Car theft warning.

When I worked, and had to out before the frost had gone. I used to park my car near the front door and put a fan heater in the foot well for a while to warm things up. Thank goodness for heated seats and steering wheel now .... happiness is a warm bum.

OH does this in our driveway but always uses the spare key to locks the doors . He's very cautious

This happened to neighbours of ours, some years ago now. He left his car idling, and when he came to get in the car, it had gone. It was a very nice Jag. too.

Happiness is indeed a warm bum!

I tried locking with spare key but it wouldn't work, thought it was some sort of safety feature. I don't have anything as luxurious as heated seat or steering wheel!

An alternative is to throw warm water over the windscreen, just before you leave. With the wipers going - stand back!

A good strategy to discourage this is to have a low profile car..... so not a nice jag, more like an old skoda... Your average car thieves are not interested. Doesn't look good for their street cred and they can't get much for the risks they take. Saves you the worry, and it's cheaper. Win, win!

OH just bought a newish Skoda Blinko d'ya think it would work?

Unfortunately blinko in most cases it's nothing to do with street cred, it's mostly just to sell on for drugs...

It's also illegal.

tanith I suppose it depends how desperate they are for money and how much a 'newish' skoda (they're so much better nowadays, aren't they?) might fetch...

I never understand why anybody would do this. I sit in the car (on my drive) with the engine running for the 2-3 minutes it takes to clear the windscreen. Nobody is going to try to steal the car when I am sat in it. I am never in so much of a hurry that I need to leave it defrosting while I go back inside the house.

Any idiot that does this truly gets what they deserve.

EEjit even on your own drive ?

I guess it's a pollution issue Nina. I do it though not often. I live in a quiet backwater and don't have a grand car. I do it mainly because I don't like sitting in a cold car. Lazy, selfish and a lawbreaker.

It's now illegal to have an engine running for more than one minute while stationary.

Just sayin'.

I'd like to have instant arrest powers for the selfish sods who sit outside schools waiting for their darlings, pumping out pollution, 'keeping the car warm'. Put a coat on.

That's true Pamish heard that before. We live in a very quiet cul-de-sac but our neighbour had his name plates stolen from his car and you have to inform the police and then had to go and order some more, being an elderly gent, he was a bit stressed about it. Then the other night or early hours a car alarm went off outside my h checked in case it was his car but it was'nt and next morning when we went out there was nameplates of another neighbours car on the ground.

Something that works well is to place a hot water bottle on the dashboard for a few minutes, gets the windscreen de-iced quickly! Heated rear window switched on, only need to scrape the side windows.

Yes it is illegal
Its called 'quitting a vehicle'
Leaving an internal combustion engine running whilst unattended

I do not leave my car engine running to defrost the windows but I would be delighted if somebody stole my Skoda as I hate it passionately. I bought it because somebody of my age owned it and the mileage was silly, about 1800 miles for just under 2 years. Basic is the way I would describe it, having an engine, 4 wheels and a driving wheel and not much else. Even the T is displayed in Fahrenheit.

I used to have an old Ford Focus which had a heated front(and rear)screen. When I came to replace it I anguished over various other options as I wanted a smaller car. I admit the heated windscreen was a major factor - so I ended up with the Ford Fiesta - with the heated windscreen. Magic.It defrosts the screen in a couple of minutes and keeps it warm so it doesn't freeze up again. I think its a Ford exclusive. A friend of mine threw warm water over her windscreen and it split - think it might have been more than warm.

I am another one who pops out and leaves a hot water bottle on the dashboard. Works well.

I have just taken delivery of a new Fiesta Chriscross, the front heated windscreen is brilliant but I am now aware of the element lines in the windscreen which I found very off-putting. Getting used to it, gradually.

Re heated seats, have to say I am NOT a fan, I feel as though I am having a wee when they are first turned on!

Well you are called sweetpee!