Car heater-box thingy

Phil · Post by **Phil** » Mon Oct 27, 2003 12:17 pm

Okay so now I have a parking spot with a heat-box thingy. But my car doesn't have a car heater-box thingy.

How much do these things cost? How much is installation? Where can I get this done?

Thanks!!

**Sponsor:**

Hank W. · Post by **Hank W.** » Mon Oct 27, 2003 12:28 pm

Are you sure? Have you looked around? There should be a plug socket hidden somewhere.

Defa or Calix - you can get a block heater quite easily, a few hundred installed. Its not something you want to install yourself.

daive · Post by **daive** » Mon Oct 27, 2003 12:42 pm

Phil wrote:Okay so now I have a parking spot with a heat-box thingy. But my car doesn't have a car heater-box thingy.

How much do these things cost? How much is installation? Where can I get this done?

Thanks!!

Yeah, that's a bummer, now all our parking spaces have been installed with heaterboxes and the rent price for the space has doubled... and we don't even have (nor want) a plug thingy on our car, d'oh!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Oct 27, 2003 12:51 pm

Phil wrote:Okay so now I have a parking spot with a heat-box thingy. But my car doesn't have a car heater-box thingy.

How much do these things cost? How much is installation? Where can I get this done?

Thanks!!

Depends on what exactly you want to have.
If you want to have a 'simple' inside heater, you're done with about € 50-60. Not too difficult to install yourself, since it's merely pulling a cable from the inside of the car to the front.
If however you want to have an engine pre-heater, that's a different story. Those are indeed not so easily self installed.
When I came here I asked the price for that and it would cost appr. € 200 including installing where I asked (Herttoniemi).

Post by **neil** » Mon Oct 27, 2003 1:32 pm

Phil wrote:Okay so now I have a parking spot with a heat-box thingy. But my car doesn't have a car heater-box thingy.

How much do these things cost? How much is installation? Where can I get this done?

Thanks!!

Biltiama, Suomenoja €40

PeterF · Post by **PeterF** » Mon Oct 27, 2003 1:49 pm

Hank W. wrote: Its not something you want to install yourself.

It is definely not a DIY task unless you have a ramp (need to get under car) Knowledge..where/how to fit it. Both electrical wiring and the mechanics.
If you are getting it done also have a link to the inside of the car for internal heater.
The total cost even from a main dealer is approx 500€.
If you look around for small workshops, they will do it for 350/400€.
Ask around in Nokia colleagues will point you in the right direction.

The system works in that the box thingy has a timer which switches on for two hour in 24..you chose the two hour slot...e.g two hours before you leave for work.
The heater warms the oil sump making it more liquidy so starting is easier..less drain on the battery and less fuel sucked up.
It saves probably the equivalent fuel of 20 kilometer of driving per week.
But the real benifit is that you stand a much better chance of the car starting when it gets below -10C and the battery is struggling to turn the engine over.
If you have the internal heater also (Hong Kong sell them for 40€) then you also enjoy the benifit that the car is warm when you get in and also most of the ice has melted off the windows.
Another winter driving tip..
Lift your wiper blades off the windscreen if there is a threat of snow.
The blades have a nasty habbit of freezing to the glass and pulling them free damages the rubber.

Hank W. · Post by **Hank W.** » Mon Oct 27, 2003 1:55 pm

Actually the block heater usually heats up the water inside the block rather than the oil sump (different models for different cars, I've seen both). The thing what you want is the block heater. The inside heater is useless if the car doesn't start besides which many houses have banned using them (older houses with smaller cables, 50 cars starting it at 06.30 tzzzzttzttzttt). If the block is warm the cars own heater will struggle a bit less to do the job. An inside heater is a nice "coziness" addition, but I rather want the car to start and then worry about having it warm inside. The benefit of having a block heater on from say +5 downwards is fuel economy. Also starting up a frozen negine you need a really really good battery and then your engine is going to die a nasty death sooner.

PeterF · Post by **PeterF** » Mon Oct 27, 2003 2:05 pm

Hank W. wrote:The inside heater is useless if the car doesn't start besides which many houses have banned using them (older houses with smaller cables, 50 cars starting it at 06.30 tzzzzttzttzttt).
Also starting up a frozen engine you need a really really good battery and then your engine is NOT going to die a nasty death sooner.

