The MGF Register Forums

Hi guys,

I've contacted a company that manufactures electrically heated windscreens, as I have been wanting one of these for Project Shed (no heater - I've taken it out), but I think might be quite nice on the road car too. They don't have one for the MGF/TF yet, but can manufacture one. The problem is that they need a minimum order of 5 to justify the tooling costs.

I've asked what the likely unit cost is likely to be, but is there anyone here interested in one?

The other thing I may try and do is see whether a company like Brown and Gammons might take this on, which may be more interested if there is some expression of interest from here.

Let me know if you're interested, and I'll keep you informed on costs etc

Cheers

Interested, but it does - as always - come down to cost.

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Absolutely right it does! I've not yet heard back from Ricky Evans - but when this was last looked at but forum members on .org, the cost was estimated at £170+VAT. Not very cheap, but about what I was expecting.

Ideally I'd like to get two - one for the Shed, and the other for my road-going MGF - but I suspect that I won't be able to afford that right now. I'll be scrimping for just the one!!!

Does that price include fitting the windscreen and the electrics ?

No. Just for the screen, and does not include delivery I suspect.

The electrics aren't included either. There's a page on their website that provides a very simple diagram...

http://www.heatedwindscreen.com/acatalo ... tails.html

But the way I was planning was to take a feed off the existing heated rear winscreen circuit with an additional relay. If you need to heat one screen, you probably want to heat the other - and this will give you a nice simple OEM button to play with. And it's on a timer via the MFU/BCU. Simples.

Simples ?

*runs away*

interesting thread Rob

Rob Bell wrote:this will give you a nice simple OEM button to play with. And it's on a timer via the MFU/BCU. Simples.

Where is the timer Rob ?? The OEM rear screen operates with the engine running controlled by the Low Oil Pressure switch. I have the engine bay fan wired into the circuit for summer time alpine driving.
Geoff F.

I'm interested, as I have been when the subject has come up numerous times on .org before.

Something to be aware of though, is that when I have looked into having such a screen fitted in the past, I was unable find a windscreen fitter who would offer any kind of guarantee unless the screen was supplied by them, which creates a bit of an issue if the heated screen manufacturer doesn't have an approved fitting agent.
May sound a bit OTT but I had an experience of a genuine MG screen failing quiet quickly after replacement.

IMO it would be good if MG specialist could be encouraged to stock them, not least to ensure the availability of spares should they be required. If my heated screen was damaged, I wouldn’t want to have to commission a batch of 10 or more to be made just so I could get a replacement

Within some of the provisos mentioned, I would be interested. However what about compliance with the construction regs for MOTs which are allegedly being beefed up soon - will this not become one of those 'mods' to which insurance and MOT inspectors can object?
Whereas if B&G offered it as a drive in upgrade I would be very much happier!

I think some really good points there, thanks chaps.

Geoff, on pre-Pektron BCU loom cars, the timer is, I am sure, burried within the MFU. The Low oil pressure is an inhibitor on the circuit, so you don't drain the battery with the HRW when the engine isn't running. I think that Dieter probably has more insight into the internal workings of the MFU than me, so hopefully he can fill me in/ correct me if I'm wrong!

Interesting point Charles - not really been thinking along those lines but you're right, Ricky Evans supplies screens for motorsports use - so I would not necessarily expect that the screen would necessarily carry all the necessary certification marks. This may or may not be an issue come MoT time, because - as usual - I expect this to be inspector dependent (even with the new MoT regs).
As part of this investigation, I have had some discussions with Malcolm Gammons, who has contact with a large OEM heated screen supplier. Malcolm's not convinced that there is a market for this, but if the price is right, I think that there would be a quite few of us interested in a heated windscreen with non-motorsport aspirations. I'd expect that Malcolm's supplier would supply screens with the certification marks; the impression I got from him was that he has dealings with an OEM parts supplier. We'll see how this shakes out. I've also contacted MG Mania - who knows, they may have contacts given their existing product lines?

Steve, I read your comments from last year regarding fitting guarantees. The response from outfitters such as Autoglass is perfectly predictable - they'll only guarantee their own glass, so finding someone else to cover glass they haven't supplied is extremely unlikely. I am sure that they'd cover their own workmanship though?

But as you and Charles say - if I can get Malcolm on board, there may be a way of getting them to fit the screens that they supply. The unit cost will naturally be higher - B&G is a business, not an MG charity sadly - but this could work out as a much better way to get these screens made in the longer term.

The alternative? If we go the Ricky Evans route, I'd probably get a trusted garage to carry out the fitting. And, like you I suspect Steve, I'll probably be talking to Marvin

So, as things stand, I've thrown a few pokers into the fire - and now I need to stand back and see how this works out...

I'll keep you all posted

Not so simples after all then - - but I would still be interested
If the costing was not a complete rip-off.
And it was all legal.
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Ricky Evans' price is 170+VAT - so around 200 quid.

This is about the price point I had initially envisaged. Is this about what you guys would be prepared to spend?

My feeling is that most of you would be happier if this came supplied by a major MG trader? I'll continue chipping away at this.

I would be interested if the fitting was included in a good package. All done at the same place on the same day.

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That'd lean this towards getting an MG trader involved, as I am pretty sure Ricky Evans would not get involved in that kind of service.

It's the only kind of service I would consider.

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Very interested in this Rob, as long as it was safe to do regards MOT ect

Great. I'll wait to hear back on what Malcolm finds out from his supplier and I'll let you know - I think that this is best route for most should it become available.

Would expect a guarantee/warranty too, of course.
Cover all the bases, tha knows.

As I am driving the F all year round as my only car, I would also be quite interested. Also, my windscreen suffers from the occasional grit-hit, so it is actually likely to break at some point in the not-so-far future, tiny cracks already appear. So changing the screen would be on the insurance anyway.

What I'd like to know is how the heating actually works. It will be some of these very thin zig-zag wires between the two glass panes where they are bonded together, I presume. Last year, I had to use a Ford Focus from a hiring company which came with one of those screens. During the day this was very nice, as the windscreen won't freeze again -- after the ice has been traditionally removed. But in the dark, I found the halos generated by the wires quite annoying and disturbing. In well lit built-up area or with lots of oncoming traffic it was hard to get used to, but maybe you do eventually.