Parking Heaters?

[T84]

Just been reading about these.

They seem like a great idea for any car! No more clearing off ice, plus you can start your drive on a pre-warmed engine, must extend the engine life by a hell of a lot surely?!

[Mastodon2]

I imagine they perform much the same effect as running a turbo timer on a cold morning?

[Ozzie Osmond]

I used to use a very high-tech approach in cold climate, namely

a stick (cunningly cut to the right length)

i) start engine
ii) wedge stick between seat and accelerator to keep it pressed a little
iii) lock car with spare key and go back indoors to finish coffee.

[omgus]

Ozzie Osmond said:

I used to use a very high-tech approach in cold climate, namely

a stick (cunningly cut to the right length)

i) start engine
ii) wedge stick between seat and accelerator to keep it pressed a little
iii) lock car with spare key and go back indoors to finish coffee.

Genius.

I use a turbo timer, lock it and go back inside. It tends to be the only time my TT gets turned on.
It idles for long enough to demist and the water temp to get high enough to have heat coming through, but now where near long enough to warm the engine.

[Chiswickboy]

Depends where you live.

If in a city then the number of days that are really cold make one of these a luxury.

If you live in the sticks and the car lives outside then they are worth thinking about.

If you live in Canada then they are essential, especially if you don't have a heated drive.

[mp3manager]

I use Clifford IntelliStart.

Press a button on the keyfob, car starts, defrosts/demists but is still immobilised and can't be stolen or driven away.

As sure as night follows day, there will be the inevitable cars-stolen-with-keys-in-the-ignition-while-defrosting-in-the-driveway this winter.

[HowMuchLonger]

In the winter I set my cars timer to warm up 1/2 hour before I leave for work. It is absolutely fantastic...nice and toasty on the inside with the added benefit of no ice on the windscreen.

[Blue32]

I had one of these: http://www.kenlowe.com/pre-heaters/cars/index.html on a TDI Golf, used a time clock to switch it on 30 min before I left for work. You don’t have to worry about leaving the car running.
Still have it in the garage somewhere, there’s no space to fit it on my current car

Edited by Blue32 on Friday 22 October 18:47