Need advice on plastic rear window - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

My rear plastic window is pretty pliable yet but has the normal wear areas and scratches. It is the original so it is 12 years old. I just received the 3 step restoring kit from NOVUS. I would like advise from others that have used this product. Many on this site highly recommend it. My concern it that this product is for all plastics, including plexiglass. Our rear windows are pretty soft vinyl so I am worried about taking off to much with the #3 polish. Has anyone uses an orbital polisher on their window to get the deep scratches out? Any comments and experience would be appreciated.

I don't have any experience with the Novus products, but I have restored the window of my 2000 S, so it is the same age as yours. I would have reservations about using a power buffer on a vinyl rear window because, as you have noted, of the softness of the plastic and for some other reasons also. The next reason would be because of the tendency of power buffers to sling the compound all over the place. This would get the polishing compound all over your convertible top and would be a pain to get out of the fabric, if you ever did get it all out. The other reason, and for myself it would be the most important one, would be that it would leave swirl marks on the surface that will affect the clearness of the window. If you didn't see my post in this thread, check out response #9. http://986forum.com/forums/general-discussions/35847-best-wax-car.html

Quotes source post: 294584

Times Two. Spinnaker put it succinctly and accurately.

Quotes source post: 294573

Are you familiar with this product? It seemed to work pretty good when I had the plastic rear window (I now have glass). You have to be careful not to get it on the rag top material otherwise you will have white paste stuck to the material.

Upon further thought, I would try the #2 first and see how it works. If it is sufficiently coarse enough to do the job, you can just skip using the #3 compound and use it on the headlights instead.

Thanks for the replies. I think I will use #2 first on a small spot and see if I get results. If not then come back with #3.

I too had concerns when adressing my 13 year old window. It was scratched yellowed and a little stiff. I searched for advice and products. Found a lot on this forum. Eventually I ended up using a headlight restoration 3 step kit on a cordless drill. I only used the final two steps. I did cover the cloth part of the top to avoid staining it even though I had obtained a Raggtop cleaning and restoring kit for that part of the top. I started on the worst area and saw good results. I had little to lose as the window was in bad shape. After I developed skill and confidence in the product and my abilities ,and assessed that I was not making matters worse I did the whole window with great results. The window looks great. It is not swirled and scratched. It is more pliable. My vision (safety) is greatly improved. It has been several months since I did this and it is holding up well. I have been using Diamond brite plastic cleaner preserver on it since then. there may be other better products for this but so far it works great and the window beads water like the top. I did the Raggtop treatment to the roof after the window and now my top looks as good as it can, beads and repels water and is safer. I must note that since this is the droptop roadster it is rare that I drive with the top up. Love the wind in my hair and the sound of that flat six complying to my desires.

I believe the bigger buffer issue would be the pressure on the plastic glass itself. You can reduce or prevent "slinging" by applying smaller amounts and by placing the compound on the wheel center, touching it to surface, then powering up. Don't forget plexus at the end, it works really well.

with a PC 7424 RO buffer on my rear window and it did not cause any issues, scratches, etc. The clarity was improved some but there was always to some extent a crease mark left where the window folds in half. I put the product on the pad and touched it to the window before powering up and increasing speed. I have done the same thing on the headlights as well. Eventually the window eventually got too brittle and started to split but it did buy me another year of useage from it by cleaning it with the novus. I bought a glass top eventually and have no intention of ever considering plastic again.