Beware - Panoramic Roof Insurance

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Teflonso

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Location
Up North
Car
E350 Estate (W212 Facelift)
Just a word to the wise. It might be nothing to worry about, in which case just ignore my waffling.

I have an E350 on order and have been flip-flopping about adding a pano roof before the build is frozen. I've read a few horror stores about maintenance costs when they go dodgy but was moving in the direction of taking a chance and giving the ball a kick.

Anyway.......... I've just been through the insurance policy for my wife's car trying to sort out a windscreen chip repair hassle. The small print says they don't cover panoramic roofs for replacement glass. I checked my own policy - same exclusion. Normal sunroofs are covered, but not the big boys.

So if you have a pano roof, check your policy just in case. I'd hate to think this is a widely applied bit of small print jiggery pokery.
 
From your post I would assume it is new car that you have ordered, in which case any defects will be covered by the manufacturers warranty.

Also, I had a pan-roof on the E-class saloon and I have it now on the C-class estate.
Not once if failed nor it gave any grief.
 
My policy covers the glass on all windows including sunroof just fine . Defects will obviously be under warranty.

No issues with mine, works a treat and is a pleasure to have
 
Mine seems to have gone stiff, any idea what is required to service?
 
kap02 said:
Mine seems to have gone stiff, any idea what is required to service?

A female assuming you are not gay.
 
This has been raised on another thread, most insurers regard pano roof as body panel and not as windscreen. And sunroof is not pano roof.

The obvious issue is that if a stone chips or cracks the pano roof, repairing it under the insurance policy means loosing your NCD (unless protected) and incurring the normal excess, unlike windscreen cover that is either free or carries low excess, and no NCD penalty.

So the warning is in order...
 
how often does a panoramic roof crack/break?

I suspect it's a rare occurrence ..
 
^ As above

If the thing stops working you have a warranty for that. I assume after 3 years you maywell change it anyway?

If you do get a crack then what about a smart repair? depends how bad it is. Maybe easier for piece of mind to ring round and check which insurance company would insure you for one?

More and more cars have them now so its becoming a normal option?
 
They break just as windscreens do - flying stones - as one forum member found-out to his detriment a couple of months ago... I'll look up his original thread and post it here.
 
My documents list 'glass' as covered but as the insurance was up for renewal, I did call and ask the question of Saga but the girl I spoke with wasn't too convincing. Still, 'glass' is a point to argue from if necessary.
 
Just to be clear.......... I'm not suggesting any issues with a defective roof, it just gets sorted under warranty. Or if outside warranty it will (allegedly) cost you a kidney. I would have thought the subject of the warning would have been clear enough from my OP, but apologies for leaving enough wiggle room for misunderstanding.

As markjay correctly says, the glass can, albeit rarely get bust and if not covered by the modest excess for window glass could be quite painful to get replaced if you have a big excess for body panels. My last A6 had a big dent in the roof, maybe 2-3mm deep with a sharp scratch in the centre and the size of a 50p piece. I have no idea how I got it but if it had been glass it would have been curtains. No pun intended.

Unfortunately Aitch55, it was in fact Saga where I spotted it in the small print. So if the exclusion isn't in your wording this year, check carefully before you renew. Page 9, section 3, right hand side. After over an hour on the phone with them yesterday trying to sort out a normal windscreen repair problem, I can assure you that "glass" isn't a point to argue from - it was like pulling teeth and I have to await an inspection on Friday before I can make further progress.

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Insurance policies vary, some will state that 'glass damage' only applies to front, side and rear windows - and will specifically exclude mirrors and sunroof.

One way of checking is to google "AXA car insurance policy document"
(Replace AXA with any other insurer).
This should find a .pdf of their policy document, open the policy document and search (Ctrl+F) for 'sunfroof'.


 
retrofit c220 estate with pano roof

Hi everyone - aside from whether a retrofit c220 estate pano roof is a good idea (it's a 2011) - is there a uk place to get it done?
 
Having seen how the Pano Roof is fitted in the factory at build time, I suspect a retrofit would be horrendously expensive to achieve.
 
Thanks st13phil that's very helpful.

Is there any other way to get some glass in the roof?
 
My sister just experienced a problem with the panoramic sunroof on her 3 yo Golf SL , it started leaking water just outside of the warranty .

The dealership diagnosed a faulty seal , but said the entire sunroof had to be replaced as it could not be repaired , at a cost of £1200+

My sister then contacted Volkswagen , pointing out she had been a good customer , this being her 22nd VW , and had been dealer serviced from new .

The result being they contributed 50% of the bill as a goodwill gesture , leaving her approx £600 to pay , which she was happy with .

This was the first serious fault in a lifetime of VW ownership and has not put her off .
 
People often assume a pano roof will be laminated but many are merely toughened glass. This means the "intelligent/invisible repair" beloved of windscreen repairers /insurance companies is not applicable . I believe MB pano roofs are mainly toughened with the moving part laminated but this may well vary from model to model??? There may be manufacturer identifying marks you can check. Most insurance companies are removing glass cover from pano roofs due to the high cost of replacement so best to read the small print very carefully !
 
My sister just experienced a problem with the panoramic sunroof on her 3 yo Golf SL , it started leaking water just outside of the warranty .

The dealership diagnosed a faulty seal , but said the entire sunroof had to be replaced as it could not be repaired , at a cost of £1200+

My sister then contacted Volkswagen , pointing out she had been a good customer , this being her 22nd VW , and had been dealer serviced from new .

The result being they contributed 50% of the bill as a goodwill gesture , leaving her approx £600 to pay , which she was happy with .

This was the first serious fault in a lifetime of VW ownership and has not put her off .
Sadly, she's going to have to get used to it if she stays with the brand. VW reliability and build quailty isn't what it used to be and frankly, a big ticket problem just outside warranty with only 50% contribution is a disgrace.

.
 

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