Cars you have owned with good heaters ?
Cars you have owned with good heaters ?
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Discussion

scotty_d

Original Poster:

6,795 posts

221 months

Tuesday 22nd May 2012
quotequote all
I am in need of a good Heater my for Cerbera as the matrix is rotten and i have removed it and by passed it for now. I am Looking for something better than standard.

So my Question is what cars have you owned over the years with a good heater? Just need an Idea's before i start my search.

Cheers Scotty

The_Burg

4,853 posts

241 months

Tuesday 22nd May 2012
quotequote all
Citreon BX, seemed to heat up near instantly.
Escort mk3 a close second.

7 Sevens

658 posts

248 months

Tuesday 22nd May 2012
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The one in my Caterham is pretty fierce. Not one to have on when cooling the engine and wearing shorts!

Tuvra

7,926 posts

252 months

Tuesday 22nd May 2012
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My Focus RS had the best heaters I had ever had, even when it was -3 it was up to temperature in less than 5 minutes.

Chicane-UK

3,861 posts

212 months

Tuesday 22nd May 2012
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The heater in my Corrado 16V used to get up to temperature pretty quick, and when it was properly warmed up it was enough to make your face melt.. serious heat!

The only caveat is of course you live in perpetual fear of heater matrix failure.. where it dumps boiling hot coolant into the foot well, and burning hot steam up into your face normally when you're driving at 80MPH on the motorway smile

deltashad

6,731 posts

224 months

Tuesday 22nd May 2012
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MGF heater is excellent, roof is down in the worst of weathers.

Krikkit

27,917 posts

208 months

Tuesday 22nd May 2012
quotequote all
Surely the matrix has very little to do with it? After all it's just a small radiator that you can fit behind the dash. The design of the cooling system will govern how quickly it can warm the heater early on, after that it's just a case of whatever fits in the gap left by the original.

StottyZr

6,860 posts

190 months

Tuesday 22nd May 2012
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I've never owned one but the Corsa B's yikes A friends almost melted my shoes within about 2minutes of the car being turned on.

bakerstreet

5,036 posts

192 months

Tuesday 22nd May 2012
quotequote all
Surely, you must be limited on space? Have a look at the heater from the Polo. They are a favourite with the kit car peeps as they are compact and quite good smile

Odhran

579 posts

210 months

Tuesday 22nd May 2012
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My old 1 series had a fantastic heater. Really warm.

My new A3 takes an eternity to heat up. About 7 miles of driving before the temp gauge is at the right spot

Celtic Dragon

3,338 posts

262 months

Tuesday 22nd May 2012
quotequote all
Both my scoobs for heat, although the diesel takes longer than teh pestrol to warm up. For cooling with no air con, my old 205 1.6 gti.

scotty_d

Original Poster:

6,795 posts

221 months

Tuesday 22nd May 2012
quotequote all
Krikkit said:
Surely the matrix has very little to do with it? After all it's just a small radiator that you can fit behind the dash. The design of the cooling system will govern how quickly it can warm the heater early on, after that it's just a case of whatever fits in the gap left by the original.
Lack of heat was not that big issue but since mine is rotten i am going to put a better unit in with a better fan. I am in that deep so do not see the point of fitting an average unit back in.

The Matrix was tiny to start with and i have space of a bigger unit. The main issue is the fan is pretty week so a beefier fan is a must.

Jasandjules

72,402 posts

256 months

Tuesday 22nd May 2012
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My Chimaeras have always had the best heaters... You can never turn them off like, but still.......... Just heat soak from the engine bay.

Megaflow

11,350 posts

252 months

Tuesday 22nd May 2012
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Honda S2000 and Smart Roadster Coupe, both equally capable of melting ones face...

scotty_d

Original Poster:

6,795 posts

221 months

Tuesday 22nd May 2012
quotequote all
bakerstreet said:
Surely, you must be limited on space? Have a look at the heater from the Polo. They are a favourite with the kit car peeps as they are compact and quite good smile
Space is not to big an issue as it is not behind the dash like in main stream cars but in the passengers foot well in the inner wing. The car has 2 system lay out on the drivers side is the cold air blower that works very well. Will have a look at polo's units

My biggest issue is fitting in the cars original ducts to a aftermarket units As i only have one 70mm take of point to feed to foot wells and windscreen the other vents are fead from the cold side box.

Matt UK

18,084 posts

227 months

Tuesday 22nd May 2012
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7 Sevens said:
The one in my Caterham is pretty fierce. Not one to have on when cooling the engine and wearing shorts!
hehe agreed, always nice to have the option of a freezing torso and gently char-grilled left calf!

Decky_Q

2,059 posts

204 months

Tuesday 22nd May 2012
quotequote all
Most of the answers here are in relation to the cooling/engine system, as most are '....it took x to heat up and was really hot' which is a feature that would vary between engines in the same car. Kit or rally compact heaters can be bought pretty cheap off ebay and are designed to suit many different cars and engines while providing alot of power in a small package. No AC with kit and rally heaters tho.

thinfourth2

32,414 posts

231 months

Tuesday 22nd May 2012
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Matt UK said:
7 Sevens said:
The one in my Caterham is pretty fierce. Not one to have on when cooling the engine and wearing shorts!
hehe agreed, always nice to have the option of a freezing torso and gently char-grilled left calf!
2 settings

Off or Melt bone

sneaky schnell

1,514 posts

232 months

Tuesday 22nd May 2012
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The Porsche 964.

The A/C cooling is only weak to adequate but the heating is excellent.

tuffer

8,995 posts

294 months

Tuesday 22nd May 2012
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I like my cars cold and I had an Audi A4 1.9TDI that would have kept a Turkey frozen all year.