Aftermarket rollbar windstops?
 

I just can't justify paying 200 bucks for these.. Is there not a single aftermarket option?

Why bother with windstops?
 

I haven't found the wind that turbulent nor noise factor too great without them. Frequently drive at 70 to 75 with the top down (and cap for the hair...) and easily hold conversations. [Above 75 I put the top up.] 2008 Boxster

The black plastic pieces that fit behind each seat, don't do anything. The seem to add more wind noise in my opinion. You don't really need them, but they show up on eBay occasionally, and so do the windscreens (clear plastic between the seats) if you need one of those. And the windscreen will reduce wind noise. :cheers:

Strange, cause I have run with and without the black mesh pieces behind the seats for an extended time, and find that there is a pretty BIG difference in wind turbulence at high speeds. I always have the middle windscreen in place, but find that if the mesh inserts are not in, there's still a good amount of wind turbulence. They are ridiculously expensive though. I think someone should offer an aftermarket alternative.

is there anyway u can get the windstops to come tinted? it would probably help alot with headlights from other cars.

I looked into manufacturing them so I could sell them on ebay for less than Porsche does... they are not stamped with a patent.

However, the molds are 5-10k each and then runs of 500 sets would be required to get the unit cost down.

And that's why no one has created aftermarket roll bar inserts. The market is too small for this kind of outlay.

I toyed with having stamped aluminum pieces made, but got brushed off by too many machine shops to fiddle with the idea any longer.

They do make a lot of difference in air moving through the cabin and if I were you, I'd buy some off ebay.

+1, I noticed a big difference, esp. with the side windows up.

It could just be me. But is seems that the wind tends to whistle as is passes through the mesh. It is all personal preference, and up to you, but leaving them off is one less thing to fly off on the freeway or get stolen.

There was actually a thread a few pages long on this a few months back, people where equally divided on this topic. :D

I bought Jay Senoff's plexiglass wind blockers for the perforated things in the roll bars (look on the left side of this web page).

I want to do a before and after comparison, but with our crappy weather the opportunity hasn't presented itself yet.

Are you talking about sound or wind?

Between the engine and the stereo, other noise (ie wind noise) is a non-issue.

But, the perforated Rollbar inserts do a considerable job of actually blocking the wind.

My wife HATES any kind of wind. She won't even open the Moonroof of the Jag on the Freeway.

So for me, she's the ultimate barometer.

With the windstop fully installed (center and side sections), she says that it's tolerable. If the side sections are removed, she has a kniption!

So, I'd have to say, by judging her reaction, that they make a significant difference.

I would hope the guys who won the Windrestrictor giveaway a few weeks ago chime in.

RKwei

I agree. I actually would like to be able to run without the mesh inserts, and have for a long time because I like the look without them installed, as I have painted seat coat hooks in the back of my seats, but after driving a whole summer season without the mesh inserts, I've noticed a lot of wind turbulence at high speeds that blows through. It doesn't so much bother me, as the wind during the summer is warm anyway, but annoys my wife, whose hair gets blown everywhere. With the mesh inserts installed, the wind is much calmer in the cabin at speed.

I will say, however, that both my seat and the passenger seat is positioned so that they are at the lowest position, so there is a large gap from the top of the seat to the roll bar that air will get through. I can see how if you have the seat positioned higher (up to the top of the roll bar), that the seat itself will block some of the air getting through to the cabin.

http://i31.tinypic.com/fxqmvq.jpg

Sustained speeds over 65mph I just put the top up. Even with all the windstops and windows up, hat on, the wind just beats the top of my head.

I just bought a set of Jay's inserts too.

Hopefully the weather will clear up in Seattle, so I can try them out when they arrive!

Will Jay's inserts fit a 2001 Boxster?

Why not ask him? :confused: