Sunroof or not?

[Rhd-jon]

I bought mine with a sunroof and a year and a half later i had a shop install the oem CF roof. When i bought the car I didn’t care for sunroof but after looking at the car i felt that the CF roof would make it look so much better iMO. I’m glad i had the job done.

[2011ninja]

Originally Posted by 23109VC

I'm shopping for a used F80 M3. Most of the cars on the market have the carbon fiber roof - I see a small number that have a sunroof.

I understand that having a carbon fiber roof reduces weight and is considered a more sporty feature but I kind of like the idea of being able to open the sunroof sometimes when the weather is nice. I live in Southern CA.. it's a great place to have the sunroof open or even a convertible...

There might be a handful of times I'd like to put a roof rack on the car I know that is a little bit easier if you have the regular roof because the mounts are built into the rails whereas the carbon fiber roof you have to buy a special rack that would suction cup onto the car... that's not a huge factor but a small One I've considered ..

I'm curious how much extra performance or weight is actually saved by having a full carbon fiber roof and is it more of a cosmetic marketing thing or is it truly performance-enhancing???

Ultimately if I found the perfect car I'm not going to pass on it because of the sunroof situation but I'm curious if somehow I would be unwise to buy a car without the carbon fiber roof??

Originally Posted by 23109VC

I'm shopping for a used F80 M3. Most of the cars on the market have the carbon fiber roof - I see a small number that have a sunroof.

I understand that having a carbon fiber roof reduces weight and is considered a more sporty feature but I kind of like the idea of being able to open the sunroof sometimes when the weather is nice. I live in Southern CA.. it's a great place to have the sunroof open or even a convertible...

There might be a handful of times I'd like to put a roof rack on the car I know that is a little bit easier if you have the regular roof because the mounts are built into the rails whereas the carbon fiber roof you have to buy a special rack that would suction cup onto the car... that's not a huge factor but a small One I've considered ..

I'm curious how much extra performance or weight is actually saved by having a full carbon fiber roof and is it more of a cosmetic marketing thing or is it truly performance-enhancing???

Ultimately if I found the perfect car I'm not going to pass on it because of the sunroof situation but I'm curious if somehow I would be unwise to buy a car without the carbon fiber roof??

The lap times with carbon fiber roof are faster.

Yes if you have a carbon fiber roof you will shave seconds off your lap times, your drifts will be perfectly balanced. Your center of gravity will improve by 50%.

🍿

[M3Fahrer]

Originally Posted by 23109VC

Sunroof or not?

NOT

[CanAutM3]

Originally Posted by drF80

I love both options, and if I were to buy the car again, I would go the same route:
- if the car is dark (BSM especially), the CF roof would be pretty much invisible and 10 lbs of weight savings is irrelevant. I have the BSM with the Sunroof and use it all the time (minus summer)
- If the car is lighter color, the cool factor of CF is probably worth sacrificing the Sunroof feature

...it's 50lb

Now if that's irrelevant, it depends on each's priorities.

[CanAutM3]

Originally Posted by Sassicaia

Does anyone have a measurable test on a track between an F8X with a sunroof vs CF roof?

I don't believe there's ever been a back-to-back test same-day same-driver.

But figure, a 100lb passenger costs me over a second a lap at my local track with her butt sitting low in the car. So 50lb high on top will definitely have an impact.

That being said, that should not hold anyone that desires a sunroof to not get one, especially if the car is mostly meant to be street driven where the sunroof can increase the enjoyment of the car and where the weight difference will barely be felt.

[Redacre]

Originally Posted by Rhd-jon

I bought mine with a sunroof and a year and a half later i had a shop install the oem CF roof. When i bought the car I didn’t care for sunroof but after looking at the car i felt that the CF roof would make it look so much better iMO. I’m glad i had the job done.

Whoa, can you provide any additional details? How much effort was involved? Any issues since you did the install?

[2011ninja]

Originally Posted by CanAutM3

I don't believe there's ever been a back-to-back test same-day same-driver.

But figure, a 100lb passenger costs me over a second a lap at my local track with her butt sitting low in the car. So 50lb high on top will definitely have an impact.

