Solar roof

Ok, I'll admit it. If I had to do it over again, I would get at least the model 3 w/ the solar roof as I luv the look as well as the function & that's the 1 option that I regret not having. Funny thing is I always had a moonroof in all my cars including a current Lexus I have. But I just bought this car for the mileage initially. Who knew I would love this car & have so much fun with it.

 

I'm a big sunroof devotee, too, so when my 2006 Prius reached 100k miles and began making noises in the engine compartment (it sounded like a fan blade hitting a shroud but maybe the inverter?), I traded for a 2010 III with the solar package.

I didn't much like having it bundled with the expensive Nav (I'd never really gave Nav much thought and just used maps). Frankly, even though I now use the Nav regularly, I still might have passed on it since Toyota gouges so badly for it (and, from what I've read, Toyota's Nav system is weak in comparison to virtually any other Nav system, OEM or not).

Even so, the Prius' solar package seems to be one of the lowest priced ways to get an OEM, solar-powered, passive cooling fan (the others all seem to be high-end marques like BMW, Benz, etc.). One of the first things I checked out on the latest new model Toyota/Lexus hybrids is what type of sunroof they have. I was quite disappointed to see that neither the V or Lexus CT250h have solar sunroofs (they're just a standard, non-solar sunroof the same as anyone else).


Honestly, I'd like to hear of someone that got the Solar Package, didn't care for it, and the reason(s). So far, I haven't heard of anyone. The only negative I can think of are it would have been nice if the solar sunroof:

1. Was larger.
2. Had the control switch on the lower console (this is the nice thing about the Lexus CT250h sunroof) rather than the headliner.

I'm also not crazy about the way the roof panel doesn't slide back into the roof but understand the difficulty (probably impossible) with engineering such an arrangement with the solar panels being located in that spot.

 

Since I have a Prius Five, the solar vent was not an option. Does anyone have an idea what it would cost to install that in a Prius that doesn't have one? The parts must be available, if you wrecked one and had to have it replaced, the parts must be there. You can have an after market moon roof installed and with a better warranty than from Toyota, so the solar panels must be installable.

I'm really not interested in the moon roof, unless it's necessary for the vent to work, but I am interested in the solar vent.

 

i miss the warm weather so i can need to use it... Hopefully next week...

 

I have a five - so no roof ........... I like sunroofs ...... but the Toyota roof is way overpriced for the cost of the Prius .. and it does not open enough.

If the solar panel was able to provide enough power to really accomplish something then maybe the cost could be justified ....


But I certainly understand wanting the roof .. and paying for it. I would have checked the box that gave me a glass panel and a better front seat for $750.00 .. if available.

 

Living in areas with 110+ degree summer heat makes the $1,500 for the solar roof and navigation package totally worth it IMO.

 

Coincidentally, there's another thread where someone couldn't get their low-mileage 3G Prius to start due to inactivity, causing the battery to die. Given that most of today's vehicles (not just high-tech hybrids) require a constant trickle of electricity to keep the electronic systems functioning, even while parked, it would seem that developing a passive, solar charging system into the existing solar package would be a no-brainer.

 

:redface:

 

I had no idea that the solar panel doesn't add to the battery's charge. You would think that they would engineer a solution where the panel was sending charge somewhere if your vent system was off. Seems stupid to have a solar panel doing nothing on a bright, sunny day.

 

I have the Prius IV, with the roof package. On a different note, I had my car in for the 30K today, and they were trying to push a lot of stuff down my throat. I'm changing the cabin air filter myself, but they said "we recommend a sanitization of the air vent system, since moisture and dirt in their can create mold and bacterial growth". Okay, here's the question. Since I have the solar package, park outdoors, and leave the solar on during the summer, wouldn't all that air flow through the system dry it out? Or is having the solar system running, going to make things worse. Just curious how this impacts air quality in the ducts, and/or the cabin. Love the Prius. No problems whatsoever, except an initial navigation click problem, that was fixed. V84Runner still gets 14mpg, Prius still gets 50mpg:

 

On the four package the roof and the NAV being two different packages added 4k to the price ....not just $1500

I wanted the leather/ bluetooth/ JBL - and I though the backup camera a good idea ...so I had to get the NAV. I only went with the Five because I got a good deal on it and I though the wheels/tires and lights worth the price that I paid ... $800.00 extra.

