Here's a question for ya...

Maccattack

How come car manufactures put those electronic defroster thingies on the rear windscreen of cars but not the front?

You sit in your car on a frosty morning like today waiting for the front windscreen to defrost via a p!ss weak fan blowing cold air while the rear windscreen gets super zapped within seconds.

Are we supposed to drive backwards??

peasant

Get a Ford ...they've got it.

And very irritating it is ...a fine, wavy wire structure embedded in the windscreen. The few times I drove one I found my eyes constantly focussing on the wire, on the road, on the wire, on the road ....took a long time to get used to it. Didn't like it. Would rather scrape the ice off on the few days that it happens.

zuutroy

or get a car with CC that will blow hot air straight away! Peasants right about the defogger...pretty dangerous to have bars running up and down the windscreen.

gyppo

Ford's heated windscreen is the best thing since sliced bread.

I have never had an issue with the embedded heating wires.

fletch

gyppo wrote:

Ford's heated windscreen is the best thing since sliced bread.

I have never had an issue with the embedded heating wires.

I agree, my Dads car has them and mine doesn't. He turns the car on, reverses out of the driveway, gives the wipers a sweep and the windows clear, while I'm out with jugs of hot water trying to clear mine :mad:

peasant

RobAMerc

peasant wrote:

And very irritating it is ...a fine, wavy wire structure embedded in the windscreen. The few times I drove one I found my eyes constantly focussing on the wire, on the road, on the wire, on the road ....took a long time to get used to it. /QUOTE]
I think this is more your fault than the cars tbf

I have drivin my sisters fiesta with this and never saw the lines - I did benefit from the quick clear though, surprised more cars dont have it. Surely its cheaper to run than having the a/c howling at the screen for 10 mins - therefore greener ??

zuutroy

RobAMerc wrote:

[
Surely its cheaper to run than having the a/c howling at the screen for 10 mins - therefore greener ??

There's a fair whack of current going through those wires so I'd say its much the same really, plus with the A/C you get warm fast too!

fletch

zuutroy wrote:

There's a fair whack of current going through those wires so I'd say its much the same really, plus with the A/C you get warm fast too!

Yeh when you turn on both the front and rear demister on my dads car, the revs drop momentarily.

Henry Ford III

The rapid defrost windscreen is great these mornings.

30 seconds tops.

MercMad

The Mercs have a button for quick defrost whic just blows hot air, heated electrically, straight away !

Its great and no lines !!

Those lines drive me insane, I agree they are very distracting !

Hal1

Anyone ever get ice on the inside of their windscreen and what did they do about it?. I noticed it last night it got frosty fairly quickly, its a 12 year old polo now though but it running great.

Biro

I was in an XJR once that had hot air immediately, and never in any other car that had. Even climate controled ones. What cars have hot air straight away?
On the Ford one, been in both a Fiesta and Focus with them and you get used to them quickly. I think they're brilliant.

hobochris

Biro wrote:

I was in an XJR once that had hot air immediately, and never in any other car that had. Even climate controled ones. What cars have hot air straight away?
On the Ford one, been in both a Fiesta and Focus with them and you get used to them quickly. I think they're brilliant.

I think its the old fiat uno or chiqecento that had the cooling fluid running into the heating system before it got the to radiator... meaning that as soon as the engine started you have heat...

zuutroy

Thought all motors with CC could do this. I know the Impreza can anyway.

Biro

zuutroy wrote:

Thought all motors with CC could do this. I know the Impreza can anyway.

Nope, definately not. In fact, none that I was in with CC could, and I've been in a good few.

bazz26

Afaik Ford have patented the quick clear front windscreen and will not sell the idea to any other car manufacturers.

kilasser

peasant wrote:

Get a Ford ...they've got it.

And very irritating it is ...a fine, wavy wire structure embedded in the windscreen. The few times I drove one I found my eyes constantly focussing on the wire, on the road, on the wire, on the road ....took a long time to get used to it. Didn't like it. Would rather scrape the ice off on the few days that it happens.

Ive got an ’05 Focus and my windscreen does not have this. First time Ive heard of it. Would it be possible to get it fitted?

JoeA3

it would be difficult if not impossible to retro-fit, but certainly cost prohibitive... You'd need a new windscreen for a start, and the heated version is much more expensive. Then you would need to hope that the wiring is in place in the pilars.

bazz26

kilasser wrote:

Ive got an ’05 Focus and my windscreen does not have this. First time Ive heard of it. Would it be possible to get it fitted?

I think the Focus Zetec and Ghia have it as standard, it is an optional extra on the Focus Freedom and LX models. It would be too expensive to retro fit it as the car would need to be wired for it, money you will never get back. Better off waiting until you trade up.

Just another thought - I heard that some insurance companies will not cover the full cost of replacing the "quick clear" windscreen, only up to a certain amount as they are pretty expensive? Any truth in this?

Guy:Incognito

peasant wrote:

Get a Ford ...they've got it.

And very irritating it is ...a fine, wavy wire structure embedded in the windscreen. The few times I drove one I found my eyes constantly focussing on the wire, on the road, on the wire, on the road ....took a long time to get used to it. Didn't like it. Would rather scrape the ice off on the few days that it happens.

