Frosted up windscreens - what do you use??

[M'coli]

Carter USM being played full tilt on the way to work.

[pogweasel]

Surprised that no one has said put the car in the garage overnight.

Despite the garage being 400m from the house this is probably still the best/quickest bet, toddle down there, fetch the car out, proceed, no fannying about. Sadly my garages are full of unusable Maxi, various wheels, broken things and a collapsable caravan.

[trigger]

Wish i could use my garage as well, but mine is down the bottom of the garden and has a partly stripped BMW in it.

[M'coli]

If we're gonna get pedantic, I'm using my pushbike to get to work, as it takes less time to de-frost and I'm guarranteed a space! It's the wife's car that I de-frost

[Rusty Pelican]

I start the motor 15 mins before leaving and leave the heater fan on , cue time for coffee , fag etc

[retrogeezer]

If we're gonna get pedantic, I'm using my pushbike to get to work, as it takes less time to de-frost and I'm guarranteed a space! It's the wife's car that I de-frost

Yeh, I used to do that until I went round a corner and skidded off on black ice. I still have the scars from the road rash.I did have some small black plastic sheets for the screen last year but can't find them now! I've used some silver insulation stuff for tonight so will see how it works tomorrow.I also have the engine running while using warm water on the windows and wiping it off with the soft rubber bit on a scraper.

[Father Ted]

I drove an AX with no working heater one winter - solution....

 

 

in the passenger footwell with the seat squab removed - car deiced and nice and warm in 5 minutes.

 

These days rather than gas myself with carbon monoxide fumes I use the cars heater and warm water.

[M'coli]

If we're gonna get pedantic, I'm using my pushbike to get to work, as it takes less time to de-frost and I'm guarranteed a space! It's the wife's car that I de-frost

Yeh, I used to do that until I went round a corner and skidded off on black ice. I still have the scars from the road rash.

I still have to get home tonight - wish me luck!

[pbottomley]

Would warm water with a little table salt be the ideal item... of course it will assist in the patina of the car over time.

[Timewaster]

I use warm tap water with a splash of screenwash.

[Andrew353w]

As per above that's been said; WARM (not hot!) water, in an old plastic water bottle, poured over the screen, then give the wipers a run to clear the frost and ice. Another idea I've used is to put HOT water (careful, boys!) into the washer bottle, and a little bit on the jets themselves, to clear any ice. This can put a spray of warm water over the screen to de-ice it, and also allows you to clear the rear screen, although the pipe leading to the rear of the car might be icy, so it could take time to get through.My Skoda's done sterling service today; 150 miles around north & west London with the heater on maximum & the fan on 2/4 and I'm really cosy!

[pandamonium]

I scrape with my pink icescraper I 'borrowed' from my wife (it has a longer handle so the ice bits dont freeze your hand) Then sit in the car and listen to music for 5 mins til it deices itself. The bluebird has heated mirrors which is a bonus in this weather.

[Guest Tony Hayers]

Sierra Ghia = heated front screen. 20 seconds of defrosting and im away.The front screen on the Mondeo is kaput, so its the tepid water and quick action with the wipers method. My neighbour across the road puts a bit of cardboard on his 106 to remove in the morning and scoot straight off to work. The goof did not plan on it raining and subsequently freezing to the screen overnight watching him try and peel a 3' x 1.5' strip of cardboard off in 1" square sections was funny as mud

[Albert Ross]

I can't start my engine unless I want grumpy neighbours.I use a free CD from the Mail last Crimbo, scrape the windows outside and in, jump in, start it, get to the end of the (very) short street, and scrape the insides again. Must remember not to breathe on the windows.

[scruff]

My morning ritualGo to Land Rover - wave lit fag lighter around the door lock (I don't smoke, but you learn of it's other uses) Jump in, slipping on the frozen floor. 15 seconds of heat and punch the starter button. Pump it several times as moisture gets inside it and freezes the contacts.While the engine warms up and smokes out the village, warm up the kettle and eat toast. Go back out, defrost windows with water on outside and scraper on inside, and then drive to work occasionally wiping the screen with a rag. GR8

[scruff]

Considered it - but the truck cab is on at the moment! Once it's running it isn't too bad to be honest.

