Heated windscreen - am I missing something?

All Volvo XC40 related discussions
DanishPastry
Posts: 134
Joined: Mon Sep 14, 2020 4:07 pm
Location: West London

Post by DanishPastry »

As a prospective new owner, I'm crawling over the configurations... and have hit a snag on a heated windscreen.

I think every car I've owned for the last 30 years has had one, almost all as standard.
Not so Volvo. It seems to need the £775 Climate Pack, which contains 5 other options that I do not want (my current car has all of them and never used the heated [thing]).

Will I really have to pay £775 for a heated windscreen?
No, obviously I will go to the pound store and buy an ice-scraper. That seems a bit pathetic for a £35-40K car.

Or am I missing something?

Mark
MY2020 R-Design

charles_M
Posts: 51
Joined: Tue Feb 11, 2020 11:41 am

Post by charles_M »

My XC40 Insignia doesn't have a heated windscreen. My last car, a top end Audi Q3 didn't have one. Before that I had a pretty standard Ford Focus, which DID have one.

Marketing guys have worked out that the more you pay, the less you should get. Wheels will soon be paid for add ons.
A N Other
Posts: 11
Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2020 2:55 pm

Post by A N Other »

Were you previous cars all Fords?

Ford held the patent on the heated front windscreen for many years and were the only cars fitted, even in the lower specs.

The patent has now expired, think early 2000s, so other brands now have it.
gt40
Posts: 116
Joined: Mon Jun 17, 2019 11:23 am

Post by gt40 »

I'm not a fan of heated windscreens, the wires irritate me, but I had to have one on this car as the only way (at the time) to get the heated seats was to buy the winter pack.

I recall reading something years back that every heated windscreen installed meant royalty payments to Ford, as they own the patent and for some reason it's not included in the usual car manufacturers patent swap deals. So maybe that's why it's a non standard item on most cars. That might also be completely wrong, so don't take it as gospel.
T4 R Design FWD in Thunder Grey, with Intellisafe Pro, Winter & Convenience packs plus a few bits & pieces - arrived Sept '19
gt40
Posts: 116
Joined: Mon Jun 17, 2019 11:23 am

Post by gt40 »

A N Other wrote: Mon Sep 14, 2020 5:29 pm Were you previous cars all Fords?

Ford held the patent on the heated front windscreen for many years and were the only cars fitted, even in the lower specs.

The patent has now expired, think early 2000s, so other brands now have it.

A timely and better informed post than mine
T4 R Design FWD in Thunder Grey, with Intellisafe Pro, Winter & Convenience packs plus a few bits & pieces - arrived Sept '19
blastpipe
Posts: 565
Joined: Tue Aug 28, 2018 9:04 pm
Location: UK

Post by blastpipe »

DanishPastry wrote: Mon Sep 14, 2020 4:54 pm

Will I really have to pay £775 for a heated windscreen?
Yes as it is part of a pack of other items and assuming you don't want things like heated seats which are also included in the pack.

If you have a garage to keep your car in rather than the junk many people keep in theirs...then you likely won't need one.

You can have it included in your build...if you're spending £40k on a new car then why quibble of 700 quid to get the specification you want?? You'll lose thousands driving a new car out of the showroom so why worry about £700?

If you're that worried consider a second hand XC40 that has one fitted??
T4 Auto AWD R Design March 2019
eugen61
Posts: 1211
Joined: Sun May 10, 2020 7:33 am

Post by eugen61 »

You might not need the heated windscreen: on a cold day you can remote start the engine with your smartphone via Volvo On Call app and by the time you'll get into the car (10-15 min later) not only your windshield will be defrosted, but also you’ll enjoy a warm and cozy cabin ;)
DanishPastry
Posts: 134
Joined: Mon Sep 14, 2020 4:07 pm
Location: West London

Post by DanishPastry »

Thanks eugen61, that seems a good work-around. I can forget the Climate package and still not have to ice-scrape :-)
MY2020 R-Design
A N Other
Posts: 11
Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2020 2:55 pm

Post by A N Other »

In well over 40 years of driving I've never had a heated windscreen. However did I manage 😀?

Is this what's known as a 1st world problem?
RonFleet
Posts: 144
Joined: Sun Aug 16, 2020 4:48 pm
Location: Hampshire

Post by RonFleet »

I had a couple of Fords back in the past that had heated windscreens. I found the heating element distracting at night with oncoming headlights refracting off them.
Cheers,
Ron

XC40 B3 Plus Automatic
Fjord Blue
Post Reply