Hello Steve.
While trying not to sound to pessimistic (out of respect for our host) the best advice I can give you is to, shop around!
Renewable Energies (RE) is a sellers market, as opposed to a buyers market (unless one happens to be "filthy stinkin rich") and where Photovoltaics are concerned its all premium priced and (to use the expression loosely) a freeforall. Its maddening. Here are a couple of sites that show the very wide swings out there.
http://www.pool-heat.com/pv/pvlist/pvsolarex/pvsolarex.htmLook particularly at the Solarex MSX 77. This PV module is no longer in production. Solarex was a subsudairy of the American Oil Company (AMOCO) which, as you may know, sold out to British Petroleum (BP) which also produces PV modules.
The MSX 77's are very similar to the following PV modules.
Except for the price and warranty.
http://store.altenergystore.com/Solar-Panels/51-to-99-Watt-Solar-Panels/Power-Up-BSP60-12-60-Watt-Solar-Panel/p3995/In all my "shopping around" things of this nature, where as this is one of many extremes, are a commonplace occurrence.
The PV market is just another one of many markets in the world today that cater to those that can afford very large quantities of there product. Please do not let the PV industries banner of saving the planet Earth from certain doom be your only decision when buying into solar. They, just like the rest of us, have belly buttons too.
Pity about Earth.