Non BEV cars with cabin preheating

Del2005

Thinking about changing my car and want a car that you can pre heat the cabin for frosty mornings. What cars have this feature and is it in all trims? Not sure how much I want to spend or if going new/2nd hand, depends on what cars I have to choose between.

I don't like the Ford heated windscreens and you still have to clear the other windows. BEV isn't an option as I don't have assigned parking and no way to install a charging point even if I did.

colm_mcm

I don’t think too many if any have a fuel burning pre heater as an option in Ireland

Maybe some Range Rovers might have it. Rover 75 had it on the earlier diesels.

Webasto and Eberspacher do retrofits but these are megabucks and totally overkill for the sort of weather we get here, where a kettle of water would usually solve it.

Buddy Bubs

Can you not just go out a few minutes early and start the car up then go back inside like half my neighbours do? In the event its still there its lovely and warm and defrosted when they come out a second time.

colm_mcm

Neighbour of mine used to do that every morning, start the car then go back inside for a cuppa. He moved to a more urban area, and soon after that his car got stolen. Not sure if he used to lock the keys in.

bazz26

That is where remote start on the key fob would come in very handy. It's not very popular with car manufacturers this side of the Atlantic but is in the US.

Casati

Full remote control inc remote start, remote locking & unlocking is standard on all new Volvo's regardless of engine fuel. Very handy feature. My phone pings me at night to remind me if I have left the car unlocked too

First time I saw it was ultrasonic version on a Ford Taurus in the States- they used it primarily to cool down the car in summer

pinktoe

Don't most modern BMW's work with "connecteddrive"


The 2016 onwards Jaguar XJ can be started and heated so maybe some XF or XE models have it.

bazz26

BMW Connected Drive allows you to switch on the ventilation for cold air to cool down the cabin alright but only the plug in hybrid and electric models have preheating afaik.

WacoKid

I start the car with the spare key, lock it with the main key, and so can leave it running on the driveway to warm up.

bambam

Think the BMW SUVs had this as an option, don't think you can get it on new models though. It was called 'Auxiliary Heating'.
See https://x3.xbimmers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1348214
https://shop.bmw.co.uk/bmw-uk-responsive/en_GB/genuine-bmw-parts/interior/heater-and-air-conditioning/641230-auxiliary-heating/page1.html

DaveyDave

I thought the quickest way to heat up the cabin was to go driving? I was under the impression that people running their cars weren't really getting any heat because the engine isn't doing anything.

Del2005

Buddy Bubs wrote: »

Can you not just go out a few minutes early and start the car up then go back inside like half my neighbours do? In the event its still there its lovely and warm and defrosted when they come out a second time.

Car parking is about 50m out of view from my apartment and people go out on frosty mornings to steal. Overriding the immobiliser to retro fit remote starting isn't an option.

Del2005

DaveyDave wrote: »

I thought the quickest way to heat up the cabin was to go driving? I was under the impression that people running their cars weren't really getting any heat because the engine isn't doing anything.

Leaving the car idle isn't the most efficient way to warm it up but it does work.

I usually start the car and then pour warm water on the windows to clear the outside, it's getting the inside clear that takes a while as I keep forgetting to clean the fecking inside and only remember when I'm sitting waiting for them to clear.

kirving

Most PHEV's have this nowadays. My 330e had it, and can be set via timer, app, or remote control. Car has to have a minimum battery level, which it eats quickly if not plugged in.

I know the Volvo V70 D6 comes with it as standard too, and I think Merc C350e?

Leonard Hofstadter

German cars in the 90s and early 00s with climate control often used to have a 'Rest' button, which would store latent heat from the engine which could then be used the following morning so you had a nice and toasty car when you got into it. Not sure if they do that any more. As others have said, any sort of PHEV should be able to offer this feature.

Back in the max power days a friend of mine had a ****box saxo with a fart cannon.
he used to leave it idling on the drive for 20mins before work in winter.
One day he came out and the keys were gone!
Someone handed them into the local shop a week later and he never did it agian!!

Casati

Leonard Hofstadter wrote: »

German cars in the 90s and early 00s with climate control often used to have a 'Rest' button, which would store latent heat from the engine which could then be used the following morning so you had a nice and toasty car when you got into it. Not sure if they do that any more. As others have said, any sort of PHEV should be able to offer this feature.

I thought the rest button basically kept the heater fan going if the engine was off for say 10/15 minutes?

