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Mon 20 May 2024 12:08

Volkswagen Golf - 2016 VW Golf panoramic sunroof - Tom Macleod

Hi all,

First time posting for advice here after a bad experience buying a used car from an Indy dealer. Thankfully I returned under my statutory rights for a full refund, but it has made me more wary of making a misstep on my next car.

I’ve decided to go via VW approved used now, aware I will be paying more than elsewhere but there we are. Anyway, I have found a great looking 2016 Golf TSI that I’m keen on, but it has a panoramic sunroof. In my paranoia after my previous experience I am googling everything I can about these roofs and seeing that many have had significant issues with them.

I’d be really grateful for any advice on whether you’d avoid cars with these sunroofs generally, or whether the fact that it has almost 50k miles on it, and coming via an approved used VW dealer with all the associated checks means I can be more confident?

EDIT: The VW dealer has told me that this car was recalled for assessment when VW recalled all cars this potentially could affect - and it was assessed as not requiring any further work or repair. Should this give me extra peace of mind??!

Any advice really appreciated

Thanks

Edited by Tom Macleod on 20/05/2024 at 12:49

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Mon 20 May 2024 12:51

Volkswagen Golf - 2016 VW Golf panoramic sunroof - elekie&a/c doctor

Personally, I would avoid any car with a moving panoramic sunroof. It’s one of those extras that doesn’t get used very often , and when it does, it’s destined to go wrong . Very often no parts are available to repair it , so a complete “cassette “ is the only option.

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Mon 20 May 2024 15:55

Volkswagen Golf - 2016 VW Golf panoramic sunroof - galileo

I’d be really grateful for any advice on whether you’d avoid cars with these sunroofs generally, or whether the fact that it has almost 50k miles on it, and coming via an approved used VW dealer with all the associated checks means I can be more confident?

EDIT: The VW dealer has told me that this car was recalled for assessment when VW recalled all cars this potentially could affect - and it was assessed as not requiring any further work or repair. Should this give me extra peace of mind?

Well, they would say that, wouldn't they? I think the general rule is that car sales men often tell lies.

Do you feel lucky?

Edited by galileo on 20/05/2024 at 15:56

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Mon 20 May 2024 16:33

Volkswagen Golf - 2016 VW Golf panoramic sunroof - catsdad

The last three used cars we’ve bought were Manufacturer Approved.: Each came with issues that any decent pre-sale inspection should have picked up and became evident within hours of collection. The benefit however is that you shouldn’t have to argue the toss to have such faults rectified. It can however require repeat visits and take time to resolve.

In the case of our Golf estate (no sunroof) I took it home found the spare wheel well was two or three inches deep in water. Not simply damp. Googling I found it’s a known simple issue with a drain from the rear hatch handle/badge. You would therefore expect it to be checked specifically. The dealer claimed complete surprise and it took two or three weeks to resolve due to their workshop queue.

So I wouldn’t rely on any pre-sales inspection as confirming a car is OK. As for the sunroof, even if it has been fully checked they presumably won’t warrant it beyond a year? As it’s a known, expensive issue, perhaps it’s best to look for one without the panoramic roof. Unless, as galileo suggests, you feel lucky.

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Mon 20 May 2024 17:35

Volkswagen Golf - 2016 VW Golf panoramic sunroof - Tom Macleod

Thanks all for replies so far. The fact that car sales men tell lies and that you can’t ever rely on a good pre-inspection just adds to the thoroughly depressing nature of trying to buy a car with even a minimal level of trust. Find it enraging and energy sapping!! Nonetheless I appreciate the views. I certainly don’t feel lucky right now in trying to find something that I can have some confidence in for 3-4 years.

Sounds like the sunroof issue is potentially a reason to avoid….there must be some out there with positive experiences though?!

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Mon 20 May 2024 17:44

Volkswagen Golf - 2016 VW Golf panoramic sunroof - leaseman

I may be prejudiced as I've never found any positive pleasure out of having a panoramic sunroof, but the negative possibilities would steer me well clear, and I doubt whether you'll find many advocates.

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Mon 20 May 2024 18:11

Volkswagen Golf - 2016 VW Golf panoramic sunroof - Steveieb

My work colleague had problems with leaks in his Audi panoramic roof which cost £2500 to replace at the main dealer and a three month wait for parts some of which are still outstanding.

But clutch problems are difficult to resolve as the smooth operation is so subjective .

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Mon 20 May 2024 19:59

Volkswagen Golf - 2016 VW Golf panoramic sunroof - Adampr

I love a panoramic roof. I very rarely open mine, as Aircon is more effective in pretty much every way, but I love the extra light in the cabin.

