Solar Panel Concerns

Maybe I'm just asking a little too early as it seems there aren't too many out on the road yet. However, my dilemma is I really would like the sunroof, however I don't have a garage. Which means my Prius would be parked out in the elements most of the time. I also live and drive by a golf course, I have come close a lot of times and had golf balls bounce infront and behind my car. Luckily none have hit my car, but I've had some close calls. I also plan and intend to own this car a long time. Hopefully 10 or more years. So I'm nervous about the solar panel roof.

It's ground breaking, nobody as far as I've know has offered a solar powered roof on a mass produced vehicle. But that is what makes me a little nervous. Years of Hail, snow, ice, rain...how will it hold up? A golf ball on a regular roof and I'm dealing with a dent. A golf ball on a solar panel and am I dealing with a cracked panel?

I don't know if I want someone to talk me into it, or out of it, but I'd like to know from owners of the solar panel how solid it feels. How durable it appears to be. Also some feedback on it's worth. Is the ventilation fan really worth the solar panel experiment?

Again I'm really stuck. I go back and forth from thinking I want the solar package and the sunroof, to thinking forget it. Ultimately the decision means either a pkg.4-Nav and Sunroof or a pkg5-Tech Pkg. Unfortunately there seems to be so few of them being produced I haven't even been able to see one at a dealership.

That's another thing I don't understand. Evidently production of the solar panel and the sunroof is severly limited. Why then is that one of the features highlighted in one of Toyota's first group of Prius commercials? If someone watches the latest commercial and is really interested in the Solar Panel and Sunroof, good luck actually getting to see one and get yourself on a list and wait. Don't quite understand why Toyota would promote a feature while actually not producing many of them.

Anyway, I'd appreciate some frank, honest evaluations if you own the solar panel as to it's bottom line usefulness and just it's empiric durability. My probably highly paranoid fear would be that sometime after warranty has expired I'd end up with a cracked solar panel, and I somehow think replacement wouldn't be cheap.

I know few own them, and those that do haven't owned them very long, but I'll take any feedback I can get.

Right now, I'm trying to suppress my long time desire for a sunroof and placate it with the idea that I get bigger tires and more electronic convienences. LOL! Given my paranoia I'm probably in a bad place either way. If I don't get the sunroof, everytime I see one I'm going to wish I had one. If I do get one, every time I hear anything I'm going to imagine it's the solar panel cracking. Plus, I'm going to live in constant fear of NW hail storm.

Come on, talk me off the ledge or push me off of it. Tell me what you think about the solar panel.

 

Thank you everyone for your comments and advice. Today (tomorrow it will change) I'm leaning towards getting the Prius V. My momentary logic is that I can enjoy the larger tires, nice rims, bells and whistles and in 5 years when I'm less uptight about ownership and maybe getting bored, I then can always investigate having a sunroof put in aftermarket. By then, there should be solid information available about the viability of having it done. Give me something to look forward to, room to expand.

I guess it was a stupid post, because I'm asking people to speculate as to the future of something. We can't really know the real world durability of the solar panels until they've been out in the real world for a while. Does anyone have a time machine? If you could just go forward 2-3 years and let me know if there are numerous threads on Prius Chat about cracked, defective solar panels? That's all I ask.

Those that do have them, or are getting them. Don't worry, my guess is Toyota must of subjected the panels to "real world" testing. Wish Toyota would share this information with us, but I've got to think they factored in for durability.

.....arrrgh....this is exactly how I talk myself back into the Solar Package....

 

I understand what you are saying. But I don't think it is exactly the same as windows, windshield and sunroof. First of all side windows just don't get the same exposure to the elements, they are somewhat protected by simple virtue that they are side windows on a vehicle that will usually be moving straight forward. 2ndly as far as windshield comparison, I think that actually makes my case for concern. It is not uncommon to suffer chips, dings, and even cracks in front windshields over time. Infact drive long enough and at least a ding or chip becomes almost inevitable.

The before mentioned Mercedes aside, Solar Panels in the roofs of automobiles are a relatively rare occurence. I don't think anyone can really predict the durability over time. From what I've seen (admittedly only in pictures and video) that solar panel is a large portion of the entire roof.(Bigger target than a Sunroof Alone) Plus it is on the roof, not the side or front or back. That exposes it to greater risk IMO from hail, coatings of Ice, snow or any falling object that might come from above.

Like I already said, and I believe, Toyota must of realized this, and you would think minimum durability standards would of been tested for and met. It might be that the solar panel is actually MORE durable then just your standard sheet metal roof. Plus it seems logical to me to believe the aerodynamic design of the Prius would actually be protective of the top of the roof as long as the Prius is moving. The airflow is going to blow right over the top of it, not against it to a degree, like with a front windshield.

But the truth is nobody knows for sure about long term durability because almost nobody has owned and driven one in the real world for more than a couple months. Unlike a front windshield, inwhich I can suffer a ding, or minor scratch and not really worry, or easily remedy through inexpensive repair and/or moderate cost total replacement. A ding or small crack in a Solar Panel could be very problematic. My uneducated guess is that water getting inside the panel would be very, very bad, therefore the slightest compromise would make me very nervous.

I'm NOT trying to put down the solar panel, or the sunroof. Infact again as I posted don't be too suprised if I end up rolling the dice and getting the solar package. I love a sunroof. But I do think there are some reasons for concern.

The perfect Prius to me would be a well equipped Prius V, with a sunroof. I'd be willing to go without the solar panel and the ventilation fan. Unfortunately at this time that is not an available option.

Plus how many times has a golf ball broken any of these parts? Well none so far, but I have driven my car and watched an errant golf ball land directly infront of me, and I've watched them bounce behind me in the rear view mirror. The Golf Course does it's best with trees and large screened fences but more often than you would think the golfer finds a way to launch a golf ball into the freedom of the surrounding suburbs. Plus as far as broken windows or Solar Panels go and "How many Times?" Once would be enough.