Windscreen Blowout
 

Yesterday I was taking advantage of the mid 70's and drove the Boxster on a few errands. Right before I got home I caught some movement in the review mirror and realized it was my passenger headrest windscreen!

I saw it hit the road, and of course when I went back two clips had broken when it hit. I can't believe on a 58k vehicle (1st owner paid that) the windscreen is cheap plastic!

Well I don't feel better but at least I got it out. My driver's clip that holds the middle screen was broken when I bought it so I'm just having wind stoppage issues!

Last summer I was doing about 70 on I-20, and I saw some movement in my rear view too. I reached back and caught the plexiglass windstop just as it freed itself, and just before it plunged to it's death.

Black ty-raps fix the plastic mesh inserts on each side from blowing out. I guess I could use duct tape on the windstop. :(

take the mesh inserts out and put extra padding on the bottom, so then they snap in they hold pretty good.

my friends got stolen 3 times, so now he superglued them in there, been like tht for a while. although if they break or something u got glue left over, but once you put new ones back there its fine. good solution in my book since these things are flimsy

A couple of strategically placed zip ties will keep it around. No rattles or chance of being blown out. :cheers:

Good idea.

My wife adjusted her seat back and as I was about to say . . . . . . . . .

You guessed, I also seen it in the rear view; and those cheap plastic parts are way over priced!

I'm using heavy duty double-sided tape on mine -- feels like glued solid. But I'm still afraid someone will steal the mid plexi piece -- thinking maybe drill & saftey-wire it to the rollbar. I dunno.

-- peer

I have tied down both headrest windscreens with a small length of fishing line. I've heard that they can blow out at speed.

Black SILICONE DID IT FOR ME. ;)

Well at least I know I'm not the only one! Great ideas if or when I part with the $$ for another one.

Still, it's strange....zip ties, fishing line, tape. I guess with the Porsche prestige I expected better quality, and I was only going about 45. I know, I've got to let it go. I did love the drive though.

Jack G, where abouts off of I-20 are you? I'm in Rock Hill.

Jeez, ive gone 100 top down no problem. I think that a bit of foam tape under the screen will help. And super glue for the middle piece.

Hi,

Foam Tape seems to be the best. In addition to adhering the piece, it offers the added advantage of wedging it in place to negate the aerodynamic forces and reduce rattles.

Unfortunately, crooks also see what these pieces go for on eBay, and so these pieces have now taken on the added dimension of being eBay booty.

If I left my car for extended periods of time unattended, such as a daily driver, I might be inclined to considering Pop Riveting them in place. That way, they'd be more aerodynamic proof as well as more theft resistant...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

WOW. I can't believe all these problems with the windstop and inserts. I've got 55,000 on the odo, done several DE's with both the side grates and the middle plexiglas section in place and had no problems. I can't believe fishing line (fishing line????????), two sided tape or super glue is the answer to the problem, although I suppose whatever works. These pieces don't appear to be THAT poorly designed. I guess I've been lucky and haven't had these problems.

Bob

When I first got my Box last year, I was coming home from work on the expressway ( I-90 for those of you here in Chicago ). I looked in the rear view mirror just in time to see the passenger side windscreen blow out :eek: ! Initially I was just going to head home then I thought, well, might as well go back and look for it. I got off at the next exit, got back on ( heading the other way ), got off and back on again heading the original direction, and sure enough I found it lying in the road, undamaged ! When I got home I looked up how much it would have cost to replace the part ( $110 each ) and I was glad I went back for it ! I placed small rubber pads at the contact points with the roll bar and now they seem to sit nice and snug...

Now if I could just get the windscreen to stop rattling :mad:

( I did place some weather stripping on the bottom which helps but it still rattles. )

Nick

I'm in Lexington, just outside of Columbia.

nick, i have the same problem.
i put some electrical tape (black one) on pretty much every moveable part of that little mechanism on both sides of the windscreen. it worked GREAT.
then i took it off for some stupid reason and now its noisy again, ill have to redo it, but that worked great if you dont take it off

Thanks, DJ, I'll give that a try...

