Electric windscreen frost removers anyone?

[Dave7]

You know the type with rotating plastic blades and are rechargeable.
I see Karcher do one at £63ish......I cant justify that with the number of times I will need it.
Generic @ £15ish.......more realistic.
So.......
I know you often get what you pay for but if the cheaper ones do the job I will take a punt.
Has anyone actually tried the cheaper ones?

 

[YMFB]

It’s one of the Ford legacy bits of kit that are really useful. My 1988 XR3i was the first car I had with a heated front windscreen and apart from a long period of having BMW company cars in the noughties all my cars have had them. My current 2015 Range Rover has it plus heated steering wheel, seats and mirrors.

On a frosty morning I only scrape the side windows and by the time that’s done everything else is clear/toasty.

 

[Drago]

Whatsx all this scraping and defrosting malarkey? don't your cars automatically defrost themselves in readiness for your departure?

 

[fossyant]

I have a fancy automatic diesel heater in the van that means I've got warm air coming out the vents in less than a minute. Anyway, who is defrosting a car in the morning - shouldn't you be on your bike, this is a cycling forum you know !

 

[YMFB]

I have a fancy automatic diesel heater in the van that means I've got warm air coming out the vents in less than a minute. Anyway, who is defrosting a car in the morning - shouldn't you be on your bike, this is a cycling forum you know !

my car hasn’t moved since Monday, I’ve cycled everywhere until today. day off today so might clean bikes ready to make them dirty again.

 

[fossyant]

my car hasn’t moved since Monday, I’ve cycled everywhere until today. day off today so might clean bikes ready to make them dirty again.

That's the issue with mine - it can sit for a week. Don't like taking it for a short run as it's diesel. MrsF's petrol heats up quickly, but if I drive to work in winter, the thermostat hasn't hit normal operating temperature by the time I get there an hour later.

For defrosting, I use a 6 pint jug of warm water - not hot ! Added benefit is the windscreen doesn't fog once you get in.

TBH, the number of people I see driving through peepholes, few defrost cars !

 

[Bonefish Blues]

One of the ultra-cheap silver windscreen covers whose ends you trap in the doors will do it just fine.

 

[Dave7]

One of the ultra-cheap silver windscreen covers whose ends you trap in the doors will do it just fine.

That is probably true.....I will look at them.

 

[Alex321]

One of the ultra-cheap silver windscreen covers whose ends you trap in the doors will do it just fine.

Yep. That is what I have always used.

But now I have an EV, that shouldn't be necessary, if I leave it plugged in I can say I want the cabin at 22C (or whatever I choose) for 7:00Am, and it will be ready, which will also have defrosted the windows.

 

[Jameshow]

That's the issue with mine - it can sit for a week. Don't like taking it for a short run as it's diesel. MrsF's petrol heats up quickly, but if I drive to work in winter, the thermostat hasn't hit normal operating temperature by the time I get there an hour later.

For defrosting, I use a 6 pint jug of warm water - not hot ! Added benefit is the windscreen doesn't fog once you get in.

TBH, the number of people I see driving through peepholes, few defrost cars !

Milk bottle of warm water works well except in really cold weather when it freezes before you can get going!

 

[mistyoptic]

We park on the drive, so a fan heater on the driver’s seat while we eat breakfast is our solution. Not that it matters often now we’re retired

 

[biggs682]

Why do you need to remove the frost ?

The odds are you could drive along to the screen cleared before a copper was spotted these days .

Just don't hit anyone or anything

 

[fossyant]

Milk bottle of warm water works well except in really cold weather when it freezes before you can get going!

It's a 6 pint milk bottle but didn't want someone saying "Are you are pouring 6 pints of warm milk on the car - shock !"

 

[simongt]

Back in the 70s VW had the 411 ( ? ) which had a wee petrol heater independent of the engine which could be switched on about five minutes or so prior to departure which defrosted the windscreen / windows and made the inside of the car all warm & toasty - !
Wonder what happened to that bright idea - ?

 

[tyred]

Back in the 70s VW had the 411 ( ? ) which had a wee petrol heater independent of the engine which could be switched on about five minutes or so prior to departure which defrosted the windscreen / windows and made the inside of the car all warm & toasty - !
Wonder what happened to that bright idea - ?

It was because it was air cooled.

SAME tractors had similar in the 1980s and 90s, as did Tatras I believe.