Cabriolet question

[tishpit]

I now have a Miata and with the top down and no windscreen, your hair is whipped into your eyes, ears, face, and the wind noise is such you cannot even converse when going over 40 mph without yelling. I haven't seen a windscreen available for the Smart Cabriolet. How is the wind when going over 40? On my test drive, I was limited to only a slow scoot around the dealership lot :0( , so couldn't tell much about anything.

[mjeagent]

Fine for guys...but my wife refuses to drive with the top down without something holding her hair in place.

[skyzdlimit59]

Originally Posted by tishpit

I now have a Miata and with the top down and no windscreen, your hair is whipped into your eyes, ears, face, and the wind noise is such you cannot even converse when going over 40 mph without yelling. I haven't seen a windscreen available for the Smart Cabriolet. How is the wind when going over 40? On my test drive, I was limited to only a slow scoot around the dealership lot :0( , so couldn't tell much about anything.

I have no problems when I take the top down but leave the windows up. Wind comes in softly and talking is not a problem. Now, when the windows come all the way down, it's a different story - I have to have my hair tied back. But that's fun too.

[mike-in-sa]

There is a windscreen available, we don't have it on ours. With the windows up it's not too bad. Easy to carry on a conversation. As soon as the top goes down, my wife pulls her smart ball cap out of the glovebox.

[DowneasTTer]

Have owned many rag tops in the past and currently have 4 in the stable including the smart. Love the beast but, I'm glad I'm mostly without hair. Over 40 the wind whip is more in the smart than in any other car we have. It's not just the hair but the hit to the outer ears (one toward the outside). That said if you put the windows up and the top down it is a very pleasant ride over 40.

[nscaler]

If you leave the rear part up, that helps a lot too. By adjusting the two windows and the back part, you can get just the right amount of wind.

[smarteepants]

With the top down, the air flow tends to blow my hair forward and into my eyes. I think because the top doesn't go down far enough that a circulating bubble of air forms similar to a pickup bed with the tailgate up. I'm not sure what you mean by a windscreen, or what it does but I would sure be willing to try it. As far as noise, I agree with everyone else that by leaving the window up, it's not bad at all.

[hsterk]

Originally Posted by mike-in-sa

There is a windscreen available, we don't have it on ours. With the windows up it's not too bad. Easy to carry on a conversation. As soon as the top goes down, my wife pulls her smart ball cap out of the glovebox.

Can you please elaborate on the windscreen? I've yet to see / hear anything about that.

I drive with the top open and the glass up, along with the side windows up and find it very pleasant not windy at all.

To keep the sun out of my eyes I wear ONLY the Smart Cap!

[tishpit]

My '90 Miata's roof folds flat down, and it gets windy in there... the only way to curtail that is to roll up the passenger window only as that helps some (roll down the driver's window as well and it's louder and windier). A windscreen is a barrier that sits between the two front seats and diverts air above the passenger compartment.
[IMG]file:///H:/DOCUME%7E1/Sharyn/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-2.jpg[/IMG]
I wonder if these (made for the Miata) would fit in the Smart?
Miata Parts & Accessories Windscreens

[JPaul]

Originally Posted by hsterk

Can you please elaborate on the windscreen? I've yet to see / hear anything about that.[...]

The best picture I could find, from the "accessories" in a European smart catalogue:

Basically, it's a mesh net that goes from the rollbar to the engine edge.
Again, from the UK catalogue:

Wind deflector:
Largely eliminates wind turbulence during open-top driving by reducing the air flow in the whole interior. And makes open-top driving a real pleasure, even when outside temperatures are low.

Should you decide to get this contraption, try to find other earlier posts about it; because it seems (as far as I can remember) that the US version does NOT have the proper anchor for it. Someone in California got an easy way to fix it, with short bungees(?) and posted a DIY with pics.