I would appreciate if anyone that has the solar package to give me your input on this feature. I am lying down a big chunk of change and I would like to know both the negatives and positives. I live in central Texas, so if the solar roof works half as good as I have been reading in articles I will be very pleased.
I live in Northern Florida I picked my car up in September just as the real heat was waining. However, I found it seemed to help keep the temperature down inside the car to ambient. I have been told to really help it work in the heat you should put a sun shield inside the windshield when you leave the car. I plan on doing that next year Good luck with your new car, I'm sure you will like it. What color did you get?
I just picked up my IV with solar on Monday down here in San Antonio. Obviously it hasn't been long enough or warm enough to test, but it looks sweet. The moon roof is awesome. Everything I have read suggests the cooling can be dramatic. Between the solar roof, remote AC (which is standard on the IV), sun shade, Sandy Beach color, and tinted windows, I should be much cooler than my old black non-tinted Honda Civic (once measured 180 F inside on a hot day.....ouch). It may not quite cool to ambient, but I'll settle for only 10-20 degrees over in direct sun. BTW, if you are considering an extended warranty bring along the price quote from Warranty Shack mentioned in other threads. After the dealers first pitch I quoted the price I could get from warranty shack. After he picked his jaw up off the floor he talked to a supervisor then came back with a better deal. Their warranty was still more than I would pay with Warranty shack, but they significantly dropped the financing interest rate ultimately making the deal a no-brainer. Good luck and enjoy!
Solar air circulation is GREAT. I got mine 7-24-09 and had plenty of 100 degree days to verify that coming out of Home Depot after an hour, it was comfortable and easy to cool it down with A/C. Throw in the nice moonroof and it's worth the cost.:rockon:
I love it, and living in the Az. heat, it worked great in the tail-end of summer when I got it. Overall, it's another great bit of technology in a technology-laden car. Isn't that a major factor why we bought and love our Prius'? I highly recommend it! :rockon:
Works well in Canada. Plus I love moonroofs so it's a bonus for me. Lastly, it's a great conversation starter.
I think it works about 1/2 as good as you've been reading, so I think you'll be happy. From what I've read mostly from this site, it does a pretty good job keeping your car at/near ambient surrounding tempatures. But it also seems the panels are not affective once the sun get's low in the sky and/or in mixed cloudy conditions. I'd imagine a Solar Roof in Texas would have a larger "window" of utility than say in my case, a Solar Roof in Oregon. But I think you have to look at the whole thing as what it is, a package. You get The Solar Panel and the ventilation, which I think "works" but not perfectly in all locations at all times. But also you get the sunroof itself, and the remote start air-conditioning. Taken as a whole? Well it still has to be worth it to you personally. If I'm looking at those 3 benefits, I feel better about the cost.
These threads might help. http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...114-2010-solar-roof-temperature-report-5.html http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...-please-share-your-solar-roof-experience.html http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii-2010-prius-main-forum/67598-solar-roof-does-work.html Too bad the package is so pricey.
