does anyone know if there is a dealer option to get a heated front windscreen on the 170 pd vrs mk2 octy? i have had one on all my other cars albeit a escort and focus however not a 57 plate car.

cheers

Isn't it a Ford-only option, as they hold the licence?

does anyone know if there is a dealer option to get a heated front windscreen on the 170 pd vrs mk2 octy? i have had one on all my other cars albeit a escort and focus however not a 57 plate car.

cheers

Think Ford have the patent to be honest, I know Renault used to fit one in the Scenic, but not for the UK Market

Its a £230 option on the Superb II but I don't think its available on the Octavia.

You have to really want one a heated screen to offset the handicap of blurred night time vision. I have owned two cars with heated front screens. One a Ford and the other a Ford, err I mean a Jaguar. In the day time they are OK mostly but occasionally they do spoil the vision at night time they are a pain. Not on well lit roads but on dark country roads particularly if it is raining, worse if encountering heavy spray from other vehicles and at its absolute worse in rain + spray + oncoming headlamps. Just imagine the road narrowing approaching a series of S bends and you can not make out the road or obstacles properly, it gets a bit confusing. All that just to save a minute or two in the morning or late afterwork perhaps. In my book it is just not worth the hassle and I know it is not just me either.

+1

We had a Range Rover with a heated screen and it produced a very odd effect at night from street lamps and oncoming headlamps. A bit like a cross screen filter (or star filter) on an SLR camera. Even if they make the elements ultra thin they will still produce strange optical effects. Diverting the electrical power to a built in PTC heater would be better IMO.

Yes they are brilliant on cold frosty mornings but how long does it actually take to jump out and spray some de-icer about?

And what happens if you get a nasty chip or smash the screen? Is there a premium over standard screens? I know you can get spanked for a replacement panoramic screen.

When I've had hire cars with one fitted (usually in summer) I find my eyes will focus on the elements with alarming regularity. Most off-putting

its a 100% ford thing or manufacturers that ford own.

my old 1994 mondeo had it and it was the best thing snce sliced bread, even the likes of mercedes and BMW dont have it due to the licence ford have on it. shame cos its a great addition

My wife had it on her mini, thats BMW so it should be on the newer BMW's

My old man's got it on his 05 plate VW Passat and it's brilliant. I wish it was on my Octavia, it drives me nuts waiting to drive off on frosty mornings.

My old man's got it on his 05 plate VW Passat and it's brilliant. I wish it was on my Octavia, it drives me nuts waiting to drive off on frosty mornings.

Or... you could stop waiting, get out and clear the screen with some elbow grease.

Doesn't get rid of the misting inside though does it?

It will still alleviate the pain of waiting.

It won't alleviate the pain of frostbite though!

This is true. If only someone would invent an insulated exo-skin device in the shape of a hand.

Heated Gloves!

Genius. Now, if only such things as heated windscreens existed..... IGMC

FWIW I would like a heated steering wheel.

Edited 30 December, 200916 yr by foo

I'm just trying to find the right gloves!

I highly recommend these. I have some, but like all my gloves I have misplaced them.

Doesn't get rid of the misting inside though does it?

That is what the Air Conditioning Unit is for.

How many frosty mornings per year would it be useful? I only takes a few seconds with a watering can of warm water to clear all the windows at the same time. It is no good and probably not legal to drive around with frosted side windows, so no matter how good a heated screen is they do not do the side windows. You still going to have to clean them, either with a scraper or use the fast totally safe method that I use, The Watering Can!

Is it worth having something in your screen though that gives such poor night time vision just for the odd short time that it is used? You might as well use sunglasses at night now to get used to it later

Motorcyclists have been using heated gloves for decades, both inner electric silk gloves and outer ones.

Nothing new about heated windscreens, Iv'e still got one that came out of an ex works Mini (proper Mini, not one of those BMW copies)

Worked brilliantly and it was wired in two parts so it was possible to have only one side on or both.

Heated screens are OK.

But as others have said, when on they make the screen blurry, and if you wear glasses you'll be for ever seeing the elements - like looking through prison windows!

The real pain comes when you have a chip, and it breaks an element wire, or using the screen causes the chip to become a crack. Been there, done that.

Cant say the works mondeo's heated screen has bothered me too much, but i've not used it in the pitch black though.

I only takes a few seconds with a watering can of warm water to clear all the windows at the same time.

Aren't you afraid of cracking the windows by that????