2013 Model Octavia Wagon RS TSI?

[woofy]

Take the sunroof option, I drive around for work and its never been an issue for me. I miss not having one in my other car. There were only a few rare 40+ degree days here in Melb where I would have it just opened on tilt, but you can leave it tilted with the shade drawn so it actually lets heat escape while parked in the sun. I much prefer that over not having one.

[K1W1]

I'll go the opposite way.
I hate sunroofs I do find them hot and noisy even when only tilted and you do loose about 2" (4 cm) of head room which may or may not be significant. SWMBO always has sunroofs (every car for the last 30 years) but I notice that she generally has the blind across and only rarely has them tilted and almost never open so I figure that they are like convertibles, most people drive them most of the time with the roof up.
The auto close option on the windows works perfectly on summer days. Mine even worked today in Melbourne. I got back to the office about 3 and left the two front windows open about 1 cm each then when I got in the car there was a sprinkle of water from a shower on the windscreen and the windows were closed.
There you have it. Both arguments.

[BlackSuperb]

I've always had a sunroof, even when I lived in Darwin! Also had a mini moke there as well.

Now living in Sydney and always use the sunroof to the full. I have no issues. The screen is satisfactory for screening the sun on hot days. Fantastic having the roof open on balmy nights. Love opening the screen on rainy days too.

[Tigger]

I came from a Tiguan with the large Panoramic sunroof (which I loved!!)
BUT... it only had that perforated sun blind thing, not a complete blockout panel.

with the black leather it made it very hot inside.

But I still love having the option to open the roof if I choose to on a nice day or evening.
The Octavia block out panel is FANTASTIC at keeping the heat out in my opinion.


Don, I would go with the Blue one. You really wanted blue originally, and having these extras (at the right price) will make it more enjoyable, as well as a better resalable car in the future.

Oh, BUT, does the candy white one have the new RED stitched interior with the carbon fibre panels?
If so, that would be an attractive car...(nice set of black wheels fitted later....hmmm...)

[donweather]

Oh, BUT, does the candy white one have the new RED stitched interior with the carbon fibre panels?
If so, that would be an attractive car...(nice set of black wheels fitted later....hmmm...)

Cheers Tigger. Neither of them have the red stitching/carbon fibre interior unfortunately. One of the dealers did impress me and got a quote from an upholster to re-stitch all the seats in red sticthing for $1800. I thanked him for his efforts but didn't take him up on this offer as I couldn't justify the expense and pain of ripping up all of the existing leather etc.

I am leaning towards the blue as that was my original choice of colour. Just need to haggle the dealers now for a good price (so far got about $4k difference in quotes from the two dealers on the same car!!!!) and hope the sunroof isn't too hot up here in Qld!!!

[donweather]

Well I did the deed. Ordered my new RS TSI Wagon in Race Blue with Leather and Sunroof.

I went and checked out the sunroof in a premium scout model (which the dealer said is the same in the RS model) and I have to say I'm still concerned about the heat that will come in even when the blockout panel is closed as the panel has vents in it, which for me will just let the hot air come through?? But it was either take the sunroof, opt for Candy White or wait 4-6mths for a factory order which they wouldn't do a real steal deal on. So I conceded defeat and went with my heart for the Race Blue with Leather and sunroof.

Got it for a good price (well until I just read the other thread about dealers slashing prices on Octavias!!!). $41k driveway with leather/sunroof and I got them to throw in a set of rubber mats as I surf and sand in the carpet mats is a real b@stard!!!

[woofy]

It will be fine, those vents mean you can have the sunroof tilted to let air vent while the shade is shut, exactly what I described.

Remember hot air rises so on a hot day you are going to have more air flowing out of that than what the glass will allow in with the shade shut. Having said that, I had a Webasto/Hollandia sunroof put in a previous car and it let bugger all heat through the glass, the VAG glass seems crappy compared to that for heat and I don't really know why. If you get all the windows tinted, the main source of heat will actually be the windscreen itself rather than the sunroof. They aren't that big in the SKodas. A panaroramic roof is a different story altogether as they tend to have those thin perforated screens that won't block much heat at all really. Coming into summer you will love the sunroof as unlike a convertible, you can hold jump hold down the unlock button which will automatically drop all the windows, open the sunroof and blast the hot air out in minutes. The rain sensor will close the sunroof and any windows as well so no issues leaving it tilted. I would advise not to leave it fully open for security reasons (and overhead birds) when you are leaving the car!

[donweather]

Thanks Woofy. So whilst the sunroof glass is factory tinted, it's unlikely to have any real UV/IR protection, so my next question is, can one put a clear (no pigment/dye) tint film on the sunroof to assist with UV/IR (heat) protection? I've read some myths (??) on other forums that you can't tint sunroofs as they explode? Sounds like bollocks to me but interested in other opinions/experiences?

[woofy]

I know people who get tint film put on their sunroofs at the same time as the rest all the time. I've heard the exploding thing, but don't think there is anything in it. I haven't bothered with mine to be honest the tint would be UV resistant anyway and some IR.

I can't remember when I last looked into it, but from memory most glass used these days cuts out UV on it's own anyway. There is a tint already in the Skoda glass by default.

[donweather]

Thanks Woofy. From what I've read most factory tints don't have any real UV/IR reduction. They are predominantly just a dye/pigment in the glass.

And yes, Skoda say they tint the glass on the vRS, but seriously, can anyone see it!!!

[Mysticality]

All windows that aren't the windscreen are factory tinted.
Its not much at all, but its there.

If you don't have tint, then compare your windscreen to your side window - or better yet, wind the window down halfway and check the colour difference.

Its there, but only minimally.
I think its UV filtering.

[woofy]

If you get the windows tinted most tinters will assume you want the sunroof as well. Having said that, the twits who did mine didn't.

[K1W1]

And yes, Skoda say they tint the glass on the vRS, but seriously, can anyone see it!!!

Yes definitely you can see it.
One thing I regret about mine is getting the tint done (dealer freebe). It looks better but it creates disturbing effects with polarsised sunglasses, strange views in the door mirrors when reversing into dark spots (shadow areas) and the auto dipping interior mirror no longer works.
Tinting is not something I will do on any future car even if it is free.

[Mysticality]

strange views in the door mirrors when reversing into dark spots (shadow areas)

Had the same problem with a very mild tint on my Sorento.
Ended up having to put the windows down after anything to do with twilight!!!
Look at these things... They're huge!!

[K1W1]

Yes I've had to open the window in the rain a couple of times backing down the drive in the evening.