That being said, that should not hold anyone that desires a sunroof to not get one, especially if the car is mostly meant to be street driven where the sunroof can increase the enjoyment of the car and where the weight difference will barely be felt.

Originally Posted by CanAutM3

I don't believe there's ever been a back-to-back test same-day same-driver.

But figure, a 100lb passenger costs me over a second a lap at my local track with her butt sitting low in the car. So 50lb high on top will definitely have an impact.

That being said, that should not hold anyone that desires a sunroof to not get one, especially if the car is mostly meant to be street driven where the sunroof can increase the enjoyment of the car and where the weight difference will barely be felt.

It's evenly distributed; an extra 13 lbs for sunroof

You would not notice

[StanislavK82]

Maybe it's just me, but the wise decision is to just get what you want. Ultimately it's your car. You will find someone that wants your car the way it's specced if you decide to sell in the future. The arguments for either case are abundant in this thread alone. I'm pretty new here, so I hope I don't come off as a jerk but for instance I got the cf cause I think it looks cool and feels special to me (yeah pretty silly I know). I'm sure any weight savings have gone with the wind since I have full leather and other options, but that's what I wanted so I can enjoy my car. Choose which option makes you the happiest and enjoy. The beauty of cars is there's one for everyone. I have seen all sorts of configs/mods for this car and have to say they are all sweet and done based on what the owner wanted. No matter what you select, it will be an m3/4 and beautiful.

[CanAutM3]

Originally Posted by 2011ninja

It's evenly distributed; an extra 13 lbs for sunroof

You would not notice

Again, it's not 13lb, it's 50lb. And no, it's not "evenly distributed", it's high up on the roof.

Not sure what was not clear in my post. I notice 100lb in the passenger seat, so 50lb on the roof will be noticible on track.

[2011ninja]

Originally Posted by CanAutM3

Again, it's not 13lb, it's 50lb. And no, it's not "evenly distributed", it's high up on the roof.

Not sure what was not clear in my post. I notice 100lb in the passenger seat, so 50lb on the roof will be noticible on track.

[QUOTE=CanAutM3;26026305]

Originally Posted by 2011ninja

It's evenly distributed; an extra 13 lbs for sunroof

You would not notice

Again, it's not 13lb, it's 50lb. And no, it's not "evenly distributed", it's high up on the roof.

Not sure what was not clear in my post. I notice 100lb in the passenger seat, so 50lb on the roof will be noticible on track.[/

Did you weight the components of the sunroof?

[CanAutM3]

Originally Posted by 2011ninja

Did you weight the components of the sunroof?

I personally did not, but another member here that owned two M3s (him and his wife) with and without sunroof, did an extensive weighing exercise with precision corner scales a while back and established the weight penalty of the sunroof at ~49lb.

https://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1077612

You can also look up the weight of the sunroof components in BMW ETK.

[DFW_M]

Originally Posted by CanAutM3

...it's 50lb

Now if that's irrelevant, it depends on each's priorities.

I read "It's 13lbs or 6kg weight savings with CF roof,".
I see someone mentioning 50lbs, which I do not think is correct. That piece of glass cannot weigh more than 10-15 lbs...

Even if 50 lbs, that is 1% of overall weight of the vehicle and CG shift of less than 1cm...
Totally irrelevant for 99.99 users.

[DFW_M]

Originally Posted by CanAutM3

Again, it's not 13lb, it's 50lb. And no, it's not "evenly distributed", it's high up on the roof.

Not sure what was not clear in my post. I notice 100lb in the passenger seat, so 50lb on the roof will be noticible on track.

1 second track lap time -- no you do not notice it...it is in your head.
A fart during the track run can alter your time by a second

[DFW_M]

Originally Posted by CanAutM3

I personally did not, but another member here that owned two M3s (him and his wife) with and without sunroof, did an extensive weighing exercise with precision corner scales a while back and established the weight penalty of the sunroof at ~49lb.

https://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1077612

You can also look up the weight of the sunroof components in BMW ETK.

Do you really think all identically built M3s weigh exactly the same down to a pound/kg??