Loads of cars must have remote start surely - as I said it’s standard on Volvos but I presume it must be standard now on lots of other makes?

biko

Look into Eberspächer car heater.

zg3409

I think there is some European regulation that restricts remote starting a whole engine due to environmental reasons.

You can use a mains fan heater on an extension lead with a plug in timer for those few nights when windows freeze hard.

Heated seats and or steering wheels are handy if you have not used them. Speed to heat varies by model.

I typically use loads of cold or slightly warm water to clear windscreen on bad mornings.

You can get an electric heater that plugs into cigarette lighter but they are not great. It does output instant heat. Some cars have similar resistive heaters hidden inside dash for instant heat.

Some phev may need to be plugged in to preheat on timer or app.

If I ever do start engine to preheat I put on as many loads as possible to heat engine quickly, lights full beam, rear window heater, heated mirrors, fan on full, heated seats, etc.

Casati

zg3409 wrote: »

I think there is some European regulation that restricts remote starting a whole engine due to environmental reasons.

You can use a mains fan heater on an extension lead with a plug in timer for those few nights when windows freeze hard.

Heated seats and or steering wheels are handy if you have not used them. Speed to heat varies by model.

I typically use loads of cold or slightly warm water to clear windscreen on bad mornings.

You can get an electric heater that plugs into cigarette lighter but they are not great. It does output instant heat. Some cars have similar resistive heaters hidden inside dash for instant heat.

Some phev may need to be plugged in to preheat on timer or app.

If I ever do start engine to preheat I put on as many loads as possible to heat engine quickly, lights full beam, rear window heater, heated mirrors, fan on full, heated seats, etc.

I don't think Volvo would have remote start as standard if its not allowed by EU regulations?

Using a mains fan heater with associated risk of fire I could see ending very badly, not to mention the OP said he's in an apartment so running an extensive lead across a car park might be a lot of work!

nsnoefc1878

Del2005 wrote: »

Thinking about changing my car and want a car that you can pre heat the cabin for frosty mornings. What cars have this feature and is it in all trims? Not sure how much I want to spend or if going new/2nd hand, depends on what cars I have to choose between.

I don't like the Ford heated windscreens and you still have to clear the other windows. BEV isn't an option as I don't have assigned parking and no way to install a charging point even if I did.

Why dont you like the Ford heated windscreen? I have it on my Volvo and its brilliant. Preheating the cabin wont replace it, as it wont do much for a layer of ice on the outside of the window..

nsnoefc1878

Casati wrote: »

I don't think Volvo would have remote start as standard if its not allowed by EU regulations?

Using a mains fan heater with associated risk of fire I could see ending very badly, not to mention the OP said he's in an apartment so running an extensive lead across a car park might be a lot of work!

What volvos have that? My 2017 v90 doesnt that I'm aware of?!

whippet

My brother in Sweden has some form of preheating on his Passat .. button on the fob heats the cabin and de-ices .. I’ve not idea how it works but it was a factory installed option and a necessity over there

biko

^^^ it's "engine block heater" they use in Sweden.

colm_mcm

nsnoefc1878 wrote: »

What volvos have that? My 2017 v90 doesnt that I'm aware of?!

It’s part of the climate pack in the new V90s anyway: heated rear seats, heated steering wheel, heated windscreen, heated wiper washers , and headlight washers.

Casati

colm_mcm wrote: »

It’s part of the climate pack in the new V90s anyway: heated rear seats, heated steering wheel, heated windscreen, heated wiper washers , and headlight washers.

That pack is totally different and not related to remote start - I don't have that pack but have Volvo On Call

Volvo On Call - basically this is an App and connected service that links to you car and gives not only a lot of information inc car faults, fuel range and ability to send destinations to the cars sat nav, it also includes a secure remote start function.

I can start up the car and set it run for a preferred length of time, via the app and have heated seats, climate control to heat up the interior to the desired temperature.

The engine is running but the car is fully secure - the alarm is still on, the doors locked and the transmission is locked into park and the car can't be driven until you unlock the car and have the key with you. I'm sure it allowed under EU law or Volvo wouldn't offer it.

My Skoda had a similar system but wouldn't enable remote start - but I think the new ones have this function, and I can imagine a lot of other car manufacturers have a similar system to the Volvo now- I know Jaguar/ Landrover have it standard but not sure which others?

