Heated FRONT windshield... that’s a new one on me

[VWJake]

WN has a heated front glass. I just may have to get a few. 

[Simeon]

Having had a heated front screen in a Ford Mondeo a bunch of year’s ago, I will say: go for it, it is awesome. Though it was only awesome until a stonechip broke some of he filaments and I ended up with an unheated stripe right down the middle. 

[Conserv]

Ed,

 

A bunch of U.S. Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury models also offered it as an option in the late ‘80’s/early ‘90’s(?). My mother had a 1988(?) Mercury Sable with the option and it was far superior to a traditional windshield defroster on a cold morning. You could recognize the cars from a distance as the the windshields had a yellowish-purplish opacity (not a good look) from many exterior angles. I thought the system in that instance was a conductive coating, or possibly a layer embedded into the laminated windshield.

 

Given the ‘02’s weak defrosting capability, sounds like a neat idea. Might have to upgrade that alternator.... ?

 

Best regards,

 

Steve

 

[NYNick]

Cool idea, no pun intended. $335 USD before shipping.

[Mike Self]

Way back in the day (50s IIRC) Rolls Royce had a heated windscreen (British, ya know) where the heating element was a nearly transparent layer of gold leaf embedded between the layers of glass. Don't think the idea spread, though!

 

mike

[jimk]

I believe my Ridgeline Honda has a heated section where the wipers rest so they don't rip apart if iced in.

[stephers]

Porsche has had heated windshields for a long time, have had to replace a couple because of cracks.    Pretty easy to wire in. They do work well, very nice to have in the cold.   If you put one in, I would use a relay and fuse the system

 

This kinda cool, never have seen one in a 2002.    For us in Canada, that price is not so bad, new glass from BMW cost about 450 up here.

[EricB]

I have a heated windshield in my Sprinter van that is roughly the size of my 2002.  I drive in constant fear of flying rocks.  Can't be cheap to replace.

 

[TobyB]

A more civilized idea that the world just seems to have a hard time adopting.

 

For cold climates, it'd be wonderful.

 

Personally, I'd do it.

 

t

 

[Vicleonardo1]

Probably the only way to defrost a VW beetle windshield.....

 

https://www.heatedwindscreen.com/acatalog/v-w-beetle-1966-85-clear-heated-windscreen.html

[mike472]

And here I thought this was just for luxury cars.  My 2018 Range Rover has it and its the first time I've seen it.  I haven't had a chance to use it yet.  Kinda hope I don't

[Oldtimerfahrer]

My 1967 Land Rover has them from new, a special feature just on 109 Station Wagons bound for North America. A good idea for cars with weak heaters. 

Andrew

[NYNick]

7 hours ago, stephers said:

Porsche has had heated windshields for a long time, have had to replace a couple because of cracks.    Pretty easy to wire in. They do work well, very nice to have in the cold.   If you put one in, I would use a relay and fuse the system

 

This kinda cool, never have seen one in a 2002.    For us in Canada, that price is not so bad, new glass from BMW cost about 450 up here.

Please tell us which Porsches have had heated windshields. I'd be interested to know.

[SydneyTii]

Yep had one in my Lux when I lived in the UK.

I seem to remember discussions over on the UK forum about these.

I think it came on with the same switch that did the rear.

I could be wrong but I think these are way better than the old rears that used to fail,

I think these probably use a better manufacturing process??

 

A lot of UK cars in the 80's (?) had these, all the escort Ghia's had them,

Not sure if they are a standard fitment now in UK cars as I've lived in Sydney for a long time now....

[Simeon]

15 minutes ago, SydneyTii said:

Not sure if they are a standard fitment now in UK cars as I've lived in Sydney for a long time now....

 

A friend of mine from Queensland phoned the AA to come out to her car because she had an iced up windscreen and didn’t know what to do. Her first winter in the UK.  ?