Cleaning rear window - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

JT · 05-21-2002, 05:59 AM

Once your rear window starts to fog is it too late for salvation ? Can it be replaced without the need for a new top ? I hear these are very expensive and don't last very long. Someone needs to com up with a glass retrofit for these vehicles.

JSLeach · 05-24-2002, 05:57 AM

The rear window probably is not lost; you'll just need to get a few products and become a contortionist. Porsche has a rear window cleanser/polish, Meguirer's #18 is a good place to start, and Griot'sGarage markets plastic cleaner and polish which I've used with good success. A lot of folks swear by Plexus, but I never got the hang of it, without getting a lot of streaking.

If you have a windscreen between the roll bar hoops, it'll have to come out, and some people push out the black plastic "filler" screens in the hoops, as well, to get to the inside of the window. Lots of elbow grease, clean COTTON polishing cloths, and probably a massage for your back afterwards, should do the trick.

BTW, the Boxster has two trunks and one of it's initial marketing ploys was the speed of operation and compactness of the cabriolet top; these features necessitated a plastic window at the time. I've heard there is a glass window coming, but the overall area is sharply reduce. With the top up, there are considerable blind spots already -- I hesitate to think how much visibilty will be reduced with a glass window of smaller area.

John

Grantlax · 06-02-2002, 10:04 PM

Located in spare tire cover works great for me. Found a site that sells several other products:

http://www.properautocare.com/besprodforma.html

mjbliemel · 06-09-2002, 05:59 AM

My rear window is in fairly decent shape. I have been trying to find Plexus locally with no luck. Might have to try a mototcycle dealer, the people at Plexus told me to try someplace like that. Anyway, this post is mainly just to test my pic file and see if it shows up now.

ehljags · 06-23-2002, 09:27 AM

Plexus works great. I have been using it for about 10 months -- On my second can. You can buy it at Autofanatics.com. I also believe Performance Products has it too.
Ed

mjbliemel · 06-23-2002, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ehljags
Plexus works great. I have been using it for about 10 months -- On my second can. You can buy it at Autofanatics.com. I also believe Performance Products has it too.
Ed

I also heard that you can find it at some Home Depot stores. So lately I have checked for it in the several Home Depots I have been in.

Yesterday, while looking for a replacement garage door remote, I found it at the local Home Depot store. It is usually located where they sell the Plexiglass sheets.

mjbliemel · 06-23-2002, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ehljags
Plexus works great.

I tried it for the first time this morning. Rinsed the window first with water and a sponge, then dried with a clean cotton cloth.

Then I sprayed on the Plexus, wiped it with a clean cotton cloth, then buffed with a clean cotton cloth.

I have streaking. What can I do to get rid of that? Any tips on the best way to work with Plexus other than what they say on the can?

TIA

ehljags · 06-23-2002, 05:26 PM

My technique for use of Plexus is similar to the can's instructions, with a some minor iterations:

1) Do not spray it on the window. Spray a significant amount (near saturation) on to a terry cloth (old cotton towel, washed without fabric softeners or dryer-sheets (very important for any car-detail work)!!).

2) Wipe in a circular motion, working product into window with presure. Use enouth pressure to actually move the window: You should be able to "feel" its pressure-handling ability.

3) Finish by buffing out with a clean, dry (no water is very important as Plesus is not water soluble) cotton terry cloth (pre-cleaned as above -- i.e., no fabric softener or dryer-sheet).

Streeks should be gone. If not, you might have some previous scratches. These can be removed with more rigorous plastic cleaners.

let me know how it works...
Ed

mjbliemel · 06-23-2002, 07:46 PM

Thanks for the detailed instructions. That is of course quite a bit more than they tell you on the can. I will have to give it a try using your method. Thanks again, very helpful!

M.

JT · 07-15-2002, 06:17 PM

Ok,

I cleaned the window using the product that came with the car. Advise. Don't get it on the black top !!

Anyway, my window feels a little rough in some places. almost like sandpaper. however it looks fine. Does anyone have the same problem ?

ehljags · 07-15-2002, 06:49 PM

JT,

I have also used the Porsche cleaner. Actually, I believe it is a "polish" and is designed to remore scratches, etc. It does feel somewhat course.

Order a can of Plexus and you will be amazed -- the stuff works great!

P.S. -- save the Porsche product for scratches, etc..
Good luck!
Ed

mjbliemel · 07-16-2002, 04:07 AM

Definitely get thee some Plexus. Truly amazing stuff. My rear window was really hazy and not looking very good at all. I had been looking for Plexus locally to no avail. Finally found it at a Home Depot right down the road from my home, though I had to visit a few Home Depots in the process. My first attempt at using it was a bust, I ended up with it in worse shape than before I applied it. Thanks to our fellow poster, Ed (ehljags), with his detailed instructions on the PROPER way to use Plexus, I gave it another shot and now my window is beautiful again! If Home Depot has it you will find it where they sell Plexiglass.

Here then are the detailed instructions that Ed sent me on the use of Plexus:

"My technique for use of Plexus is similar to the can's instructions, with some minor variations:

1) Do not spray it on the window. Spray a significant amount (near saturation) on to a terry cloth (old cotton towel, washed without fabric softeners or dryer-sheets (very important for any car-detail work)!!).

2) Wipe in a circular motion, working product into window with pressure. Use enough pressure to actually move the window: You should be able to "feel" its pressure-handling ability.

3) Finish by buffing out with a clean, dry (no water is very important as Plexus is not water soluble) cotton terry cloth (pre-cleaned as above -- i.e., no fabric softener or dryer-sheet).

Streaks should be gone. If not, you might have some previous scratches. These can be removed with more rigorous plastic cleaners."

Good luck, you will be amazed JT! Oh yeah, be sure to use it on the inside too. That is where most of my haziness was.

P.S. Doh! I see Ed's instructions are already a post in this thread. Ah well.