E90 M3 without sunroof

[mr_z4mc1m_oz]

Would you buy a mint e90 m3 in alpine white without a sunroof? I think BMWs look a bit odd without a sunroof, unless it has a carbon roof.

Thoughts?

Thanks

[///Mbitions]

Slick top e90s are preferred by probably 75-90% of people looking for an e90. I myself have been contemplating selling the e92 for an e90 with no sunroof, but it’s hard to give up the CF roof. It’s just too damn sexy.

[shimmy23]

Originally Posted by ///Mbitions

Slick top e90s are preferred by probably 75-90% of people looking for an e90. I myself have been contemplating selling the e92 for an e90 with no sunroof, but it's hard to give up the CF roof. It's just too damn sexy.

You will only hear this on our forum. I actually wanted a moonroof on my e90. Am I still an enthusiast, you betcha!

OP, to answer your question, yes I still would buy an e90 without a moonroof unless it's a hard requirement for you

[1MOREMOD]

Without is preferred. Had one, never got used, all it was good for was making my head not fit with helmets on.

[MJBO]

Open my roof almost every time I drive the car. If I’d bought an E92 I’d likely have aimed for a CF roof, but on the sedan I don’t see the point in not having one (then I again I like them so...).

[wyatth]

Yup, and I just did. I like the increased headroom and airy cabin, the big reduction in weight up top, something less to break, etc. With the rear windows in a sedan opening, I don't need to vent the roof to prevent turbulence from cracked windows. I do wish it was carbon, but I still like it. As these cars age, slicktops are actually more desirable (you'll see same trend on E46s) whether its E90 or E92, though the spread is probably bigger on the E92 due to carbon.

[Timujin]

Slicktop FTW

[Honda]

Originally Posted by ///Mbitions

Slick top e90s are preferred by probably 75-90% of people looking for an e90. I myself have been contemplating selling the e92 for an e90 with no sunroof, but it’s hard to give up the CF roof. It’s just too damn sexy.

Sorry but I don't agree that 75 to 90% percentage. Maybe on this forum members do like it without sunroof. I would prefer sunroof with e90. It is purely personal opinion.

[Iyzmi]

I like having the moonroof because it makes the interior feel lighter and more open/airy. I hardly ever close the cover because the interior feels too dark without the natural light of the moonroof. I have no issues with headroom so that factor is irrelevant to me.

For an E90, I'd definitely prefer having the moonroof, but slicktop wouldn't be a deal breaker. For an E92, I'd slightly prefer the CF roof but it also wouldn't be a deal breaker either way. Even black extended leather was higher on my priority list than the CF roof to be honest.

[highwaystardoritos]

wish mine came slicktop

[Law]

I'm a non-sunroof E90 owner.
Sunroof or no sunroof on the E90 is one of those things that's not really a dealbreaker requirement for most people I'd say.

If you're over 6 ft in height, and have a long torso, and plan to see the track a lot, then I can see why that'd be a dealbreaker situation, because headroom/helmet clearance at that point would be critical.

But other than that, while there is certainly a weight advantage, less things to go wrong (seals, motor, etc.) and "cool/rarity factor" to a slicktop/sunroof delete E90 M3, it's not something that should deter you from what is otherwise a great car.
If everything else checks out, why not?

When I was looking for my E90 many years back, my requirements were 6MT, sedan, LCI, and a dark color, among other things.
But whether or not it had sunroof wasn't something I was actively thinking about.
I ended up with a non-sunroof E90 M3, by sheer luck of the draw, and I'm glad I did (since I had hardly used it in my previous car), but if it did have a sunroof, I wouldn't have been turned off.

Appearance-wise, I think performance cars incl. sports sedans look "cleaner" without sunroofs due to the lack of the visual creases and outlines that houses the glass.

And since then I've grown to have more of a stronger preference for sunroof deleted models, but I still wouldn't call it a dealbreaker on the E90 if everything else checks out.
E92 though, different story.

So overall, while there is, among our circles, a stronger preference for sunroof delete cars vs. the general public, I would say it's not something that would bother you day-to-day compared to more important things like transmission choice or color.
Settle for the "wrong" color or transmission and it'd probably bug you all the time, but "settle" for a sunroof, you might get reminded here and there, but there's no overall significant change in the experience.

[nrubenstein]

Among the tiny group of people that is buying the small amount of E90 sedans, slick tops are desirable. They are at least equally valuable, and maybe carry a slight premium due to rarity.

Fact is that the E90 M3 is a car nerd car.

Edit: For me, I find slicktop cars far more comfortable. I also *hate* dealing with sunroof failures, and I've literally never had a sunroof car that I didn't have some kind of issue with.

[timothy2001]

Have a sunroof, would have preferred a slick top.

