Sunroof seal maintenance

2 days ago

G05 readers,

Here is what I am doing to maintain my sunroof.

Please add to this thread any suggestions you have for sunroof maintenance

The aftermarket has already created a spacer to mitigate the shrinkage of the seal that I pictured and attached to this thread.

I am applying Gummi Pflege to the seal to keep it soft and to help slow its degradation.

Right now my gap is very small.

Note: I am also conditioning the entire edge seal as well as the seal for the back of the front glass and the inside seal as well.

I am targeting every month to condition the seal.

Note: if you start doing this you will quickly realize that the doors have flexible rubber seals too. I am conditioning them also

Take care

Paul

An image attached to this post, provided by the poster

2 days ago

I thought checking of the seals was part of the scheduled maintenance program?

If worn, I assume the dealer would replace them for you?

Honestly I'd rather pay $500 every 5 years to replace those things than go up there once per month and rub goo all over the roof.

Super honestly, I'd rather $500 every month than do that.

It's like a food pyramid thing at this point - this car is my bitch, not the other way around. If the sunroof leaks, it will be gone in a heartbeat.

2 days ago

Thanks for sharing your thoughts

For me conditioning the seals from the outside takes maybe 5 minutes or if you like 1/12 of an hour.

Based on your $500 dollars for the job that’s an hourly rate of about $6000 or $12M per year

The work that I would do instead doesn’t make that amount of money for me.

So I am going to keep conditioning the seals.

Do you fill up the gas tank when it gets empty or do you just have someone tow the car away and then bring you a new car? The last time I filled up the tank it was significantly longer than 5 minutes.

Take care

Paul

2 days ago

P_Gill wrote
Thanks for sharing your thoughts

For me conditioning the seals from the outside takes maybe 5 minutes or if you like 1/12 of an hour.

Based on your $500 dollars for the job that’s an hourly rate of about $6000 or $12M per year

The work that I would do instead doesn’t make that amount of money for me.

So I am going to keep conditioning the seals.

Do you fill up the gas tank when it gets empty or do you just have someone tow the car away and then bring you a new car? The last time I filled up the tank it was significantly longer than 5 minutes.

Take care

Paul

Adam's VRT is a much better product and is designed to protect against UV and repel water.

Use it on your tires and any black plastic trim to really make that stuff 'pop.'

Grab some of their Leather Conditioner while you're there to help protect, revitalize, and make the leather smell super nice like a baseball glove.

2 days ago

The AI thinks the Gummi Pflege is better for keeping the seals soft.

But the Adam’s provides more protection.

“ Gummi Pflege is the better choice for conditioning and restoring rubber seals (weatherstripping). Adam’s VRT (Vinyl, Rubber, and Trim) is an excellent all-around protectant, but Gummi Pflege is a specialized formula explicitly designed to penetrate, soften, and prolong the life of automotive rubber seals.”

For now I am going to use the Pflege but if it doesn’t keep the seal soft then I will try the Adam’s

Thanks for sharing what you are using

Take care

Paul

2 days ago

Really?

2 days ago

Gummi is a proven product and I do this for my X5 as well. Cheers

2 days ago

I’ve got a half inch hole in one of my seals. I just used a “Mack’s” silicone earplug to plug it. It’s been in there for 4 months with no problems. Does it match the color of the seal, no. But it’s on the roof and nobody sees it.

2 days ago

I use 303 Aerospace on everything. Been using it for years. Leaves a matte finish instead of shiny. I’ve always disliked the fake look of shiny tires and interior

2 days ago

That seal is for wind, not rain. Water will get in and exit the sunroof tray via the infamous sunroof drain tubes. I wouldn’t worry about gaps unless it is noisy.

I do use Gummipflege on my doors (seals on the door and frame) and window rubber (not the fuzz, of course) to help reduce road/wind noise. But maybe once a year. However, it is garaged and we don’t live in a Vegas climate.

2 days ago

P_Gill wrote
Thanks for sharing your thoughts

For me conditioning the seals from the outside takes maybe 5 minutes or if you like 1/12 of an hour.

Based on your $500 dollars for the job that’s an hourly rate of about $6000 or $12M per year

The work that I would do instead doesn’t make that amount of money for me.

So I am going to keep conditioning the seals.

Do you fill up the gas tank when it gets empty or do you just have someone tow the car away and then bring you a new car? The last time I filled up the tank it was significantly longer than 5 minutes.

Take care

Paul

Yes I'm sarcastically exaggerating.

But cars wear out over time. They are depreciating disposable assets that get replaced. I just can't be arsed about massaging lube all over its latex. Too kinky for me. :rolleyes:

2 days ago

minus.spire wrote
I thought checking of the seals was part of the scheduled maintenance program?

If worn, I assume the dealer would replace them for you?

Honestly I'd rather pay $500 every 5 years to replace those things than go up there once per month and rub goo all over the roof.

Super honestly, I'd rather $500 every month than do that.

It's like a food pyramid thing at this point - this car is my bitch, not the other way around. If the sunroof leaks, it will be gone in a heartbeat.

Unfortunately. I doubt any dealer will do inspections in such a great details. Particularly within warranty periods. They do have incentives to charge you an arm and leg after the warranty. But even so it really depends on who will be working on your car.

2 days ago

Is there any harm in using gummi pfledge on the seals? I use it on my doors just not sunroof

2 days ago

minus.spire wrote
I thought checking of the seals was part of the scheduled maintenance program?

If worn, I assume the dealer would replace them for you?

Honestly I'd rather pay $500 every 5 years to replace those things than go up there once per month and rub goo all over the roof.

Super honestly, I'd rather $500 every month than do that.

It's like a food pyramid thing at this point - this car is my bitch, not the other way around. If the sunroof leaks, it will be gone in a heartbeat.

Think again. They will only look at them if you ask them to, whether under warranty or not, even though there is an SIB on them. I mean there are a lot of SIB's on our cars but why would a dealer check for all of them to see if you have any of the reported symptoms if you don't specifically ask them to/complain about a covered symptom?

SIB 54 11 19 MC-10206684-9999 Panoramic Sunroof Diagnosis.pdf

2 days ago

Astone23 wrote
Is there any harm in using gummi pfledge on the seals? I use it on my doors just not sunroof

In German, "Gummi" is "Rubber". "Pflege" is a verb that means "to take care of".

No, there is no harm in using it. What others are saying is that there are other products out there with UV protectant charachteristics that may serve the purpose of the sunroof seals better than Gummi Pflege.

Using Gummi Pflege on the door seals as you are is not harming them.

L

Yesterday

Gummi has UV protectants in them per Nexzett’s website. So 303 and Gummi are just competing products, both tried & tested, so it’s really just up to availability and affordability at this point based on where you live.

Yesterday

What year and model do you have?

Garage

1 Series

2 Series

3/4 Series

5 Series

6/M6 Series

7 Series

8/M8 Series

M2

M3/M4

M5

X1/X2

X3/X4

X5/X6

X7/XM

Z4

BMWi

Sunroof seal maintenance