It's COLD! Quick Way To Heat the Car

[vacationtime247]

Park both my cars close to the house but outside. It's been subfreezing recently (snow, frost, etc) and I'm wasting gas letting the car warm up before leaving. So, I'm using a space heater affixed to a board (so nothing melts, burns or distorts) set it in the back seat to warm it up. Run an extension cord to the heater and let it warm up briefly. Go start the car, run the wipers and I'm off. Be smart and safe!
VT247

[Frank Lee]

I just got a little 1500w ceramic heater that I think would be ideal for this purpose. Haven't tried it out in a car yet though. And I thought I'd put it on the passenger seat, perhaps up on something so it has a direct shot at the windshield and driver's door glass. I'm less interested in cabin warmth as I am in clear glass; the car's heater kicks in quickly enough for me even though I practice no or as close to no warm-up with the engine as possible.

[MetroMPG]

I use a 1500w heater like yours, Frank.

I place it on the driver's floor, facing forward so it blows underneath the dash. I figure might as well warm some thermal mass as well as the air, and the dash is a good candidate with all that plastic & metal. Warm rising air gets to the windshield.

I usually only run the heater on the 750w setting, so I can also run the engine coolant heater. Pampers myself and the car.

The ideal situation would be to have the extension on a remote control. You can buy 'em.

[ecoxantia]

Yup, I do that too. There's a commercial equivalent in Scandinavia, can't think of the name right now. I sit mine on the back seat aimed at the windscreen. Been meaning to make it a permanent feature but then the weather here in the UK warms up and I forget.

The commercial one is available as a kit with a battery charger and engine heater. I guess they'd all save fuel even when the weather is above zero...

[EdKiefer]

I don't want to be negative but be careful with space heater inside vehicle . Many parts of interior can't take heat to well before they melt, discolor ,burn .

[MetroMPG]

I believe the "be careful" disclaimer applies to nearly every mod & driving technique discussed in this forum! Seriously.

Always good to remind people though.