Magic sky roof for free

[MEMERC7]

Yet to take delivery of 2012 6k miles SLK 250 because I & specialist sports car dealer who are supplying the car discovered very slight roof leak on passenger side.
Car sent to local Mercedes agent who removed plastic (polycarbon?) roof panel and replaced it with a glass Magic Sky one.
Supplying dealer suspects Mercedes know there's a problem and took action to avoid a future complaint. Provided checks by Mercedes and supplying dealer confirm car is now 100% watertight I collect it tomorrow.
I'm curious whether I could get the roof to change opacity, i.e. is the car pre-wired to do this. Will ask the Mercedes dealer who fitted the roof.

 

[C240Sport97]

I suspect they fitted that standard glass roof .. which is now on all cars, even those without glass roof .. only the interior panel changes.

magic sky control roof panel is completely different to standard glass roof

 

[Ted]

Yup - colleague had exactly the same happen.
The replacement is the standard glass roof.
Still a cracking free upgrade though.

 

[wemorgan]

Still a cracking free upgrade though.

Cracking might be the key word - a glass roof is more likely to crack by a stone chip than a metal one.
Also, even with the glass roof they put the interior headlining trim panel in, so there's no light benefit.
On a positive note, a glass roof is easier to keep clean and shiny than a metal one.

 

[Ted]

Will
Colleagues definitely had the metal roof replaced with the glass roof without a panel or headlining.
It's out in the carpark now - will take a look.

Edit: - definitely correct - heavily tinted glass roof - you can't see in but you can see out. This replaced his metal roof after it was in three times for leaks.

 

[WLeg]

So will this count as a mod, as far as insurance is concerned ? worth seeing if they will update the data card ?

 

[Paul/]

Apparently the panoramic and magic sky panels are polycarbonate...

Mercedes SLK Gets the First Panoramic Roof Made from Polycarbonate

...that link also states that the base non-transparent roof is "a high-performance thermoplastic from Bayer MaterialScience, specifically Bayblend T85 XF, a polycarbonate/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene blend (PC+ABS)", though like C240Sport97 said, I'd heard they all now use the same polycarb panel.

 

[MEMERC7]

Yep it isn't a Magic Sky roof although there is a blanking plug where I assume the control button is located.
I don't regard it as modification in insurance terms in that it does not enhance the performance of the car.
VERY interested roof leakage IS an issue though, but have until 2015 when the warranty expires so I shall worry not.
So glad roof is not solid for although the roof panel is heavily tinted it does make the cabin feel more airy. The Audi A3 Cabriolet I swapped the Merc. for was very gloomy with the hood up, for the lining was black so felt like a coffin.

 

[Warren777]

Yet to take delivery of 2012 6k miles SLK 250 because I & specialist sports car dealer who are supplying the car discovered very slight roof leak on passenger side.
Car sent to local Mercedes agent who removed plastic (polycarbon?) roof panel and replaced it with a glass Magic Sky one.
Supplying dealer suspects Mercedes know there's a problem and took action to avoid a future complaint. Provided checks by Mercedes and supplying dealer confirm car is now 100% watertight I collect it tomorrow.
I'm curious whether I could get the roof to change opacity, i.e. is the car pre-wired to do this. Will ask the Mercedes dealer who fitted the roof.

Got the same issue with our 2013 18,000 miles full service pack plus additional warranties through inscape. They have had it twice new seals and roof removal and drilled holes etc to fill with liquid rubber still leaking I'm now being told it's going to cast me £2600 for replacement roof it has already cost over £1000 still leaking. It's a recall that they refuse to sort where did you get yours fixed because I'm about to go legal as my car is soaked.
Thanks

 

[reflexboy]

As I understand it the polycarbonate roofs were changed to glass as the polycarbonate expands and contracts too much with temperature change and that is what caused them to leak. All SLKs after a certain date were fitted with glass panel roofs for this reason, even if the factory spec was not a panoramic roof. All they then did if a panoramic roof was specified was to change the roof liner to one with a hole in it. It actually works out cheaper to not specify a panoramic roof and buy the roof liner with a hole in it......or so I have heard.

 

[BTB 500]

I don't regard it as modification in insurance terms in that it does not enhance the performance of the car.

For insurance purposes a modification is any deviation from factory spec. for that model - it doesn't have to be about performance. Cosmetic changes may make the car more expensive to repair or more likely to be stolen, for example. Check any insurer's website.

 

[sidewaze samm]

but has anyone done it?

...All SLKs after a certain date were fitted with glass panel roofs for this reason, even if the factory spec was not a panoramic roof. All they then did if a panoramic roof was specified was to change the roof liner to one with a hole in it. It actually works out cheaper to not specify a panoramic roof and buy the roof liner with a hole in it......or so I have heard.

I've heard anecdotal reports that this is both possible and economically feasible. But... I've not heard direct from anyone who has actually undertaken the conversion on their own car.

So, has anyone out there actually converted their glass roof with solid headlining into a panoramic glass roof?

cheers