Regards !

Nick

I've had my 986 ofor several months. Today I'm on the highway at 65 MPH when I hear a rattle noise and just in time see the passengers side is my center windshield shaking and grabed it before it took flight. I carefully fastened it, but it has a little wind rattle and makes me nervous.

Any new ideas out there to secure this thing neatly?

Bob

Well that was your mistake, right there. ;)

I am personally in favor of non-permanent solutions. The windscreens really suck to have in while you have the top up, or a hardtop on.

I zip-tie the mesh inserts, and have been thinking about drilling a small hole in the windscreen, and zip-tying it to keep it as-well. This way they can be removed when you put a hardtop on. Having them out greatly greatly increases your rearward vision, and on the average day I leave the mesh inserts out because they don't do anything and block your vision.
Just my opinion! :cheers:

Windscreens
 

I think the zip ties are an excellent solution, however I was concerned with the potential wear on the rollbar paint by any movement of same. My solution was to go to a shoe repair and get a black rawhide boot lace. Put through the windscreen and around the rollbar ... tied off and cut the excess. Tucked the knot under so as not to show. This may not be elegant, but works and shows no damage to the paint in over a year.

I find the same to be true. Before picking up my Boxster, I was used to driving my father's 996, which provides a very open feel due to the rear seats and the lack of roll hoops. Being in the Boxster with the mesh installed felt less "airy", and also made it more difficult to see. With just the centre plexi windscreen in place, there isn't much turbulence in the cabin, and it feels more open.

I like your shoe lace idea or just take the shoe lace and run the zip tie through the exterior tubing of the lace. That way there secured very well and won't scratch anything. :cheers:

I'll likely use the black zip ties since my roll bar is black. Will they slide under the plastic trim on the front of the roll bar so as to nearly be invisible???

I am not sure, I have never tried that. But they probably would. :D

For the center plexiglass, I used a small piece of the fuzzy side of velcro, and wedged it where the small brackets hold the windscreen to roll bars.
It stopped all rattling and I've been very happy with it.

I"ve found the best thing that helps is the rubberized electrical tape. Not the thin "standard" stuff but the thick, stretchy, rubberized stuff. Its black, so it blends in and is quite thick. I put a few pieces on all 3 corners of each rollbar insert, nice and tight and no rattles. As for the center windstop, you can replace the clips for about $2 each at your dealer which makes for a MUCH tighter fit, especially for those of you who have 10 year old cars. If that's not enough, put a small piece of the tape between the piece rollbar mount and where the clip locks to tighten up the fit. Mine are completely silent and I do not worry at all about mine blowing out.

Patrick

There is (finally) a TSB on the 987's center windstop. For the sides, has anyone tried these? (a site sponsor)

There's a ton of opinions on one of the forums about this product. Think about:
1. If Porsche wanted to make thesethings solid they could have easily...but they didn't.
2. These are likely to turn your windscreens into easily launches. They're know for falling out even with the perforations!
3. $77 for a lexan cut out and a bolt???

OK.... did it just now. Drilled two 3/16 holes in the bottom frame of the center windstop and snaked zipties around the rollbar. Also added a smaller ziptie around each outside edge around the rollbar.

The ties on the center piece also lean a bit on the plastic frame giving it a tightening effect as well. Now I will not have to worry at over 130mph... ;) . Won't be makin' any Porsche litter on the highway now.

Regarding security, unless someone has a knife or snips plus a little "stand there" time, they can't just grab parts and run.

You judge the photos.

Good to get all the forum ideas...

Bob

^ That's the best way to do it. :cheers:

I agree with you, btw...!

I've done 135 with the top down and the windstop or screens never come loose on my 118k mile boxster.

I did add alot of plush circles to the contact points/plastic tabs to quiet everything up and that is also making them more snug.