Am I the only one but does the rear wiper lookabsolutely whackedon the sculpted back of the Cayman? The test car here has no rear wiper so I am judging from the photos. I have been offered the rear wiper in my package free(SGD1400) but am thinking of removing this option for a sports steering wheel (SGD800).


It doesn't rain that much in Singapore and I would say I never use the rear wiper on my current car even if it does. Am I missing something here? Other options I included in my Artic Silver Cayman (Tip)are full leather interior, sports chrono, bixenon, electric seats, grey top tint, Bose, park assist, cruise controland I really needed the porsche crests on the headrests.... I can't comment country specific but in Singapore, it's cheaper to get the 6 disc changer installed after taking delivery of the car - worth exploring.

I have always liked the looks of a wiper on the back of hatchbacks when done right. I had one on my last car and used it all the time. Might not have been necessary all the time but made it easier to keep eye on traffic behind me. I think Porsche's looks good on the Cayman S, but I decided that I didn't need it this time due to the larger importance of other items and then I would be over budget.

I believe a rear wiper on hatchbacks should be mandatory, from a Honda Civic to a Ferrari. That Porsche charges extra is part of their ridiculous way of jacking up the price. It jacks it up two ways, first it is an option that should have been standard at a presumably lower costs, and for someone buying off the lot, it a allows a dealer to push a buyer into a car with many options they don't want in order to get the one or two they do want.


In the US it is a $360 option. If 6/10 of 1% of the purchase price for safety equipment is a budget issue, is a $60k-80k $US car the right purchase?

Thanks for sharing. It helps. I wonder how many spec'ed the wiper with their cars. It would look better if it's designed similar to the 997 (all contained within the rear windscreen).

I LIKE THE CAR MORE WITHOUT THE REAR WIPER; MY OPINION THE WIPER DITURBS THE LINE

I've been considering whether to add the rear wiper to my order. It's nominal cost is not the issue. I've been weighing form vs function. I think it does marginally detract from the car's clean lines, but I like rear visibility & it'll definitely help in the rain/snow at lower speeds & for parking. At the moment I plan to add it, but that could change tomorrow. Decisions, decisions, decisions ...

What's the experience of those who've had a rear wiper on a sloped window? Worthwhile or needless appendage?

Edited by - lizardS on 11/20/2005 3:03:00 PM

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Dan

Right before I finalized my order I made a special trip to the dealer just to look at wipers on the 911'sto decide on this option. I end up going without because, living in Orange County, CA, rain and snow aren't much of an issue and I think it does detract a bit from the design. Not a big deal either way...

My previous car had one on a hatchback. I used it quite often. I appreciated having the rear window cleared, especially during hard rains and snow. I get nervous watching people follow so close and clear window made it easier for me to keep an eye on em.

In person, the wiper arm assembly on the Cayman is an impressively large and Teutonically utilitarian addition that is obviously scaled towipewhat is -- after all - a quite large span of glass. The mass of the object (when compared, say, to what you see on SUV's) implies more about the potential speed of this car than words ever could. (In fact, according to the Owner's Manual, the Cayman wiper is actually programmed to shut off at very high speeds as wind would remove the water and wiper action would interfere with stability.) My guess is that anyone who parks his car outside and then has to back up would benefit from the instant cleaning action this would provide. That, or get out with a rag.

And then there's Rain-X et al...


I don't like the rearwiper either. I have one on my current car, and I do use it often. However, I don't use Rain-X or anything like that on the car (heck, I only wash it a couple times a year). A good water-repellent coating on a window will handle the rain. Snow may still be an issue if you drive the car in winter.

I ordered it on my Cayman (loaded on the boat 02.16 and due to arrive next week, according to my dealer) because my 996 turbo had one, and I used it just enough that it became quite handy, especially on some cross-country trips where, as someone else mentioned, I had to park outside and needed to back up in the morning. When you're backing up a $130k turbo (or a $80k Cayman for that matter) you really want to see what's there, imho. It has the potential to really ruin your day if you screw it up. I got used to the way it looks on the turbo and have no problem with its look on the Cayman. The cost? No big deal really, either.

brad

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21-year PCA Member
PCA DE Instructor

<div>Rain-X. If you've never used it before, you should start, it works great with no need for a rear wiper if applied every few months</div>
<div></div>

The rear wiper is a nice to have, I was annoyed when my old TT didn't have one and missed it and on the Cayman it looks great and is very functional in the winter or summer shower. The rear wiper can be set to automatically wipe when your front wipers are being used and you reverse which is cool too


It wasn't too expensive an option -like bixenons its a safety issue really and personal taste.

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Sj.

Another point to bear in mind is that the rear wiper motor and control box intrudes into the rear storage area and can further limit what can be stored back there. I recall reading that two golf bags could be packed without the rear wiper but only 1 with the wiper. Because of the loss of storage space I decided to pass on the rear wiper but I'm concerned about rear visibility on wet days. I also did not want to be 'shafted' by Porsche options pricing anymore than I already had!

The wiper does intrude on the rearstorage area, but I haven't had any problems with storage as of yet even though I do to feel a tad shafted on the options... It's definately a luxury item.

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Sj.