1st Gen R52 Cooper Convertible Most liked posts in thread: Change to the aerodynamics

I can't see anything like that would help. Even here in Britain, where there is more rain than dust, the interior of my often-open convertible collects dust like it was going out of style.

As I see it, the physics goes like this:
- Air containing a small amount of dust is flowing over the car - unless you only drive in the rain, nothing will change that.
- There is a relatively low airspeed zone behind the windscreen of an open convertible and so the dust can fall out of the air in this relatively still air - as this predicts, it is the dashboard top that seems to get the worst dust.

So I guess the question is: how do you make the airflow as high behind the windscreen as elsewhere?
- You could take the windscreen out - that would do it....
- Don't use the wind deflector and open all the windows - that might help a bit, but not much.

I think you are stuck with the dust - if you want a convertible cockpit in which you don't need to wear goggles because of the airflow, it will let dust settle out of the air.

 

They gave up on the design..... Too hard to attach the downspouts......

 

Mine is a 2nd gen convertible but I don't think there's much difference for this issue. Mudflaps are available for mine and they make a bit of a difference but not much - like it's now 90 seconds to completely opaque rear screen in heavy rain, instead of one minute.

I don't think there is a solution - except maybe a three-foot-long whale tail mounted at the base of the rear window....

 

Not much you can do......just one of the joys of Cabrio ownership.

 

If she has an MCS she can add a "rear wing extension" to help solve the problem. G4 sells them, look at their site. Minimark can attest to it working to keep the boot cleaner. One is in my future.

Jim

 

Just gotta deal with it on Cabrios lol. Probably really depends on where you drive too.

I don't drive through any dust or the like regularly and wash the car all the time so im planning to delete my rear wiper altogether lol

One option if it's mainly dust buildup is a car duster. They work great and they could bust that out easier than glass cleaner
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Doesn't someone make that spoiler for the vert that attaches to the top of the boot lid?

 

Sorry, I missed the convertible part. Not much help there. :frown2:

Jim

 

Never saw that before. It would look really cool on the vert, but not so sure about the hardtop.

Jim

 

I'd hate to hear of someone giving up their MINI because of something like this. Been driving drop heads for years and our '06 MCSc for three and I understand the problem. It is just something to put up with: Like bird poop on the steering wheel and half spent beer cans tossed in the back seat by thoughtless idiots. Learning to enjoy something in spite of it's shortcomings is also part of the journey. It is like everything in life. To gain one thing, i.e. the joy of topless motoring, you have to give up something, i.e. stuff landing on the upholstery and rear windows that poorly do the best they can under severe circumstances.

Another thing. The visibility out the back is limited at best under the best conditions anyway. If she learned to use her side views more effectively, she'd find she doesn't miss the back window all that much afterall.

Doesn't solve the problem but maybe offers a different way of looking at it.:idea:

 

I sympathize, I don't know what I'd do without the rear wiper on my MINI, here where we get weather!

 

Just always leave the top down! Problem solved

 

Trying to keep the rear window clean is like trying to keep bugs off the windshield, ain't gonna happen:mad2:
There are things you can do to help but every vehicle on the road has the same problem, MINIs are just worse then most:crazy:.

Mark

 

Are convertible's arches different from a normal hardtop? So far both generations have had mudflap options. They look awful, but they are available.

RealOEM.com * BMW R57 Cooper S Mud flaps

Not sure how much it will help with the dirty rear window. Most of that dirt is sucked up onto the car from the vacuum created by the hatchback design. My best suggestion there is to invest in some replacement wide angle mirrors for the side mirrors. That way you'll have no problem checking to see what's behind you. Side windows stay way cleaner.

 

If it helps with confidence, the parts I linked to came up under a realoem search for R57 convertibles