Motoring Discussion > Heated Windscreens	Company Cars
Thread Author: rtj70	Replies: 46

New Wed 17 Aug 11 17:06   Heated Windscreens - rtj70

After some opinions. I went to look at my next new car earlier. It's had one option missed off the VW order (it was on the order from the lease company) - heated windscreen. I have two options. Take it as is and costs reduced (trivial amounts really) or they order another one. But instead of getting it say start October I'd be lucky to see it the end of November. And since a revised Passat CC is likely to appear at Frankfurt Motor Show in a few weeks I run the risk of not getting it at all. Who knows what might change spec/price wise. The earliest it would be built is late October. Note VW cancelled Passat orders that were outstanding when the revisions came in. So would you do without an option (as handy as heated windscreen)? Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 17 Aug 11 17:18   Heated Windscreens - RattleandSmoke

It depends if you can live with it or not, four years is a long time to go if you can't. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 17 Aug 11 17:23   Heated Windscreens - Clk Sec

>>So would you do without an option (as handy as heated windscreen)? If I was buying the car I would not settle for anything less than I had ordered. If it was a company car I would, perhaps, be less fussy. If I didn't have access to a garage during the winter, and the missed option was a heated windscreen, I might wait another month or so. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 17 Aug 11 17:29   Heated Windscreens - rtj70

I'd probably wait except: 1. There is a revised model soon (and it's the new VW family look which I don't like) so there's a risk I don't get the car I want 2. It's three years not four Sods law says if I had the heated screen we'd be in for a few mild winters. If I don't then it will be freezing again. It's annoying because I wanted to avoid getting a car Nov time by ordering early. Then they miss off an option. And a cheap one at that. As for using a garage - you need a big garage for a Passat CC! Last edited by: rtj70 on Wed 17 Aug 11 at 17:30 Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 17 Aug 11 17:35   Heated Windscreens - Dave_

I have to say a heated windscreen was one of the non-negotiable items when we looked at cars a few months ago. It's an essential item for those of us who don't like smeary wipe marks on the glass, fantastic for demisting the inside when a few rain-soaked people pile into the car on a cold night too. Does it rain much where you live? ;) Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 17 Aug 11 17:42   Heated Windscreens - Zero

>> I have to say a heated windscreen was one of the non-negotiable items when we >> looked at cars a few months ago. It's an essential item for those of us >> who don't like smeary wipe marks on the glass, Some of us insist on working windscreen wipers, that dont smear. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 17 Aug 11 19:04   Heated Windscreens - Dave_

>> those of us who don't like smeary wipe marks on the glass, >> Some of us insist on working windscreen wipers, that dont smear. The Lancer has wipers on the inside? ;) Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 17 Aug 11 19:06   Heated Windscreens - Zero

>> The Lancer has wipers on the inside? ;) > No, it has aircon, and the inside gets cleaned. Try it from time to time ;) Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 17 Aug 11 19:11   Heated Windscreens - Dave_

>> No, it has aircon, and the inside gets cleaned. Try it from time to time ;) Don't need to, I've got a heated windscreen ;) Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 17 Aug 11 17:44   Heated Windscreens - Zero

I'd take it as a warning from god not to have something so big and ugly... Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 17 Aug 11 18:40   Heated Windscreens - Runfer D'Hills

You getting a new car Rob? :-) Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 17 Aug 11 19:04   Heated Windscreens - rtj70

Thanks Z :-) Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 17 Aug 11 18:40   Heated Windscreens - CGNorwich

It's a nice to have - I like it on the Focus, but was not available on the Octavia (think it is now). Not a show stopper and soon adapted to living without You might even find the wires in the screen an annoyance. I didn't but there were a lot on here who found them a distraction. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 17 Aug 11 18:50   Heated Windscreens - Skoda

The heated windscreen can be retro fitted. In fact more or less anything can, they're like lego in some ways - only limiting factor is cost of retrofit. E.g. retro fitting folding wing mirrors is stupidly expensive but retro fitting OEM bluetooth is cheaper than the option price. The bigger problem than getting them to agree to pay parts costs for the retrofit is getting them to do the retrofit. Often you have to either DIY or go outside the dealer network. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 17 Aug 11 19:05   Heated Windscreens - rtj70

They say it cannot be done - already asked. Not an option to do myself - it's a lease/company car. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 17 Aug 11 19:11   Heated Windscreens - Runfer D'Hills

The inside of windscreens get very dirty and greasy when people smoke in cars. Filthy habit. Can't imagine why anyone would do that. Yeugh ! Should be banned. In fact they should all be shot. Disgusting behaviour. Hanging would be too good for 'em...er etc.. :-) Reply to this message | Report message       2

