Thanks Qwerty, I appreciate you going to the effort of testing it for me.

I thought they must be there somewhere, and draining down the A Pillar somehow makes sense.

Strange there is no mention of them anywhere.

No problem hope my theory is right

I just spent 1/2hr trying to find an answer to this online and failed miserably.

Everything points to just the two drains at the rear of the opening, nothing towards the front, but there must be something.

I'm looking at both a 405 AB and a VSE this weekend and want to be fully prepared what to check.

Kot wrote:

DrF wrote:

I am still confused here, surely the drains still exist if you have a fixed pano roof, the only time they wouldn't exist is if you had no sunroof at all? If you look at the parts for the roof the sunroof channel for fixed pano roof still has drain points???

OMG we will then need an un-gloat emoji

I can confirm, (unfortunately without the possibility of a proper :gloat: emoji) that the fixed panoramic roof is a single, bonded panel without any requirement for roof drains, (similar to the windscreen), this is shown in the WM in the Wiki above:

 “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” -where’s the fun in that?

I am now anticipating a rush on the breakers’ yards, as folks clamour to retrofit fixed panoramic roofs  “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” -where’s the fun in that?

Afternoon Gremlin500

Hope you are well, I understand now, the framework still exists below? but the area is sealed due to it being a fixed panel, therefore they are redundant? Is that correct?

If so then the theory of just swapping out the opening glass to fixed does make sense, just disconnect the electrics, bob's your uncle sort of?? maybe?? or am I being to simplistic?

It's a thought Gremlin, but only if the hole in the bodyshell is identical on cars originally fitted with fixed and opening panels.
I don't see why it wouldn't be, but who knows.

But anyway, I really can't understand the panic and disaster mongering about the drains.

It appears to be quite easy to check how badly the drains are corroded from within, and then just an afternoons work to future proof them.

I'd rather have an SE or AB that I've spent a few hours doing preventative maintenance on than a car that I'll always be thinking needs something extra.

Although if I find an SE with a fixed panel that has everything I want I'll go for it.
I've been faffing around for far too long now with changing my D4 for an L405, and just need to do it.
2025 is the year!

@DrF:

I have no idea tbh, and no desire to pull down my headlining to check either!

@Nasher:

Each to his own, however we can’t deny the problem exists, and as they age, new owners can never be sure past owners have been prudent or negligent, so many can’t even be bothered to clean the door shuts, never mind the roof drains.
I myself deliberately chose a Vogue but with a long options list plus V6 for economy, and lack of problematical “features” such as roof drains and Dynamic Response rusty plumbing.

“Less is More”  “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” -where’s the fun in that?

Gremlin, don't get me wrong, I'm grateful like I'm sure many others are for you pointing out this shortcoming of the opening roof cars.

It's far better to know about these things in advance, but to me it doesn't appear like a big issue if caught early enough.
Because I can sort it myself with a few hours work I'm not worried as long as no electronic items have been affected yet.
And I'll be even more grateful to you if I view a car I'd otherwise buy, but find some water ingress and/or a dealer tries to tell me a crackly sound from the speakers is a simple loose connection.
I'll be better prepared.

But it's funny how different things are important to different people.
I've owned D3s and D4s for years, and touch wood had very few issues, but knowing what I do I'd never buy another LR with the 3l V6 Diesel engine.

From Topix for my MY18 opening panoramic roof I get this in the manual, so I guess each build gets the same frame but different panel assembly so would presume the drains are there but not used unless the bonding material fails? No way of knowing unless you look inside the c pillar trim?

The roof opening panel assembly is manufactured into the roof opening panel frame and incorporates:
Front roof panel
Rear roof panel
A roof opening panel
A roof blind
Roof opening panel motor
Roof blind motor
Roof opening panel drain hoses (2 off).
The short wheelbase and the long wheelbase vehicles use the same roof opening panel, but long wheelbase vehicles have a different roof blind. On long wheelbase vehicles the roof blind is positioned 200 mm further backward than on short wheelbase vehicles.
The roof blind motor and the roof opening panel motor are located at the front of the roof opening panel assembly. The roof blind motor operates the roof blind. The roof opening panel motor operates the roof opening panel. The roof opening panel frame is bonded into an aperture extending the full width of the roof.
The roof opening panel frame is fixed with 4 nuts and 2 bolts.
A roof opening panel drain hose is connected to each side of the roof opening panel frame. The roof opening panel
drain hoses are routed down the inside of the 'C' pillar to the rear wheel arch. 2018 SE SDV8 4.4 Byron Blue

See below

Gremlin500 wrote:

I just posted this link in the other sunroof drains thread, but repeating it here in case it’s useful:

https://a.aliexpress.com/_EHlSAOU

While I was lurking and just now bought something from AllieEx, I added said Gremlin500 tickling stick for use on a warm sunny day  2018 SE SDV8 4.4 Byron Blue

Anyone have any idea about drains at the front as per my posts above?

Although I am not being complacent about sunroof drains, I will have them, but there is a lot of discussion about said drains and hence a lot of posts. But have many people actually had a problem I have enough things to worry about and as Nasher asks, is it a BIG issue. Geoff

Geoff. I need to clarify that I'm not asking if it's a big issue numbers wise, it appears that it's affecting too many otherwise good L405s.

But for me personally I don't think it's a big issue if caught early, because I can put it right myself.

If you are not capable of sorting it yourself and it has been allowed to get really bad then it is a big issue.