[fsrph]

Hi,

Just found this site, it's great. I have been looking at buying an E, it is a very impressive vehicle. All my previous car had sunroofs and I had a few questions about the E's sunroof situation.

1. What is the rational for putting a sunroof just in the back of some E's? I know of some vehicles (like some Range Rover's) that have dual sunroofs but the Element is the only one with the sunroof just in the back. Wouldn't it make more sense if the sunroof was up front?

2. Does anyone know if 2004's will have a front sunroof as an option. I can wait till the 2004's come out if necessary. I remember the CRV's didn't have a sunroof option till a few years after they were introduced, maybe the Element will be similiar.

3. Any chance of adding a front sunroof as an aftermarket option? Has anyone done this?


Thanks,

Francis

 

[keymonkey]

1) The sunroof in the rear is for standing up silly! I kinda wondered when I saw it too, and since the spare tire cover below it only supports 65lbs, the standing up part is moot as well. Unless your a 10 yr-old. It's a gimmick. A front one would be nice however.

2) No clue if a front one will be offered in 2004. Since Honda wouldn't even tell it's own reps in March if the June release of the AWD 5-speed was happening, I highly doubt anyone knows if there will even be a 2004 model. Honda has been frustratingly tight lipped with it's Element News. Their site's latest news is 5 months old.

3) There is a chance of adding one, but since there is no b-pillar, Honda added a lot of metal braces in the roofline. You may have a tough time finding a shop that will do a warranteed install. Plus, since the roof is grooved, leaking might be an issue. It can't hurt to ask around though.

Good luck

 

[Cameraman]

I figured it was for star gazing while your sleeping out.

 

[StLouisPenguin]

I think the reason for the sunroof in the back is so that you can haul large upright items and allow them to stick out of the roof....I believe I actually read in either the promo brochere or in the owners manual that under no circumstances should you stand in the back of the E and stick your body out of the sunroof.....but since I like to defy authority....<evil laugh>

But I will say that the best part of the sunroof is that when you lay the back seats down flat you can look up at the sunroof....which is very nice to see the moon at night while falling asleep under the stars!

PS... the sunroof is excellent in the back for air circulation

 

[tblask]

The B-pillar-less/Suicide door layout clearly requires Honda to not even
appear to be fudging on safety concerns...SIDE IMPACT ratings must be
OK on all vehicles: no manufacturer can afford to fall off the scale in this
regard. Mid-ship structural integrity for severe high-impact crashes from
the side or side-angles are no lightweight matter.
Look at the rep the Ford EXPLODER got for roll-overs - do you think it cost
the company $500 million or more like a billion?
We're told that since April is the usual month for the NHTSA to do its new
car crash testing that the Honda results will soon be out: besides Honda's
intense interest in how the Element's "plastic front end" (and the rest of
the plastiuc cladding, to be sure) holds up under crash testing - WE KNOW
they hope for the best re SIDE IMPACT CRASHES because in the dealer
showroom brochures Honda states in fine print they EXPECT the Element
to have the absolute BEST side crash results. They will also probably
release the SIDE-IMPACT AIR-BAGS starting soon.
In any case, Honda could not take any chances with an already compromised design approach which is an engineer's nightmare...
No aftermarket shop in their right mind would install a cab sunroof either,
I imagine. Honda put a lot of extra steel into the passenger cage to make
up for the inherent weakness of pillarless suicide doors. Of course, they also didn't niggle on whether they would/could add another passenger in
the rear cabin...FOUR IT IS and the SUNROOF STAYS IN THE BACK ONLY,
I'll bet you anything. Tim B. - GalaGreenBullPup - BEEP BEEP

 

[bubble709]

Hi - I just got my new E a week ago. I know they don't come with a front sunroof. But at my dealer, they installed a front sunroof with 2500 bux extra. It's powered, and they also wired the rear sunroof so that it's powered also(the original sunroof that came with the car is manual). Now, they did not installed it from factory, but they said they have a local company that do it for them. So...I do not know how reliable is that...but it's cool to have front and back sunroof and that is good enough for me.

~I love my E

 

[keymonkey]

If you have a digital camera, I'm sure I'm not the only one that would like to see this setup!!

 

[BriBoy01]

I would like to see this setup also... i dont mean to sound like im being a big shot or anything but I agree that no shop ECSPECIALLY a honda dealership would put a sun/moon roof in the passenger cab. The structure of the car would be to compromised. Not to sound like an unbeliever but tons of research goes into a design and honda obviously didnt find something that worked. I am 100% sure they looked about a front sunroof and in later models it may be an option but there will be tons of safety precautions taken...if you do have one I sure hope it doesnt affect your safety if you get in an accident...

 

[keymonkey]

So, to be the devils advocate. I don't believe there is a safety concern. Attached is an image of the Element frame, and although there is a roof brace where the b-pillar connects, there is a space infront of it. It appears to be large enough for a moon roof. My question is, can you put one in the EX without removing the overhead map light/ cargo compartment?

P.S. The preview shows no image, so if it isn't there when I post this, I guess it's cut and paste time! Sorry.

 

[natural wonder]

I actually really like the rear moonroof. The front seats are pretty well lit up from the windshield and side windows, but the rear seats in the E are a bit dark due to the tinted windows in the models without the sunroof. When parked, I've found that I can tip one of the rear seats back and read, stargaze or catnap with ease due to the rear sunroof/moonroof.

I see the rear moonroof as just one more aspect of the E that contributes to it being a place I can hang out, rather than just being a cool vehicle.

 

[Buzzby66]

My kids love the sunroof in the back.

 

[petelement]

I think the rear sunroof is a compromise from the "Honda X" the concept car. That car has sliding rear glass that opens the back up like a pick-up truck. Here's a link I found from a japanese site to illistrate.

http://www.japandesign.ne.jp/HTM/REPORT/LA/07/index3.html

 

[hondas2k]

I looked at some cutaway sketches of the Element unit body frame and it does look like a sunroof could be put in the front.

Kirk

 

[rhen597]

No aftermarket shop in their right mind would install a cab sunroof either,
I imagine. Honda put a lot of extra steel into the passenger cage to make
up for the inherent weakness of pillarless suicide doors. Of course, they also didn't niggle on whether they would/could add another passenger in
the rear cabin...FOUR IT IS and the SUNROOF STAYS IN THE BACK ONLY,
I'll bet you anything. Tim B. - GalaGreenBullPup - BEEP BEEP

HEY, I too can be a devil's advocate:


Some one has found an after market customizer that WILL put in a front sunroof. AND according to the owner; they can make it motorized/powered, as well as the rear one too. :shock:

Check out this post:
http://www.elementownersclub.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1478

Not me though....I'd rather not do anything after market when it comes to structural integrety....I'm more opt to wait for Honda to do it in a model year upgrade.

But there does exist a brave owner who has had this done.