[dollywobbler]

I did feel for you at hometime today Mr Scruff! For some reason, having to de-ice the car at work is twice as horrible as doing it at home.I've wrapped the Saab in sheets tonight. See what difference that makes...

[Hudsonpie]

My morning ritualGo to Land Rover - wave lit fag lighter around the door lock (I don't smoke, but you learn of it's other uses) Jump in, slipping on the frozen floor. 15 seconds of heat and punch the starter button. Pump it several times as moisture gets inside it and freezes the contacts.While the engine warms up and smokes out the village, warm up the kettle and eat toast. Go back out, defrost windows with water on outside and scraper on inside, and then drive to work occasionally wiping the screen with a rag. GR8

Just like my old Landy, but more often than not I would lose the lighter, and I smoke.....would slip and do a shin on some thing. It was always like a fridge despite having a "heater" and comfy Volvo seats, and the wipers were shit.....anyone whos good at the DVLA thingy the reg was 1412UR, probably been plate raped but you never know....soz for the hijack BTW

[FredTransit]

I am used to the ice on the windows, but for the first time I can remember, just before Christmas the locks on me LWB iced up! No joy from the outside from the side door, but could just about get in the passenger door, and open the side loader from the inside.

[Hudsonpie]

Thanks SirTainly....Apparently it was built from a pile of bits, so the previous owner told me...I did some resto work and fitted a better engine and box. IIRC it went to Cornwall when I sold it...be easy to spot as it was a LWB with side windows let into the hardtop....wow brilliant stuff thanks again mate :DBack to topic....

[Polystratus]

If the daily car has been stood overnight in a heavy frost, just run the engine and heater for about 5 mins as it warms up quite quick, the rear screen and door mirrors are electrically heated anyway. Of course make sure I can watch the car as there has been the usual spate of car thefts, with someone walking up driveways and taking the car when it's been left running unattended.

[eggy]

last night i used a ripped up tennents box on my mates combo,before i borrowed it, although i had to enter through the passsenger door because every time it freezes the drivers door catch wont open

[j-j]

tuff them inside the car so the inside of your boot/interior gets nicely damp & frosty (wet carpets ahoy! GR9 4 rotten floors)???

Leave it at home.

 

 

got this cover from Lidl years ago.

 

Ideal: just remove and your window is clear.

 

What I really want to know is how do you upgrade the heated rear window on a shite old car to perform like a new car (my Sister's C4 heated window clears in about 45 seconds)

[254575]

in the spirit of 'please help find my old land rover', has anybody seen mine?an ex mil 109lwb reg Q133HVFi only ask, as i cant get it to show up on the DVLA tax check thing!....

[FredTransit]

I am not seeing it on the DVLA either, was it yellow?Vehicle Registration Mark Q133HVFMake LAND ROVERModel OTHERTransmission & fuel type MANUAL PETROLBody Type LIGHT UTILITY 4X4Colour YELLOW

[M'coli]

What I really want to know is how do you upgrade the heated rear window on a shite old car to perform like a new car (my Sister's C4 heated window clears in about 45 seconds)

Difficult question! How about making sure that the connectors are clean and corrosion free to help it perform as close as possible to factory as possible?

[Milford Cubicle]

When the rear screen was replaced on my 405 the heated element performance improved markedly.

[Tayne]

,

[j-j]

What I really want to know is how do you upgrade the heated rear window on a shite old car to perform like a new car (my Sister's C4 heated window clears in about 45 seconds)

Difficult question! How about making sure that the connectors are clean and corrosion free to help it perform as close as possible to factory as possible?

When the rear screen was replaced on my 405 the heated element performance improved markedly.

Aye, I think I'll check this out first. Never looked at the HRW wiring before so I will check the earths etc.Might fit a relay and new wires if it would help too..

[Spottedlaurel]

The bluebird has heated mirrors which is a bonus in this weather.

I know, I miss them!I also do the starting then faff around with other things method, coupled with a smidge of de-icer if necessary. I usually have to do mine and Mrs SL's, by the time I've got round them both they've warmed-up OK. If I remember I chuck an old curtain or blanket on the 'screen, which then gets left in the dead, door-less Laurel for the day.