Hot Tips Request

Post by **dave1949** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 3:39 pm

As i leave home for work at 7.20am the{non moggie]frozen windscreen is a pain in the a** neck. Just as a point of discussion what action does everyone else adopt. Cold water,wipers,start the car leave running,de-icer, or can anyone tell me of a good cover to use overnight. I must add i have a large double garage.TWO MOGGIES in there though being restored, and my wifes car is also outside and she keeps hinting WHY?

Post by **Kevin** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 4:09 pm

Use a windscreen cover, personally I dont like to use water in any form in cold weather and the cold can if below freezing form a nice ice sheet on the screen, also if you have air con and I dont know why but it clears it faster with that on, and works better with the visors down so some of the air is pushed back down the screen.

Post by **alex_holden** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 4:17 pm

I've tried most things and settled on either warm water from the tap (not freshly boiled) or if that is unavailable, use the edge of a plastic store card or something as a scraper. Funnily enough my parents' modern cars suffer much worse from frost than the Moggy. I suspect it's because of the steeper angle of the screen to the sky.

Post by **Orkney** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 4:20 pm

Watering can of hot water out of the tap - yes i know some will say dont it will crack teh glass etc. Never failed me in 20 years, better than paying & spraying i.e. de-icer. Have done this on a motor for some years thats got a crck half way up the screen and its never made any difference.
Tis always said dont do it but would love to see a proper refernce as to why not - recon it was made up by the de-icer people myself.
Other advntage is you put some residual heat into the glass, so you can drive off and it not get immediatly frozen when the windchill picks up on the screen.
Reckon its one for mythbusters on the tv really, all i know is if it popped a windscreen tomorrow then over the years still would have been cheaper and more green than all that crap in a can!

Post by **Orkney** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 4:24 pm

if you have air con and I dont know why but it clears it faster with that on

recirculating the air in the 'cabin' possibly ? depending on what car and what setting?

Post by **Kevin** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 4:26 pm

Tis always said dont do it but would love to see a proper refernce as to why not - recon it was made up by the de-icer people myself.

Well as a youngster on my way back from a paper round we had a neighbour who had a really nice Vauxhall Cresta and he used to use a bucket of hot water on until the day that the windscreen shattered and the side window went completely since then I had a fear of using hot water on glass in freezing conditions

Post by **bmcecosse** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 4:37 pm

Warm (not hot) water for me - several jugs, spread evenly from the top of the screen. And wipe it dry with the wipers. Risk of engine running is - someone can steal the car - and no insurance pay-out because keys were in the car. My stupid modern car doesn't allow me to lock the doors with the spare key while engine running!!

Post by **dalebrignall** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 5:16 pm

i start the car then scrape all the windows then do the windscreen when i have done the others by that timeits half defrosted

Post by **Matt** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 5:47 pm

The air con dehumidifies the air... thats why it clears quicker

If I know its going to be frosty I put a piece of thin polystyrene type packing material over the screen...

Post by **mickessex** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 6:34 pm

Freshley boiled water from the kettle. I've been using this method on every car I have owned (including the Moggy) since I passed my test in 1981. I have never cracked a screen ever. It also warms the glass so it doesn't steam up as soon as you get in the car and start breathing on it.

Mick

Post by **mal** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 7:39 pm

I just stop in bed till the sun comes up

Mal

Post by **Orkney** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 7:52 pm

Hmm thats 6 hours a day here from rise to set as shortest day approaches, even the dogs couldnt manage 18 hours of louging a day

Post by **mal** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 8:17 pm

Hmm thats 6 hours a day here from rise to set as shortest day approaches

Ah.. so you've seen the sun this week

on the North East coast it's been misty and freezing for days

Anyway, 7.20am used to be nearly halfway through my working day and I would have been on my second lobster sandwich.... so now I just relax

Mal

Post by **paulhumphries** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 9:52 pm

Warm water for me too if I need it clearing fast.
Otherwise it's start the car (not the Minor !), turn heater on full as well as HRW then attack with scraper. By the time I've done side windows the front is softened so wipes off and rear almost clear.
At the moment I'm using a cheap whole car cover and it works a treat even in hard frost for keeping windows completley clear in morning.

Paul Humphries

Post by **Kevin** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 10:05 pm

I just stop in bed till the sun comes up

Now I have heard it all Mal I bet you get the wife to do it for you

Post by **bmcecosse** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 10:54 pm

If the external air is already below freezing point - the air-con can't dehumidify it any more!
Car cover is great - but the one I have needs straps underneath to stop it blowing away if the wind gets up - and they are a real pest to do up.

Post by **paulhumphries** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 11:03 pm

bmcecosse wrote:
Car cover is great - but the one I have needs straps underneath to stop it blowing away if the wind gets up - and they are a real pest to do up.

I've had that happen - found the cover in a neighbours garden

What I now use is elasticated bungies.
Not the old metal ended type but the modern plastic hooks and they seem to do the job without marking paintwork - I put them on wheel arch edge with cover adding token padding and over bonnet / boot. Not tight but just enough to stop cover blowing off.

Paul Humphries