Frosty windscreens

What is the best and most Coupe-friendly way to get rid of frost on back and front windscreens on a cold morning?

plastic scraper - time consuming and occasionally very noisy (when water droplets have frozen to the screen)

However, I NEVER use hot water and I don't much like the idea of spraying chemicals at the car with de-icer spray

first of all use rainx, this doesnt stop ice forming but it makes it far easier to come off warm water is very effective(not too hot mind) or do as i do a car cover

Scraper for the front and the heated rear screen function for the back

Warm water, or start engine and retire for an extra hour in bed

Just use some warm water out of the tap it's a lot quicker than scraping and won't crack the screen

If it's still freezing wipe off the excess so it doesn't refreeze or squib a bit of de-icer on

Because I've just been putting slightly lukewarm water onto the back and front windscreens, started the car and then just driven off, turning on the heater at that point to clear any condensation from the insides.

However, I've been advised to start the engine, let it run until the water warms up and then turn on the heater, which will get rid of the frost on the outsides as well as clear the condensation from the insides and then drive off.

Which is better?

JKD - I would say the first option. The best way to warm your car engine is by driving the car, not sitting with it idling outside your house.

is that true, i usually let mine tick over for about 4 minits before it goes anywhere on a icey day?

I find max def is very good and sorts it all very quickly

A few points to note,
It is illegal to leave an engine running when the vehicle is on public roads and unattended and also very dangerous to passers by.
With said vehicle, whether on public road or private land, your insurance will, almost definatly, be null and void.

Lastly to get rid of frost and ice just live in the south, it rarely goes below 25deg C hear

Never leave your car ticking over to warm up for long! The main wear on an engine is done whilst it is cold, before your oil and all the components are up to temp. By letting it idle you are maximising this as it will be cold for the longest running time possible! Much better to drive straight away, keep the engine buzzing around 3k without using too much power until it is up to temp.

I use a plastic scraper to defrost - start the engine, turn on the back window heater and air con to demist the screen, get out and scrape the ice off the front and sides, get in and drive!

It all depends on the air temperature. If it is at or just below zero I use lukewarm water. I use quite a lot of it, poured slowly to allow a build up of heat in the glass. One other benefit of this method is that the screen suffers less from misting on the inside too.

However if it is really cold then the warm water method is less effective. It becomes too difficult to retain any heat in the glass. When it is that cold it's a case of warming up the car, to warm the glass and melt the Ice.

I have always found that scraping and de-icer often causes the glass to mist on the inside, until there is enough heat to, yes you've guessed it, warm the glass and clear the mist

Oh and the AC often won't work near or below freezing. This is by design

Bob

Stick it in the garage.

read owners manual.I think it says dont idle for anymore than 30seconds.

The 'hot-water bottle on the dash' tip I picked up on here last week is pretty good

Went out about half hour ago and it was so cold the inside condensation had frozen! took ages to warm up and melt!

I used a hot water bottle this morning to sort out frozen doorlocks :-)

OMG the neighbours already think I'm mad. Parking without the handbrake and putting a brick behind the rear wheel. Getting my missus to pull the bonnet so I can open it. Pricking about with my central locking and explaining that it's got out of synch (but it's only got two doors mate)

They'll be sending for the men in white coats if I start taking a hot water bottle out to it

I only ever scrape the ice off, having problems with the central locking myself on cold mornings the coupe won't let me in, LOL.

That's what happened to me yesterday. The lights flashed but no click and locks & handles frozen solid, hence the hot water bottle.

Central locking played up on me last night and I spent 10 mins using my hand to warm up the door lock before it would unlock.
I always keep loads of paper napkins in the glove box so I can wipe and dry the inside of the windscreen, when it starts thawing out, which is just a nightmare in this weather!

Has anyone else broken the inside door handle? trying to unlock the car from the inside?

I did this at the weekend, as the drivers door lock was frozen, and now whenever i want to get out of the car, i have to wind down the window, and undo the door from the outside. great fun these coupes!


and as for defrosting, If i see the car is icy, i just fill the kettle to the brim, and just pour it straight over the screen, even cold water from the tap is far warmer than the ice on the screen so the ice is easily all gone in a kettle full, i never have the frozen locks problem at home, as i just leave it unlocked, that really would drive me up the wall!

Loads of people

It's a common problem at this time of year and all down to a 49p white plastic clip that you can get from the dealers. In fact it's so common a problem you'll probably find they have them in stock. There's a part number on the forum somewhere so do a search

Ahhh, thank god for that!

I was dreading opening the door up, the clunk it made wasn't pleasant! thought I might of harmed something serious!

Jeremy, I had the same thing and I took the door card off and found the plastic part had just popped out from the handle, so I pushed it back I again and all was well, you may be lucky

Austin

I normally get a bottle of warmish water and that gets the ice off. As for living the car running outside, I have done that in the past, but only recently a parcel delivery guy left his van running on a road nearby and had it stolen there and then. The guy only left it for a couple of minutes to deliver a parcel! Never leaving my Coop attended now!!!

i had the works this morning,

icy windows,
frozen locks,
frozen door seals,
and . . .
frozen handbrake

even my widget took a few minute to initiate.

I tend to go with the warm tap water idea, pour it down over the windscreen (and quickly wipe off the excess before it freezes again ), Over the door seals and down the gap between the door.

i end up spraying the hose pipe under the car to try and free up the handbrake, and it worked looked at bit silly tho

ninja

I Just cover the windscreen in frosty weather. A large towel streched across the windscreen and trap it in the tops of the doors and underneath the wipers, just pull of in the morning and I'm off. That is if I can get in the door.

If not I get the Jag out of the garage.

Same on mine once - I managed to use 2 small screw-drivers and popped it back on through the gap created by taking the handle surround off. Took just a minute or so and saved taking the whole door-card off

i have some foil-backed bubble-wrap that i've shaped to fit over the windscreen and tuck into the doors just at the back of the handles - no ice on screen and no issues getting into the car, sorted....