Solar roof option on Prius 3?

First make sure you aren't confusing the terminology. The current Prius is generation 3, this is the 2010 design and there have been a few minor improvements and differences in trim levels in 2011 - 2014. The Prius three and Prius four trim levels have solar as an option. The Prius five, I believe, does not (if it is the same as prior years) due to weight considerations.
There is also a Prius V which is a different model altogether (bigger, lower mpg, more like a station wagon or mini SUV than a hatchback).
I'm not sure what a Prius Five trim level 3 is...but maybe I just haven't kept up on the latest terminology.

Finally, you do know that the solar option just runs ventilation fans, right? It is a pretty expensive option to just pre-cool the car. It does not charge the battery. If you want to do that you need to get the plug-in Prius (aka PIP).

Mike

 

Totally incorrect.

We have the solar sunroof and we like it very much!

 

She's also pushing the $400 extra fee for the blizzard pearl.

 

You can narrow your search down by zipcode. Then select the year, model (II, III, IV, V), pick a color, then skip down to options. Select Display audio with entune, then go back to packages and select Solar Roof. It will list all of the cars in inventory as well as those destined to the dealers from SET.

 

So, do the search.

If the dealership really wants your business they might be willing to do a dealer exchange.

I bought a Volt last year and my local dealer did an exchange with a dealer 250 miles away that had what I wanted.

 

I'd make it clear that you will only pay for exactly what you want or you'll walk or wait.
If they have what you want, plus something extra don't pay for the extra.

Mike

 

If you can get the clear coat protection for a reasonable discount I'd consider it.
I had two Blizzard Pearl Prius's.. the front bumper and hood chip very easily, and Blizzard Pearl isn't easy to touch up.
Keep in mind that the plastic front and rear bumper covers are black plastic under that nice white Blizzard Pearl so every nick from road rocks shows up very prominently as a black chip on a white background.

 

Like ny_rob mentioned, the front of the car will chip very easily. Mine has about 4500 miles on it and looks like I've been up the Alcan Highway when it was a dirt road. I believe bugs will chip the paint

Try to get the protection pkg at a discount. You'll be glad you got it.

 

The closest states in other regions are TN in Cincinnati Region & VA in Central Atlantic Region. Toyota builds what the regions order.

I don't know how plentiful white Three Solars are so you may have to cast a wide net to find what you want. Use the AAA buying program if you are a member or truecar.com.

The Prius is a scratch magnet. Get quotes from good local installers of 3M or VentureShield protective film and compare those prices to what the dealer wants. The cups in the doors take a beating as will the top of the rear bumper cover.

Read through Car Buying Guide for New and Used Vehicles | CarBuyingTips.com.

Buying experiences range from the local dealer having exactly the desired car on the lot to having to look far and wide for months. You may find some things you thought were junk are really useful. (The $69 lug nuts are junk. Insist on getting them replaced with regular ones.) Compromising on little things will sting up front but will be forgotten as the years roll on & the miles build up because you're happy with the car overall.

Happy hunting & best wishes for finding exactly what you want close to home at a good price.

 

I had my car driven over from a dealership an hour south of me. The upside was that I didn't have to travel that distance to purchase the car in the color and trim level I wanted. I tried to get them to tow the Prius or put it on one of those shipping trucks but no dice. I received the car with 79 miles on it, which I really didn't mind. The downside was that when I needed my 3M clear bra replaced under warranty, my local dealership denied the replacement and told me I'd have to drive it down to the original dealership to get it replaced.
What turned me away from buying a Prius with the solar roof was the cost of replacement. It adds weight to the car without really adding a useable feature imo. Also, I saw several threads that showed corrosion of the solar panels just outside of the warranty range. I already obsess over my car; I don't need something else to worry about!

One weird benefit that I also got was that there was a bunch of dealership add-ons from the original dealership that I guess didn't show up on the dealership invoice (paint protection, glass breakage protection, window tinting, etc.) that would have cost me close to $3000 on top of the original cost of the car. I didn't get charged for any of those since my local dealership and I had already negotiated a final price on the car.

 

There's no difference in paint maintenance between three step (base pigment coat, metalized/pearl coat, clear coat) finishes like the Blizzard Pearl and regular two step (base pigment coat, clear coat) paints.

The difficulty with three step paint is touch-up work since the metalized/pearl coat is dependent on the person applying it. If he sprays too much it's too metallic/pearl and it covers the base pigment, if he sprays too little the base pigment shows through. Either way the repaired section doesn't match the rest of the car. They usually have to shoot 3-5 test panels to get the right blend... and all that takes time and additional paint at additional expense.
It's also more difficult for car owners to touch-up with those little $10 brush top touch-up bottles the dealers sell because you need all three paints and again you need to get the 2nd pearl coat just right.

I'm not trying to scare you off the Blizzard Pearl, it's a beautiful color.
If you don't do a lot of highway driving with trucks throwing up stones all the time it will hold up great.
If you do lots of highway driving that front bumper and hood will get chipped up pretty quick and you'll easily notice the black plastic under the white paint on the bumper. If I was to get another white car- I'd get the clear protection on the car before I take delivery...