Hard frost and car windscreen!

[IceBoy]

Hi All,

We had a heavy frost this morning, not something I was expecting, even though the temperature has been dropping recently it was a shock!

Today of all days, I was running late and went to get in the car and drive off, I was faced with the car caked in frost.

Time was of the essence so I just got some warm water from the tap and poured over all the windows.

Job done but is there some preventative de-icer spray or should I invest in one of those tarp type windscreen covers which look a bit naf and might fly off?

Just thinking in advance, as winter has arrived with no warning!

IceBoy

[Janesy B]

I'd expect someone called IceBoy should know what to do in this situation.

[steveo3002]

nothing easier than luke warm water , with the covers and sprays you cant always predict the frost so you might not fit the cover or fit it for no reason

sit back and wait for the "your screen will explode with warm water on it" mob

Edited by steveo3002 on Thursday 6th November 09:16

[Podie]

Janesy B said:

I'd expect someone called IceBoy should know what to do in this situation.

Best screen cover I have found is this - http://icescreen.co.uk/

[Nezquick]

I've generally found that if you use luke warm water, and it's cold enough, it'll just freeze on your windscreen again when you start driving.

De-icer and a scraper is always best in my view.

Plus i'd have to go up and down 5 flights of stairs from my flat with a bucket of warm water and would probably just end up spilling half down myself by the time I got to my car.

[Lee540]

I always find a more concentrated screenwash helps clear the windows quicker.

I miss the heated front screen on my Ford Focus, more manufacturers should produce a similar system

[steveo3002]

Nezquick said:

I've generally found that if you use luke warm water, and it's cold enough, it'll just freeze on your windscreen again when you start driving.

you need to start the car , water the passenger side , then round the drivers side and water that then straight away door open and wiper on , works fine in normal uk winter temps

[Podie]

We have an electric socket on the front of the garage, and during the really heavy frosts we stick a fan heater in the car that lives outside.

[ManiacGT]

There are coatings you can buy that help you remove the ice, not sure of their names and not sure how long they last either. After scratching my windscreen last year using a scraper (must have been some grit in the ice) I now just use a cover if I know its going to freeze and if I don't know then I'll just use any old de icer and use the rubber part of the scraper to take all the melting ice off.

What I'd really like to know, as I have frameless doors, is a way to prevent the ice freezing the rubber to the glass as getting into the car over winter is a real pain sometimes.

[Yamahadivvyrider]

Get it car start it up.turn on heated screen 20 seconds go

[TVR keith]

you need to start the car , water the passenger side , then round the drivers side and water that then straight away door open and wiper on , works fine in normal uk winter temps
[/quote]

This. I pour the water onto the roof which cools it a bit and also gets rid of ice on the roof which thaws as you drive and runs down the screen when stopping.
If your car has auto wipers its really refreshing on a cold morning when the wipers throw icy cold water at you whilst you're pouring

[JonnyxM]

Usually keep an empty spray type bottle in the car, fill it full of warmish water and spray on the car, with wipers in combo to stop it from freezing again.

I also miss my heated windscreen..

[Podie]

ManiacGT said:

What I'd really like to know, as I have frameless doors, is a way to prevent the ice freezing the rubber to the glass as getting into the car over winter is a real pain sometimes.

Porsche used to recommend Vaseline - although that will chew the rubber seals.

I've found that silicone lubricant - http://reviews.halfords.com/4028/724542/reviews.ht... - works quite well.

[Podie]

Yamahadivvyrider said:

Get it car start it up.turn on heated screen 20 seconds go

The small print in the manual actually states it's not to be used for defrosting the screen, but for demisting.

[Foliage]

Podie said:

Porsche used to recommend Vaseline - although that will chew the rubber seals.

I've found that silicone lubricant - http://reviews.halfords.com/4028/724542/reviews.ht... - works quite well.

I hat this same problem when I had an mx5 doors freezing shut, silicone spray on the rubbers and on the door locks seemed to do the job.

[gforceg]

Nezquick said:

Plus i'd have to go up and down 5 flights of stairs from my flat with a bucket of warm water and would probably just end up spilling half down myself by the time I got to my car.

Yeah, or the water would just freeze in the bucket if it was "properly" cold. hehehehe

I lift the wipers off the screen the night before so they don't get stuck and overload the motors trying to break free. Then I either put an old sheet over the windscreen. Or if I get caught out, I start the car, put the heater on low and start scraping the side windows. Once they're done the front screen will be ready for the wipers to be used to remove the slush.

[SlowStig]

I found that a good coating of rainex on the windows would keep a lot of the frost from not forming overnight, however this is the first year with a heated elemented screen so hopefully no more deicer needed!

[selwonk]

Podie said:

Best screen cover I have found is this - http://icescreen.co.uk/

I use these. They are very good.

I also squirt a bit of the Halfords pre-icer stuff on the side windows as in the 996 they stick when you try to open the door.

I use IFTTT to monitor the weather forecast and send an alert when it's set to be frosty.

[Podie]

selwonk said:

I use IFTTT to monitor the weather forecast and send an alert when it's set to be frosty.

Now that IS a good idea!

[trickywoo]

IceBoy said:

Just thinking in advance, as winter has arrived with no warning!

Apart from the fact its November