Car frost protection.

[Colin]

Hi,

With frost forecast for tonight and wanting to use the Yeti first thing tomorrow morning I've just taken precautions which will save me lots of hassle in the morning. First job was to wipe the glass using a microfibre cloth and Morrison's cheap vinegar taking care not to splash the paintwork; I then attached the new cover I've just bought over the windscreen; mirrors and front door glass; I tried this last Sunday night for the first time and on Monday morning it had worked a treat. The vinegar tip I picked up from the web and by applying vinegar to the glass especially the windscreen ensures the outside of the windscreen doesn't mist up which is highly dangerous.

The screen cover only cost about £7.50 delivered (eBay) and is 4x4 size; the suction cups on it are useless but by tucking its edges into the door and closing the door taking a lot of care not to trap my fingers it works pretty well. the rear top corners are actually pockets which slide over the top corner of the door so making it reasonably secure; Velcro strips hold it to the wipers. It takes about three minutes to install and in the morning when I remove it I'll hang it in the workshop to dry. Given our dire climate the year round I'm fighting back and measures like these two cost so very little. I hope its of interest and it worked for me.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Verdun]

Good thinking Colin........essential to make sure car and cover are dry when you use your protector. I have heard of some distressing cases where covers were frozen to vehicles.
Shouldn't be a problem down here.....serious frost is pretty rare.

 

[Colin]

Hi,

Thanks Verdun; it is so variable living here very near The Pennines; some winters are quite mild with just a dusting of snow whilst other winters can be exactly the opposite leaving us snowed in until a JCB comes along the street to dig us out; it's also extremely hilly and the council have about two buckets of grit to last the whole winter so our roads are like skating rinks when it freezes.

I can imagine the problem in installing one of these covers if the cover is wet on the inside or the glass is wet then it freezes; hopefully I'll never find out the hard way. The only time I'll use the cover is when frost or ice is forecast for first thing Monday or Friday morning when I do the supermarket shopping; I'm at the stores for when they open because I can't stand being carried around a supermarket; I take along a wish list in order of layout in each supermarket and I'm in and out without any impulse buying at all; usually I'm back home after visiting all three supermarkets by 8:30am; Morrison's opens at 7:0am.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[productivegardener]

Thanks for bringing this up Colin. I tried the vinegar thing once last winter but kind of forgot about it. Now that consistent frosts are here, I need to try it again.

 

[Colin]

Hi,

You're most welcome productivegardener; I too have only used the vinegar once but I am most impressed by it; how did you get on and were you also impressed? Without the vinegar I find in freezing conditions after scraping the frost from the windscreen I need to keep using the wipers for at least the first mile due to the windscreen misting up on the outside; it really is most dangerous and highly frustrating. Hopefully after frost tonight I'll have no problems seeing where I'm going tomorrow morning as I drive off?

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Verdun]

Supermarkets and shopping are in and out as quickly as poss for me too Colin. Surely shopping is the most boring of chores
Hope your screen is clear for your drive early tom morning

 

[Esther Knapicius]

Living all my life in an area with snow, sleet, ice etc. I just go out to my car and turn it on, and go back inside to finish getting ready. when back out all is melted and done. Off I go.

 

[Colin]

Hi,

8:30 Verdun and I'm back home with all the shopping put away now having a welcome brew and biscuit; thanks; yes a nice clear windscreen on the outside but I had to demist the inside of the screen which was easy enough on boost. I regard shopping as just one of those things which have to be done but as you rightly say its not the highlight of my day.

Thanks Esther Knapicius; you can do something we in the UK cannot do; if we were to leave our car running then it would most likely be stolen by some low life and if left running unattended and it was stolen then the insurance would be void? Bron and I live in a desirable area of Huddersfield but even so we've had our shed broken into and fuel stolen; I used to have a very old short ladder I used to climb over our garden wall onto the lane; I used to hide this ladder from view in our shrubs at the base of the wall; it was stolen and we've a very good idea who stole it but obviously without proof in would be unfair to accuse; our immediate neighbours are low life known to the police for burglary; drugs and car theft etc; I wonder how long our Yeti would remain in our driveway if left running and unattended?

-0.5C this morning here when I set off to the supermarket but its bright and sunny; I think I deserve a bit of quality workshop time today?

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[DirtMechanic]

Moisture inside the vehicle is the culprit for fogging, but can be absorbed over night with a variety of means.

https://www.doityourself.com/stry/3-types-of-moisture-absorbers-explained

 

[Esther Knapicius]

Thanks Esther Knapicius; you can do something we in the UK cannot do; if we were to leave our car running then it would most likely be stolen by some low life and if left running unattended and it was stolen then the insurance would be void?

I also have a second key. so when at the office, I can run out and start my car, lock it up. run inside my office finish a bit then out again.