Very true..in our area one part of the cark parking it is OK..but in another they have banned the use of internal heaters..put a notice in the stair well which most people seem to ignore.
Battery condition should be part of your pre winter check.
Winter tyres, Anti Freeze, washer bottle with anti freeze added, oil the locks..and Battery check and charge.

gavin · Post by **gavin** » Mon Oct 27, 2003 2:09 pm

I just got a quote for my mate in Russia to have his Audi A4 heater done in Finland.

230E fitted. (engine heater and inside heater)

PM/e-mail me for details. (flat out here)

Cheers

Slothrop · Post by **Slothrop** » Mon Oct 27, 2003 2:46 pm

What an EXCELLENT thread. Credit all round. By the by, many hotels will also have plug-in parking, so take the cables with you when you go skiing.

And the thingie about the windscreen wipers - not only do you screw up the wiper blades, but in the worst case scenario if you've left the wipers on - front or back or both - when you parked the car, and then you fire the baby up next morning, you can blow the motor or the fuse. Same goes for iced-up electric windows (see below).

Winter Driving, Rule #234

As the temperature descends below -20C, the probability that the electric windows will desert their post and cease to close just after you have collected a ticket from a parking machine approaches 1.

gavin · Post by **gavin** » Mon Oct 27, 2003 3:17 pm

Just looked it up.

http://www.varaosamaailma.fi/ was the place I got a price for my mate. I went to Karhula, but they also have brances all over Finland.

The Helsinki one is here:
Käskynhaltijantie 8, 00640 HELSINKI
Puh. (09) 777 4262, Fax. (09) 777 4274
Avoinna ma-pe 8-18, la 9-15

Cheers
Gavin

Majava · Post by **Majava** » Mon Oct 27, 2003 8:08 pm

Peter Floyd wrote:
Hank W. wrote: Its not something you want to install yourself.
It is definely not a DIY task unless you have a ramp (need to get under car) Knowledge..where/how to fit it. Both electrical wiring and the mechanics.

Why not?

I had asked a friend the same question recently. I still have a Golf to be officially imported into this country. It's sitting safely in some garage now for already 1 1/2 yr. so that I can save up the money needed to pay the car tax... This is a Dutch car and has nothing pre fitted. Here's my friend's answer:

http://www.motonet.fi
-> varaosat
-> valitse automerkki (choose the manufacturer "wartburg" ehheee
-> valitse automalli Golf..what year?
Ctrf+F -> LOHKO

If I chose the right modelyear for your car, it should cost around 34.- Eur for the element (never heard of Emro as manufacturer), Calix is a good and known brand, price 46.- / 48.- Eur.
Cabeling is 32.- to 40.- Eur depending on the manufacturer.
I would choose calix...would be nasty to have a coolantleak just because of a cheap "copy".....
The assembly for the element should be around 1 hour of work....30 - 60 Eur. On a Saab you´d have to take out the engine because the "hole" is SMACK right next to the enginemount = no space to do mechanics....!"#¤%, I have to have that done on the white Saab....nnnnnggghhh, hate the thought....lot´s of Euros..

He explained that it is really not that complicated if "the hole" is in a easy to access spot. Biggest hassle is taking the coolant out.

Hank W. · Post by **Hank W.** » Tue Oct 28, 2003 12:15 am

I know Phils aptitude with mechanics.

He's not wanting to do it himself. I know about them plugs, thats why I have someone do it for me.

John · Post by **John** » Fri Oct 31, 2003 5:41 pm

The plug to be removed is a core plug, (all water cooled engines have them) and its relatively thin walled steel, and made to be removable.
Most engine heater elements come with a diagram showing which core plug to remove for your model, some plugs come out easily some are b*ggers,
but its an easier job than you would think, cetainly no harder than performing a decent service.

Have fun

naj004402 · Post by **naj004402** » Tue Nov 17, 2009 2:30 pm

Hi guys,

I am a new driver and just purchased a car Ford Mondeo 97. I have a parking place with electricity box. I purchased one Defa cable to connect my car to the electricity box. But I saw that my car's plug point is a little bit smaller than the cables point. I went to the shop again and asked wheather they have the smaller one or not. They did not have it and was telling that it should match the car's plug point. I did not have my car at that time, so I was not able to show them.

Now, do you guys know from where I can buy the exact cable?

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