A car for the cold... bonnet temp -30°C

[gmonag]

Originally Posted by paddy74

...And let's be honest, the heated screen is a nice goody, but the rest of the year you constantly fight with the windscreen, because you see the wires in the screen...

My wife and daughter each drive a Ford Focus Mk2. They have a heated windscreen and there are no visible wires (at least I can't see them unless you look very closely and the light is just right).

It is a real boon in the morning.

[paddy74]

@Moose Test
I can fully understand you, but I have to note, the insulation in the LR D4 is really not good! On longer drives, the area around the window, in case of the driver the right shoulder, is cold, cold, cold...

The LR D4 has the same combustion heater like the Volvo D5s, meaning you can update to a full parking heater via software, but even with a pre heated cabin, the window area doesn't really get warm. As I said, we measured with an IR thermometer, the door carton is four degrees (4°C) colder than the cabin air a few centimeters inside. You could well live with the four degrees, if they would be constant around the car, but three quarters of your body are warm, only the shoulder gets very cold. I used to have a towel over my shoulder while driving, if temperatures outside were below zero...

But you're totally right, just that little bit more of luxury would be great to have. I think, Volvo has achieved that with the XC90 MkII.

If you get a D4, let me know, I still have a Nanocom that would only need a new license for your VIN. With the Nanocom you can activate the parking heater, besides all the other things it can do (like VIDA) Just let me know, I'll give you a special "I-am-happy-I-dont-have-an-LR-any-more"-Volvo-forum-price.

@gmonag
It's very disturbing in the LRs, as their wind screen is only tilted in a small angle. I've had it in other cars, a Ford Escort, where it wasn't disturbing.

[Moose Test]

Originally Posted by paddy74

just that little bit more of luxury would be great to have. I think, Volvo has achieved that with the XC90 MkII.

I would go one further. I've test driven a couple of L405 Range Rovers, and an Inscription Pro MkII XC90 with "all the toys", and I was surprised to find that I came away thinking that the Volvo had the better, and higher quality, interior. (However the Volvo then disgraced itself in my books, with the really very intrusive engine noise. RR has always led in that area. Would have been interested to hear what the T8 sounded like).

Originally Posted by paddy74

I'll give you a special "I-am-happy-I-dont-have-an-LR-any-more"-Volvo-forum-price.

Appreciated! If I do buy one, and I make a poor choice, I'll have already sold one kidney to pay for the running costs that the previous 4+ owners didn't want to pay.

Originally Posted by paddy74

It's very disturbing in the LRs, as their wind screen is only tilted in a small angle. I've had it in other cars, a Ford Escort, where it wasn't disturbing.

That's a very noticeable trait of the RR, especially the L322. To me, it feels as if you're sitting on top of it like a horse and cart, rather than in it. And the virtually 90 degree windscreen is a large part of that. It's one of the reasons that I went for the XC90 this time around. The driving position feels more natural to me, as does the raked windscreen. I also prefer that the bonnet falls away out of the line of sight, rather than being on show all the time like a 70's fire truck.

[oragex]

It's interesting, I'm in Canada and I didn't know heated wind screen (we call it windshield) is a thing. Same for heated spray nozzles. But we do have winter windshield fluids that go down to -40C or so.

[Tannaton]

I had/have the heated screen (winter pack) on both my XC60’s and my V40 and it’s brilliant, usually 1 min 30 seconds to deal with even the hardest frost and clears the mist on the inside. I’ve never found the wires a problem.

My father has the heated wheel also on his Mk 2 XC60 and he swears by it...

[oragex]

On another note, I've had heated seats, steering wheel and also cooling seats. The only one I would use sometimes is the heated seats - I'm in Canada, however the one I would love to have and I rarely see it in luxury cars, is massage seats. I'm surprised the industry didn't move to make these more popular.

[Harley Dave]

Hate to say it (almost) but my 2011 Exec has heated/cooled/massage front seats as well as heated mid row seats.

I leave the massage function on all the time, and it really makes a difference on a long trip.

The cooling switch is a little tricky to get to (when seated ) and has to be enabled each ignition cycle so doesn't get used so often, but it's nice when it's needed.

Cheers

Dave