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Post by johnc on Oct 24, 2018 17:15:08 GMT
How many of you have heated steering wheels or would want one?
My current car is the first I have owned with such a luxury but as we come in to winter I am really beginning to enjoy it again on the cold mornings. I take ages to decide on any change of car but I have an issue: most Mercedes and Audi cars cannot even be specced with a heated steering wheel and Mercedes even go as far as saying that drivers of their performance AMG models are not interested or looking for such luxuries. C63's don't have them, RS5's don't have them and the new E53 doesn't have them. You can't even get one on an E63. However if you buy an SUV of almost any flavour you can have one if you like (the S Class also can be specced with one).
I was thinking about pushing the boat out for what might be my last ICE car but I am having some difficulty buying something so expensive which doesn't tick all the boxes. I might need to get a pair of gloves but in the meantime I am just a bit pissed off.
I could get one on an M4 but they get replaced next year and the values are falling like stones. I asked my used car dealer what an 18 or 68 plate very low or no mileage M4 would book at and he gave me a figure of £46K for the 68 plate and £43K for the 18 plate - that's a bit scary. Although for pre facelift C63's of the same vintage he was only at £47K.
Maybe the tide has already turned against these kinds of car but you only live once so it's going to happen one way or another. |
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Post by Martin on Oct 24, 2018 17:23:21 GMT
I’ve only had one on a hire car and it felt a bit unpleasant, but I used to think that about heated seats and wouldn’t be without them now.
I’d probably pay extra for one if the cost wasn’t too horrendous, as I’m sure there will be a few days when it would be nice, but wouldn’t be bothered if it wasn’t available.
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Post by LandieMark on Oct 24, 2018 17:31:28 GMT
I didn’t like it. My dad’s Jag had it and it couldn’t be switched independently of the heated seat which I do like. Saying that, I would probably welcome one on the Defender. ❄️
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Post by Boxer6 on Oct 24, 2018 17:44:42 GMT
Herself had it on her Disco's (3 and 4) and she swore by it, especially after she'd been "doing" the horses in winter time. It was on one or more of the hire cars I had earlier this year (Mokka maybe?) when the Legacy was on & off the road, and I quite liked it; wouldn't be a deal-breaker for me though.
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Post by bryan on Oct 24, 2018 18:31:16 GMT
I've never seen the need or wanted gloves when driving - bum warmers and a good heater are all I require - naturally cranking up the climate control  |
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Post by michael on Oct 24, 2018 18:53:56 GMT
Got one and love it. Just makes things that little bit more pleasant. I noticed the Vauxhall version of the Belingo can be had with one.
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Post by Martin on Oct 24, 2018 19:06:00 GMT
Got one and love it. Just makes things that little bit more pleasant. I noticed the Vauxhall version of the Belingo can be had with one. Wouldn’t be right to have a LR/RR without a heated steering wheel, remote park heat (iirc) and towbar! Doesn’t the park heat system negate the need for a heated steering wheel? |
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Post by michael on Oct 24, 2018 19:12:12 GMT
Only works if you know when you’re getting in the car. I had an unplanned trip earlier and the chill was quickly taken from the wheel. Even so there’s something pleasant about the heating of it.
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Post by Martin on Oct 24, 2018 19:21:39 GMT
Only works if you know when you’re getting in the car. I had an unplanned trip earlier and the chill was quickly taken from the wheel. Even so there’s something pleasant about the heating of it. Is the remote part an option? I looked at a couple of RRs, the older ones had a remote but you can set the heating through an app on the newer ones. It would work for me without as I nearly always know what time I’ll be leaving....usually early! Thankfully the heated seats on mine warm up really quickly (you can adjust the temperature distribution as well), as does the heating, but getting into a pre warmed car would be lovely. |
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Post by michael on Oct 24, 2018 19:28:02 GMT
Yes that’s optional. Mine is a timer version but on the 4 there is a remote fob. I work from home so most of my trips are impromptu.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 24, 2018 19:32:35 GMT
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Post by chipbutty on Oct 24, 2018 19:38:14 GMT
Heated wheel in the XF
It’s awesome and heats up quickly
Weirdly, I rarely use the heated seats, but always use the heated wheel, I have bad circulation is my excuse and I am definitely not a hot wheel loving tart.