[Richbot]

Originally Posted by nrubenstein

Among the tiny group of people that is buying the small amount of E90 sedans, slick tops are desirable. They are at least equally valuable, and maybe carry a slight premium due to rarity.

Fact is that the E90 M3 is a car nerd car.

Edit: For me, I find slicktop cars far more comfortable. I also *hate* dealing with sunroof failures, and I've literally never had a sunroof car that I didn't have some kind of issue with.

All of this. Mine is a slicktop. I wouldn't say it was non-negotiable when I was shopping, because I found my car while looking for E39M's, but it's close (and guess how many E39M's I looekd at had wet carpet! 2 out of 3!). And I wouldn't say it's a dealbreaker, because you can re-skin the roof relatively easily and/or do the aftermarket carbon roof swap, but it's close to one

Three BMW's, three different generations with sunroofs - three failures of some kind or another

The fricking folding hardtop of the family E93 is more reliable

Patiently waiting for the F34's panoramic roof to crap the bed

[hookah]

This is actually a interesting topic and seeing peoples answers. Personally I wanted a sunroof on my E90. I definitely give cudos to people with slicktops because by all means they probably have the more desirable model when it comes to resale and its cool having something less common. For me I really like keeping the shade open and getting the extra light in the cabin. Especially at night I like looking up and seeing the night sky. Sounds cheesy, but those little things Make the interior feel more special and the contributes to the overall experience of the car for me. At the end of the day that's what I like. I don't track or really plan too. If I was a hardcore performance or track junkie I would definitely shoot for a slicktop to reduce weight. Its all dependent on your tastes. Either way you cant go wrong with this car sunroof or not.

[wyatth]

Originally Posted by Law

Sunroof or no sunroof on the E90 is one of those things that's not really a dealbreaker requirement for most people I'd say.
.. it's not something that should deter you from what is otherwise a great car.
If everything else checks out, why not?

Appearance-wise, I think performance cars incl. sports sedans look "cleaner" without sunroofs due to the lack of the visual creases and outlines that houses the glass.

Originally Posted by nrubenstein

Among the tiny group of people that is buying the small amount of E90 sedans, slick tops are desirable. They are at least equally valuable, and maybe carry a slight premium due to rarity.

Fact is that the E90 M3 is a nerd car.

Agree with both. As the cars get older and the clean pickings fewer, the sunroof is likely a preferred but not a must-have when searching aftermarket (unless you're tracking and flexible on other options/colors/etc). But also a good point on nerd cars and things like the sunroof. Lots of examples of this with M cars as they age. For DDs, sunroofs shouldn't matter or detract from the car. But slicktops will usually command a slight premium because of the rarity and demand from the ultranerds.

Originally Posted by hookah

Personally I wanted a sunroof on my E90. I definitely give cudos to people with slicktops because by all means they probably have the more desirable model when it comes to resale and its cool having something less common. For me I really like keeping the shade open and getting the extra light in the cabin. Especially at night I like looking up and seeing the night sky. ... Its all dependent on your tastes. Either way you cant go wrong with this car sunroof or not.

That's a good point about lighting. I think if I lived in the gray and overcast PNW (I used to) then I'd maybe be more open to the idea of a sunroof because that extra daylight is nice. In CA where it's always bright and sunny, the sunroof shades are usually closed. Our other car (SUV) has a sunroof and it's never opened.

[SYT_Shadow]

I have a slicktop E90... it was not a mistake to get it that way!

I do like the 'vent' function of sunroofs but no thank you. I plan on keeping the E90 for a long time

[SlamFire]

Lack of sunroof really only "adds" value to a small % of enthusiasts.

I'd imagine have that one extra option box tick'ed would add a bit of value compared to a slick top for the vast majority of buyers out there. People who don't belong to forums like options, and most people don't belong to forums. We are the minority.

As mentioned before unless you're tracking your car and need the helmet headroom / little extra bit of rigidity then it comes down to personal preference.

Personally I like open top motoring so much I went for the vert. Being able to better hear the S65 scream makes up for any weight penalty to me. Trunk space be damned.

[derbo]

Benefit of no sunroof is the helmet clearance. It's just nicer to have that extra room for the taller folks (though, that isn't me.)

For me, had I found one with a sunroof but met my other requirements, I would've purchased that instead because E90M3 LCI 6MT is a rarity to begin with.

[spazzyfry123]

It was on my shortlist while shopping!

[PKL]

Originally Posted by Honda

Sorry but I don't agree that 75 to 90% percentage. Maybe on this forum members do like it without sunroof. I would prefer sunroof with e90. It is purely personal opinion.

Agreed.

[dparm]

It's a very vocal minority of people who cream their pants over slicktops (which are often found in the stripped-down cars anyway). It's a rare combination...because the vast majority of buyers weren't about to spend $60k on a BMW and skimp on options.