Daft question about cerbs in winter
Discussion
Have not run a search on this yet as I doubt anyone else has been daft enough to ask, so here goes..
What do people normally do to clean frost and snow of their cars? De-icer, pre-icer, warm water, covers etc..
My current runaround gets treated with no respect whatsoever. Sometimes I start the engine, switch on the blowers and go and have a cuppa, or poor warm water over her. De-icer I find totally useless, as it tends to freeze over a few yards up the road, and I have not tried pre-icer and doubt I ever will. Snow clearance is normally in the form of an old broom or the cat, whichever is closest.
Was not really expecting to be in this situation, as I had planned to sell her after the summer, but since it has been off the road for most of my ownership, and expenditure has soared, it looks like I will be hanging on to it for the foreseeable future.
Car cover will be on Christmas list I guess, but still interested to hear the do's and don't's. (Leaving engine running is clearly not going to be done before anyone mentions it, it is a speed six made out of Wax!)
What do people normally do to clean frost and snow of their cars? De-icer, pre-icer, warm water, covers etc..
My current runaround gets treated with no respect whatsoever. Sometimes I start the engine, switch on the blowers and go and have a cuppa, or poor warm water over her. De-icer I find totally useless, as it tends to freeze over a few yards up the road, and I have not tried pre-icer and doubt I ever will. Snow clearance is normally in the form of an old broom or the cat, whichever is closest.
Was not really expecting to be in this situation, as I had planned to sell her after the summer, but since it has been off the road for most of my ownership, and expenditure has soared, it looks like I will be hanging on to it for the foreseeable future.
Car cover will be on Christmas list I guess, but still interested to hear the do's and don't's. (Leaving engine running is clearly not going to be done before anyone mentions it, it is a speed six made out of Wax!)
Bulid a garage then your problem is solved
Failing that I would go down the warm water route (not a big fan of de-icer), then fire the car up and leave it to idle for a couple of mins with the fans blowing tepid air on the windscreen and the rear heated window attempting to warm up the screen.
For removing snow then I used a soft plastic window scraper, it does no damage to either the paintwork or the glass.
Jules.
Failing that I would go down the warm water route (not a big fan of de-icer), then fire the car up and leave it to idle for a couple of mins with the fans blowing tepid air on the windscreen and the rear heated window attempting to warm up the screen.
For removing snow then I used a soft plastic window scraper, it does no damage to either the paintwork or the glass.
Jules.
I've put a black spongy ball into the air inlet below the drivers side indicator at the front. This is cold air inlet for the cabin, so it reduces the breezes inside 
If I get round to it, I'll put something in front of the oil cooler to block the airflow off to. I have an oil temp gauge and the oil is over cooled in the winter.
Sometimes if its frosty and I have an early start, I put a towel over the windscreen, stops it icing up. I clearly remember my father doing this when I was a boy, so very much a 'turning into my old man moment'
If I get round to it, I'll put something in front of the oil cooler to block the airflow off to. I have an oil temp gauge and the oil is over cooled in the winter.
Sometimes if its frosty and I have an early start, I put a towel over the windscreen, stops it icing up. I clearly remember my father doing this when I was a boy, so very much a 'turning into my old man moment'
For snow, it's an arm in a waterproof jacket! Big sweeping movements do the trick. You look a numpty but it works with the added bonus of keeping you warm... For frost, I keep a can of de-icer and a wiper in the boot. Seems to work fine.
A timely reminder, particularly for anyone not familiar with driving a Cerbera in the cold - beware the snowflake! I drove 40 miles last night and had the snowflake illuminated constantly, varying from red to green all the way.
Drive safely!!
A timely reminder, particularly for anyone not familiar with driving a Cerbera in the cold - beware the snowflake! I drove 40 miles last night and had the snowflake illuminated constantly, varying from red to green all the way.
Drive safely!!Cyclone1 said:
Bulid a garage then your problem is solved
Garage already 'bulid':heheIt is home to the E-Type and Cider. Incidentally, and this is not a sales pitch, it is the S.E.Essex Beer Fest in the Freight House Rochford next week. It is the only place you can get the award winning 'Buffoon's Ribcracker' Cider, so all you wurzel wannabes come down and see me. Should be around on Tuesday, Friday and maybe Saturday.
I bought an electric fan a couple of weeks ago and it has fantastic.
I put it on inside the car 10 mins before leaving in the morning and when I am finally ready to leave:
1. All the windows are completely clear.
2. Everything is warm to the touch - steering wheel, gear lever.
Don't know why I didn't do this years ago though :-)
I put it on inside the car 10 mins before leaving in the morning and when I am finally ready to leave:
1. All the windows are completely clear.
2. Everything is warm to the touch - steering wheel, gear lever.
Don't know why I didn't do this years ago though :-)
ShirkyCerbie said:
I bought an electric fan a couple of weeks ago and it has fantastic.
I put it on inside the car 10 mins before leaving in the morning and when I am finally ready to leave:
1. All the windows are completely clear.
2. Everything is warm to the touch - steering wheel, gear lever.
Don't know why I didn't do this years ago though :-)
What heater do you use and where do you put it? I put it on inside the car 10 mins before leaving in the morning and when I am finally ready to leave:
1. All the windows are completely clear.
2. Everything is warm to the touch - steering wheel, gear lever.
Don't know why I didn't do this years ago though :-)
Mains job?