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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on Oct 24, 2018 19:54:55 GMT
I had a Focus with a heated steering wheel and it was brilliant. I had never realised how good they are.
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Post by scouse on Oct 24, 2018 20:32:01 GMT
I’ve only just got used to heated seats...
Our kid swears by the heated wheel in his XE
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Post by PetrolEd on Oct 24, 2018 22:08:42 GMT
If you’ve got an alcantara wheel you don’t need it heated
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Post by johnc on Oct 25, 2018 7:25:48 GMT
If you’ve got an alcantara wheel you don’t need it heated And if they offered that as an option in the UK (available on the continent but not here unless you buy a C63S) I could live without the heating. I was giving myself a hard time last night about being hung up on something so petty but this morning I am back to the thought that I want what I want and if I'm paying for it there is nothing wrong in that. |
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Post by Martin on Oct 25, 2018 7:36:21 GMT
It’s rare you’ll be able to find something perfect, even if you order a new car, just need to decide on what you can/can’t compromise on.
It gets more difficult as it’s so easy to get used to things you’d never have thought were ‘essential’. I’d really miss decent seat massage now, as I use and benefit from it most days......then there’s the stunning sound system....!
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Post by Martin on Oct 25, 2018 7:38:06 GMT
If you’ve got an alcantara wheel you don’t need it heated And if they offered that as an option in the UK (available on the continent but not here unless you buy a C63S) I could live without the heating. I was giving myself a hard time last night about being hung up on something so petty but this morning I am back to the thought that I want what I want and if I'm paying for it there is nothing wrong in that. If that’s the case, Royal Steering Wheels (I think that’s what they’re called), will retrim to your taste for a few hundred quid. |
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Post by Tim on Oct 25, 2018 8:30:14 GMT
I've noticed an increasing quantity of nearly new 3 series advertised as having the heated wheel - even lowly 320ds.
It seems odd the competitors aren't offering them.
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Post by michael on Oct 25, 2018 8:50:21 GMT
I've noticed an increasing quantity of nearly new 3 series advertised as having the heated wheel - even lowly 320ds. It seems odd the competitors aren't offering them. I think that must depend on what the competition is. For a private customer the rivals are as likely a crossover, like a Sportage or something, which probably have heated steering wheels. I noticed that the Citroen C4 Picasso can even be had with massaging seats. In the 90s BMWs were known for being tight on the specification by not offering a radio, these days they might be perceived tight by not offering a heated wheel. |
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Post by Tim on Oct 25, 2018 8:52:13 GMT
No, I meant if one German car company are offering them I assumed the other German car companies would also have them on the options list but it sounds like they don't (clearly John is looking at the performance models so maybe the lesser engined models have availability).
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Post by michael on Oct 25, 2018 8:54:39 GMT
Yes, I suppose the sporty models might have a different steering wheel (no doubt with a flat bottom) and it wasn't engineered to have the heating element. We've really gone soft, haven't we?
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Post by Roadsterstu on Oct 25, 2018 8:58:21 GMT
Never tried one. Bum warmers, though, I'd have to have.
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Post by Big Blue on Oct 25, 2018 9:55:39 GMT
Heated steering wheel....mmmmm.
Yes: got one; love it but I confess to thinking it's actually a bit pointless. Fan vented seats however: must have.
