The enthusiast view is usually not the popular view, although fans often think of themselves as essential to the business and survival of a brand. It’s like that in the world of watches (no date, please), and cars as well (why no manual?). Newsflash: the manufacturers know what they’re doing; you don’t like it, but there are likely 99 others who do.
We’re putting our hands up when it comes to door visors a.k.a. window visors. You know, those plastic strips stuck on the top part of car windows? To most of us here, those things are not just unnecessary, but it detracts from the looks of the car. One or two kitted examples aside, and apart from wheels, the paultan.org garage is mostly stock and clean.
But that’s just us, and when it comes to accessories, to each their own, right? Here, we’ll take a look at window or door visors, what are they for, and the pros and cons of this popular accessory.
Visors aren’t new. Those who grew up riding in the Proton Saga would remember them from an early age. Older pre-Proton Japanese cars had shiny metal “awnings” as door visors – remember those? Door visors started life as a functional item; having them means that one can open the windows slightly without rain coming into the cabin. This was useful back in the day when air-con was not standard fit on all cars.
Even when air conditioning became commonplace, there were old-timers who didn’t drive exclusively with AC on, and we’ve all heard of the “turn off AC for extra power” trick. Smokers who have the habit of lighting up in the car would also appreciate being able to open the windows slightly.
So, when natural ventilation is needed when driving, door visors come into play. Conversely, windows can be left slightly open when parked to avoid an oven cabin – no worries even if it rains. But do people drive with windows slightly down these days (I do drive with windows fully down sometimes, but that’s not relevant in this context), and do people park their cars – in Malaysia – with windows open?
Of course, there’s also the perception that door visors are cool and improve the looks of the car. We don’t agree, but to each their own. What’s more universal is that the addition of door/window visors may introduce or increase wind noise.
Also, visors aren’t part of any car’s original design, so those precisely calculated aerodynamics would be affected by the extra addenda. As we all know, drag is an enemy of fuel economy, although in this case, the difference would be small. Lastly, if visors aren’t installed properly, there’s a potential for the plastic boomerangs to breakaway from the car at speed, and that’s not good for you or other road users.
So there you go, door/window visors and its pros and cons – did we miss anything? The good thing is that visors aren’t standard fit in the market; usually, it’s one of the items in an accessory package, so you pay for it only if you want it. Perodua (GearUp), Honda (Modulo), Proton and many brands have visors as add-ons, and who can blame them for making extra profit when the demand is there.
Are you a fan of door visors, or you don’t get why people spend money on it? Why?
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Depend on the car, some cars actually look better with door visors
Can you share a good example?
Never been a fan of door visor, maybe it causes wind buffeting and cause unnecessary wind noise. Just my opinion. But if door visor thrown in as standard equipment, i wont dekitted the car.
In the 80’s it is known as air press. The 3rd row blacked windows plastic covers in the 80’s also make a comeback. Especially for all P2 models.
If we park our car in an open space in the afternoon I think this is where these visor serve it purpose.
Yes, I’m a fan of the door visor. I do parked park my car with the windows slightly open, to reduce the heat accumulated inside after leaving the car under the sun from 8-5 daily. Accumulated heat, added with the hot leatherette inside the car, do make you gasping for air when you enter the car.
Yup, just a simple door visor will do the job. Nothing fancy like a 4 inch visor which actually is a safety concern as it blocks the driver view under certain condition.
Also helps if one person farted in a car while its raining.
Must be a slow day in the office/WFH huh? How is this even something to talk about?
I was thinking the same thing. LOL. Must be a slow day.
I try to avoid visors, least have to pay extra to put them on. But then again, I have covered parking.
For a drive with regulated speed,
The visors only have pros.
Aerodynamics below 110km/h,
Are there really matters?
Otherwise Van cannot move already.
Yes, most cars already have wind noise below 110 km/h. These visors would only add to that.
Your Excellency fellow Victorian Hafriz..you got the facts like Joe Biden.However,lately I did install a lazada sourced visor.It looks very ,very cool.Also when slight rain,u can lower windscreen a little if u want some fresh air.The rain droplets wont come inside the car.
With so many speed cameras and sudden police speed traps,it is difficult to speed all the time above 110km/hr.Occasionally,one can drive like schumacher,but not for long stretches.
