Heated front screen
 

I presume that as the cars are fitted with a heated front screen, they will also have heated washer nozzles, just like my Focus ? Does anyone know for sure ?



AnilS.

The RX-8 has a heated front winscreen?

Have not read that anywhere. Would be nice but perhaps expecting too much considering existing package and cost.

rael

Rael, the cars do have the heated front screen, the switch being located by the heater controls. I just assumed as it had this then heated nozzles would also be included.
Just like the Xenon lights (Hi Power) have to have a self levelling facility and headlamp wash (its the law) as part of the Xenon package.

AnilS.

Theres switches for the front/rear demisters if this includes heated elements on the front screen it sthe first I've heard mentioned. Would be great if it is , possibly the only thing I'll miss moving from my focus.


Edit :- If anyone is going to the motorexpo and can check the front screen - the heating elements are easy to see on a close inspection of the front w/s.

I was going to check for this at MotorExpo last Monday but must have got distracted because I forgot. Sorry!

Also note front demisters stop a lot of speed camera detectors from working.

I'll put it on my list of things to look for (although there's no guarantee that the Japanese and UK markets will be the same.)

Anything else people want specifically looking at?

Its not a heater element screen as in the Focus, the system is exactly the same as the mazda 6.

when you press the front screen button the climate control directs the fans to the front screen and adjusts the tempreature to de mist the screen. Its s system mazda have been using since the last 626 from 1997. It uses the air con instead of having to wait for the engine to warm up, so i very much doubt any heated washers!

Giggsy, many thanks for clearing that up. Its disappointing to learn that there is no Heated front screen. When paying nearly £24K it should be standard.

AnilS

Are you asking to much of your 24K You don't get a heated front screen on Focus RS!

What else could you buy for the money? I think some people are getting a bit carried away, your not buying a 60K porsche, more like a high end Celica or bottom end Audi TT with totally 90's, out of date styling.

Mazda must be trying to make the balance that the rx-7 missed. For its age the rx-7 was a high spec car but trying to sell it at near 35K diddnt work. Mazda have for the last 14 years got the balance completley correct with the mx-5, not massivly high spec but very reasonable price, and bags and bags of fun, the best handling car for the money by far. This is what the rx-8 needs to be as well, heated screens and 9bhp dont make a Drivers car.

My C70 uses the aircon to de-mist the windscreen and it's very fast and effective. If the Mazda system is anything like Volvo's then I wonuldn't be worried about it not having a heated screen.

Giggsy, I don't think its asking too much for a HFS to be standard. I don't know about a Focus RS not having one but my Focus Zetec has it and air con. Air con is very useful for misted up screens but for icy/frosted ones the HFS is excellent.
If its not standard, it should at the every least be listed as an option.

AnilS.

Pretty sure this is not fitted.
Also , not an issue for me in the slightest. I am quite capable of clearing a screen - and the climate control will do that quickly anyhow....

i have personally never heard of putting a heating element in the front screen. every car i have ever seriously looked at or owned always just ducted air to it to demist. most companies have some kind of scheme where the air conditioning is used partially to demist the front screen(my wifes ford for instance). while most american cars do not allow you to seperatly select the front demister and air conditioning at the same time most japanese brands(honda for instance) allow you to select the demister and push a seperate button for the air conditioning to clean the screen off faster. i don't see the necessity for an imbedded heating element.

They don't just demist they also melt any ice on the front windscreen so you can just turn your wipers on to get rid of the slush that remains.

Also unlike the rear demisters the elements are very thin but close together and demist much quicker that blowing air on the window.

It is genuinely useful, but not a reason not to buy a car IMHO.

mehhh.. just turn the temp up to high turn the fan to "recirculate" and wait a few minutes while the car warms up. then the wipers will do the trick. this has always worked for me even in the coldest iceist winters in the Northeastern U.S.(after i have chipped the ice away from the doors so i could actually get in the car). Just give yourselves a couple of minutes extra in the morning so you don't feel the need to "rush" off to work relax and sip your coffee or whatever and let the demister work. it's not that much longer and you want to warm up that rotary properly anyway.

Fords generally have front heated screens, but i don't like the slightly hazy effect that occurs in wet/night conditions.

My FTO uses the air con to heat the front screenand it is fast - gets rid of mist etc even in very wet conditions with no problem. The only downside is a slightly slower clearing of ice

STU

Aircon is fine for demisting the screen. I have driven fords, and I too dont like the effect in the glass of the heated front screen, though I suppose you would get used to it.

Dont give a stuff about ice as mine will be keeping warm in the garage! :D

apparently i am much out of the loop or this is a Europe and/or UK thing. i was not aware (and my wifes Ranger can atttest) of this imbedded heating element in the front screen, until it was mentioned here, in Ford's or any other US made brand on this side of the Pond.

might be a UK thing - not driven a US ford

either way, looks like the RX8 hasnt got one so no need for us to care.... :)

STU

Its not in the US Escort or taurus.

But I own a UK Mondeo ST 24 as the 'family car'.

Plus on the screen - melts like buggery in winter - screen cleared in less than a minute (probably 30 secs) for turnning the engine on
minus on this - the way it shimmers in the sun sometimes, and the way that you nearly always need to have the normal aircon on to stop it misting up....

overall - ridiculous to suggest that this should be 'standard' on a 24k (!) car with the spec it has. Nuts, especially considering I only know of Ford who even have this (ok so they own lots of Mazda but...)

Look see....
 

It's an easy thing to spot - it's not little elements like the back, it's a resistive film, looks 'copper' colored compared to the rest of the glass.
Don't want one/ would not pay for one / the only cars here that have it are the Crown Victoria (somewhat smaller than the Titanic)
.
.
.
doc