I'm positive this isn't factory, also. It is being installed by American Sunroof. Actually, Honda won't warranty the moonroof itself, the installer does, but it won't void any other warranty repairs. I've already verified this with Honda and various other dealers services managers.


Thanks,
Shawn

 

I've done quite a bit of searching about leaky sunroofs/moonroofs. There are plenty of complaints, mostly from years ago, hard to find something recent. I looked up ASC, they've had some complaints but overall I find the feedback on custom moonroofs to be overwhealmingly positive.

I will be contacting the 3rd party installer themselves tomorrow to ask them a berage of questions and see how that goes, as well as price, perhaps I can go to them directly and same the dealer middleman fee.


Thanks,
Shawn

 

I just double-checked. It actually isn't American Sunroof doing the installation, it is American Honda doing it. I didn't realize they had a depot center for this kind of thing, in fact, I'm not sure how they're arranging it. I called various service centers and the presence of the moonroof will not in any way effect the warranty and, they have seen many of these moonroof's installed over the years and basically said very few are ever serviced for leaks. At the most, a pebble being stuck in the track is usually all they've seen over the recent years or a clogged drain pipe on heavy rain days that needs to be cleared and with proper maintenance it shouldn't need to be cleared.

I called three Honda service centers (1 in San Diego, 1 in Orange County, and 1 in Los Angeles). Appearantly, Honda service departments will honor the warranty for the normal warranty of the car (3 years and 36k miles) but the extended warranty will not. (as long as it wasn't a 3rd party installer -- note, because the dealer is doing/arranging this (prior to delivery) it isn't considered 3rd party from what they said and also because it is going through American Honda). No different than Toyota, the factory sunroof leaked after 3 years and Toyota wouldn't touch it, instead I had to go to a body shop to fix the leak.

I spoke with the service place doing it (it was a Honda service department) and they said the will be reinforcing the roof and explained in detail what they'll be doing but I don't remember the details. They aren't just cutting a hole and installing a motor. It will be the exact same system as the ones installed in the Civic EX 2006. They are also verifying that the side airbags aren't effected among other things. Making sure that there is proper rust-proofing around the cut and other key places. They basically have a checklist of standards to meet before they can complete the service on this.

I can't back down anyway, my car arrived yesterday and is already in the shop receiving the moonroof installation.

I think it'll be fine. I've been researching and its hard to find recent complaints of leaky and lemon moonroof installations. They are a dime a dozen pre-1999 but since then the quality seem to have greatly improved or no one gets it done. I read very many nice things from people who have had them installed so I think that any reputable place (including American Honda) will do a decent job.

Perhaps it'll lower the resale value of the car but I'm not planning on reselling it for at least 6 years (how long I had my previous vehicle) and by then there won't be much value in the car anyway, everything will likely be Hybrid or fuel efficent by then.


Thanks,
Shawn

 

Thanks for keeping us updated. Please take pictures of the car and the moon roof. I wonder where they are going to put the switch.

Congrats on the purchase once again.

 

I asked the same question. It is the same moonroof used for the Civic EX's, but the switch will be at the top. I asked if they can do it elsewhere but I really don't have the option. Mainly, they have a limit to how much wiring they want to mess with in the vehicle. It is a single-touch open/close switch from what they were saying. I wanted it on the door or in the dash (I forgot where it was on the Civic EX but in the end I must settle for it being near the moonroof itself (at the base of the auto dimming mirror or thereabouts.

Thanks,
Shawn

 

On my 87, 93, 95, and 99 Accords and 03 Civic the Moonroof switch was on the dash left of the steering wheel next to the Cruise Control master switch. Honda is VERY consistant with their buttons so I can't imagine it being elsewhere. But personally I've always wanted it on the ceiling centered at the front. For some reason that makes logical user interface sense to me. In an ancient RX-7 that I used to spend a lot of time in the roof switch was located there. Also a Volvo I've spent time in had a manual crank in the same location. The S2000's roof retractor is in the center console, which I find very odd except that it makes it available for the passenger, though the car has to be stopped with the handbrake applied for the switch to function so the driver really doesn't have anything else to do except hit the button.

I like that your button will be single touch. All the ones mentioned above are / were press and hold. I find that frustrating since there's no way any of these devices will be half opened. I can see it being nice for closing the window - stop cutting off your wife / girlfriend's head - but it could be like the driver side auto-down / manual-up window switch (I want that on all my windows!).

Being the strange fellow that I am, when I get my S2000 I'd like to have the removable hardtop. But the strange part is that I want to install a moonroof in it

 

The TL's moonroof operates like the window switch with a one touch full open/close feature though the switch is just ahead of the moonroof.

 

on the new civic's they put the switch like regular cars...where you map lights are at in the front. they deviated from their regular spot on the dash next to the steering wheel.