New Wed 17 Aug 11 19:41   Heated Windscreens - Mapmaker

Oh Humph. You back on the weed? Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 17 Aug 11 19:42   Heated Windscreens - Zero

course he is, the man has the willpower of wet toilet paper. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 17 Aug 11 19:45   Heated Windscreens - Runfer D'Hills

Ah well y'see, that's where you might be wrong ! Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 17 Aug 11 19:57   Heated Windscreens - Zero

that means we might be right. Last edited by: Zero on Wed 17 Aug 11 at 19:57 Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 17 Aug 11 20:11   Heated Windscreens - rtj70

At least you're not allowed to smoke in a company vehicle - technically it's a place of work. So Humph shouldn't have a problem. Starting to think I'll just take it as is but ask for something as compensation. Not expensive. Maybe a boot liner or luxury mats. The annoying thing is the heated windscreen would have cost me £2pm in take home pay. A no brainer option because I think they're great. I liked it on the Mondeo. The gamble might be too great - I ordered early to make sure I got it for October and didn't run into the problems of the revised version. And now that risk is even greater. Not that happy but people make mistakes and it's not the end of the world. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 17 Aug 11 20:17   Heated Windscreens - Runfer D'Hills

Quite right. Smoking in a company vehicle, whatever next? Despicable. Should be made to lick it clean while being whipped. Dreadful. New prisons are what's needed for these people. Bread and water rations I say. World's got far too soft. :-) Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 17 Aug 11 20:44   Heated Windscreens - WillDeBeest

...the heated windscreen would have cost me £2pm in take home pay. So say you use it every working morning for the four coldest months of the year, that's about 80 uses a year for a cost of £24, or about 30p for each press of that button. Still a no-brainer? };---) Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 17 Aug 11 20:49   Heated Windscreens - rtj70

After the last two winters - absolutely a no brainer :-) When I had it on a Mondeo it was also used on cold days - sometimes the windscreen could mist a bit and it was useful. Remember climate control cannot work below a certain temperature. So not only used when it's got ice on the outside. So looks like I'll have to scrape the windscreen when cold. At least I'll warm up quickly on the seats. The dealer claims the car will have heated washer jets too but nowhere does it mention that in the brochures. He's probably right? Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 17 Aug 11 20:54   Heated Windscreens - Iffy

...the heated windscreen would have cost me £2pm in take home pay... Strewth, how much is the rest of this highly-specified and much-discussed vehicle costing? Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 17 Aug 11 21:13   Heated Windscreens - rtj70

I will 'lose about' £30pm towards the monthly payments for the car, i.e. I will be worse off by that much in my take home pay. Then there's the tax I will pay on the benefit in kind. Anyone can work that out so I'll let you know it's about £170pm. So the car will cost me about £200pm in take home pay compared to not having it. I did quotes on insurance and they came to at least £1000pa for anything I wanted and often a lot more. And I don't pay for maintenance, tyres (£150-200 each), etc. So I am happy with this. But someone tell me how much it would cost me to run a similar car over 3 years including depreciation, etc.? Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 17 Aug 11 22:21   Heated Windscreens - Kevin

>So the car will cost me about £200pm in take home pay compared to not having it. You need to consider that it will be £200 plus whatever your company car cash allowance would be (less tax) and any difference in mileage allowance. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 17 Aug 11 22:30   Heated Windscreens - rtj70

You're spot on and with the cash allowance paid instead of the car (and no BIK tax to pay) I would have about £450pm to spend. No difference in mileage allowance. If I went for a cheap car I'd be quids in. I don't want a cheap car. I got a PCP style quote for a Passat CC 140 GT (think it was the GT might not have been) and it was over £500pm over 3 years. And had a deposit. And I had to pay servicing, insurance, etc. on top. I went for a higher spec car than the quote was for. Look on the bright side... we will all own part of my new car as it's a lease company associated with a bank that got part nationalised :-) Last edited by: rtj70 on Wed 17 Aug 11 at 22:35 Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 18 Aug 11 06:12   Heated Windscreens - swiss tony

>> Look on the bright side... we will all own part of my new car as >> it's a lease company associated with a bank that got part nationalised :-) >> Really? OK, if I may have the use of my part of the car over Christmas, that would be great! Just need it Boxing day...... Last edited by: swiss tony on Thu 18 Aug 11 at 06:13 Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 18 Aug 11 12:40   Heated Windscreens - Mapmaker

Humph, you're killing yourself. Just to keep our tax bills down. Thanks! ;) Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 18 Aug 11 12:42   Heated Windscreens - Runfer D'Hills

I don't smoke anymore ! Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 18 Aug 11 01:07   Heated Windscreens - VxFan

