I decided to look at a ZB as well and changed my mind, deciding to go for the ZB instead. In my opinion, after driving both cars, it really is a better car than the VF. I don't think all of the reviewers are like you suggest, and are just being helpful for Holden marketing.

I'd be willing to bet none of those individuals you "quote" have ever driven the new ZB. If they had, they wouldn't be saying they wouldn't buy it. Refusing to buy it because it isn't Aussie built is just being silly.

I love those arm chair experts who don't actually have any experience on the matter they are pontificating on.

Anyway I started the thread to find out about sun roofs.

Thank you to those that provided their thoughts on my questions. It has been very helpful.

I've had Commodores all the way through to the VE and have always hired VF's when away from home here and in Aussie. Last time doing a circuit of Tasmania Avis gave me the new ZB, I drove it for a day and took it back and swapped it for a VF that had just came back in - I thought it was horrible all around, especially being front wheel drive.

Anyway, most of my Commodores have had sunroofs and I've never had any problems with them and prefer vehicles with them.

Technofreak

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#2307636 29-Aug-2019 09:57

clevedon:

I've had Commodores all the way through to the VE and have always hired VF's when away from home here and in Aussie. Last time doing a circuit of Tasmania Avis gave me the new ZB, I drove it for a day and took it back and swapped it for a VF that had just came back in - I thought it was horrible all around, especially being front wheel drive.

Anyway, most of my Commodores have had sunroofs and I've never had any problems with them and prefer vehicles with them.

We got given a rental ZB 3.6 litre AWD when we were in Adelaide a few months ago. That was partly the reason I decided to look at the ZB.

Did you drive 3.6 or the 2 litre? The 2 litre ones are lower spec (in Oz and NZ) than the 3.6 which is only available in New Zealand and Oz. The 2 litre ones accelerate very well having 191 kw and 350 Nm over a wide RPM range. The 3.6 235 Kw and 380 Nm. Acceleration wise they are hard to tell apart when you drive them. Only the 3.6 has AWD in New Zealand and Oz, in other markets the 2 litre may also have AWD. The 3.6 AWD have a different front strut which pretty well eliminates any torque steer.

My wife has a VE SV6 and I presently have a VY S manual and I reckon my VY drives nicer than the VE, though the VE has significantly better get up and go. The steering on the VE's and VF's isn't as nice as the VY.

For me the VF and the ZB have their pluses and minuses.

The VF has more interior room especially across the back seat and it has an enormous boot for a sedan. It is a very well sorted rear drive vehicle.

I think the ZB with the AWD handles better than the VF and the adaptive 9 speed auto adjusts to your driving style. The heads up display, automatic emergency braking, and the extra luggage space of a hatchback plus the folding rear seats are useful in my opinion. I don't like the lane keep assist function, which is apparently better than most systems of this nature. Fortunately you can turn it off. I don't like the engine auto stop function, which also fortunately you can turn off.

Horses for courses, the ZB won't suit all older Commodore owners (or other potential purchasers) but it's still a very good motor vehicle. I like a manual transmission, if I could have found a low Km VF manual I'd have bought that.

To contrast with your experience, on one blog I read, someone posted that his wife wanted a ZB, he did his best to talk her out of it. She went ahead and bought one and now he's a convert and loves it.

Thanks for the info on the sunroof.

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#2307669 29-Aug-2019 11:09

My Nissan factory fitted sunroof also had a sun shield you could slide across to block the sun when close.
That was really useful , so I didnt have hot summer sun cooking me when driving.
I wouldnt want a sunroof if it didnt have a sliding shield to block mid day summer sun . Especially when parked outside in the sun all day.

10 year old car bought used . No sunroof leaks .

clevedon

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#2307723 29-Aug-2019 11:33

1101:

My Nissan factory fitted sunroof also had a sun shield you could slide across to block the sun when close.
That was really useful , so I didnt have hot summer sun cooking me when driving.
I wouldnt want a sunroof if it didnt have a sliding shield to block mid day summer sun . Especially when parked outside in the sun all day.

10 year old car bought used . No sunroof leaks .

Yeah, the shade is essential but I've always put the darkest window tint you can get onto the sunroof glass, makes a big difference on those baking hot days.

The Commodore (and I assume a few other makes) also has a tilt function so you can have it at multiple angled open positions at the rear so as not to get as much wind noise.

raytaylor

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#2309048 1-Sep-2019 17:34

Personally I wouldnt buy a car with a sun roof unless it was new.

I have had two second hand cars with sunroofs and after ~150kms both started leaking.

I got angry one day and put a tube of silicon around one. Regretted it when it came to selling it.

Anyhow a new car no problem- sell it before it leaks. Rubber seals arent expensive from the car wreckers but im lazy and couldnt be bothered fixing it myself.

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#2309130 1-Sep-2019 19:34

i think it really depends on where it's parked. in a garage every day - rubber could well be fresh as a lily. outdoors in harsh climate for 15 years - the rubber is going to be baked. the former does not guarantee no leak. the latter does not mean it will definitely leak either. but all things leak when all factors are added up.

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