Side roll bar mesh wind deflector inserts missing

[brimech]

After I had already purchased my 2003 box s, I started looking at other cars online that had the center windstop like me. I noticed that they all had the black mesh inserts in the roll bars behind the seats. I'm not real satisfied with just the center unit. The wind turbulance inside the cabin is unbearable for my wife. Will the side inserts fix the problem? I have noticed they are somewhat expensive(~$190). Is the purchase worth it? Why didnt the car come with them in the first place? If they parted them out, wouldnt they have sold the center unit as well?

[Lil bastard]

The Wind Deflector is an option - # M551, it is not standard.

The M551 option consists of the center Lexan piece and 2 perforated black ABS side pieces, along with a storage bag and the mounting hardware on the Roll Bar. All these pieces are included with this option.

There may be several reasons your side inserts are missing.

1st, these are targeted by thieves and vandals (there's a healthy market for them on ebay).

2nd, these have been known to blow out at speed (double-sided foam tape or cable ties are popular solutions), the PO may have lost one and removed the other - they are not effective using only 1 or 2 of the pieces.

3rd, the car may have not had the option to begin with and the PO was adding them makeshift and to date only added the center piece. Do you have the storage bag? That may be a clue, or look at the build sticker in the Owners Manual or under the Hood for M551.

With all 3 pieces intact, it is quite effective, especially with the side windows up. They are spendy as replacements, but there's always ebay - just know that with ebay, there is a high likelyhood that you are buying a set lifted from someone else.

[Boxtaboy]

They do calm the wind turbulence quite well when at higher speeds. I used to have them inserted, but pulled them out last year to see if they'd make any difference, and they do. Will be reinstalling them this spring. The problem with them is that as Lil bastard says, there's a market for them on ebay, and so they get stolen. Here's a pic of what happened to a Boxster S owner in NJ who found this after returning to his car in a parking lot. They cut right through his top to take his windstops...

[Bob Z.]

What low lifes! And what do they expect to get for them on ebay...$100?

[Boxtaboy]

Originally Posted by Bob Z.

What low lifes! And what do they expect to get for them on ebay...$100?

Yeah. The problem is that these flimsy little mesh inserts cost $120 per side if you order replacements. They must be made of gold, covered in black plastic.

http://www.pelicanparts.com/PartsLookup/HTML/986_USA_KATALOG/812-01-Frame3.htm

[Rareair]

Originally Posted by Boxtaboy

Here's a pic of what happened to a Boxster S owner in NJ who found this after returning to his car in a parking lot. They cut right through his top to take his windstops...

Ouch.

New windstop set: $400
New top & rear window: $1000+
Catching the thugs who did the damage: priceless