Hi, Newbie here and was just curious if the OEM windscreen/deflector really worked. Does it in fact greatly reduce the wind and noise from behind. I am a female & do need to keep my hair in place from time to time but would love to have the top down more often. Thanks for your opinions!

 

Short answer: yes.
Long answer: search for and read the dozens of threads here where the consensus is "yes".

 

Yea, I started doing a lot of reading after my post. Thanks though!

 

I had the dealer throw it in when I bought the car, if you can't get the dealer to give it to you it will cost $300-$500 for it depending where you get it. I was surprised how well it works, and tell everyone that it is a wust have. it stores in the boot when not in use, which for me is all summer and most of the winter.

 

I don't know if you've come across it yet in your browsing, but one of the other NAM members (brownflyer?) has developed a windscreen that stretches between the front seats. I haven't seen anything definitive as to whether it's more or less effective than the OEM windscreen, but it does allow you to have passengers in the back seat, which is a nice plus if that's important to you. I believe it's also significantly cheaper than the OEM windscreen.

That being said, my wife and I both have the OEM screens in our convertibles and love them.

 

Thanks for the tip! I did come across brownflyer's and I am pretty interested.

 

I just picked up an OEM one for $225 + shipping off of ebay. Brand new.

Upside of it it doesn't mess with the front seats at (you can bend them forward, etc). Downside is that you pretty well lose the backseat for anything but storage (might be able to get a rear facing child seat in there still... have to give it a try). Brownflyer's preserves the backseat, but less flexibility with the front seats.

I have no idea which actually works better, and I doubt we'll get anything more than anecdotal evidence.

 

Hi: I'm a newbie too. Just got my MCS Cabriolet (My first Mini) on December 28 (I'm a Gator too, assuming you are a Gator). Anyway, the first thing I did was order an OEM wind deflector on E-bay. It does help quite a bit with the windows up. I don't think it is very helpful with the windows down. My prior car (Mercedes CLK Cabriolet) had a wind deflector that went up a little higher and I think it worked a little better, but I'm not totally unhappy with the OEM Mini windscreen.

 

Good info.! I think that's why brownflyer's might work better, it comes up the full height of the head rests. And yes, I am a Gator, GO GATORS! I actually had the privilege of being at the big game in Miami, it was a blast. I also just bought mine in December & of course sought out the Hyper blue b/c it's Gator blue. I wen't from a 2008 Corvette to a Mini & it's been quite an adjustment, but I do love it. Thanks for the info.

 

You are welcome. I agree with you that the Mini is a great car. Much different than my Mercedes (and Lexus before that), but sooo much more fun to drive!! I am suddenly looking for reasons to go driving. I haven't done that for a long time. I'll bet that game was fun to be at too!

Cheers!

 

I too am a first time Mini and convertible owner. I bought Brownflyer's screen about a month after taking delivery on the car. The difference in the front seat is night and day. Wind buffeting is reduced by 50%-75% in the front seat. Makes the ride much more enjoable, and the design allows for back seat passenger to easily get in and out. There is a little getting used to the sightlines and different wind noise, but no big deal to adjust to.

My wife won't go for a ride without it installed, and I am convinced it allows me to drive the car comfortably in temperatures 10-15 degrees colder then I could without it (might not mean much in Florida, but that is a big deal here in Wisconsin)

 

We also recommend Brownflyer. Well made, priced right and really works!

 

I'm a Florida Gator, also and got my MINI about a year ago. Shortly thereafter I bought Brownflyer's windscreen and wouldn't dream of driving anywhere without it. It makes a HUGE difference!!! I can go almost year round with the top down so far.

 

Got to drive around with my OEM one in today. Up to about 70 mph, it blocks very well. I was able to drive at 42F with just a long sleeve shirt, long pants, and a do-rag. at 52 without it, I wanted my knit hat and leather jacket. If I put up the windows (a travesty I know), it blocked nearly all windflow.

There was some coming in at higher speeds right up in between the seats. However, well angled vents and the heater turned on stopped it from being uncomfortable. Airflow was substantially slowed.

After 70mph, it was more noticeable. Just not enough there to block the vortex at 70+mph

I theorize that with a rear seat one and the front seat one, the front passengers wouldn't feel any air flow, because it wouldn't make it through both screens.