Considering the design of the car -- I wonder if the sunroof was originally planed ....... It does require a lot to make it work and the V and new C -- have conventional designs ....... maybe they thought that the roof would not be popular or the extra weight in the original design restricted it.

 

In addition to the added cost of developing/engineering the solar package for the other Priuses, I suspect the answer to Toyota not offering a solar sunroof for the c or v has more to do with marketing than anything else, i.e., the c is positioned below the 'regular' Prius so a more expensive, high-tech sunroof probably wouldn't sell too well.

Likewise, the v is on the other end of the spectrum and being as it's already rather pricey to begin with, tacking on the extra cost of a solar sunroof would also find few buyers.

Or it could simply be that Toyota is calculating that those buyers going for a c or v could quite easily be first-timers to the Prius 'family' and are enthralled with just the basic Prius experience, where many who are buying the regular 3G Prius have already had an earlier 1G or 2G version and want some more techno-toys to play with. I must confess that the solar sunroof was a big reason behind trading in my 2006 Prius. If there hadn't been an OEM sunroof (solar or not) on the 3G, it's highly unlikely I would have traded. And I really miss 3-door SKS.

So the regular Prius gets the solar package, while the c and v do not.

 

There was an issue with the Gen-2 Prius, where mold would grow in the a/c system, under certain circumstances. This hasn't been a big problem on the Gen-3, but it's good practice to turn your a/c off a couple minutes before powering down, on humid days. Save your money.

 

[*]Had the control switch on the lower console (this is the nice thing about the Lexus CT250h sunroof) rather than the headliner.

Actually I believe the sun roof switches for the CT are on the headliner. The switches on the console labeled open and tilt control the nav screen.

 

Those cheeky bastards.

Thanks for the correction. Another reason 'not' to get the Lexus over the Toyota.

 

Wow, now there's a project that would require some major work. Install just the solar panel without the moonroof? Your metal roof is the "pagoda" roof with ridges running down the middle, but the solar panel is a smooth curve. Even if you cut the sheet metal, you probably won't get a nice smooth transition from the metal roof up front to the solar panel in the back. Then, there's all the wiring, going down into the dash. The climate control system has to know to switch the vent mode during solar venting (the vents switch to the dash outlet, even if you left the system in heat or defrost mode). And, the ventilation system has some "smarts" to only start up when needed (it won't run until the car has been parked a few minutes), and the system reverts to the normal climate control system when the car is on. Then, there's the ventilation fan. The solar model has a long-life ball bearing fan motor, so it can stand up to long hours. I expect you'd have a hard time getting all the electrical stuff to work. Then, the solar roof also comes with other extras, like the remote A/C. Who knows if the solar roof can be made to work without this (or if can this be added - then you need a key fob with the A/C button). This is for my 2010, I notice newer models have more differences, the 3 and 4 have different features now.

I do not expect adding the solar roof and making it work like stock would be easy.

 

I've read this was the original intention, but the solar roof caused interference in the radio. I would think Toyota's engineers could have come up with a way to prevent that

I've wondered if it's possible to modify the solar roof to charge the battery. Keeping the 12V charged would be much easier than charging the HV, but on a car that's driven regularly, the 12V should normally be fully charged when first parked, so such a system would be of limited use. I've kind of concluded it's probably not worth the trouble. But, after my warranty runs out, maybe I'll take a closer look into the necessary modifications. Such a system might help keep an older 12V battery going a bit longer, and could give some peace of mind if I ever leave the car parked for weeks.