However, I had a 2018 Golf, and I won't be buying another one. My local VW dealer in incredibly obnoxious and their after sales dreadful.

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Mon 20 May 2024 20:15

Volkswagen Golf - 2016 VW Golf panoramic sunroof - Tom Macleod

Sorry to hear that about your dealer. I do have some hope with my local VW garage at least as I’ve used them previously and service has been excellent - most recently not charging me at all due to the car being a day later to pick up than I’d asked after servicing. So while I wouldn’t be purchasing the car I’m talking about with the pano roof from my local dealer, I would be going to them for servicing and any work under warranty. But I’m fairly certain pano roof issues will not be covered under the 2-year approved used warranty…..

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Mon 20 May 2024 23:17

Volkswagen Golf - 2016 VW Golf panoramic sunroof - Andrew-T

The fact that car sales men tell lies and that you can’t ever rely on a good pre-inspection just adds to the thoroughly depressing nature of trying to buy a car with even a minimal level of trust.

Think about it. Cars arrive at a dealer's from auctions, trade sales or trade-ins. Usually none of the staff will have seen them before and won't know anything about them, except maybe generically from inhouse recalls and other fault reports. It's asking a lot for any of them to be keen enough to examine them thoroughly for problems, tho they may do a once-over looking for obvious damage, or perhaps take them for a test drive. So much of what you hear may not really be 'lies', just spur-of-the-moment invention. That is one advantage of buying a private sale.

What would you do ?

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Mon 20 May 2024 23:34

Volkswagen Golf - 2016 VW Golf panoramic sunroof - Adampr

The fact that car sales men tell lies and that you can’t ever rely on a good pre-inspection just adds to the thoroughly depressing nature of trying to buy a car with even a minimal level of trust.

Think about it. Cars arrive at a dealer's from auctions, trade sales or trade-ins. Usually none of the staff will have seen them before and won't know anything about them, except maybe generically from inhouse recalls and other fault reports. It's asking a lot for any of them to be keen enough to examine them thoroughly for problems, tho they may do a once-over looking for obvious damage, or perhaps take them for a test drive. So much of what you hear may not really be 'lies', just spur-of-the-moment invention. That is one advantage of buying a private sale.

What would you do ?

Well, apparently, VW do a 142 point check on all approved used cars. Other brands also put forward various numbers of things on their list...

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Tue 21 May 2024 00:06

Volkswagen Golf - 2016 VW Golf panoramic sunroof - elekie&a/c doctor

I can’t actually think of 142 things you’d check on a car . 5 wheel nuts on 4 wheels? Suppose that’s 20 .

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Tue 21 May 2024 03:03

Volkswagen Golf - 2016 VW Golf panoramic sunroof - Rerepo

Pan roof is one of those things that looks great in the showroom but in reality is hardly ever used and becomes a nightmare at 5+ years old. Avoid.

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Tue 21 May 2024 08:10

Volkswagen Golf - 2016 VW Golf panoramic sunroof - Tom Macleod

Interesting, what issues rear their head particularly around the 5-year mark that should be evident on a car that is already 8 years old if I was to inspect??

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Tue 21 May 2024 09:30

Volkswagen Golf - 2016 VW Golf panoramic sunroof - Rerepo

Interesting, what issues rear their head particularly around the 5-year mark that should be evident on a car that is already 8 years old if I was to inspect??

Pan roofs use polymer sealants to seal the cassette to the body. As the car body flexes the sealant eventually crack and leak. The roof uses moving elastomer seals. These weather over time and lose the flexibility. They start to leak. Water getting into the mechanism causes problems. The drive systems use aluminium and plastic parts (slides and gears). These need servicing and two different kinds of grease to be used. People don't service or don't use the correct grease.

Also the pan roof adds a lot of weight high up - they are pretty heavy.

I had a W212 with a pan roof and even from new it would creak under any significant torsional load on the bodyshell (jacking or very uneven road).

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Tue 21 May 2024 09:46

Volkswagen Golf - 2016 VW Golf panoramic sunroof - Andrew-T

<< Well, apparently, VW do a 142 point check on all approved used cars. Other brands also put forward various numbers of things on their list...>>

But do they ? I have a checklist from Kw-Ft with about that number of boxes assiduously ticked. The ticking would take a measurable time, so the actual checking would be a lot more - and we all know that time costs money, especially in the car trade .... And we get reports on here from those who have bought an 'App Used' car of things which apparently haven't been checked, at least thoroughly.

