Perf n Restore

For anyone who has a transparent roof, what is your opinion of it?

I am trying to make a decision on it. With Blade Silver, I like the additional black contrast.

Thanks

L8ter

They do look good, but they let the inside of the car get warmer than the painted roof on hot sunny days, however it's not like you're in Arizona.

jcrooker

I have the transparent roof. Laguna Blue car. The roof looks awesome on the car. The only issue I have with it is that it makes the cabin of the car hotter than a painted roof on a sunny day. I feel the AC works harder to keep cool. I had the painted roof on a C6 and I liked it better. You asked for an opinion.

KJ Z06

Love it. I have both and have yet to put on the solid roof. Lot of extra headroom with the transparent roof if you track the car.

Frodo

I have a Lexan roof on my C4 and I hate it. Too hot in the summer. I decided I would NOT have another one. I can take the roof off my C7 when I want sun or leave the painted roof on for comfort. I didn't get all giggly inside with the Lexan roof anyway. Its no big deal.

patentcad

I love it, I had that feature on the used C6 I started with in 2015, when I traded for a new 2017 back in December I had to have it, so I have it on the new car. The A/C will work harder on a hot sunny day I suppose, but the car's A/C is up to the task, never had a problem.

Makes the inside of the car much more pleasant a lot of the time, really adds to the looks of the car, particularly on a car like mine which is semi-murdered (blacked out), or as my pal likes to call it, attempted murder.

It would look great on a silver car, particularly if you also have black wheels like mine.

kaufmansm

I have both, never put the painted roof on anymore.

repo czar

I have both tops and change them every week to have a new look. I also change them to avoid the hot days or just whenever the mood suits me.
I have had Corvettes with just the painted top and others with just the transparent top. I liked both equally. When my top was damaged the time I joined the Flying Roof Club I had another one to use in the mean time.
"I feel strongly both ways."

Richard Ames

Someone on this forum did an unscientific test between the tops and inside temp was 3 degrees different. I am in FL and use a California Pop Top cover. Inside temperatures is ambient almost like parked under cover.

sTz

You're not going to get any kind of consensus... It's a personal preference matter. Some love them, some don't. I'm in the latter camp.

I regrettably elected the dual roof package. I didn't like the blue tint from inside, brightness, or the additional heat. You can buy a sun shade though, but I prefer the solid roof nonetheless.

On occasion I do like diving with the roof off and the openness of the cabin. If the roof was not removalable, then I might have a different opinion.

GL making your decision.

joemessman

Love the Transparent top. Don't use the painted one. If sun is straight overhead we notice it may be a little warmer, but not enough to cover it or change to the painted. Look where we live by my profile. It was 118 here yesterday and would never think to put the painted one on.

blackbirdws6

Personal preference but I really enjoy mine. The additional headroom is nice and it makes the cabin feel a bit more "airy". I like the look of the carbon exposed roof better but for every day use, I prefer the transparent.

roadbike56

OP, noticed that you're in NY state. Three posters who like the transparent roof are also in your state along with one in NJ.
I'm in NC where we get the southern heat. I had both roofs on my C5, having added to the transparent roof shortly after buying the C5 in 2012. I used the transparent roof here in the late fall and winter. By May of each year, that roof was off and the painted roof was on for the late spring, summer early fall. I liked the transparent roof, but the summer heat in the south made in uncomfortable. I plan to buy a transparent roof for the C7 some day, but I'm in no rush as it's only usable less than half the year down here. Where you live, a transparent roof is not only more usable, in the cold months it can actually help heat up the car during the day. If I lived in NY state or NJ, I'd already own both roofs.

xxaarraa

They look great inside and outside. But cabin gets very hot in summer so a headliner is a must. So just add $150-200 for a good quality headliner and you are good. Best of both worlds. I leave the headliner on only for the summer months and enjoy the transparent roof rest of year.

Speeddog

Agree it's a matter of opinion.

I live in Northern Arizona where we have a very bright high altitude sun. My Z "feels" warmer with the transparent top than it does with the solid top. I use the clear in cooler weather with more oblique sun and the solid this time of year. Solid is gloss black and the transparent "looks" black; both complement my shark gray car.

As an aside the solid top seems to make the cockpit a little quieter than does the other. Have no idea why.

If you can swing it I'd say get both and enjoy them differently

Squeaky Wheel

I have both for my Blade Silver C7. Prefer the acrylic top for the look and also the way it makes the cabin feel more open. Don't really think added heat from the sun is much of an issue.

I'm thinking of wrapping the solid silver roof with some sort of black vinyl that matches the acrylic look. If you are only interested in the appearance of the acrylic top, you might want to consider the same. I will leave the side rails the same body color however, and only wrap the inner portions of the panel.

woodsguy

I have both and just the opposite, heck I'd sell the transparent top.

japc5

I have the dual roof package, I keep the clear roof on 99% of the time and love it. It does get hot during the summer. This past weeks road trip to the Jersey shore I was wishing at times that I had the solid roof on the car. The outside temp was mid 90's and not a cloud in the sky. With the AC on full force it struggled to cool the cabin off at times.

Patches

I have the exposed carbon fiber roof and the transparent top as my two roofs since they came with the car when I bought it used. I use the exposed cf top exclusively. It gives me the dark roof look from the outside along with the shade inside.

AceG

The transparent top is one of the nicest features about this vehicle imo. Gorgeous view on top. If it wasnt for the carbon fiber exposed top, I would have this on all the time. Put it like this, the transparent roof is so desirable that a fellow forum member traded his carbon fiber exposed roof for my transparent top. I miss the transparent top.