[Hundred Questions]Now the sunroof is an "unnecessary high-cost option"? Why are the models with sunroofs gradually decreasing?

table of contents
●Even if there is no sunroof, there will be no effect?
●If the sun window is "non-essential high-value option"
●What is the background reason for the high price of skylights?
●What is the resale market for cars equipped with sunroofs?

Doesn't it make any difference even without the sunroof?

A sunroof is a window that is installed on the roof and can be opened and closed.
Equipped with a sunroof to allow more light to enter the car, and to ventilate without opening the windows. Most importantly, it creates a sense of openness in the cabin.

When I used to buy a car, I would choose a car with a sunroof, but recently there are fewer and fewer such cars.

The person in charge of sales of a domestic automaker said: "Compared to the past, there are far fewer models with sunroofs. Even if they were equipped with sunroofs when they were first launched, most of them will abolish the sunroof after minor or major facelifts." .

So, what is the reason for the gradual decline of skylight design?

Now the sunroof is a "non-essential high-cost option"

One of the reasons for the dwindling skylight design is the high price.

Domestic cars and imported cars all have models with optional sunroofs, but according to the author's research, their prices are all above 100,000 yen, which is quite expensive in terms of options.

Although it is very attractive to get lighting from the roof, if the purpose of ventilation is to open the windows, it can be achieved, so it is said that the sunroof is a "non-essential high-cost option". When choosing a car these days, most people don't take the sunroof into consideration.

When the author purchased Toyota Chaser, Mitsubishi Delica Star Wagon, and Mitsubishi Legnum VR4, they all had sunroofs installed. I don’t remember the exact amount because of the age, but they should all be around 100,000 yen.

In retrospect, the frequency of use of skylights is not high, and it may be because of the appearance that they chose to install skylights at that time.

What is the background reason for the expensive skylight?

The person in charge of sales said: "In order to install the sunroof, it is necessary to increase the strength of the vehicle, and the sunroof must be installed during the manufacturing stage, it is difficult to install it afterwards, and the high manufacturing cost also leads to an increase in the price of the vehicle."

From the perspective of body shape, sunroofs can be installed on models with a wider cabin space such as MPVs. However, neither the Honda Stepwgn launched in May 2022 nor the Nissan Serena launched in December of the same year has a sunroof.

In response to this, the person in charge of sales said: "The sunroof is an optional item that will affect the body structure. Therefore, from the perspective of cost and demand, it is inevitable to abolish it. We also found in actual sales that customers who need sunroofs There are also fewer customers. Customers who want to reduce the cost of car purchases and choose not to install sunroofs are also gradually increasing.”

In addition, the installation of skylights may prolong the lead time.
The person in charge of sales said: "The delivery time for vehicles without sunroofs is about 4 months, and the delivery time for vehicles with sunroofs will be about 4 to 5 months. Some customers also choose not to install sunroofs due to delivery considerations. .”

According to the survey, it is almost impossible for regular domestic automakers in Japan to add sunroofs after the completion of the vehicle.

And private manufacturers of special equipment such as earthquake simulation vehicles said: "Some models can be installed with original parts. If the original factory does not release relevant parts, it will be difficult to implement. Moreover, each model is quoted individually, and the price is difficult to generalize. .”

I heard that some companies specialize in adding skylights, and the installation price is 100,000 to 200,000 yen. Considering that the price is the same as the setting price of the sunroof option, the advantage of retrofitting is not great.

What is the resale market for cars equipped with sunroofs?

Does the sunroof of the high-value option have an advantage in reselling?

For cars with a newer model year, when the same model year and mileage are not much different, the price of the sunroof is higher. Honda Accord, Toyota Harrier and other cars can increase the price of up to 200,000 yen.

However, whether the old model has a sunroof or not, the price will not have much impact. Although the Toyota Chaser I drove before was equipped with a sunroof, there is only a gap of tens of thousands of yen in the middle-aged market in 2023.

In addition, we also learned from the president of the second-hand car trading and sales company that the resale sales of cars with non-genuine sunroofs are not good. It is said that this is because many people have doubts about the follow-up maintenance of non-genuine factory skylights.

If you want to own a car with a sunroof, you can start with a model with optional windows, and buying a second-hand car is also a good choice.

Original source:Now "a high-priced option that you don't have to worry about"?A convincing reason why car sunroofs and genuine models are decreasing
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