So How's the Solar Ventilation Working Out?

Now that folk's have been driving around with the solar-powered ventilation system and remote a/c for a few weeks, I was wondering how they are working out? Does it make a noticeable difference? I'm sure it does...but I'm looking for actual reports from those in the know.

Thanks!
Bryan

I'm also curious, anyone?

Solar owner for two weeks now - Blue Ribbon paint (really nice, but shows the dust) - Tinted windows (so cool, looking that is).

Several 90-95F days. Car parked in the afternoon sun before leaving work. When my other cars were insanely hot, my Prius is not. Pop the sun roof - turn on the AC - and I am cooled down before the engine has warmed up. I don't use the remote AC option as of yet - want to save my TB for driving. Using those thin origami type window shades for now - heatsheild shade on the way. Interior trim and items kept in car (laptop, games, CD's...) are better off for it. Small leaves from trees wedge all around the outside of the sun roof and solar panel(s). A pain to remove (vacuum worked). I don't park under trees to much anymore (at least the ones with leaves).

Worth 3K w. sun roof? I don't know. Price will most likely drop in the future, but for now an expensive option, perhaps as AC or CC were in their day. If it wasn't for the hot summer months, this option would not even have been considered.

Dealer had both the IV and the V - I test drove both for 10+ miles. Liked the Blue over the White (had to many white cars in the past). Hardly ever parallel park (once in the last five years I think). Don't use cruse control - bad for FE. Wanted leather seats and the backup camera is nice (getting better at using it).

I could go on....hope this helped some.

Where are the vents located exactly? Are they clearly visible?
Does the ventilation system make any noise when it's on?
How many fans are there and does the speed vary?
Anyone?

How does this system compare to those little solar fans you can pop on the inside of the window lip?

The intake vent is just below the front windshield on the passenger side. You can hear the fan running if you bend over and place your ear near this vent -- otherwise it's pretty silent. The vent blows air out through the dash vents. You can feel the air moving when you get into the car. The vent runs until you press the power button. As far as I can tell, it's only one fan, but I'm not sure about that. I suspect the speed only varies if the power from the panel changes. Again, I'm guessing based upon what I've witnessed.

There is NO comparison to the cheapo window vents. On a 90ish day is when I can tell the biggest difference. If the car was bottled up, the temp inside would be unbearably hot. This system is blowing considerable cfm out of the dash vents so they don't have residual heat built up either. If the car has been sitting on a black asphalt parking lot, the air is still going to be very hot, but it is still a lot less than if the air in the car was dead. It doesn't take the AC as long to bring the temp down.

You can hear the vents when they open up for the solar ventilation. Also I now never park under trees. In the past I would park under trees so the inside would not get so hot. The downside was tree sap on the exterior of the cat. Now I do not park in the shade and the inside temp of the car is not bad at all. Also I can feel the air moving inside when the blower is working.

Those sun powered solar fans that you pop on the window are CRAP! My friend bought one of those and he says the effect is ZERO, no cooling down whatsoever!

The solar ventilation is a "cool" idea, but right now, given the cost of the option and the lack of efficiency in the time of the day when we most need it (i.e. at 5-6PM after work), I'm glad I did not spend money on it. Remote A/Cs are actually relatively cheap after-market options in most cars with automatic A/Cs. I got it for my Odyssey and it works absolutely great.

I suspect Toyota will drop the price considerably for the solar ventilation in Gen 4 or, perhaps, drop the option entirely. Not many people will invest on it at the current price.

Hi All,

For those not in a super-hot-all-the-time location, like the midwest (where it was above 90 F and up to 105 F THI last week) I have an idea. I park with my car pointed north at home (been on vacaition the last week). I took a piece of Reflectix (tm) and layed it across the hatch window, and folded the edges down in the gap between the hatch and the body. To keep it in place, I notched the bottom so it fit around the wiper drive, and taped on another piece of Reflectix over the wipper arm (using high quality outdoor duct tape). With the windows cracked slightly, the car stayed supprising cool. This works because the Reflectix is on the outside of the car. What we need is an exterior cockpit cover made from this stuff that secures with magnets. Can't use magnets on the rear hatch, as its alumimum. Possibly, they would work on the edges where the steel body is.

And one last comment, had to sleep under a blanket last night. It was 55 F! Ah, the joys of midwest weather!

Hi Indy...,

Toyota will do a $2K + option sale next summer on the Gen III. This is their history. But, they wont drop the options prices now, they are out to pay off their tooling charges.

Cool, is that right? And how big are the discounts offered? Do you know?

Don't you love it? It was cool in Indy too last night.. the whole week is supposed to be great!

living in the Pacific Northwest, in summer we get a lot of sun in summer but not at good angle but even in mild sunny weather, the interior can really heat up. one day, i walked out to make a few calls in my car, got in and it was like the AC was running, OAT was low 60's but full sun and interior of the car was probably approaching 90º had a very nice cool breeze!!

same vents as the regular AC and heater are used. you will hear them running and the speed does vary depending on the amount of sun. i sat out in my car last week at 9:15 pm. sunset was 9.55 so angle of sun was VERY severe. timed the cycle times

on time off time in seconds
12 22
15 21
11 25
16 22
9 21
13 22

speed was probably on the next to lowest setting

since this requires a window to be open on both ends and the air flow is not vented which greatly reduces the movement of the air, i would venture to say that the Pri option is probably much better

Facinating statisic! You washintonians need to get a life!

actually its the 19 hours of daylight at this time of year that cranks up the vitamin D in the system causing erratic behaviors. now keep in mind, that for 8 months of the year, its dark (vampires love it here... have you seen that Movie??...oh, nm, sun getting to me!!) nearly 24/7 either for lack of sunshine or impenetrable fog making our systems VERY sensitive to Vitamin D production

I think the best solution to interior heat buildup is a breathable car cover and open windows. It does require a bit of effort to use though.

I just wanted to add my two cents. I wasn't sure about the solar option when I got the car, but been using it more and more as its finally warmed up around here. It really does work. You get in and the car is the same temp as outside and it cools down nicely with the AC. Haven't tried the remote AC yet, because it hasn't gotten over 100 yet. But I was pleasantly surprised that it worked so well.

Hi Indy,

That is conjecture, and it assumes that gas prices stay low, and they did not spend too much on that ad campaign.

In the summer of 2007 they did a 2000 dollar off on options sale. Mostly that was with regards to the Navigation and stability. The Navigation is horendously overpriced, like in most cars. Its hard to say if the stability, and the other new neat stuff is though.