I would love to try a brownflyer one and compare the two. Perhaps I'll just have to buy one.

 

Ok, I'll try to give you an unbiased opinion here...lol

Both windscreens work very well. I had purchased the OEM and after using it a while (about 2 moths), I put it in it's bag and never to be seen again. I have since taken it out a few time to test against my aftermarket windscreen.

The OEM gives you a bit better coverage on the sides of the seats as it stretches from side to side of the rear seat. However because it sits further back from the front seats, it allows for air to flow between the seats. Those who own the OEM will notice the tag on the seat flapping around a bit. This center area is where most of the turbulance comes in. Additionally, it eliminates the use of the rear seat for passenger use. It is also time consuming to take out and put on (matter of a few minutes only). It does give you additional storage area below the windscreen on the rear seat and the contents get protection from the wind.

B.A.M (brownflyer's after market) windscreen gives better coverage between the seats and reduces most of the turbulance in this area. The sides of the seats are more exposed to drafts and you will get more wind comming from this area than the OEM. It gives you full access to the rear seat w/o having to remove the windscreen. It has enough flexibility to position the seats at different offsets w/o damaging the windscreen. Although, this might look a bit awkward. You have no protection for items stored on the rear seat. Easy to remove and store. You don't have to remove the headrest covers just the center section if you want to.

If you don't need the use of the rear seats or don't need to be messing with putting the windscreen on or off, the OEM is a good choice.

However, if you need access to the rear seats or would like better coverage in between the seats and want a lower priced option, than BAM is the way to go.

Feel free to PM me or send me an email with any questions.

BTW, I will be putting my OEM winscreen up for sale... It's been sitting in my garage for well over a year unused. That money will come in handy for AMVIV

 

Am I missing something here? My first drop-top was a 62 TR. The top never went up on it. Even drilled holes in the floorboards so the rain had a place to go. If we are having to put up screens to protect ourselves from open motoring, why get a cabrio in the first place? This almost sounds like building a house under an airport landing pattern then bitching about the noise syndrome.

I'm not criticizing, y'all, just baffled.

 

Well, the turbulence doesn't bother me. I have a shaved head and grew up in Montana and North Dakota, so I'm pretty good at fairly low temps. However, my wife with her $50 a month hair (it's gorgeous honey) gets quite cranky when it gets all wind whipped. She also apparently was born in a tropical climate, only liking temps above 74 degrees. So, really, it's more for her than for me.

And brownflyer, thanks for the comparison. I'll probably end up ordering one of yours too, since I have a baby on the way and I don't think I can get a rear facing car seat in there with the OEM one. Certainly can't get a front facing car seat in there.

 

Ahaa, that makes perfect sense. I understand that the gypsies are giving as much as 25 cents for a good woman like that and up to .50 if she can shoe a horse. (I usually save that comment for noisy, fractious children, but in this case...)

 

pssh, 50 cents? She can milk a goat too!

 

Fie to the gypsies in that case. Hire her out to the county extension office or a cheese factory and take an early retirement for yourself. There is topless motoring to be had.

 

anyone else have trouble folding the OEM one? I just can't do it!

And yes I love it, really good for those cold days, means you can wear less clothing and make people really envious.

 

Oh yeah, I forgot. That was the other negative I found on the OEM...

Well you see Fly'n Brick, you're hard core....I'm a whimp... I see open motoring as a day at the beach, enjoying the rays, listening to the waves with a nice breeze blowing just enough to cool me down... You see it as weathering the elements, enjoying anything and everything nature throws at you, growing hair in your chest... I respect that!!!

 

There is no way I am gonna pay that much for a deflector. My wife came up with a simple and effective way to block the wind. She just took the blanket she was using on colder top-down trips and draped it over the back of the two front seats. She tucked in the blanket under the headrests to secure the top and tucked the bottom of the blanket under the seats. It worked so well we have it on all the time. And it didn't cost a dime...

 

Thanks brownflyer! I think I will go with yours b/c I do need to use my back seat quite a bit. I will be PMing you in a week or so to get it ordered. What is your turn around time?

 

Great! I'll be expecting your PM.

I'm about 10-12 days out for production and shipping. Check out this thread for the prices and options (first page):

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...nd-screen.html

Ev.