[quikM2]

I like the thread progression on this one. Simple question asked, and it's answered for a page and then we can't help ourselves and digress knee deep in the mud and weeds so far out and end up in the classic spot of arguing nonsense and weight reduction and track / lap times done by amateurs.. lol love it

As to the OP question - I have had most of my cars including the M2 with a sunroof which was a $ option and always enjoyed how it lit up the cabin. i don't really ever open mine but I like the skylight. My M3 came with the carbon roof and I love the look but would prefer the sunroof. tough question as it's really personal choice and reading through the thread you seem to have answers split very much down the middle if not a little towards the sunroof.

[CanAutM3]

Originally Posted by drF80

I read "It's 13lbs or 6kg weight savings with CF roof,".
I see someone mentioning 50lbs, which I do not think is correct. That piece of glass cannot weigh more than 10-15 lbs...

Originally Posted by drF80

Do you really think all identically built M3s weigh exactly the same down to a pound/kg??

The weight penalty of the sunroof over the CF roof has been debated many times on the forum. This is not a novelty thread

Quite a few folks on the forum have been able to assess the weight penalty in the 47~50lb ballpark through different means. You'd be surprised how all the components required for the sunroof quickly add up. It's not only the glass, but the frame, the mechanicals, motor, seals, drains, etc..

Originally Posted by drF80

Even if 50 lbs, that is 1% of overall weight of the vehicle and CG shift of less than 1cm...
Totally irrelevant for 99.99 users.

I don't dispute that. Most folks won't notice the difference on the street or even on the track. Like I said, people should get what they prefer between the sunroof and and the CF roof. It is great than BMW is offering the choice .

However, a key advantage the M3/4 have over their competition is a relative effort to keep weight down. It is what makes them better track cars than their direct competitors. Now, add 50lb here, another 30lb there and so on, and you lose that advantage. For the track enthusiast, it makes a difference.

Originally Posted by drF80

1 second track lap time -- no you do not notice it...it is in your head.
A fart during the track run can alter your time by a second

It's not in my head, it's in my data log . And give me some credit here, I am much more consistent than that at my local track

[j2dad5389]

The classic debate. It's going to come down to your preference, really. People saying the carbon fiber for performance enhancement isn't wrong, but it's extremely hard to notice unless you are on a track. Regular usage - you won't be able to tell the difference. I had the sunroof and wish I had the CF roof simply because it looks badass. Go for what makes you happy!

[DocL]

Originally Posted by drF80

1 second track lap time -- no you do not notice it...it is in your head.
A fart during the track run can alter your time by a second

One second for your typical HPDE doesn't really make a difference in how fast you are. Another quick way to make a car lighter is for the driver to lose 25lbs.

I love all these people who live by the numbers. If you want to go fast, get a track dedicated car, and race against others in a similarly prepped car. However, even in Spec Miata there are bunch of cheater cars in the pack.

If I fart on the track it'll take three seconds off as I used to have the franks and beans for lunch.

[GA///BIT]

For me, CF was a MUST! It just adds to the overall look of the car. especially in the daylight. Or you choose the route Tommy went and wrap the roof black. However, it's something about the CF that makes the car stand out and unique. Plus, it adds the the resale value imho. I passed up on some good deals simply because it lacked the CF roof lol.

Stay Safe guys!

[Rhd-jon]

Originally Posted by Redacre

Whoa, can you provide any additional details? How much effort was involved? Any issues since you did the install?

The shop that i took the car too has a great reputation and i was confident that they would do a great job. As far as issues none everything works just fine this was done about a year and a half ago. I bought the roof and head liner from a shop in Nj that sells parts off crash Bmws. Hardest part was picking up the CF roof with little time the day before i was going away on Vacation. Lets just say my wife wasn’t happy.

[karlskry]

I have a sunroof and love it, I use it constantly in the summer and fall.

My car is equipped in the perfect daily driver configuration for me: DCT, exec, extended leather, and sunroof. As cool as the CF roof looks, my car is never going on the track where it matters

[karlskry]

What was the overall takerate of sunroof vs CF roofs on F80's? They're rare around here, but I've never seen another with a sunroof in person.