[ftttu]

I was happy that the ‘20 Crosstrek I purchased new off of the lot didn’t have one. I rarely use one, I don’t like the probable loss of headroom, and I don’t want to deal with the leaks and mechanical problems associated with them. Howewever, I’m stuck with one on my ‘23 Forester Wilderness.

I’ve opened it a few times so far in the 3 months I’ve had the car, and only at night. I do what I can to stay out of the sun. And with a Forester, headroom is a non issue.

 

[cyberalien]

Forester is the first car I bought with sunroof. Opening it to get fresh air when its warm enough.

Excessively hot sun is not an issue where I live, bigger issue is lack of sunlight, which sunroof helps with a lot, but it is not related to opening sunroof.

 

[Canuk]

Short answer? Yup…open it when the weather is nice

 

[donkpow]

I rarely open my moonroof. I wouldn't buy one in a new car. I bought this Limited used so it came with the moonroof.

 

[MaineJon]

Never - probably not on last 5 cars

 

[SueBrew]

In my Forester it gave up the ghost a long time ago. Now I just keep it shut and disconnected the switch. I'd love to have it again if just for the winter months when I can blast the heater floor vents and crack it just a little to exhaust the excess heat that easily dries up my sinuses on long trips. The tilt function still works great in my 1st generation Toyota Avalon and it's so useful for that.

 

[DragonSubie7]

....not saying it doesn't happen but do I think there are enough people complaining about leaking sunroofs to cause concern in this instance? .....no, and really no reason to avoid its use IMO / IME. That was my point.

I didn't say it was a leak problem, rather that there were "some issues noted with sunroofs on this site" which is true.
Some were leaks from clogged drains or seals, and others that were operability issues were reported.

While I agree it's not apparently an endemic problem, a sunroof that can be opened does include additional points of failure, such as the mechanism or the seals, and that seem to me to be germane to the discussion of a whether or not someone would want an operable roof opening versus a sealed widow on the roof of the car...

 

[vintage42]

In my opinion expelling the hot air in my Forester when first starting up is the best use of an opening sunroof...

That would be a lot of cycles, and the mechanism can only do so many.
When I got the Forester new, the forum had a lot of threads about moonroof problems on Foresters that were not yet very old. So when using mine, it has been sparingly, for the enjoyment of leaving it open over a period of time or miles. I vent the hot car by lowering the rear windows a couple of inches.
In 2006 I got a new Scion xB and had a Webasto inbuilt sliding and venting moonroof cut into it. I used the venting position a lot because it required no movement except a pop-up, which was also quiet at speed. But I think the panoramic Forester moonroof would be too large and heavy for pop-up venting.

 

[SJM-FT]

When it gets above 58 degrees, I open my "Poor Man's Convertible" all the time. Not on the highway tho.

 

[hogtownrocketsled]

I open mine all the time

 

[CO17Forester]

I like having the roof open on scenic drives, it gives me a better feel for the area. I also like it open for slow night drives when the moon and the stars are a main reason for the drive.

 

[CO17Forester]

In 2017 only the base model came without a moonroof.
Cost is the reason it does not tilt up, the stock mechanism tips the rear down before retracting and tips the rear up to close. At least on mine.

 

[Black21Limited]

I liked the simplicity of the moonroof in my 1992 Sundance. Manual open, hinged latch raised the back, or you squeezed the latch, and raised it up and pulled the glass rearward to remove it.

The downside was there was no sliding shade in the headliner. I used opaque static cling film to block it otherwise you got roasted in the sun. Even then it wasn't 100% effective.

 

[FozzieBalou]

Yes, I do. I use my moonroof often...

I will leave it open a few inches when parked on warm, sunny days (my roof-rack acts almost like security bars on home windows) and I never have to really worry about somebody trying to climb in to steal stuff...

I live in the US Southwest - where summer temps are often over 100 degrees F and so it's a great way to allow heat to escape when parked and when first started up.

During the cooler months (Feb through May, September to November) it's open most days...

It's the closest I can come to my days of driving a convertible and get that fresh air... Oh and at night? Love it!

PS - it's a HUGE selling feature for many owners....

As a side note, I believe it was Mercury that may have first come up with the "fixed" moonroof - a huge glass panel in the roof of some 50s-era model - but it did not open.

 

[ForestOEire]

One of the reasons I came back to the Forester. Huge one for its class. Helped replace a convertible Mustang I owned briefly. My favorite car until I tried to keep my speed up going up a wet hill and the car fishtailed over a lane. AWD sure grip trumps squirrely HP.

 

[oMc]

I have one in my 2004 Cross Sports. We have very long winters here in Finland, so obviously I don't use it too much on a yearly basis. In spring, it is not uncommon to have a lot of pollen and/or dust in the air (lots of trees and forests here in Finland, plus they sand/gravel the roads in winter = dust in spring) so I also avoid opening it too often in order not to get that stuff in the car. In summer, however, I use it frequently. My car is black so when it has been sitting in the sun, it's nice to get fresh air fast into the car without opening the side windows too much or using the AC.

 

[Botnik]

Mine came with the sunroof because the sunroof was grouped in the other options I wanted. If I had a choice I would go without the sunroof.

People have said that blasting the a/c and opening the sunroof allows you to cool the car down quickly, but really you can use any window or door for that. Also, if the car is not in motion or is moving slowly, opening more than one window, ideally on opposite sides of the car, allows you to exchange the interior air much more quickly than using the sunroof by itself.

 

[abnvet]

I bought my Forester in August of last year. Guess I should try mine out.

 

[tysparks81]

Its one of the things I love about this truck. I leave the shade open, and as soon as it is warm enough that sunroof will be open as my wife will choose an open window over having the AC on.

 

[CR4WDAD]

I had one in my mini cooper, which i never used. Now i have one in my Forester, still don't use. I don't enjoy the sun on top of my head.