Just wondered what techniques people use for getting going on the frosty mornings.
Personally, I start the car and get the heated rear screen on, and the blower on hot & full with the vents on full, and re-circulated air on. (heated seat as well, but that is besides the point!) I’ll carefully scrape the side windows using the rubber part of the scraper, and then use the sponge part on the rear screen which by now has thawed, and then slowly work upwards from the bottom of the front screen as it defrosts.
I’m apprehensive when it comes to spray-on de-icers, after hearing tales of them damaging paintwork, and removing proofing from roofs, as well as causing premature wear to wipers.
I’ve never used any of the ‘night before’ stuff, but I assume that they can have similar issues to the above, if indeed it works
I’ve read online about pouring cold water on the glass, which is above zero, so thaws the ice/frost, but does not risk cracking the glass, but in my experience, this has just instantly frozen, causing ice twice as thick as what I started with!
I cover the screen with a windscreen cover (Lidl`s £1.99) then use luke warm water from the tap to defrost the car just before i set off. Never had a problem in 33 years of driving using that method.
Mind you…thats on the Zafira, the 5 is kept in the garage [;)]
I chuck a saucepan of hottish water on (whetever temp comes out of hot tap just running it straight in to pan til full from word go). I know I shouldn’t but in 25 years it hasn’t cracked anything so far and I always foget to buy de-icer and am always in a hurry to go ha ha
Reminds me of my old Chevette when I was a student - just plain water in leaky radiator and often in darkest winter it froze solid and I had to prise off lid and pour kettles full of boiling water in while massaging the rubber hoses til it freed up. Poor old Chevette! Still, it only cost £50 and lasted 3 years lol
I personally do not use any type of de icer because A)the engines in these cars do not take long to become very hot,so de iceing with the cars heat is not and never as been a problem,because last face it there not the biggest of cars???B)spray on de icer will in the end rot rubber.
I do the same as Halli…usually. Did have to leave the 5 on drive one night so covered rear window with a sheet, in the morning turned on the heated windscreen, left running fo a couple of minutes then off we went.
The 4x4 I cover front windscreen with a sheet, in the morning I turn on front & rear windscreen, heaters & leave for about 5 mins then all is ready. If the ice is thick or I’m in a hurry I use some deicer as being 5’ tall & a veichle thats been raised don’t go together very well!!!..still it gives the neighbours a laugh
If you have no de-icer, get an old cloth and pour some neat screenwash on to it and gently wipe the windows. Works a treat and stops you getting it all over your paintwork as with de-icer. Decent quality screenwash is good down to minus70
I haven’t use de-icer for years. Just start up and put all fasers on stun
This winter the temperatures have been so low constantly for weeks on end , I guess pouring water on the sreen may not work as well as more normal winters. The MX seems to defrost quite quickly/
Meant to say, this year I bought a nylon screen cover from Tesco for about £2 (secured by the doors either side). It has been really good , and compared to sheets / towels etc. it shakes off and dries really quickly.
I don’t use de-icer as when it evapourates it actually cools the glass, increasing condensation problems inside (I found this out after many yorshire winters with a 2CV - no electric heater fans on those, to demist you have to drive faster…). Maybe on a real car you won’t notice, but I’ve never found not using de-icer to be a problem.
I just start the engine, fans to full and scrape the windows. The only bit I’m careful of is my quarter lights because mine are plastic and I don’t want to scratch them. In snow the car is always toasty before I’ve finished getting the snow off the bonnet (I hate the self induced mini-blizzard you get from snow on your bonnet).
Mine takes a good 10 mins or so to warm up inside (mk1 1.6 and has fresh coolant and new genuine thermostat so must be ok?) so i start it up switch on the heated rear screen (mk3 style mohair, rock on) and get to work scraping the frost off the windscreen, side windows and mirrors… takes a minute at best. then get in with all the gear on to keep me warm until i get out of my town when its finally blowing out warm air and getting toasty inside.
