[bazandkim]

Well, I got all excited when I saw this large section in the handbnook, dreaming of getting into a nice warm car on cold mornings

, only to discover that my titanium doesn't have this feature.

Just got used to the idea and look at the 'Red and Green Arrows' thread and there's a picture of it, large as life on the picture from SAP_2000.



I WANT ONE ! - Maybe this is only included in Norway, but I reckon it would sell here in the UK. Heated seats ? - You could keep 'em.

 

[sap_2000]

The Aux heater is standard on the cars sold here in Norway.


The aux heater in the Kugais a EberspÃcher water heaterunitthat heats the eninge coolant (and engine/ defroster) that swiches itself on after you start the car (engine cold) and the external temperature is under say +5 degrees or so. It automaticly switces of when engine reaches about 80 deg.

Essential on modern diesels in our climate that would take forever to warm up without onein cold temps.



In say minus 10 it would take over half an hour for the engine to reach 60 deg and the defroster to give some usable heat inside the car. The temp would not reach 90 deg under normal driving because you taking out more energy via the defroster than the engine produces of wasted heat.

With the heater on, you get 90 deg on the engine and full power on the defroster in less than 10 mins...



Then there is the parking heater...

Cost about 600£ extra and is the same heater/ system but programmable from the menu to run on its own without the engine running. Can be set up with a timer so engine and car is warm to a preset time ie. when you go of to work in the mornings.

Works great, but uses a lot power from the battery when it is most needed in low temps.



A demo video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pk0c6GnVbuA

 

[bazandkim]

Many thanks for that - so now I know. A great idea, but too expensive for the UK and our conditions.

 

[sap_2000]

I am very happy that the aux heater is standard equipment.



I know the cost of fitting a parking heater locallyor order it from the factory for a car that does not have it as standar equipment cost in the region of 2-3K£. So it's very expensive, but it makes life so much easyer in the wintertime

Specially when you havethe full upgraded parking heater..


On my other car, I have a remote with 1000meter range for the parking heater.



All I do is push the button when I wake up and by the time it takes to take a shower and eat breakfast, the windows is free from ice, the temperature inside is 25 deg and the engine temperature is 40-50 deg. Takes about half an hour in minus 15 deg.

You also save a lot of wear on the engine since cold starts is not good for diesel engines..



After I had my first car with the system many years ago,I promissed my self that I would never again own a car without one...

 

[bazandkim]

From the temperatures you say, I'm not surprised you want all your cars to have this. I like the idea for the temperatures for the UK, and that's nothing like as cold as Norway. Enjoy

 

[Snowman]

Hi - do you find that the battery holds up well with heater on? We get temps down to -40 at our holiday home and -25 is quite common Jan/Feb ( 3 hours north of Oslo on the Swedish border) Was thinking of adding a battery charger connection

 

[sap_2000]

In those temps the battery wont last long before the voltage drops below the limit for where the heater switches itself off so you (hopefully)have enough power for starting...







If you want to run the heater for a usefull amount of time below minus 10, I'd use aexternal charger.
My other car, a VW T5 has two batteries that is seperated when the engine is not running via an electronic switch.

The parking heater runs from the 2nd battery so the primary battery is always full as it need to be when you are trying to start a diesel engine in minus 20 and below...

 

[Snowman]

Thanks.
Thats kind of what I thought. At my holiday home its no problem to run a power cable out to the car. Just have to fit a charger socket.

 

[WAZ1]

I was also rather excited by the prospect of this heater being on my Titanium and was very disappointed to find it didnt have it!! as I sat in the car one cold evening to set it up and then couldnt find it in the menu! went back into the house sad and cold