MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
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are they worth having? I was thinking they would be good, but then thought that if the windscreen is frozen then i'll still have to scrape / defrost the side windows as normal...
And once you notice the heater lines in the window it knocks you sick. (or at least it did with the old mondeos, not seen one since).
Really miss the screen on my old Mondeo. It was brilliant.
brilliant idea, have them on both our cars. start engine, put on heated screens, get out, scrape side windows, get in, windscreen clearing and drive off within 2 minutes. can only see the filaments if you look for them
No may favourite can't do without car gadget.
....used to be the electric rear blind in an old Omega.
Got one on my new Ka.
It's fantastic...sit with it on for about 1 minute, 2 wipes of the wipers and I'm away!!
it's not just the frost, it's the demisting if you get a wet family/dog in the car too, you can pop it on & instead of having the heater on full whack to the screen, it can be point at your hands/toes!
I'd say worth it!
yes get it, I wouldn't buy another ford (or volvo?) without it, as a bonus it also does the mirrors too.
Yes you still have to do the side windows, but they only needs a minutes attention unlike the windscreen, which will be properly clear & not re-freeze or steam up.
Dunno about the "once you notice the heater lines in the window it knocks you sick."comment, my 2000 focus & g/f's 2007 focus are fine, but maybe that a personal thing.
They are ace. Sit there in the warm waiting for the windows to clear whilst other people down my road are out scarping their screens. Well worth it.
Really miss the screen on my old Mondeo. It was brilliant.
+1
wouldn't be without it. Genius invention
I think it is a personal thing about if you see the lines or not. I find it annoys me as I am always seeing them in my peripheral vision. Especially annoying at night where lights create a starbust effect. Other people say they just don't notice it.
Same as traildog - once I'd spotted them I couldn't unspot them and it drove me nuts. I guess if you have a vision deficiency at short range you may be ok, but it took me all of 30 seconds to spot them and 4 hours of feeling sick driving with them lol.
I notice them as a passenger, but can't say it bothers me, definitely more noticeable in oncoming headlights though. Strikes me as an excellent feature!
i wonder why other cars dont have them as well. Only seen them on Mazda's and Fords.
I used to have an aftermarket one fitted to my old Landrover. The best £60 I ever spent on a car.
No, make that the best £60 I ever spent, period. (The blower on a '66 Landy is little more than useless!)
Did 400 miles on motorways on wednesday in my focus. In the fog. Man could i see those lines....
Still, got going quick enough in the morning though
The lines never bothered me; occasionally I'd see them and be aware of them for a couple of minutes afterwards but I'd forget about them shortly after.
On a really cold icy morning there's nothing like putting the heated screen on for thirty seconds then sliding one large, windscreen-sized frozen lump of ice onto the ground! Brilliant for demisting too, far better than even the best aircon.
We swapped our Focus for a Mazda Bongo that doesn't have a heated screen; you can get aftermarket ones but they're crazy expensive. I'm still tempted though, nonetheless...
as a bonus it also does the mirrors too.
Almost all cars have heated mirrors.
But it is a great thing to have - I love it. It is only available on Fords and Mazdas because the have it patented or whatever (Mazda are part-owned by Ford and share technology).
i'd quite like a heated steering wheel as well or should i just MTFU 😳
It is only available on Fords and Mazdas because the have it patented or whatever (Mazda are part-owned by Ford and share technology).
Lexus [toyota] have heated screens too.
Lexus [toyota] have heated screens too.
Interesting.
I must admit to not understanding why every manufacturer doesn't fit a version of it. To 'quick clear' the screen on my Audi I press a button and it sounds like a ****ing gale is blowing as it 'demists' the screen. Yet it doesn't actually do very much.
worth it, simples
I used to have an aftermarket one fitted to my old Landrover
where from??
they really are fantastic - we got our focus december 2008, and went away for the weekend over the ridiculous snow of last feb. got back to a foot of iced snow covering the car, and i was prepared for the worst in terms of clearing it.
turned the car on and within about 5 mins it had sorted it all itself, amazing. it was true love from then on!
i definitely found the lines took some getting used to, particularly at night with oncoming headlights, but now don't notice them at all.
It is only available on Fords and Mazdas
And Minis and Jaguars. Jaguar is a result of their former Ford ownership but I could never understand how Mini got it. Excellent gadget - wouldn't be without it on my car. You only really notice the wires against a white background - snow or fog - and I find I soon forget about it even then. Also as someone said great for demisting, not just ice. Only downside is that they're expensive to replace if you break one but insurance usually covers that.
Peugeot have a system using a film rather than loads of little wires don't they?
It doesn't matter what Peugeot have - it is French and therefore will not work.
It doesn't matter what Peugeot have - it is French and therefore will not work.
Mine works fine, ta.
Properly useful, I love mine on the mondeo.
Another yes here, fantastic piece of kit, in fact its the one thing that would put me off having a non ford group car next.
in fact its the one thing that would put me off having a non ford group car next.
Other car groups also have the tech.... 😀
I think it's great and never worried about the lines though can see them. I've cracked 2 windscreens though so was glad I had fully comp insurance as cost over £500 for my Puma window back in 2001 - no idea what non-heated ones cost though.
They're great. Heated seats are ace too.
And I agree about the insurance. Make sure your glass is covered as they are stupidly expensive to replace.
Love mine...wish more cars had them....can't see many other options...Mini (no use to me), Jaguar (not likely), and whilst I can find it on the Mazda 3 I can't find it listed on Maza 5 or Mazda 6. I read that Alfa claim to have them but it only actually does the bit around the wipers.
It's the thing I really miss most about my Puma. Thankfully I don't need to drive to work anymore, otherwise it would drive me nuts! My Octavia takes ages to defrost; the Puma, hit the button, and you could see the ice get a crackle pattern within a couple of minutes, hit the wipers and the ice just falls off. Fantastic invention.
Worth it? Yep.Got one on my C-Max,its had plenty of use these last few days.
....used to be the electric rear blind in an old Omega.
iirc,Merc's had 'em too.Always thought that it would be a good idea to have a message printed on the blind,say 'BACK OFF W*NK*R'.....tailgating to$$er behind...push switch...raise blind!!
Only gadget worth bothering with. I hate all this electric seat/mirror/windows/etc non-sense. For those of us with old cars it's just stuff to go wrong.
Had a 98 Mondeo, loved the heated windscreen, a gadget with a point.
Chill coffeeki g- it was just said tongue in cheek. I hope it isn't a diesel though...
Loved it, but miss it on the new car.
fantastic, certainly wouldn't make a point of avoiding them, if only they could do the front windows too