Have yall seen this current thread ?

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?threadid=41536

Larry Bible:
You're right about a manual sunroof. While I've never had any problems with leaks, etc, I have had to pay to have the cables occasionally lubricated. On top of that, I'd be more comfortable using it in the winter without worrying about it getting stuck. And the chrome on the manual handle adds a nice touch to the interior!

Did not mean to confuse anyone. Leaking into the passenger compartment from the sunroof is not supposed to be common, and I was not suggesting it is common. The way the system is designed, when water leaks past the outside seals, it is collected and drained away from the openning into the passenger compartment unless the drains are clogged. I had this happen once and blew them out with compressed air. I now pay attention to leaving the roof open under trees and the like. When the sunroof does leak, the problem will be with the drains being clogged not the roof panel seals.

The outside seals are not required to be water tight to keep the passengers dry. If you check, these seals are outside the rails and other hardware. Consequently, leakage past them (and there is always going to be leakage past them as to maintain a 100% effective seal on a closure that is the general shape and get the frequent use of a sunroof would have us changing seals all the time instead of never in twenty years) is supposed to land on the inner roof panel and be carried away by gravity from the hole into the car's interior. The slides and other operating hardware is mounted on a raised, cofferdam like edge of the inner roof panel around the hole to the interior. Providing a leak path that demands less potential energy than leaking into the car's interior is much more effective than relying on twenty or more year old rubber and felt fuzzy stuff to be 100% effective at sealing water out of the people compartment.

Jim

__________________
Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)