I have it in my Safrane, you have to look closely to see it. I didnt even notice it till a couple of weeks after I go tthe car. Between that and the heated seats and mirrors, ice doesnt really bother me at all.:) Climate contol rounds it off nicely.

bazz26 wrote:

Just another thought - I heard that some insurance companies will not cover the full cost of replacing the "quick clear" windscreen, only up to a certain amount as they are pretty expensive? Any truth in this?

My last two policies, with Quinn and Hibernian, definately mention a value that they cover up to for windscreens, which is why I hope mine never breaks

smemon

how about heated wipers?

wouldn't be costly, should be pretty effective?

has to be one of the most annoying things in the world.. a frozen front windscreen

Futureman

Also - why do higher spec cars NOT have a back wiper??

green123

Futureman wrote:

Also - why do higher spec cars NOT have a back wiper??

yes i have always wondered why this is ?

deman

I'm in Finland. Tuesday morning it was -20 degress, yesterday morning -28 and this morning -22. Turn on the car 5 minutes before heading off. Full heat and power. Start scraping the ice off (and have a smoke). The ice is gone but the windscreen's still freezing. Get in the car and start driving but don't breath for at least 4 minutes as your breathe's condensation will freeze on the inside of the windscreen and it will be impossible to see again. Then after the 4 minutes is up, breath again (if you haven't passed out already). Easy!

Please to NOT try this at home!

On a serious note - Use a towel to cover your windscreen.

manti452

Futureman wrote:

Also - why do higher spec cars NOT have a back wiper??

how do these drivers see in the rain.. or on motorways when things get crappy? Maybe it's only on saloons? I've never seen a hatchback without one.

Seth Brundle

I have no rear wiper and haven't had one since my old Mk III Fiesta. I don't think I need one either as my car is kept fairly clean.

Chunks

Hal1 wrote:

Anyone ever get ice on the inside of their windscreen and what did they do about it?. I noticed it last night it got frosty fairly quickly, its a 12 year old polo now though but it running great.

I got that problem on my MarkIV golf too. I found that there was a leak in the boot and as a result the air in the car was a hell of a lot more moist/humid than outside. this resulted in severe condensation on the inside of both windscreen and rear window. Once i got the leaking part replaced and made my car watertight again it stopped. However, yesterday I noticed ice on the inside of the windscreen again despite the fact that my car is watertight. It turns out that the air was humid again because I was driving home from training still sweating and giving off al ot of heat.

So in short, you either have a ,leak in your car resulting in permanent dampness internally

OR

The air is simply humid inside your car. to fix this drive for a while with all windows open in order to recycle the air in your car and flush out the humid air. That should sort you out

oleras

manti452 wrote:

how do these drivers see in the rain.. or on motorways when things get crappy? Maybe it's only on saloons? I've never seen a hatchback without one.

Aerodynamics............saloons dont need them, hatchbacks do.

Furp

I had the ford quick clear Windsreen in a 2001 Fiesta, it was excellent. The only times I usually noticed the lines was on very bright days.

Now my Primera takes ages to demist the front windscreen.

bazz26

manti452 wrote:

how do these drivers see in the rain.. or on motorways when things get crappy? Maybe it's only on saloons? I've never seen a hatchback without one.

The MkI Skoda Octavia hatchback had the rear windscreen wiper as an optional extra. The MkI Seat Toledo and Daihatsu Applause (remember them?) were also hatchbacks designed to look like saloons and they had no rear wiper.

On the other hand I remember some saloon cars which had rear wipers, some of the old Nissan Primeras and Mitsubishi Lancers (Jap import) used to have a rear wiper on the saloon.

AsphaltRisin'

I've got 2 granadas with heated screens, fantastic invention! And the back screens clear super fast too!
As for peasant's comment complaining that his eyes couldnt focus because of the wavy wires....i think he must just have weird eyes...

colm_mcm

The Hyundai Tucson has heated front wipers AFAIK

maidhc

bazz26 wrote:

I think the Focus Zetec and Ghia have it as standard, it is an optional extra on the Focus Freedom and LX models. It would be too expensive to retro fit it as the car would need to be wired for it, money you will never get back. Better off waiting until you trade up.

Just another thought - I heard that some insurance companies will not cover the full cost of replacing the "quick clear" windscreen, only up to a certain amount as they are pretty expensive? Any truth in this?

My Focus Zetec doesn't have it. I think Irish zetecs lost them on the voyage into the country, I'm sure a few other bits went missing off the Irish models too.

IIRC insurance only covers about €250 if you don't use Autoglass, Allied Irish or whoever. I put a new standard winscreen in my car last week, and it cost Mr. Hibernian over €400. I switched away from Hibernian on monday.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Get a Vectra they have front windscreen demisters.

colm_mcm

Hassan Crooked Cotton wrote:

Get a Vectra they have front windscreen demisters.

Hardly a good enough excuse to buy one.

bazz26

maidhc wrote:

My Focus Zetec doesn't have it. I think Irish zetecs lost them on the voyage into the country, I'm sure a few other bits went missing off the Irish models too.

IIRC insurance only covers about €250 if you don't use Autoglass, Allied Irish or whoever. I put a new standard winscreen in my car last week, and it cost Mr. Hibernian over €400. I switched away from Hibernian on monday.

What I meant to say was that I was referring to the MkII Focus rather than the MkI.

Henry Ford III

According to Ford.ie it's standard on LX, Zetec, Ghia and Titanium models.