De-icer

Are our kombis sensitive to de-icer?
Goes without saying, I'd be careful not to get on paintwork, but just in case....?
Thanks

It's a solvent, so it can remove the wax polish and soften the paint. If you're careful how you apply it you shouldn't have too many problems but I always prefer the good old fashioned scraper and some patience.
Am I showing my age when I admit that I used to use a cassette case.  

  I used to keep a cassette case in the car for that very purpose too.  Very retro!

With heated front and rear screens it's only the side windows that need scraping so a decent scraper does the job very quickly and no need for de-icer - IMO.

You must have turbo heated elements in your screens Tallulah. By the time mine have shown up I'd have been driving for 15 minutes!

Takes as long as to scrape the side windows....

Like Tallulah, I don't use de-icer either. I scrape as much off as possible, run the engine with front and rear screen heaters on, and cab heater on when engine has warmed up. (Turn them on with the engine running, as I've noticed they don't half draw a lot of current from the battery)

For the side windows I bought one of these from Maplins a couple of years ago, it's both a cold and hot fan.



The drivers side isn't too much of  a problem as you can always wind it down to see clearly, but if you are on your own it's impossible to wind the passenger side down from the driving seat.

I had looked at fitting electric windows, but it looks like major job on kombis due to the layout of the winding mechanism.

(Alternatively you could do a Kiteman heater conversion to heat the side windows.   )

Thanks! Cassette case made me smile....not showing age at all!
Not sure my heated screens work that well but maybe I need a bit more patience in the morning?!
Dizzylizard, does that little gadget plug into lighter socket?
Luckily no ice this morning  

I find 10 mins with the back heater on is good enough to clear all ice and has the added bonus of making the inside all toasty. Or should that be the other way round? Either way, no ice problems.

We don't have that luxury unfortunately

Yes it just plugs into lighter socket, and it has a detachable dash mount and fold out handle so you can wave it about.   


http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/in-car-ceramic-heatercooler-a75fl

Oooh matron!

I'd read the reviews before you 'blow' your tenner on that. I fitted one to a mate's Beetle. Let's just say the review suggesting someone could blow hotter air via their mouth wasn't far wrong.

I agree to a point but I only bought it to use as a de-mister for the passenger side window. It isn't going to chuck out as much heat as a 2KW hairdryer as the cigarette socket can only cope with 150 watts, and this seems to be the maximum for all the different models available.

Another route would be to get one of these, that several of us have got.

https://brazilianvwbay.forumotion.com/t2892-windscreen-cover

The beauty of it is that its main use is as a blackout blind when camping, and in the winter it covers the side windows against frost, unlike a standard windscreen cover.

Quite tough to drive with one of these fitted....