Wipers not required? - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

particlewave · 08-31-2012, 09:10 PM

Am I the only one that finds the wipers to be just an annoyance at 50+mph? The water beads off so perfectly that I do not need them in the slightest. I thought that maybe the po had used some rain repellent product, but I've owned the car for over a year now and probably washed it 100 times...figured any product would have worn off by now. Could it be the aerodynamics and slope of the windshield? Am I crazy?

nnewell · 09-01-2012, 05:09 AM

I use Rain-X , doesn't work well around town but on the highways it's great.
At 50 + MPH I never use the wipers plus bugs don't stick to the glass as much.
I also use it on the headlights.

littlejohno43 · 09-01-2012, 05:20 AM

Certain car shampoos work towards this fast detailer spray does it as well as I found when using a clay bar

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

shadowprincess25 · 09-01-2012, 06:13 AM

I found the same thing but mostly hated using the wipers because they sucked. I just got some Bosch fancy pants ones and they don't look they will fall apart when swinging over the window. I thought it was a my coat of Rain-X but my previous cars never did that quite as well.

Car just sheds water.

Auf los! · 09-01-2012, 10:32 AM

Interesting thread, I have been meaning to post about this myself. For the last month I have been using spray detailer (Mother's Showtime) on the windshield and side glass, and I am very happy with how rain flies off, but especially with how bugs don't stick as well.

I find using detailer on glass kinda counter-intuitive, and was sure that I would be looking through a haze, but if you buff it off well, there is no haze at all. I think it is a LOT easier to apply than Rain-X.

As far as wiper blades go, I replace them with the OEM every two summers, and for the first summer they are marvelous, the second summer merely very, very good. I live in a pretty congested area, and never get to drive faster than about 90mph.

What I'd really like to have is a suggestion for what to use to make droplets fly off my 2001's rear plastic window. The rear window must be in the "shadow" of the wind, and I swear that I can start a half-hour highway drive with a wet window and the same droplets are still there at the end of the drive!

RandallNeighbour · 09-01-2012, 01:38 PM

Rear window water droplets... they're stuck on my 97 like glue as well. It's the aerodynamics of the car I think. I use Plexus on the plastic and a fresh application does help. Stuff's expensive though.

shadowprincess25 · 09-01-2012, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Auf los!

and never get to drive faster than about 90mph.

I'm sorry haha, I got her up to 116 and was going so fast past one of those 2 digit "your speed is" meters it said 02, I was slowing down because the road was really, um at those speeds, unstable haha.

jotoole · 09-02-2012, 02:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by particlewave

Am I the only one that finds the wipers to be just an annoyance at 50+mph? The water beads off so perfectly that I do not need them in the slightest. I thought that maybe the po had used some rain repellent product, but I've owned the car for over a year now and probably washed it 100 times...figured any product would have worn off by now. Could it be the aerodynamics and slope of the windshield? Am I crazy?

Washed it 100 times in just over a year?
Yep, you are crazy.
I'm not aware of a product that will last that long. But for years I've been using RAIN-X windshield washer fluid in all my cars. I find the water just beads right off at 40 mph & above. I often turn off the wipers at that point.

particlewave · 09-02-2012, 06:22 AM

Ok, maybe more like 50...about once per week

I may be obsessed.

I hadn't considered the washer fluid: that's probably what's going on here.

blue2000s · 09-02-2012, 07:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shadowprincess25

I just got some Bosch fancy pants ones and they don't look they will fall apart when swinging over the window.

The 991 and 981 have switched to the Bosch Icon beam-style wipers like the ones you're probably talking about.

Beelzy · 09-02-2012, 08:28 AM

No it's not you, it's the awesome aerodynamics the Boxster design has.

I have notice that rain just peels up and off the windshield at decent speeds, and
one can drive the car top down in the rain and the interior stays dry!

Skrapmot · 09-02-2012, 08:50 AM

I use Meguires spray detailer pretty regularly and water runs off really well, plus it smells fruity.

jb92563 · 09-02-2012, 03:21 PM

Yep, I noticed the same thing for the first time in rain since May in CA.

The rain just seems to fly off the windshield at speed due to the aerodynamics....cool

Its great to know that with the top down you can just keep going in the rain and not get wet....nice.

I doubt its any kind of window coating doing it on mine, just aerodynamics.

jb92563 · 09-02-2012, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skrapmot

I use Meguires spray detailer pretty regularly and water runs off really well, plus it smells fruity.

Hmmmm, fruity? I though that was because it was a hair dressers car and came with that smell from the factory

Skrapmot · 09-02-2012, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jb92563

Hmmmm, fruity? I though that was because it was a hair dressers car and came with that smell from the factory

OK, for a more manly description....

The Boxster is the Chuck Norris of sports cars....it doesn't rain on Boxsters, the rain gets Boxsterd.

Beelzy · 09-04-2012, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skrapmot

OK, for a more manly description....

The Boxster is the Chuck Norris of sports cars....it doesn't rain on Boxsters, the rain gets Boxsterd.

That's sig material right there!

particlewave · 09-04-2012, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shadowprincess25

I'm sorry haha, I got her up to 116 and was going so fast past one of those 2 digit "your speed is" meters it said 02, I was slowing down because the road was really, um at those speeds, unstable haha.

I hit 124 last month on a 4 lane interstate in KC(was 2am and no other cars on the road). She felt absolutely planted to the pavement! Was like riding on rails

milliemax · 09-04-2012, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by particlewave

I hit 124 last month on a 4 lane interstate in KC(was 2am and no other cars on the road). She felt absolutely planted to the pavement! Was like riding on rails

Please slow down and drive safe !!! You need to study !!! If you were to get arrested, we would run out of great, needed engineers.

particlewave · 09-04-2012, 03:10 PM

Haha! Yeah, I don't do that very often. Had to try it once

I'm too in love with my car to push the limits much. I usually drive it like grandma

Only week two of school and already loaded down with homework!!!

Bmod986 · 09-04-2012, 03:13 PM

Im pretty sure I said this before but go to costco and pick up the $8 good year wipers. They are very good and fancy as well fit the car beautifully. Now about the need for wipers over 50mph I use them. Mainly because I have a very swirled windshield and the water does not beed off. So I might go buy some of this rain x you guys are talking about.