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Post by Roadrunner on Oct 25, 2018 10:10:36 GMT
I've noticed an increasing quantity of nearly new 3 series advertised as having the heated wheel - even lowly 320ds. It seems odd the competitors aren't offering them. I think that must depend on what the competition is. For a private customer the rivals are as likely a crossover, like a Sportage or something, which probably have heated steering wheels. I noticed that the Citroen C4 Picasso can even be had with massaging seats. In the 90s BMWs were known for being tight on the specification by not offering a radio, these days they might be perceived tight by not offering a heated wheel. I have just dropped one of our company Nissan Navara's at Gloucester for a service and they have given me a brand new Sportage as a courtesy car - complete with heated wheel! While it was nice, it wouldn't be a deal breaker for me. The deal breaker for the Sportage would be the utterly, utterly gutless engine. Feels like it is about 850 cc. |
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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on Oct 25, 2018 10:29:37 GMT
I've noticed an increasing quantity of nearly new 3 series advertised as having the heated wheel - even lowly 320ds. It seems odd the competitors aren't offering them. The nearly new ones you see advertised are ones that have been built on spec to go into the short term lease/hire market, before being sold onto dealers as nearly new secondhand vehicles. All the ones I've had recently have been M-Sports - because that's what the secondhand buyer wants, and have stuff as standard, like Harmon Kardon, which you'd normally specify extra. BMW is trying to shift stock before the new model and keep the factory lines going while there is all the uncertainty around diesel. |
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Post by Tim on Oct 25, 2018 10:39:50 GMT
I've noticed an increasing quantity of nearly new 3 series advertised as having the heated wheel - even lowly 320ds. It seems odd the competitors aren't offering them. The nearly new ones you see advertised are ones that have been built on spec to go into the short term lease/hire market, before being sold onto dealers as nearly new secondhand vehicles. All the ones I've had recently have been M-Sports - because that's what the secondhand buyer wants, and have stuff as standard, like Harmon Kardon, which you'd normally specify extra. BMW is trying to shift stock before the new model and keep the factory lines going while there is all the uncertainty around diesel.
Yeah, I thought that, they usually have about 7k miles on them at 6 months old. They usually have numberplates starting YB as well.
Conversely though there are still a lot that have no boxes ticked, especially the bigger engined ones.
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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on Oct 25, 2018 10:47:17 GMT
The nearly new ones you see advertised are ones that have been built on spec to go into the short term lease/hire market, before being sold onto dealers as nearly new secondhand vehicles. All the ones I've had recently have been M-Sports - because that's what the secondhand buyer wants, and have stuff as standard, like Harmon Kardon, which you'd normally specify extra. BMW is trying to shift stock before the new model and keep the factory lines going while there is all the uncertainty around diesel.
Yeah, I thought that, they usually have about 7k miles on them at 6 months old. They usually have numberplates starting YB as well.
Conversely though there are still a lot that have no boxes ticked, especially the bigger engined ones.
Yes, all the ones I've had have been YD, YB, YK etc. (for Yorkshire, I think), and have to be changed before 9K miles. This means they show up on the dealers' websites at an attractive, sub 10k mileage figure. The company we get them from buy them from BMW at a 58% discount off list and generally have between 10k and 15k in stock at any one time. 4 guys from Autotrader are employed 24/7 to photograph them and write up the spec for the dealerships to bid on them. |
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Post by Martin on Oct 25, 2018 11:12:40 GMT
They are registers at the import centre in Thorne near Doncaster which is why the registrations start with Y.
Back to the OP.....John, been thinking about the essential list while driving down the M62 and you need to add HUD and surround cameras to the list, I assume voodoo lights will be on the list already?
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Post by johnc on Oct 25, 2018 12:03:51 GMT
They are registers at the import centre in Thorne near Doncaster which is why the registrations start with Y. Back to the OP.....John, been thinking about the essential list while driving down the M62 and you need to add HUD and surround cameras to the list, I assume voodoo lights will be on the list already? HUD is on the list as is adaptive suspension and surround cameras although I would settle for reversing camera. Other long standing must have items are sunroof, voodoo lights and upgraded sound, storage pack (if its omission leaves a blank somewhere as in M4), headlight washers which are not a legal requirement with LED lights as they were with Xenon, golf club sized boot and 4 seats. My daughter would like 4 doors but I doubt that will happen. 4WD is also a preference but as long as the price wasn't ridiculous I would settle for winter wheels and tyres. |
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