Mesh wind deflector - waste of money?

Those inserts look very interesting. I’m wondering if turbulence caused by this area is only a problem with the seat forwards. I have my seat well back towards the hoops and haven’t had any problems due to this.

1 Like

Just for completeness, I reinstalled the folding plastic blockers and went for a drive. No worse than the mesh ones, but greatly improved rear visibility. When I get rid of the mesh ones, I’ll be going for a clear wind deflector. Thanks for the v useful comments.

+1 for Roadies screens, I recently fitted one (tinted) to our ND, (5 mins to fit), and seems better than the mesh original with the benefit that you can see through it!..also much better value than the other variants being sold from the big boys…

I have a mk2.5 and fitted a mesh one from MX5 Autolink on a very hot day we put it DOWN and noticed that there was more nice cool breez, on another occasion I was driving home at about 10.30 half journey up and half down noticed the difference, not scientific but enough for me to conclude that it works to some degree enough for me (though I most certainly would have considered a perspex one if available !) Dave

They would not be that hard to make - I have removed them from inside headrests and driven car and there is s difference. Be interested in your finding if you try and make them.

Hi all.

Just returned to mazda after a spell with a boxster and have to say the mx5 is far better than the Porsche as regards to comfort with the roof down.

During the cooler months I felt I needed to wear a gilet when driving where as with the mazda I felt I was driving in a warm bubble of air.

3 Likes

Having just gone for a top-down blast along my local bit of the A6 after dark I can confirm that Roadie’s perspex windblocker for NDs doesn’t in any way pick up reflections from oncoming headlights.

3 Likes

We are currently having a week away in North Yorkshire. On the drive here my wife was complaining about her hair being blown around which doesn’t normally happen. Under normal circumstances both of our seats are well back towards the hoops. No more than an inch of a gap.

In 'going on holiday mode every bit of storage space is used. This includes coats and other squashy stuff behind the passenger seat so the seat is two to three inches further forward than normal. I’m thinking this may be what is causing air to circulate through the hoop and around the sides of the headrest.

Personal experience is that all wind blockers do a good job. I’ve had Mazda folding wind blockers and after market mesh on Mk1s, OEM on Mk3 and OEM and acrylic on Mk4s. I’ve always been happy with the job they have done. However my seats have always been back as far as they would go.

Just getting ready to head up from our holiday let near Settle for a bit of a blat around the Lake District. Will be conducting some testing of the theory on the way.

3 Likes

Mini test done. With the seats back almost against the hoops, very little buffeting. Slide the seat forward by three inches and it definitely gets worse.

I’m thinking that the best solution would be a shaped, clear acrylic sheet to fasten on the front of the hoop with Velcro pads. Shaped around 10mm wider than the centre line around the hoop. Would be invisible with the seat back and almost invisible with it pulled forwards. Could also be done with coloured coded sheet close to the car colour. Any rigid plastic sheeting would do the trick. How about something wrapped in coloured carbon fibre effect. Possibilities are endless.

So when will I have them available? Probably never! Don’t think there would be enough of a market for them as not many people seem to have a problem.

1 Like

@roadie That’s interesting. My seat probably is about 2 or 3 inches away from the back, so perhaps some of the problem is coming from there. In saying that, the mesh deflector does cover that area but without much success (imho).

I’ve had 3 Mx5s a mk1 and 2 mk3s and I’ve always used the Mazda mesh wind blocker on them found it to be very effective at keeping the worst of the wind off of the back of my head.

2 Likes

The best and cheapest way to Wind Block is the ‘Biggles’ solution , A simple Scarf, which can also look Sporty !! :))

3 Likes

Nooooooooo. Never wear a scarf in a open top car or on a motorbike. If 1 meter of it flaps out of the cabin and goes under the road wheel you’re going to be the headless driver of a messy MX5. There have been many beheadings that way over the years, motorbikes are renowned for it. In a kit car like the Lotus 7 types that I had your neck is only 15 inches from the rear wheel pinch Pont with the road, it’s a huge red flag in there if you see anyone wearing anything flappy.

I like the wind movement anyway, for me it is the entire roof off experience. I have hard top cars for quiet motorway travel. Long road trips roof down are done with ear plugs in.
The best noise reduction I have done to my ND is removing the stupid noise tube. What a cruddy idea that is. And what a night and day improvement when removed. So much quieter it’s shocking.

4 Likes

Tbh, it’s less of an issue in cold weather - a combination of wool hat and a snood for the neck solves the problem.

Scarves might look cool, but I’ve never been keen since reading about Isadora Duncan!

3 Likes

Following your mention of Isadora Duncan, I did some Googling and now understand your wariness about scarves!

1 Like

@Roadie did you try making the deflector without the cutout in the centre (like the one shown above from Germany)? I’m interested for an NC, and most I’ve seen (solid and mesh) don’t have a cutout.

That was my thinking due to having a PRHT that doesn’t need the cut out.
As above the OEM one is a nice size, but does not wear well due to scratching.
Basically make two different ones for the NC. (or not cost-effective enough perhaps)?
Just a thought. :+1:

Hit the nail on the head.

I’m doing four different versions. Clear and tinted, ND and NC. Difficult enough to predict sales as it is. I seem to get runs on different ones at different times. As soon as I restock a variant people stop buying them! I’ve currently got around 50 in stock but I’m short on the ND clear ones with only 3 left. Would be even more difficult for me with more versions.

First one I made was the ND and I based the shape on the OEM black plastic blocker. I then carried the same basic shape over to the NC version. If you check out the clear blocker Mazda fit on the ND RF you will see that it too has a centre cut out.

Might not need the cut out for raising the hood on the NC PRHT but a straight top one would also make it more difficult to clean the rear window and rear deck area.

All my buyers have been happy with their purchases and I’m doing them around half the price of anything else on the market. We are all different though and if some people prefer something different and are prepared to pay the price then so be it.

:grinning:

4 Likes

Nice reply and thanks. :+1:
Yes I get all that.
At your convenience could you post the dimensions for the NC one?
The height in particular as we know the width.
I will then make a decision against the one I have fitted.
Many thanks indeed :slightly_smiling_face:

125mm high at the sides, 85mm high in the cut out.

Mounted on a 3mm thick base plate and the brackets raise it around 5mm.

I think you will find that the height in the cut out area is very close to the OEM item.

2 Likes