My car is now over 10 years old and the seal that surrounds the glass sunroof edge has lot's of hairline cracks in it on the horizontal. It's not affecting its function but after detailing my car some of the compounds have gotten in those cracks. It looks terrible.

Any thought on how to deal with this?

I did try some black restorer before hand and that really doesn't do much before or afterwards.

Thanks.

 

There was a tech bulletin a while back about not getting wax or other detailing material on the seal area around the sunroof for the exact reasons you mentioned - it degrades the seal.

I mask mine off with blue painter's tape before polishing, waxing or using detail sprays.
Vector

 

I would consider replacing the seal as the UV rays over the years have definitely rendered the seal dry, hence the cracks and non flexible.

Mine was 12 years old on the 04 and I recently replaced. What a visual and sound difference.

And +1 on masking tape to protect the seal when waxing.

 

Seems like all my problems are not mine alone. I just watched a video of a detailer who suggested alcohol but that seems like it would further dry out the seal.

I also have was residue on the door rubbers-haphazard wax job before I bought the car. Mother's males a wax remover but not certain if it's safe on rubber.

Are roof seals available still? Is the S-type roof the same size ad the XJ? More likely they'd still make seals if so.

 

When I look at the seal portion it's soft and subple. It's the harder edge portion which separates from the seal itself that's full of cracks. I'm unclear as to whether that gets replaced or if that's a part of the glass? It was all cracked when I got the car back in 2010. In any event it's not leaking any significant amount.

I think I'll check with some detailing guys to see what they recommend. Something more permanent that gets carefully applied over this portion doesn't seem so far fetched to me. A rubberized sealer of sorts?

Meguiars back to black worked well on the soft rubber pieces and hard black trim. It removed the "wax", I'm actually using a paint sealer - Jescar power lock plus. But the back to black doesn't last more than a few weeks on the plastic bits. Then they look not brand new again. It is a 12 year old car after all ...