I have always liked how good the glass roof looks but I have always worried about the potential cost from a chip or crack. I saw a video of a Model X in AZ where the owner had done extra tinting because the heat there is excessive. I live in San Diego but I think extra tinting to the top portion of the glass is a good idea as it can get pretty hot here as well.
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Glass roof
- Thread starter Christopher Chan
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- Model 3
Windscreens are different to roofs. I except far more windscreens get broken by all the stuff flying through the air from vehicles in front. Sunroofs get busted by hail and falling tree branches but I'll bet it's a fraction of a % of windscreens. I remember thinking the Jensen interceptor rear window would cost a bomb to replace being such a custom piece of glass but I gather not many of these have even needed to be replaced:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/Jensen_Interceptor_rear.jpg
![URL]]](http://[URL='https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/Jensen_Interceptor_rear.jpg</img>']https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/Jensen_Interceptor_rear.jpg[/img[/URL]])
tmoz
S85D, Y LR, ex Prius PiP
I was told that the Pano roof had better heat rejection than the metal roof - important for Arizonans.
Prior to the Model S deliveries there was a massive amount of worry/complaining on this forum about the Model S with the sun roof not having a shade. Posters were worried about heat and the health effects of driving in the sun. People from sunny climates were wringing their hands and gnashing their teeth. Tesla kept saying don't worry; the glass will screen out virtually all of the heat and UV. And guess what? Tesla delivered. I have a Model S with the sun roof and I LOVE the lack of the shade. If you're worried about the sun posing a problem with the glass roof I encourage you to worry not. You're going to love it. Separately, you're going to love the ability to turn on the air conditioner from your smart phone. It's a great feeling to slide into a 72 degree car in 100 degree weather.
Do you not insure your cars?
I don't see how glass is any different than metal. Metal isn't impervious to things. It can dent and be damaged just like glass can. You're also forgetting that the roof isn't the windshield, the roof doesn't have random things hitting it at anywhere close to the frequency of the windshield.
Anyways, my guess is that the glass has some sort of "shatterproof" technology. They mention multi-layered glass, and that can handle everything from UV blocking, tinting, but also make glass as resilient as steel against cracks and shatters. Look at the Droid Turbo 2--not only can it be dropped hundreds of times from large heights and take a hammer without cracking or shattering, but it can do so while simultaneously keeping a touchscreen digitizer alive. The best part is that dents can be fixed by replacing a very cheap, outer layer of plastic--the glass itself doesn't even get damaged.
How exactly will the pano roof open? In a conventional car the sunroof slides into the roof (below metal roof and above roof interior. But if you have all glass front to back you'd have to have the sunroof slide under the back glass. I just imagine the passengers in the back crossing their eyes as they watch the back edge of it coming towards their forehead. The only thing I can think of is that it will remain very close to the fixed glass (i.e. not hang down too far) so as not to be intrusive.
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You will quickly realize that there are some very minor things that are deal breakers for people that post on this forum
That's the fun part about it.And most of the deal breakers are about things people didn't see or try in person, but know in their heart of hearts, that they couldn't possibly live without (or with.) "A phone without a keyboard on it?! Crazy talk!"
That's great if its a deal breaker for some people just means I'll get mine quicker if they're ahead of me. So please cancel your reservations. I'm sure Elon won't mind, he already has to figure out how to increase production to meet a 3+ year backlog.
Unless I'm very confused, the current S sunroof works the same way the one on my Eos did - it goes up above the roof line to slide back over the top of the rear roof. I would assume the 3 version would do the same thing.
Walter
favo
P3D+ owner
^^^ Hey, that's my car!
The all glass roof has already been beta tested on us Model S owners--heat, cold, damage, frame rigidity have all been endlessly litigated on this site and the roof has proven itself.
As I have noted up-thread, the heat rejection in the summer is excellent, driving down the Central Valley in the afternoon in 100F heat and no issues through the roof. On our S, we did, however, have to the window glass tinted.
Damage to the roof glass is rare--I can only think of a couple of examples and they were because something was dropped on the roof. After 82K miles, my windshield has lots of pits from road debris, but the roof is flawless--I am going to assume this is because heavier things hit the front bumper cover, hood to windshield, while lighter items are suspending in the slipstream and never touch the roof.
The glass roof really does open up the interior of the car. If I were to get another S, would definitely get the Pano again. For our M3, not sure between all-glass and pano.
I've got an S with pano, and an X with the windshield. So far, that's my favorite part of the X. I live up in wine country and it gets very hot here in the summer - 100F+. I haven't ever had an issue with the pano on the S. We've spent time in Tahoe where it's been cool - teens to 20s F - and no problem. I can't speak to "real" cold that the Canadians on the forum experience.
For many customers, I think the glass will make for a really nice option. It's visually liberating and changes the experience of the ride.
For many customers, I think the glass will make for a really nice option. It's visually liberating and changes the experience of the ride.
AZ Desert Driver
Rare combination
I live in a very sunny place and the prospect of being under a glass roof is not sitting well. The panorama looks eye catching, but I rarely open my moon roof now as it gets too hot. I could not determine if there was a cover to keep from becoming a solar oven. How would one keep their stuff from being viewed by looky-lous in the parking lot?
You guys with pano roofs - what do you do? Tint? Blanket toss? Wear a hat?
You guys with pano roofs - what do you do? Tint? Blanket toss? Wear a hat?
Pano roof tinted already, seems pretty heat resistant to me. Might collect heat more when parked but not hot while driving.
I thought that I read that the glass roof will be an option. I certainly hope it is because I can't stand the heat. I always have my sunroof cover closed, and I thought I'd try it out this weekend to see if I could get used to having glass. Nope. Even with a high of 80 degrees, the sun beating through was very, very significant. For a car based on efficiency, making the HVAC system work overboard to compensate for a glass roof is crazy to me. A smarter move would be to make a solar panel roof option like the Fisker Karma to assist the HVAC. Even just a solar panel sunroof like Audi used to offer would be great to ventilate the car when parked in the sun.
In case it is only offered with the glass roof, I would look at getting high quality window tint. My car has 3M Crystalline 40% film all around and 70% film on the windshield. It makes a large difference on enhancing the efficiency of your HVAC by cutting almost all of the IR light and half of the heat. This isn't cheap, but it would be a must.
Crystalline Automotive Films - Clear automotive window film for cars, trucks - Crystalline - 3M US
In case it is only offered with the glass roof, I would look at getting high quality window tint. My car has 3M Crystalline 40% film all around and 70% film on the windshield. It makes a large difference on enhancing the efficiency of your HVAC by cutting almost all of the IR light and half of the heat. This isn't cheap, but it would be a must.
Crystalline Automotive Films - Clear automotive window film for cars, trucks - Crystalline - 3M US
Microfrost
Member
This is mentioned in this video at 3:11. There will be metal, fixed glass, and opening glass (panoramic) options.
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