Hello, as some of you may know I have an '03 E320 and an '02 Porsche C4S.
I am thinking about buying a new SL500, but the single issue that concerns me is the wind deflection screen (goes into the roll bar) is almost impossible to see through.
Am I going blind, is there something wrong, is there another insert?
Thanks in advance for any information.

 

You can take it off if you haven't noticed. Theres two straps connected onto it, and its connected to the car like a seat belt type of thing. Quite easy to take it off. When we drive it convertible, we don't put up the roll bar because if we were going into an accident, the roll bar would go up in a split second. I personally think the roll bar kills the image of the car...

 

OK - not only does the rollbar kill the image of the car (very aptly put) - but I have a convertible....why am I trying to prevent wind?

I get so tired of seeing these pissy women (both male and female) driving around in their convertibles with the tops down, windows up and deflectors up.

If the wind musses your hair too much, just buy a coupe with a sunroof.

Pardon to anyone offended but my .02.

 

Just leaving the bar in the down position is a good point that the dealer did not indicate. Leaving the screen out also sounds reasonable.

It is good to know that it is possible to express great concern about the "image" of the car and at the same time express distain for those that are concerned with image. LOL !!

Thanks for the help (and for the chuckle) guys!

 

I have never used the wind screen. Can you leave it installed with the role bar down and use it when ever needed, i.e. when the little lady does not want her hair messed up?

 

It seems that it certainly can be left in the car and only manually tilted "up" when it is determined to be "needed". But that leads back to my initial inquiry since it is difficult at best to see through... maybe that is the answer... "sorry babe, we can't use the rear windscreen for safety reasons".. hmmm, maybe

 

DPB,

The screen is almost impossible to see out of during the day, and useless at night - worse than the screen on the 996 Cabrio I traded!
The screen can be manually lifted with the rollbar left down, and actually works better that way. When the rollbar is lifted, wind gets under the screen and blows between the seats - in my opinion making it windier than with the screen down!
With the bar down and the screen up, you will notice the mesh screen actually fills the entire void between the seats and rollbar.

As you originally asked, it would be nice if there was netting available that allowed wind protection and vision!
But the correct and best answer has already been suggested!

Of course the only reason I know this is because my girlfriend was worried about her hair. Now she wears a baseball cap

 

I have exactly the same experience and opinion as cmos... my wife is also getting a baseball cap..

With the rollbar down, and the windows up and the windscreen up, she's comfortable at 80-90 even on a cold day (cold in San Diego, that is!)

Stop worrying and buy it.

Greg

 

Gents - there is always an answer to any need. On my SLK, wind wasn't so much of an issue. It was being able to have a conversation while driving with the top down. Its doable but rather difficult.
Solution : ClearScreens.

A screen made of plexiglass that allows me to see through but shield some of the wind buffetting. I am sure there must be someone out there making one for the R230 SL.

Cheers!

P.S. I personally dont mind the wind - it is afterall a convertible!