Why is it that only Ford have heated windscreens?
 

Always wondered this as would be nice to have on these frosty mornings. Do they have something patented or is it cost related that stops others using this (would seem strange considering Fords main markets).

Simon

I believe Ford own the "rights" to the technology and cost is prohibitive for other companies to buy. If true, it's poor business sense as they could make money by charging an appropriate amount, it's not exactly a USP so doubt any sales will be lost.

Also depends on how good the heaters are on your car. My current S2000 and Audi A6 I used to have has excellent heater and clears the screen quickly even in cold.

ford made it 1st, then they patented the idea so it costs money for other companies to use that idea.. same as sony playstation 3 with theor controller from the ps2, sony paid a large sum for use of that controller design.

I wondered this ages ago and never understod it and now I do. I had an Orion 1.6i Ghia :lol1: and the heated windscreen on that was the best feature of the car :thumb:

Dunno, works well tho :smug:

I've always wondered that.

I come out on a frosty morning and see all the neighbours with their flash motors scraping their windscreens, i jump into my 10yo workhorse mondeo and i am off within 2 minutes, brilliant

you can buy heated windscreens for most cars now from places like demon tweeks , from a couple of hundred quid as loads use them in there rally cars , so cant see why other manufacturers dont fit them , bit daft really as they are good

Or live where it doesn't frost.

I live in West Wales and we get one maybe two days when we have to scrape.

Mind you I grew up in Oxford which was pretty much scrapers at dawn from December to March :)

yah Wales, the UK Riviera.

Am I missing something here? We've got a Ranger Rover (17 years old), MCS and Beemer all with heated windscreens and none of them are Fords?

:confused:

electrically heated? like a rear window?

Hey i had one of them, Recaros from a cossi and Spax all round.

I loved that car, shame it leaked like a sieve and i had to sell it.

lol I put spax on mine too when the original suspension failed. Have to admit it handled like it was on rails once the spax was put on. Most expensive car i've owned though in terms of things needing fixing on it every month.

I come out, pour warm water over the ice and off I go. Not even two minutes.

Dave

Ford don't own the patent or rights - these things have been fitted to aircraft for many years

Not sure why others don't fit them or at least give the option

They do. They're hardly unique to Ford.

:brickwall

True but running the tap until warm or part boiling a kettle and filling a jug etc. i'd say about the same amount of time if not longer:thumb: :D

Also liable to make your screen crack. Adding instant heat to something extremely cold (and in sections) is not a good idea.

5t.

But youve no choice with a lesser vehicle, like a merc etc :D

Hmm. Been doing it for 20 years on all sorts of cars from cheap and cheerful to luxury barges. You *obviously* (doughnut!!! :D) don't out boiling water on - just warm. You also make sure you use the wipers to clear the water off the screen so it doesn't freeze again if it's that cold.

Dave

PS: you fill the plastic bottle (2 lt milk container kept handy) whilst finishing your breakfast so no extra time spent there ... :D :D

I have never cracked a screen bunging hot water, well warm anyway.

However the Quick Clear windscreen is great if you are at work or somewhere without access to hot water and it gets frosty.

sounds like a lotta work :D

the hot water you put on has a nasty habit of refreezing on you too

My Legacy Twin Turbo has one of these heated windscreens. So Subaru also have some kinda patent

You're all too poor to afford garages then? ;)

Ditto!!! Now everyone in my street uses the warm water technique, you can't beat it.

Well its only big enough for 2.5 cars so the Veyron and Zonda get preference :)

Simon

Every one knows a garage is for storing 5hit and kids toys....

I need mine to keep my baby warm and cosy....

DunxC

P.S. Then it freezes up while I close the garage door.

you are mistaken, the really really accurate 'fuel computer' was the best feature of the Onion Ghia :D

warm water and wipers, job done

used Mondeo for a while as company transport and I find them (Quickclear) a pain the harris. Especially at this time of the year with the low sun. The wires cause a haze to appear and the view is crap. Very dangerous.

My JDM Leggy as Wiper heaters built into the screen...........does this count?