Dangermike

Active Member
Today is one if those days I really wish I got my FBH properly working before the cold hit!

How's everyone else doing in the cold?
 
I don't have a FBH although I have seen the kit for about £400. But I do have seat heaters that I installed myself. So after cleaning windows off ice my seat is nice and warm for when clean ice of inside of wind screen. I do also have that ceramic heater that does start to defrost the windows by the time I get back in. The ice has soften up a bit and I can wipe it of with a cloth.
 
I can only dream of a FBH. After 15 mins on the driveway idling, and then a 14 mile journey to work the damn thing is still cold. I know the engines about 80 to 85 degrees, there's a slight puff of warm air with the fans on full. But why did they fit such a useless heater system?
 
-14 deg C on the temp readout coming to work just now, blimey :eek:


minus 1 point 4 C ya great big fooking wusss :rolleyes: :p


this was the inside temp in the 110 when I crawled outta me sleeping bag this morning
 

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Im at home.. doin housework so aint really cold will have to go and start the car tho at some point even tho i wont be usin it today.... cos otherwise it wont start when i want it to :doh: :D
 
It's at -6 up here in the tundra of the frozen wastes of Northern Aberdeenshire.

I had to chase the Polar Bears away from the bins again. :p

The fbh was set on the timer for 07.30 and at 08.00 the screen was clear and the interior warm. Engine was already at 72degrees so started easily as usual.

Heater then set to full and AC button on to clear all the side windows.

Heated seats on - headlights and fog-lights too.

The first thing that needs watching is that the Auto-Box is still cold and the box stays in lower gears to help it warm up quicker. No real problem - you just need to be aware of it and drive gently for the first couple of miles.

Secondly if you use all that much electrickery every morning and then only drive for 5 or 6 miles to work - the battery isn't being replenished with enough of the little amp thingies. :rolleyes: It's not fit to turn the engine over after 3 or 4 days of that treatment.

Two winters ago I learnt that the answer was simply to put an 'intelligent' trickle charger on overnight to top up the battery mid week.

The extra running it normally gets at the weekends means it's fully charged for Monday morning.

Plenty snow forecast for almost all of us this weekend.

Have fun - but stay safe.

Singvogel. :cool:
 
It's at -6 up here in the tundra of the frozen wastes of Northern Aberdeenshire.

I had to chase the Polar Bears away from the bins again. :p

The fbh was set on the timer for 07.30 and at 08.00 the screen was clear and the interior warm. Engine was already at 72degrees so started easily as usual.

Heater then set to full and AC button on to clear all the side windows.

Heated seats on - headlights and fog-lights too.

The first thing that needs watching is that the Auto-Box is still cold and the box stays in lower gears to help it warm up quicker. No real problem - you just need to be aware of it and drive gently for the first couple of miles.

Secondly if you use all that much electrickery every morning and then only drive for 5 or 6 miles to work - the battery isn't being replenished with enough of the little amp thingies. :rolleyes: It's not fit to turn the engine over after 3 or 4 days of that treatment.

Two winters ago I learnt that the answer was simply to put an 'intelligent' trickle charger on overnight to top up the battery mid week.

The extra running it normally gets at the weekends means it's fully charged for Monday morning.

Plenty snow forecast for almost all of us this weekend.

Have fun - but stay safe.

Singvogel. :cool:

You really have this winter thing sorted out!
 
Mine's great, FBH gets us toasty quickly.

Engine does sound like a bag of spanners in the cold though, does anyone elses?
 
Mine's great, FBH gets us toasty quickly.

Engine does sound like a bag of spanners in the cold though, does anyone elses?

No... it purrs like a kitten :D

And -14 deg C again this morning. Not -1.4 Redhand :p
 
i bought a lidl fan heater 9.99 put that in car, extension lead 2kw blowin, defrosts and warms car 10mins,first car ever had not in garage,
 
You really have this winter thing sorted out!

I hope I have - now - but it took a lot of experience to get to this state of readiness/ awareness.

We live off-road - 2 miles of 'green lane' to reach the nearest asphalt - and we really rely on a 4X4 to get to work, shops, schools etc.

In a harsh winter - the Freelander is literally our lifeline.

I've spent too many cold, dark mornings trying to get a vehicle started in the snow and frost with Mrs S looking out the window wondering when exactly we would be setting off.

As one gets older - and hopefully wiser :p - you learn to use all the technology that is available.

As for living in Aberdeenshire it's never a question of if we get snow - it's when and how deep.

I still enjoy the winter - but only if it's 'crisp and clean' - I can't stand cold, dark and slushy.

Make the most of the snow that's forecast for the coming weekend. ;)

Singvogel. :cool:
 
No problems here in France.

20cms fell overnight? Meh. In the morning I look out the kitchen window, press the button on the second remote fob I have, which starts the FBH and interior fan. I then go for a shower, have some toast, and by the time I am ready the FBH has been humming away nicely, leaving the cabin lovely and warm. I have a soft bristle broom that I use to sweep off the built up snow from the roof, bonnet and lights, then in I get and away I drive. While the coolant is warmed, the oil is still cold so need to take it easy for a wee while, but it warms up very quickly. After last winters ****-about with the freelanderspares freewheeling VCU, the Bell one does the job nicely this year. My wee hamlet is pretty isolated so not much traffic and I am currently working at a house which is very far out of the way. Yesterdays commute involved about 15km ploughing through completely untouched fresh snow up some pretty steep hills in places. I had to stop quite often slightly to one side of the road, reverse a bit then continue due to mounds of snow building up infront of the car as I pushed it along. A little more ground clearance would be a help.

There is a risk that the Freelander will be replaced this summer, but if it does go, I will definitely be removing the FBH to retro-fit it to the replacement 4x4.
 

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