[Brutus]

Have read a lot of posts regarding how a sunroof (with its 60+ lbs) theoretically affects performance. The two camps appear to be: higher center of gravity with increased weight is a double negative; and the difference in performance/handling would be so subtle that the average seasoned/weekend track driver would never noticed.

Question: anyone driven both a lot and honestly noticed a difference.

May be ordering a new 05 JCW (relatively low frills) and would hate to negate some of the, well, expensive performance gains of the kit. Particularly as I've become accostomed to the handling of a non sunroof MCS.

[speedynz]

Unless you're regularly at the top end of fourth gear on tightening radius, off camber sweepers with one and a half turns of opposite lock wound on to counteract lift off oversteer then I don't think you'll notice the extra weight of the sunroof. I love your ideology
though.

What you may notice (slightly) is a small loss in torsional rigidity as there is a bloomin' great hole where there used to be solid metal. The Mini has a very stiff chassis which shrugs most of this off though.

As far as weight is concerned then unless you are trackdaying on a regular basis then the 60lb won't matter either. I guess it depends how obsessive you want to be concerning ultimate performance, were talking fractions here. You'd be as well off wearing shorts and a vest, leaving your small change at home, removing the headrests, floormats and parcel shelf and keeping your hair short, that should save you a good couple of seconds on the school run. Once again, my type of guy, I wish you well.

[Mikem53]

It depends on you.... Weight is the enemy... Less will make the car more nimble and a bit quicker... If you plan to push your car to the performance edge... then do without...
Really up to you... I wanted the most performance out of the S, So I opted to not get the sunroof and went with the LSD. My other car has a sunroof and I never use it.. So its not something I miss... besides.. I get a bit more headroom for a helmet...

[Chopdogs]

My view only:

Pros: Lets some light in
Lets some air in (although air con does it better)
Good if you want to look at birds or aeroplanes

Cons: Power to weight ratio gets worse
Centre of gravity goes up
Torsional rigidity decreases
Rattles a lot (at least mine did before they stuck a new one in)

Tricky one really

[rene73]

I like my sunroof, the thing is I don't know if the car would be faster and have a better handling without a sunroof because I don't know better. Can't compare it.
But I can say, my 9 month old 2005 cooper s doesn't have cracks or rattles because of the sunroof.
And the car handles great and I don't have any complaints about performance. The car feels very, very solid. I do have cracks from the dashoard and doors, but I read they do have them also without sunroof.

Maybe when you are driving your mini on a racetrack then it would matter, but just for 'normal' open road use, take it if you like it.

[Boddington]

This may sound rediculous, but has anyone investigated what would be involved in getting their sunroof replaced with a tin-top? Losing 27kg from the roof of the car might be noticeable on trackdays I think, and if the value of the second hand parts (motor, glass, etc) partially offsetted the cost of the work, than I might be interested in giving it a go.

It does sound rediculous, doesn't it...

[DownwardMonkey]

I dunno, you could look at it this way... Look at the lengths some car owners go to just to get rid of 60lbs for the track.

[beken]

In Canada, there is a folding roof option available where the dealer can replace the glass roof with a canvas roof. Should save a few pounds if you want to let the sun in, but the installed price is kind of pricey.

[neilobe]

Quote: Originally Posted by richjackson (original)

This gave me a laugh!!! What a daft thread.

I like the sunroof, everyone who gets (or trys to) in the back always points followed by a woooooooweeeeeee!!

Me too,, i have had 3 mini cooper s, all with sunroofs,, i actually wouldnt buy one without it, some may think im silly but, its a big roof for a small car,, doesnt affect the handling, as the car is so rigid, same as my mates hardtop s,

[Richard Crofts]

The main issue with sunfoof is not really its distribution of weight to the top of the car but the fact it adds huge weight to the car full stop. check out the weights of the cars that ran santa pod at MITP last weekend and you can spot the cars that have sunroofs straight away from the huge differences in weight figures!

[humph]

Quote: Originally Posted by richjackson (original)

Well I haven't really noticed mine to be slack lol so I'm not that worried, but if I ever find myself on a drag strip I'll be sure to kick out any passengers to compensate lol . Seriously, are we not talking fractions of a second here?

To be fair the "huge additional weight" can't be that different than the weight of audio equipment people stick in their cars these days not to mention fat passengers and fat drivers lol?

I guess its personal preference, if I wanted something small light and fast I'd have gone for a clio cup or something .

60kgs is a lot of weight, ever tried carrying 2.5 bags of cement around? The majority of people would tell you the easiest way to make your car quicker, more efficient & more eco friendly is to reduce the weight. MINI spent a small fortune cutting 40kg out of the GP, so 60kg for a sunroof has to make some difference.

I took off my heavy S spoke wheels and replaced with light alloys, saved about 12kg total, and you could feel the difference immediately.

As for the weight of some peoples stereo equipment? That would be some system for 60kg. And I thought the idea when you have a brain melting stereo was to drive slowly, hence the term cruise.

[Richard Crofts]

Mine has a roof and you can feel the difference to car cars that dont have the sunroof! Honest...especially on the track or strip when weight makes a big difference. For your average joe on the road its not woth worrying about but if you want to track it a bit seriously then get a car with tin lid not the glass roof!

[Bhozar]

Quote: Originally Posted by Richard Crofts (original)

Check out the weights of the cars that ran santa pod at MITP last weekend and you can spot the cars that have sunroofs straight away from the huge differences in weight figures!

Mine also has 6 airbags, for if I do a 'Crofty' and put the MINI on its roof one day. Be interesting to see how much itactually weighs compared with the chunk of metal taken out.

I suppose if there was a fixed carbon fibre section that was lighter than the steel/glass that was there I would consider swapping it if my car was mostly for track work.

I certainly have no complaints from having the glass roof there, and I have it open all the time.

[alski]

looking at this the wrong way round, should be sun roof v's rag top,
then sunroof wins every time,

[Westy]

Your 60lb sunroof equates to about 2.2% of the car weight, losing it is the equivalent of just a 3.7bhp increase for an MCS. Not worth bothering on such a heavy car.

Wheels yes as previously mentioned, cos it's a triple hit......
1 Reduction in unsprung weight, increasing the ratio between sprung & unsprung mass, improving handling
2 Reduction in total car weight
3 Reduction in rotating weight (not only do you accelerate the wheel forward with the car, you also have to accelerate it as a flywheel so weight wise its a double hit)