Anyway,thanks for your very informative car website.
Which fancy car are u driving that can lower the windscreen?
A convertible maybe
well.. you dont say?
absolutely useless addition
Malaysia’s love sticking stuff on cars. Each square millimeter of glue used to attach adds 1 horsepower. Each sticker adds 10 hp, but 15 hp if you don’t even use that product on the car with the sticker.
Visors are for cars of smokers. They need visors to smoke in the car while raining. Most of high end expensive cars don’t have visors on.
Yes.JDM specsm don’t have visor.
JDM cars also offer door visors laaaaa
JDMs have exclusive parts such as visors
u dont have to repeat what has already been mention in the article.
Not a single car model looks better with door visors. They just make the car look cluttered with this thing tacked on to its door. Even if it has its very few functions, I would never have it installed on my car…they are just too ugly.
I asked a friend why he has door visors installed on his car…he said so he can open the windows a bit when driving in the rain and when the car is parked under the sun. I asked whether he has done that…he said “no”…haha..
Exactly what I thought too. Almost useless tool just make the car look ugly and create wind noise
TBH I don’t like the look of it.
But on latest civic (FC?) with the Original Modulo visor, it does look ok to me.
Nevertheless, I had install it 2 years ago on my previous SUV. Reason: heat trap whenever you parked your car outside. Bought a fake one because it cost less than RM200. Heat trap problem solved by lowering down the windows slightly.
And yes, it makes additional noise at highway speed. But not much of a different, since without it almost all type of SUVs do make some noise at highway speed.
Still until now door visor looks ugly to me, except for Civic (FC?) with its Modulo blackened visor.
Works just fine.
I recall my younger days off roading in my pickup truck. I “Always” had the air press falling off, but a good new strip of double will do the job.
one day as I was driving, the front “air press” flew and hit a police patrol car. Then I was stopped on the road side by the police and was questioned what flew out from the car. I told them in was the air press. Then the policeman told me no wonder he felt the wira patrol car that he was driving also had the same incident also. If flew and hit a bike. He was wondering what part of the car flew away. We. All laugh about it and we went our ways….
I have been using air press or visors since the ’80s for all my cars. I normally open a bit when parking under the hot sun or having a short nap in the car when traveling outstation. I am pretty happy with it but depend on individual needs. There was once I travel outstation halfway middle of nowhere, the aircon broke down and is raining. At that moment I felt lucky to had these visors installed. From then onward every new car I had installed with visors.
I remember those big-ass visor… lol.
Door visor is helpful in rainy day when you just need to roll down your window a bit and don’t want to have water all fall through your door and seat, beside that I don’t think there’s much other use though…but it’s ok for family cars such as Innova, Alza but not on sports car for sure.
I guess all future proton china models will not come with visor.
No, thank you.
With hot weather and lots of rain fall in Malaysia, I will have my windows open slightly when park at open space. Good for venting the hot air inside and block the rain from coming in.
at certain angle the door visor also work as sunlight shield .
Hi smart Alex. It’s called window visors to shield out some of the harsh sunlight. It didn’t even cross your mind
Visor is still ok… but the tiny side mirror on top of the side mirror is probably a better talking point
i appreciate a sunroof more than visors.
Door Visors, air press…hmm interesting. Remember those days before Proton, it was metal…not so aesthetic for the car. Then it became plastic with different stylings.
Air-conditioning was not on every car at that time.
However, there was occasions, when the Door Visor’s was really handy those days. When it is raining and your A/C decides to break down, you can roll down the window, with a little rain and still keep on driving wiping your wind screen periodically to get a view ahead…It was a useful benefit.
Experienced it lately when the car air-cond broke down and it was raining. Had no door visors…Yulks…got wet instead! Wish it came with door visors…
These days are mainly cosmetic. If it comes with the car, will just leave it there. Just in case the need arises to wind down the window, there is an option available.
My thoughts…
Yes to visor. Reasons: Sun. And rain.
Yeah not a fan of visors either. It destroys the clean look imo. Most people got it so that car won’t be too hot inside after parking but I just change the aircond to external air when parking and just don’t go in immediately after parking outside for a while.