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Tue 21 May 2024 10:53

Volkswagen Golf - 2016 VW Golf panoramic sunroof - catsdad

I still like Manufactured Approved schemes as long as the price of the car is right. Overlooked “checked” items are annoying but after sales service on mine have been good. Not picking on any particular manufacturers I reckon many checklists are just a marketing tool to offer as nebulous reassurance to customers. However they are not a serious appraisal of the car and there is no incentive for the seller to find or repair faults.

There might be exceptions where checks are thorough but in the case of a sunroof they aren’t going to go out of their way to find faults. Caveat emptor.

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Tue 21 May 2024 12:51

Volkswagen Golf - 2016 VW Golf panoramic sunroof - Adampr

<< Well, apparently, VW do a 142 point check on all approved used cars. Other brands also put forward various numbers of things on their list...>>

But do they ? I have a checklist from Kw-Ft with about that number of boxes assiduously ticked. The ticking would take a measurable time, so the actual checking would be a lot more - and we all know that time costs money, especially in the car trade .... And we get reports on here from those who have bought an 'App Used' car of things which apparently haven't been checked, at least thoroughly.

Of course not, but I don't agree that it's asking a lot of them to do so. That, and the warranty, is after all what you're paying the 'approved used' premium for.

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Tue 21 May 2024 16:00

Volkswagen Golf - 2016 VW Golf panoramic sunroof - Andrew-T

<< ... I don't agree that it's asking a lot of them to do so. That, and the warranty, is after all what you're paying the 'approved used' premium for. >>

Exactly. But we can all understand why those approved checks may have been done partially, or carelessly, or not at all ... :-(

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Tue 21 May 2024 11:03

Volkswagen Golf - 2016 VW Golf panoramic sunroof - Brit_in_Germany

I'm not sure if this article is referring to pano sunroofs or not but I wouldn't want a tempered glass one.

m.carcomplaints.com/news/2017/volkswagen-exploding...l

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Tue 21 May 2024 12:07

Volkswagen Golf - 2016 VW Golf panoramic sunroof - Tom Macleod

Thanks again everyone. I think it’s becoming clear that I’ll probably sacrifice the Golf R line trim for something less exciting to avoid this pano sun roof issue
Probably the sensible call!!

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Fri 24 May 2024 23:13

Volkswagen Golf - 2016 VW Golf panoramic sunroof - Smileyman

I have had sunroofs on my cars all my driving life (40 years). Mostly fine but not 100%. There was a time when air conditioning was an unaffordable luxury that was beyond my budget. The sunroof made for an ideal alternative, there is something special about a morning commute through the countryside with the sound of birds and sunlight streaming into the car. Of course, this year it's been thunder and rain, and cold, but we live in hope.

An early car had a glass aftermarket "pop up or remove" glass sunroof, after several years it did leak but by then the car was end of life anyway.

The Maestro had a factory steel sunroof, at one time there was an issue with water leakage but this was repaired under warranty and was fine afterwards (like so many features of this car warranty work was a common need, with the extended policy being a cost effective purchase).

Both my Volvo 360's had the factory steel sunroof, never any problems (one was written off in an accident, liked the car so much I purchased another).

My first Nissan Primera had a factory glass sunroof, after 170,000 miles I sold the car, sunroof still watertight.

I purchased another Primera, also with a factory sunroof, the last model in the series of Primeras, (the model with Renault parts), on one occasion there was a blocked drain channel but this was quickly fixed under warranty and the roof was watertight when I sc***ped the car after 180,000 miles

After this I struggled to find a replacement car with a factory sunroof so had an aftermarket one fitted instead. Sunroof dealers are few and far between, I eventually found a good one in Bristol, car has now done 100,000 miles and thankfully the sunroof is watertight. Also charged me a fair price too.

This time of the year I nearly always have the roof open, even if just on a vent position (unless it is really tipping it down), it is nowhere near warm enough to consider using aircon, but hopefully that will change before the summer is over!

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Sat 25 May 2024 07:42

Volkswagen Golf - 2016 VW Golf panoramic sunroof - SLO76

Thanks again everyone. I think it’s becoming clear that I’ll probably sacrifice the Golf R line trim for something less exciting to avoid this pano sun roof issue Probably the sensible call!!

I’d avoid it because of the fat lower profile tyre that harm ride quality. All these sporty variants Ford’s ST line, VW’s R line etc etc are all very well on smooth roads but on our pothole laden Mad Max style tarmac they’re not so comfortable. The sunroof is another unnecessarily moving component to go wrong, fine when new but a costly concern at 5yrs plus. I’d keep it simple and go for a lower spec car. Your money will go further and you’ll get a newer lower mileage car for your money which only increases your chances of reliability.

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