how do I clean the rear plastic window

[Johninfortworth]

Hi All,
I'm new to the site and I hate for my first contribution to be about this but I'm having a terrible time cleaning the rear plastic window of my boxster. For some reason, a lot of gunk and muck has accumulated on the insider the rear plastic window. To add insult, I can't remove the plexiglass windscreen to get to it. Any ideas on how to clean it? Can car detailers do this sort of thing? Any help would be massively appreciated!

Thanks,
John

Use Plexus Plastic Polish to clean your rear plastic window.

[Brucelee]

Yes, Plexus is the real deal!

[Johninfortworth]

thanks Gentlemen, where would i buy this?

a great site for car care info/supplies (Plexus) is autopia.org.

[deliriousga]

Plexus for regular maintenance, and Renovo to clear out fog or light scratches if you get them.

[RandallNeighbour]

Why can't you remove your clear windscreen? that makes cleaning the rear window a lot easier!

[slogans7]

I haven't found it available at retailers.

http://www.renovousa.com/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=2

[Johninfortworth]

The plastic windscreen seems to be stuck in there pretty well. There's a little lever holding it in that won't budge no matter how many swear words I send in its direction. Any suggestions?

[PorscheGirl]

I use Plexus too. Works great!

[98Boxster98]

Hi John - what model year is your Boxster?

On my '98 Boxster, there are two rectangular black clips with tabs located on trunkside of the plexiglass windstop, one on the passenger side rollbar hoop, one on the driver side rollbar hoop. To access them it helps to have the convertible top in the service position or fully open. The tab portion of the clip is located on the bottom side of the clip. From the cabin side of windstop, hands over the top of the windstop, gently (I repeat, gently) lift the tabs on each clip. The tabs are not suppose to remove from the clips. You want to apply just enough pressure to overcome the spring force of the tab to just lift the tab from its spring rest (locking) position. Now, while lifting the tabs of the clips, rotate the top of the wind deflector towards the back of the Boxster (gently push the top of the windstop away from you. The bottom of windstop will not move very much.) Once the windstop becomes free of clip locks, lift the windstop from a fixed bottom tab located on the rollbar, bottomside of the windstop.

To replace the windstop, with the top of the windstop slightly rotated towards the back of the Boxster, place the windstop on the fixed tab on the rollbar bottom. Rotate the top of the windstop towards the rollbar clips until it locks back into place. You may hear audible clicks when the windstop locks in place. Sometimes it helps to lift the tabs while installing the windstop. Check the installation by pressing on the windstop towards the back of the Boxster at the all the tab positions (clipped and fixed) to ensure the windstop is properly fastened. You don't want to lose it while you're hauling down the highway.

I believe that the remove/install instructions are in the owner's manual.

[Johninfortworth]

I have the 97 year model. I ordered plexus and renovo. Hopefully those will work. I also appreciate the tips on removing the windscreen.

[steven]

On my old convertible the plastic window would go white with age. I would use 3m Clear Plastic Restorer and then 3m Clear Plastic Cleaner and Polisher to revive the plastic. After a good working the plastic would be clear once again and good as new. It would also remove scratches (with enough applications and work). If the platic window is going white us must use this product to cut into the corrosion. After some applications you can revert back to using plexus to clean it.

The 3m products are expensive and part of the marine range and will work on soft and hard plastics (I used to also use them on the screen of my motorbike to get out all the little scratches)

Hope this helps.

[gharari]

info on 3M product:

http://products3.3m.com/catalog/us/en001/auto_marine_aero/aerospace/node_GSY0NNTNBPbe/root_GST1T4S9TCgv/vroot_GSNNJ6NQDKge/gvel_GS6JD8L4YSgl/theme_us_aerospace_3_0/command_AbcPageHandler/output_html

[valcax]

where to buy plexus and renovo?

[Brucelee]

Try autotopia.

I have never found these products in stores, only online.

[blinkwatt]

Plexus can be bought through Suncoast website. I highly recommend it to clean any plastic. http://e-partssales.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?

[PCrawford]

Originally Posted by bmussatti

a great site for car care info/supplies (Plexus) is autopia.org.

I checked the autopia.org website and they no longer carry Renovo products. Are you aware of any other places/websites where I can purchase it?

[mikefocke]

Rear Window

We have all seen discolored rear windows on convertibles. They don't have to age like that. Mine is 5 years old and looks like new but it wasn't like that 2 years ago when I bought the car. It was discolored and cloudy. And the surface was rough

Novus makes a series of products designed to deal with the problem (if you already have it) and to prevent it in the future. The Novus 1, 2 and 3 products consist of bottles of plastic cleaners in decreasing levels of abrasiveness. The three products are sold in a kit with several microfibre polishing cloths for about $25.

If the top is new, only use #1. But if the top is already discolored, you start with the most abrasive cleaner, Novus #3, and a clean rag (I use a cotton washcloth) and you rub it on the surface as if you are polishing the window. Do the outside of the window first, then do the inside. Keep it off the top (but if it gets on, just wipe it off quickly). Let it sit for a while. And then take another clean rag and polish it off. Then do the same using the mildly abrasive #2. And finish up with the non-abrasive #1 which is more of a polish than a cleaner. You should only have to do this once.

In addition to cleaning and polishing the surface of the window, these products seem to put some sort of oil into the plastic that allows them to increase their flexibility and thus resistance to cracking.

For maintenance, I use Novus #1 about once or twice a year, though in truth my car doesn't sit out in the elements much with the top up. I drive mine pretty much only when the weather is nice enough for top down driving. And a have a garage.

If your rear window tears, find a shop that does convertible shops and marine upholstery and have them sew in a new window. No need to replace the entire top (but if you do, consider one of the glass window replacement tops now on the market, a brand name is GAHH).

[pomerlo]

I also obtained very nice results with Novus. For me #2 and #1 were sufficient to bring a foggy faded plastic window to nearly clear as real glass.

Good luck