Del2005

nsnoefc1878 wrote: »

Why dont you like the Ford heated windscreen? I have it on my Volvo and its brilliant. Preheating the cabin wont replace it, as it wont do much for a layer of ice on the outside of the window..

The wires in the window annoy me. I use warm water for the outside, it's to get the inside clear before I get in.

Can't use any mains devices because of the car parking location and if I could use a mains device I could get a BEV which all seem to have the option.

nsnoefc1878

colm_mcm wrote: »

It’s part of the climate pack in the new V90s anyway: heated rear seats, heated steering wheel, heated windscreen, heated wiper washers , and headlight washers.

Mine is 2017 and has the winter pack but not sure whats included apart from heated front seats, windscreen and steering wheel.

Casati

nsnoefc1878 wrote: »

Mine is 2017 and has the winter pack but not sure whats included apart from heated front seats, windscreen and steering wheel.

You need Volvo On Call - to check have you got an On Call button beside the SOS button beside the roof mounted lights? Im not sure it was available in 2017 - mine is a 2019

colm_mcm

Casati wrote: »

That pack is totally different and not related to remote start - I don't have that pack but have Volvo On Call

Volvo On Call - basically this is an App and connected service that links to you car and gives not only a lot of information inc car faults, fuel range and ability to send destinations to the cars sat nav, it also includes a secure remote start function.

I can start up the car and set it run for a preferred length of time, via the app and have heated seats, climate control to heat up the interior to the desired temperature.

The engine is running but the car is fully secure - the alarm is still on, the doors locked and the transmission is locked into park and the car can't be driven until you unlock the car and have the key with you. I'm sure it allowed under EU law or Volvo wouldn't offer it.

My Skoda had a similar system but wouldn't enable remote start - but I think the new ones have this function, and I can imagine a lot of other car manufacturers have a similar system to the Volvo now- I know Jaguar/ Landrover have it standard but not sure which others?

Post was supposed to be in reply to someone who was wondering why their V90 doesn’t have a heated front screen.
Unfortunately that’s not what they were saying at all, and I misread the post!

biko

Outlander PHEV (electricity and petrol) has preheating on timer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TO_B_bgdLGY

micah537

zg3409 wrote: »

I think there is some European regulation that restricts remote starting a whole engine due to environmental reasons .

Its legal once the car is parked on private property and not on a street.
Range Rovers have it as well. One client showed it to me recently. It shuts off after 10 or 15min, you can control heater, seats, steering heater, and windscreen and rear window heaters. You can also just heat the seats and windscreen without starting. If a window is broken the car can't be driven off.

It can also be fitted by some places who fit alarms in the UK (possibly they do it over here as well). You have to have an automatic car AFAIK.

kirving

Casati wrote: »

and I can imagine a lot of other car manufacturers have a similar system to the Volvo now- I know Jaguar/ Landrover have it standard but not sure which others?

Most Volvo would be electric pre-heating, but some Volvo's also have an additional fuel driven cabin heater. You must set the car to "indoor" parking if you're in a garage.

Using fuel to drive is much less efficient than an electric motor.

But when heating, both burning fuel and electric heating are similar in terms of efficiencies - but fuel is cheaper per kWh of energy.

https://www.volvocars.com/mt/support/manuals/v60-plug-in-hybrid/2013w46/climate/preconditioning/preconditioning---messages

Casati

Kevin Irving wrote: »

Most Volvo would be electric pre-heating, but some Volvo's also have an additional fuel driven cabin heater. You must set the car to "indoor" parking if you're in a garage.

Using fuel to drive is much less efficient than an electric motor.

But when heating, both burning fuel and electric heating are similar in terms of efficiencies - but fuel is cheaper per kWh of energy.

https://www.volvocars.com/mt/support/manuals/v60-plug-in-hybrid/2013w46/climate/preconditioning/preconditioning---messages

To be clear mine doesn’t have pre heating, it’s just remote start - Ie the engine starts up and uses the normal heater along with heated seats etc.


I’d like to see the legality of using it in a street - Volvo handbook is silent in this and the car is as secure to theft as it is sitting there now with remote start not activated so I would be very surprised if it’s not legal to use it in a public place. It very different to leaving a car outside your house with the engine running and key in the ignition

It’s a brilliant feature and one I used a few times when we had heavy frost, certainly I can live with whatever tiny amount of diesel it burns to have the car fully warmed up

Del2005

They have no idling laws in several cities in the UK and Europe. When it becomes law in Ireland it'll be ignored like all the other laws we have.