>> The annoying thing is the heated windscreen would have cost me £2pm This one only costs £1.29 (free p&p) and it's a one off payment. Go on, save yourself £22.71 (12 x £2 payments + initial outlay for item). tinyurl.com/3j46pdn You could probably buy yourself 3 or 4 packets of fags with the saving made, and think of the fitness benefits too ;o) Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 18 Aug 11 07:56   Heated Windscreens - Dave_

>> This one only costs £1.29 Another lorry driver showed me the trick of placing a hot water bottle on top of the dashboard the night before a frost. It kept the cab windows completely clear for early morning starts, although of course upright lorry windows take longer to mist over than inclined car ones so it probably wouldn't work so well in a Passat CC. It's August and we're talking about de-icing :( Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 18 Aug 11 08:03   Heated Windscreens - Pat

Real lorry drivers sleep in the cab Dave, that does the job;) Pat Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 18 Aug 11 08:05   Heated Windscreens - IJWS14

Never had one so never missed it . . Wife has one in her Focus . . But it goes in the garage in winter so doesn't see the hard frosts. The Octavia stands outside and on frosty mornings I put a 2kw electic heater in the car for 10 minuted before I set off. Clears ALL the windows and warms up the interior. No BIK tax either. Now if only you could get an auxiliary diesel heater fitted - far better than a heated screen. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 18 Aug 11 08:27   Heated Windscreens - Iffy

The heated screen was useful in my old Focus, but more so in the CC3. A few times I've been caught out in a shower, which means some rain gets in before I can raise the roof. I also think tin-top convertibles are a little less cosy than cars with solid roofs, so are generally more prone to condensation. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 18 Aug 11 08:51   Heated Windscreens - R.P.

Get a BMW - programmable heating, those with iDrive can be programmed from the comfort of your pit with an iPhone ! I dunno if you can with Android though Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 18 Aug 11 12:25   Heated Windscreens - Redviper

My dad swears by his heated windscreen on his Focus, and possibly would not have another car without it, its now a pre-requisite Me, well I have driven a couple of Focus's and Mondeo's with it and with each one I found my self constantly focusing on the elements, and so much so each time I gave myself a headache and had to get someone else to do the driving as I could not bear* it. I think its a great idea and a handy feature, but not for me I just have to put up with stick on the aircon and sit back and wait for it to demist. * Spelling? Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 18 Aug 11 13:00   Heated Windscreens - Iffy

...* Spelling?... Correct, although I agree in that context it looks odd and brings to mind a large hairy animal that does you-know-what in the woods. As we are on the topic of grammar, the plural form does not take an apostrophe. More than one Mondeo should be written as Mondeos. This being English, adding an 's' is not a hard and fast rule. Focus is a good example, it's only a proper noun in Ford-speak, but the plural of crocus is crocuses, so the (admittedly contrived) plural for Ford Focus would be Ford Focuses. Last edited by: Iffy on Thu 18 Aug 11 at 13:02 Reply to this message | Report message       1

New Thu 18 Aug 11 13:06   Heated Windscreens - captain chaos

Not Focii then? :) Reply to this message | Report message       1

New Thu 18 Aug 11 13:25   Heated Windscreens - henry k

Heated windscreens. I like them and will want on on all my future cars. To me they are an important safety feature. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 18 Aug 11 13:32   Heated Windscreens - Zero

In what way are they an "important safety feature" Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 18 Aug 11 13:29   Heated Windscreens - Iffy

...Not Focii then? :)... That really does look contrived, but in a way no more made-up than my 'Focuses'. Writing around the plural form is one option: 'Ford sold 3,000 of its Focus model last month.' Or one could simply take the singular and plural as the same: 'Ford sold 3,000 Focus last month.' Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 18 Aug 11 13:26   Heated Windscreens - Redviper

Thanks Iffy, duly noted :-) Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 18 Aug 11 13:37   Heated Windscreens - Iffy

...Thanks Iffy, duly noted :-)... Always happy to oblige. By the way, you never did borrow that oil sucker of mine, did you? The offer is still open, should you require it. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 18 Aug 11 14:08   Heated Windscreens - Redviper

Thanks Iffy, much appreciated. The Vectra is overdue its annual service so will be booking it in, at the end of the month when finances allow. However I will take you up on your offer, one day :-) Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 18 Aug 11 14:59   Heated Windscreens - WillDeBeest

'Focii' is wrong for two reasons: English treats proper nouns as English words when a plural is required. That's why the American gangster series is The Sopranos and not The Soprani. The Latin plural of focus is foci. It is used in English, notably for the two point that define an ellipse. At least focus is a Latin word, unlike 'Lexus'. Incidentally, if all Latin-derived car names were to use Latin plurals, Volvos would have to be Volvamus. }8---) Reply to this message | Report message