R129 - Wind Deflector.

[Hartzpartz]

I have a wind deflector which came with my car and was stored in a nice hard plastic box. So far, so good.

The problem is that this box doesn't seem to fit against the firewall in the boot.

I notice there are some elasticated strap thingies hanging from the carpet but these don't seem to locate anywhere.

Where am I going wrong? Is something missing?

 

[BTB 500]

Yes, you're missing the trim panel that covers the deflector in the boot - that's what the straps attach to. It's about £55 from a dealer ... you obviously need to order the right colour code to match your car interior.

 

[Hartzpartz]

So the hard plastic box is not required then? Just a piece of carpet to cover the "naked" deflector?

 

[BTB 500]

The hard plastic box is to protect it when it's not in the car. The trim panel (it's a shaped panel, more than a piece of carpet) keeps it in place and protects it when it's in the car. It's pretty easy to puncture the mesh otherwise.

My car came without all of the above! I picked up a deflector on eBay, and the trim panel from a dealer (to guarantee it would be the right colour). Now I have a garage I will probably try and find a storage box for the deflector in the winter (when the hard top is on).

 

[stats007]

It looks like this:

 

[Hartzpartz]

Whilst at my local friendly Merc independent yesteday they let me have a look in the boot of two 500 SL's to check out their wind deflector storage arrangements.

The first was as stats007's with a carpet cover. The second had the deflector in a hard case (like mine) which was clipped in place using the three elasticated straps. Not as neat as the carpeted version but it does work and the hard case does have three locating points for the strap plastic clips.

The car with the hard case also had no carpet cover. I wonder if some early cars came with this hard case in leiu of a carpet type cover?

PS The parts man said he's never seen a deflector in a hard case before. If you order a delfector from MB they come in a cardboard box.

 

[SL300-24]

Early cars had a black plastic storage case, which will not fit upright in the boot, as it was meant for garage storge....hence the plastic "legs" moulded into the bottom of the box. They never had a "carpet" type cover in the boot like Stats one.

 

[BTB 500]

I assume if your car has the 3 elasticated straps the cover panel would fit though (regardless of whether the car had one originally).

 

[Hartzpartz]

Not that pretty and has a gap in front of it when fitted but it does strap in......just.

 

[Hartzpartz]

The cover panel is still available but at about £55 + vat I may just keep my defector in it's hard hase durind the hard top months!

 

[BTB 500]

I may just keep my defector in it's hard hase durind the hard top months!

I would too, if I had a hard case!

In the summer I keep the deflector in the boot as we use the rear seats quite often. So the cover panel was worthwhile, to protect it.