Sunroof--for the US market

[jadnashuanh]

I've had conversations with many dealers on many cars over the years about sunroofs. A MB dealer told me they got tired of discussing it when someone would come in, see the cost of the (then) optional sunroof, and complain that X-brand has it standard...why should they pay extra for it as "All luxury cars have them"; not realizing that their base price was adjusted to include it. Some people just don't get it. Yes, from a manufacturing standpoint and maybe servicing and spare parts, it's easier to only have one configuration, but to the consumer, it jacks up the base price of the car with something, not everyone wants or needs. And, as you've found (at least so far), you don't really miss now that you have a car without one! Back when Audi offered the sunroof as an option, I had an A6 without one...it had a whopping 2.85" more headroom in it verses the one with the sunroof. For someone that is tall, and probably longer from the hips up than many, that made a HUGE difference (I often have the rear-view mirror about centered on my straight ahead gaze - put yourself there and see if you like it!). Certainly not for many people, but it opened up another viable choice.

Certainly, packages of options can make it simpler for the production line, but with today's JIT, computerized systems, pretty much every car coming off the BMW production lines is different from the one right next to it...even the color is pretty much irrelevant since their robots can change color heads in seconds without wasting paint, and each car going through the paint booth can easily be a different color.

 

[wishiwereking]

It is coming down the road, maybe with solar panels.

 

[jelloslug]

It is coming down the road, maybe with solar panels.

solar panels would be just about useless.

 

[Gonville]

It is coming down the road, maybe with solar panels.

solar panels would be just about useless.

...to keep the 12v charged? Doesn't seem a bad idea to make sure the system can boot up?

 

[jelloslug]

It is coming down the road, maybe with solar panels.

solar panels would be just about useless.

...to keep the 12v charged? Doesn't seem a bad idea to make sure the system can boot up?

One that size might be able to keep up with the overhead of the computer systems. Frankly it's not even worth it.

 

[MarkN]

It is coming down the road, maybe with solar panels.

...to keep the 12v charged? Doesn't seem a bad idea to make sure the system can boot up?

One that size might be able to keep up with the overhead of the computer systems. Frankly it's not even worth it.

Eyeballing BMW's i3 diagrams I would estimate the roof to be about 1.5 square meters, essentially the area of a standard solar panel. Sunpower's X21-345 panel produces a nominal 345 watts. Here in Colorado that would produce over 2 kWh on a sunny summer day.

 

[buickanddeere]

One that size might be able to keep up with the overhead of the computer systems. Frankly it's not even worth it.[/quote]

Eyeballing BMW's i3 diagrams I would estimate the roof to be about 1.5 square meters, essentially the area of a standard solar panel. Sunpower's X21-345 panel produces a nominal 345 watts. Here in Colorado that would produce over 2 kWh on a sunny summer day.[/quote][/quote]


Real world with the roof panel flat and the sun on an angle. Parked in a building's shadow. With dust, dirt, mud and manure on the panel surface.
A 200W panel would make about 0.333 Kw hr per day.

 

[Scoot]

I was also greatly disappointed that no sunroof is available. The heck of it is....why isn't BMW just explaining these things to their customers? I have to say this is the first time I'm considering buying a car from BMW, but I'm definitely NOT impressed with their customer service. They seem to have bumbled this thing right from the start in terms of communications with potential customers. That is NOT how you create passionate customers!

 

[arlorose]

I was also greatly disappointed that no sunroof is available. The heck of it is....why isn't BMW just explaining these things to their customers? I have to say this is the first time I'm considering buying a car from BMW, but I'm definitely NOT impressed with their customer service. They seem to have bumbled this thing right from the start in terms of communications with potential customers. That is NOT how you create passionate customers!

As someone who has owned 5 previous BMWs, whose fiancé, father, and her father all have BMWs... the deal is not to be thrilled with the crappy customer service, but to be thrilled with the drive and the car.