Wind Deflectors - what type is best value

M

Mike6

Senior member
As a Newbie please excuse my possibility of going over old ground. I have had the car for 3 weeks and it hasnt got any wind deflectors and nothing is fitted in the rollover hoops. We have been using the car roof down but both my wife and I are finding it incredibly windy and as neither of us are really short hair people you can imagine our afro look after a spirited drive.
I have been searching on the net including ebay and there seem to be three different types:
1. The official BMW one which is very expensive when they come up for sale and is in three parts which need the assembly kit and I think means drilling holes in the rollover hoops.
2. A sort of roll up mesh things that fits over the whole lot and has velcro(?) straps to secure it around the rollover hoops. Not sure whether this is official BMW but they dont seem to cost much on ebay
3. Acrylic screen both clear and tinted which can be left in place when roof is up and are sold ebay for anything betwwen £70 and £100.

My question is this does anyone have experience with using these and what would you recommend. From my perspective the acrylic ones look good (are they) and dont invlove having to drill holes.
Thanks
 
Hi Mike,

Your right - this topic comes up a lot. If you do a search you'll find photos and comments but basically I've owned the Perspex version which I bought from Roadster Solutions and used it on my 2.0 litre and I have the BMW original on my 3.0 litre. The Perspex looks good I think and doesn't effect rear vision. If you go this route then be aware that they can be bought with rubber trim around the edge - this is worth having to stop it tapping and rattling at speed (I also used adhesive felt spots (that are used on furniture) as padding between the screen and the roll hoops - they don't show when fitted and stops any rattling and movement). Mine originally came with plastic transparent fixing straps which go around the roll hoops. They don't show up when fitted but tend to stretch in the heat of summer and then the screen isn't as tight as it should be - the Velcro fastening ends also started to come away a little. When I rang the company I got to talk to the owner and he recommended he send me the fabric straps - these are black and do show up where they attach the Perspex to the roll hoops but they are more secure and last much longer - I had no problems with them. My screen is being used by a my friend (a forum member) now and he has customised it by painting on a Z4 logo - looks good (the other stuff he painted on it I'm not so sure about but he's young and he likes it! :lol: - you could customise it). Being a solid wind deflector it does create eddies and channels of air particularly down the centre of the cabin at speed. Other than that it was very effective - I liked it and I even liked the look - thought it was sleek, a clean design and easy to fit.

The OEM wind deflector is made of plastic and mesh and the central section fits between the roll hoops in a channel where it clips into place. Being mesh it does restricts vision a little. The central section can be kept stored in a rack under the boot lid (but I just leave mine in place). there are fixed portions in each roll hoop. This deflector also causes some eddies but not as much down the centre of the cabin, more so the edges. Expensive and would need fixing with a kit if not already on your Zed.

The one piece version you've mentioned I've not seen or can comment on but folk on the forum call it the Gimp version for obvious reasons - I would have thought it would be equally as effective.

It does make a difference having the wind deflector - the height of the side windows can make a difference as well so experiment a bit.

Hope that helps - do a search as well.
 
Excellent write up by paulgs1000 - covers all options really well. I have only had personal experience with the OEM mesh wind deflector and find it does a great job of cutting down wind noise and draughts (when used with the windows up as well).
A lot of the US market seem to go with the perspex versions, and they rate them very highly. I quite like the look of the perspex ones. The 'gimp' version I think is a bit of an acquired taste...
 
Perspex with black material straps +1. Found the mesh ones are hard to see through clearly.
 
I have the 'gimp' version- very effective and to be fair and I actually like the look of the roll hoops when covered. I would say if you get either mesh type it is worth washing it every 6-12 months as they do hold a surprising amount of dirt!
 
Interesting reading all of the above. :thumbsup:

My E85 3.0 doesn't have any kind of wind deflector. It does get rather draughty with the roof down 8)

Can't make my mind up on what's available. The BMW mesh screw on type is so expensive! plus you've still got gaps in the hoops. A pair of these on eBay are nearly £100 !!

I'm tempted by the perspex tinted type. Looks easy to fit, etc. Anybody got any photos of these fitted please.
At least this type covers the middle section and the two hoops. All for just over £100.

Any pics most appreciated.

Cheers,
Kev. :)
 
Thank you for the very thorough response Paulgs1000. I think I will go for the perspex one as it is middle of the road as far as pricing - if I dont get on with it I havent spent a fortune.
Kev - not sure how accurate the pictures are but if you look on ebay there are a fair few pictures with the perspex deflectors in place.
 
Mike6 said:
Thank you for the very thorough response Paulgs1000. I think I will go for the perspex one as it is middle of the road as far as pricing - if I dont get on with it I havent spent a fortune.
Kev - not sure how accurate the pictures are but if you look on ebay there are a fair few pictures with the perspex deflectors in place.
Click to expand...

Before you rush to buy be aware that in the opinion of BMW the wind deflector that works best is the mesh version.

The sadly very expensive book of the design and development explains in some detail, with neat graphics and CFD simulations, that the mesh is key for its pressure compensation abilities between air inside and that flowing around the cabin and is essential to the anti buffet function.
They conclude mesh to be superior to 'glass'.
 
cj10jeepers comments hold with my findings - the solid nature of the Perspex does make for eddies and buffeting as per my first post - but so does the OEM version - it is better but it isn't perfect. I quite like the idea of the gimp version - they are sometimes quite reasonably priced and covered roll bars would look good.

Here's a photo of my first Zed with the fabric straps:



And OEM version:

 
I must have been one of the lucky ones as my E85 came complete with OEM, and the boot storage fittings, but like paulgs1000 it never goes in there.

As far as rear visibility is concerned it's just one to add to the list of all the other Z4 blind-spots. :(

Just :driving:
 
Strangely I've never considered the mesh makes rear vision difficult. If anything it dims following rear headlights that being sat so low seem way too intrusive.

I just take it off when the hardtop goes on, else it stays in place all the time.
 
Update to an old thread........

I eventually went for the OEM black mesh type of wind deflector.
It does the job and looks really smart, I think so anyway. :thumbsup:

I'm not fussed (yet) about getting the mesh grills that go inside the hoops. I'm not paying nearly £100 on eBay for a pair!.........I'll keep my eyes peeled for some decent second hand ones.

Piccie of my wind deflector...... :)

22413012250_7e05ac31ef_z.jpg"


22590254412_7beddb2078_z.jpg"
 
Right decision - looks much better than other options. I'm wondering how much wind you are still getting through the hoops though?
 
Mark555 said:
Does it work well without the mesh in the hoops? Just wondering if there is a BIG difference if you omit the hoops?
Click to expand...
Marlon said:
Right decision - looks much better than other options. I'm wondering how much wind you are still getting through the hoops though?
Click to expand...
+1. I would have thought the bits inside the hoops were integral to the whole wind deflector solution.
 
I've just ordered a clear Perspex one with the clear fixing straps from the Bay as mine didn't come with one.

I'll not be able to comment on how good it works but I'll post up some pics of it in situ once it arrives this week.

For £60 incl delivery, it's worth a punt imo.
 
I made my own out of plexiglass, and for the summer it was siliconed to the roll hoops. Very sturdy, but looks very homemade, which it was. I'm thinking about 3d printing a set of brackets, so that the plexiglass can be slid in from the top and removed easily as well. Anyone seen something done similarly with a bracket of some sort?
 
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