Mesh vs Polycarbonate clear vs JD's windscreen (archive)

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With any of the windscreens, there are trade offs. Depending on your stature, and where your head is located in the cockpit, the backdraft wind can be anything from mild to an annoying repetitive beating on the back of your neck and right ear. It can make driving in cold (50deg F) weather VERY uncomfortable at 65 mph.

I am 6', and my seat is all the way down and the back of the seat is perhaps an inch + or-, from touching the carpet behind. I have the annoying beating pulsing type of draft.

I first used the OEM mesh type. It greatly reduces the "Volume" of the beating. Same pattern, and it is still there, only fairly gentle up to about 55 mph. It also has the advantage of providing some sunscreen when the sun is behind. It zips down for easy access to raising the roof and in no way interferes with the storage bin, if so equipped. (I have the bin and use it a lot). However, the top of the mesh has a rigid vinyl covered rod, that is exactly in your line of vision to see cars on the horizon, or the rooftops of cars (police lights or roofrack, hard to tell?..) and the design robs the car of the "look" of the roll hoops. Makes the hoops look like seatbacks. It is also much less effective than the clear ones at high speeds. However, it is a well built piece and looks like part of the car. I paid $120 at the dealer, with BMWCCA discount.

I tried an older, (about a two year old one), JD's clear acrylic screen. It definitely blocks more wind than the mesh, and there is NO "beating", just a smoothly increasing flow of air, definitely less annoying. It IS the choice for cold weather top down driving. I did not try it at high speeds. However, it is huge, awkward to handle, (IMHO)interferes with the storage bin, even behind the hoops, (though I understand the newer designs address this better), is made of acrylic which cracks, scratches, or shatters, and there have been reports of them breaking with age. I also think they look fairly awful and aftermarket, though that is STRICTLY a personal opinion. Many board members think they look just fine, and use them for stickers and the like. Raising the top from inside car is about impossible with a manual top. If you don't pad where they touch the rollhoops, the acrylic can squeak. I don't know JD's current price.

I recently bought a polycarbonate clear screen that is about 10" x 20", and only straps between the hoops, infront or behind. It is lower in overall height than either JD's or the mesh unit. It is absolutely unbreakable and has a "richer", heavier feel that acrylic. It carries a 10 year "hard coating" finish that is supposed to reduce the chance of scratching, though it still needs to be handled carefully, (no ammoinia cleaner, no paper towels, etc). I've only used it for 3 days now, and I like it. It is not as effective as JD's in blocking wind, but does the same thing in eliminating the "beating". Only has reduced smooth airflow on the back of neck. It is more effective than the mesh as speed increases, from about 65 up to at least 100 mph. It has less glare than JD's. Like JD's, it also vibrates with the pulsing of the wind hitting it, but makes no sound. It is the same thickness (1/8"), so is just as "wobbly", and only attaching to the inside of the hoops may make it vibrate more, but the material is denser, so it may be a wash. It stores the easiest of the 3. It has a nice cutout, so if mounted behind the hoops, it does not interfere with the storage bin. When driving, the look through the rearview mirror is very nice. It comes in a nice velvet/poly bag, and only uses two straps vs JD's three per hoop. The hoops look the best with this windscreen. I paid $71.50, including shipping, from LA EZ, it was designed and is marketed by a Z3 owner (like JD) named John Baird.

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