We use a fan heater on our external cars. The cerbera is in the garage.
Stick a fan heater on inside the car for about 10 minutes, making sure it can't fall over, won't burn etc. With the car toasty and warm, you are warm until the heater kicks in. Also as the car is warm you don't have the problem of the windows re-icing or misting up.
Stick a fan heater on inside the car for about 10 minutes, making sure it can't fall over, won't burn etc. With the car toasty and warm, you are warm until the heater kicks in. Also as the car is warm you don't have the problem of the windows re-icing or misting up.
Thanks fellahs. Heater it is then. Sadly I binned one that would have been ideal, as I could have rigged a semi-permanent heater in the Helmet hole.
I guess those of you using heaters drop the window an inch to run the lead, or have you done something more permanent? I know some have rigged their accumates up
I guess those of you using heaters drop the window an inch to run the lead, or have you done something more permanent? I know some have rigged their accumates up
Expecting big snows up north then?
Down here in the south the garage takes most of the flack however, there is nothing on this earth colder than my knob on a frosty morning.
Yep, the ally gearstick looks good but by eck it's freezing.
Down here in the south the garage takes most of the flack however, there is nothing on this earth colder than my knob on a frosty morning.
Yep, the ally gearstick looks good but by eck it's freezing.
Edited by southendpier on Friday 16th November 21:59
Buffoon said:
Thanks fellahs. Heater it is then. Sadly I binned one that would have been ideal, as I could have rigged a semi-permanent heater in the Helmet hole.
I guess those of you using heaters drop the window an inch to run the lead, or have you done something more permanent? I know some have rigged their accumates up
I just don't shut the door fully with the fan heater on the other cars.I guess those of you using heaters drop the window an inch to run the lead, or have you done something more permanent? I know some have rigged their accumates up
With my optimiser, the cable is flat so is ok through the door gap at the bottom.
Hi Guys,
I am from Norway and have been a PH member for some time lurking around the Cerbera forum for info on this great car. I am looking to import a Cerbera to Norway in the comming year, so want to gather as much info as possible on the car.
Living in Norway i am quite used to harsh winters, which are a lot colder than yours in the UK (I know because I studied in Edinburgh). In my winter runaround I have the DEFA warmup system (see http://www.defa.com/heating.php3?lang=3 ). This system includes a fan which is mounted on a bracket inside the car (and can easily be removed in the summer months, and a warmup plug connected to the cooling system, warming up the oil and the steel. The latter reduces the stress cold-starts put on engines. The is also an option to connect a permanent battery charger/conditioner with the DEFA system, so that you also have a fully charged battery in the morning.
I have read some of your posts where you put fans inside the car. This also does the trick, but with the DEFA system you have a fully mounted system which can be time controlled, and by just connecting a small plug to a connector mounted anywhere on the car, you have a warm coupe, a warm engine and a fully charged battery.
Cheers!
I am from Norway and have been a PH member for some time lurking around the Cerbera forum for info on this great car. I am looking to import a Cerbera to Norway in the comming year, so want to gather as much info as possible on the car.
Living in Norway i am quite used to harsh winters, which are a lot colder than yours in the UK (I know because I studied in Edinburgh). In my winter runaround I have the DEFA warmup system (see http://www.defa.com/heating.php3?lang=3 ). This system includes a fan which is mounted on a bracket inside the car (and can easily be removed in the summer months, and a warmup plug connected to the cooling system, warming up the oil and the steel. The latter reduces the stress cold-starts put on engines. The is also an option to connect a permanent battery charger/conditioner with the DEFA system, so that you also have a fully charged battery in the morning.
I have read some of your posts where you put fans inside the car. This also does the trick, but with the DEFA system you have a fully mounted system which can be time controlled, and by just connecting a small plug to a connector mounted anywhere on the car, you have a warm coupe, a warm engine and a fully charged battery.
Cheers!
Edited by VikingCerb on Friday 16th November 22:42
works for me, but try this one instead http://wup.defa.com/en/wup_products_wupkits.html
VikingCerb said:
works for me, but try this one instead http://wup.defa.com/en/wup_products_wupkits.html
I was thinking of getting a kenlowe pre heater. They are about 280 quid. I ahve not seen these 'Defa' products before, anyone know of a UK stockist?Hi,
i called the producer in Norway and asked them if they had a stockist/distributor in the UK at the moment. They replied that they at time of speaking did not, but that they are expanding into Europe, so hopefully soon. I presumed they would have as they have an website in English. In Norway, DEFA (which in fact is a Norwegian family owned firm) is considered to be the market leader for after-market installations of pre-heaters and coupe warmers.
I would highly recommend DEFA, but presume that Webasto or producers work just as well.
i called the producer in Norway and asked them if they had a stockist/distributor in the UK at the moment. They replied that they at time of speaking did not, but that they are expanding into Europe, so hopefully soon. I presumed they would have as they have an website in English. In Norway, DEFA (which in fact is a Norwegian family owned firm) is considered to be the market leader for after-market installations of pre-heaters and coupe warmers.
I would highly recommend DEFA, but presume that Webasto or producers work just as well.
Gassing Station | Cerbera | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff