Does anyone use those windshield covers?

[Tik-Tok]

They've always seemed gimmicky to me, and probably wouldn't work in our daily melt/freeze climate, but an elderly neighbor down the street (that I've never conversed with) has been using one for years, so am wondering if they actually do work?

Like this
80568

[speedog]

Go ask your neighbor? :dunno:

Or does your neighbor bite?

[Tik-Tok]

"Down the street" neighbor, as in a dozen houses down. I never see him, just his minivan.

[speedog]

So knock on his door. He probably doesn't bite.

[ExtraSlow]

How would they not work? Don't have one but assume they work.

[Tik-Tok]

My thought is that snow would still melt down the windshield underneath the cover, and then freeze it there. Then would it would rip when you try removing it.

[NissanFanBoy]

I've been doing this trick for a couple years now.

I use an old bed sheet and just put it over the windshield and then close the doors on both sides on it. WORKS WONDERS!!!! Not a single spec of frost to scrape off your windshield. The biggest thing I used to hate about winter was SCRAPING hard thick ice off the windshield, doesn't help that I'm short (5'6") and have T-Rex arms.

As for why I won't buy one of these fancy magnet ones? Someone WILL steal it and also winds can strong enough to blow it off, and like you said, doesn't create as good a seal. I wrap my bed sheet pretty tight.

Also, saves time for not having to brush snow off too!

Funny story, last week, we had an ice storm in Airdrie, there was about at least a half cm layer of ice on my side windows that I had to scrape off, and that was already hard as hell to do....windshield, nothing! Just took the bed sheet off (which was frozen solid as one piece lol)...I was actually worried because it rained beforehand that it would stick to the windshield but nope, came off just fine and I got to laugh at all my neighbours who have to scrape windshields every morning, when I get home from work, I just take 30 seconds to put it on.

[Seth1968]

^ So what do you do with the block of ice?

[NissanFanBoy]

^ So what do you do with the block of ice?

You mean my frozen solid bed sheet??...I just laid it in my garage and it melted, then hung it dry.

For those of you wondering, I'm parked outside this winter cuz the Z and my wife get the garage.

The frozen bed sheet only happens if it rains then freezes which is extremely rare but ya it wasn't a problem and saved me a ton a trouble. If rather spend 30 seconds a day to cover it then deal with a frosted windshield in the morning.

As for the posters concerns about the snow slipping in, i put it so the bed sheet starts way back from the top of the windshield if that makes sense.. just try it man you won't regret it! Saves so much time! And you don't have to freeze your ass off scraping and sometimes the frost is so damn hard to get off, I remember some mornings I would say fuck it and drive off when my vision was impaired from the frost, and now... It's clean perfect windshield every morning..

[firebane]

You mean my frozen solid bed sheet??...I just laid it in my garage and it melted, then hung it dry.

For those of you wondering, I'm parked outside this winter cuz the Z and my wife get the garage.

The frozen bed sheet only happens if it rains then freezes which is extremely rare but ya it wasn't a problem and saved me a ton a trouble. If rather spend 30 seconds a day to cover it then deal with a frosted windshield in the morning.

As for the posters concerns about the snow slipping in, i put it so the bed sheet starts way back from the top of the windshield if that makes sense..

So for you it works but for the majority of people it would not. Nothing like throw a cold and wet sponge in the car to thaw.

[NissanFanBoy]

So for you it works but for the majority of people it would not. Nothing like throw a cold and wet sponge in the car to thaw.

How far is your house to your car??????!

If there is no rain before or no snow, it stays dry. Calgary snow is so dry anyways you would just give it a quick shake...

- - - Updated - - -

https://www.google.ca/amp/s/lifehacker.com/lay-cloth-or-cardboard-over-your-windshield-to-avoid-fr-1678373536/amp

To clarify I have NEVER had the sheet freeze to the windshield... Maybe it will in a more humid place like Toronto. And it won't freeze into a solid piece unless we get a freak ice storm or a rain then freeze event.

[firebane]

How far is your house to your car??????!

If there is no rain before or no snow, it stays dry. Calgary snow is so dry anyways you would just give it a quick shake...

- - - Updated - - -

https://www.google.ca/amp/s/lifehacker.com/lay-cloth-or-cardboard-over-your-windshield-to-avoid-fr-1678373536/amp

To clarify I have NEVER had the sheet freeze to the windshield... Maybe it will in a more humid place like Toronto. And it won't freeze into a solid piece unless we get a freak ice storm or a rain then freeze event.

House to car is about 30-35 feet away and no way I would bring a frozen sheet into the house. It would need to go into the tub and end up gross and disgusting.

[J-hop]

So for you it works but for the majority of people it would not. Nothing like throw a cold and wet sponge in the car to thaw.

Yea I was thinking this, would make sense on a truck but no way I’m letting that thaw out on my backseat/trunk. I’ll stick to scraping my window

[NissanFanBoy]

Dudes.... You're not listening lol the only time it has frozen was when we had the freak ice storm last week, on every day it's been dry, if it has snow in it it either falls off or a quick shake gets rid of it, the only reason I don't put it in my trunk, which by the way is a Murano not a truck, is because it's easy to put it in my garage since I'm right there, not because it's wet, also, since my car is parked outside and it's my winter beater it is covered in dirt, to a point that opening the trunk gets my mitts dirty whereas as the bed sheet and my garage door opener isn't covered in dirt and grime... All I'm saying is try it out!

[tonytiger55]

I would think this works in more humid climates.
Back in the UK we would put old newspapers on the windscreen. Then in the morning take them off. It would help with the frost. Not sure if that would work with the ice.
I find the snow here is like powder most of the time.

[Abeo]

My mom used them all the time in Ottawa, the silver tarp things. It works. You give it a shake and most of the ice comes off, and it doesn't get frozen to the windshield. Ottawa gets a bunch of freezing rain and twice the snow that Calgary gets, plus more frost, so it makes sense to use it there. I didn't use it there as I found it a pain in the ass to set it up at night, store in the trunk, and would rather just scrape.

[nickyh]

they sell these at Costco now, they've been flying off the shelves.
Whether or not they actually work, couldn't tell you, but a lot of people are very happy with them

[lilmira]

What about the side windows?

[Seth1968]

What about the side windows?

Leave 'em rolled down.

[Mitsu3000gt]

They are a little bit annoying to use and you have to remember to put it out the night before, but yes they do work. Back when I lived at home we used to have one on the car that was out in the driveway all winter and we would install this every night.

[carson blocks]

Remote start and 10 minutes idling with the defrost cranked sounds a lot easier.

[NissanFanBoy]

What about the side windows?

I just scrape those, they're easy.

[Seth1968]

Remote start and 10 minutes idling with the defrost cranked sounds a lot easier.

Keep up with the times man.

Idling your car to warm it up will fucking destroy the engine and all of humanity:)

[J-hop]

I will say this idea is WAY smarter than the people I see every year putting their wipers up.

Ya know what’s preferable to taking 2 seconds to loosen up a frozen wiper? A wiper that won’t hug your windshield because you’ve constantly stretched out the spring to save those two seconds....

[firebane]

I will say this idea is WAY smarter than the people I see every year putting their wipers up.

Ya know what’s preferable to taking 2 seconds to loosen up a frozen wiper? A wiper that won’t hug your windshield because you’ve constantly stretched out the spring to save those two seconds....

Another person I have heard say this with no tangible proof from anyone.

[ExtraSlow]

I seriously doubt that spring is being permanently deformed by leaving the wipers up.

[J-hop]

I seriously doubt that spring is being permanently deformed by leaving the wipers up.

Not deformed but you’re going to accelerate the metal fatigue over time. There are tons of discussion on firearm magazines and spring fatigue/creep.

A spring under tension wears faster than an unloaded spring.

Now the question of does it matter if you only own your car for a few years? Probably not.

Still whenever I see this I laugh, it saves you no time

[Tik-Tok]

Still whenever I see this I laugh, it saves you no time

No, but it saves me from trying to dig out the wipers from under 2" of snow before I start scraping.

[craigcd]

The covers/bedsheet whatever you plan to use will work. It can be a hassle to remove it and store if its wet, otherwise shake it off and go.

If I didn't park in the garage I would use it for sure and have in the past.

[SKR]

Still whenever I see this I laugh, it saves you no time

It gets the wiper out of the snow and ice so you don't wreck them trying to dig them out.

[Kjonus]

Seen them in the Home Depot flyer for $20 starting today....pretty sure most here waist that on dumber stuff.

[cloud7]

I am sure those windshield covers do their job but I still wouldn't get them as the only time my vehicle is outside for an extended time is at work and the cover would probably get stolen the first time I use it at work.

[Xtrema]

Just saw one in action.

Seems the theory of more moisture and ice is proven. She got way thicker ice to scrap than the guy next to her without one.

[freshvibes]

My neighbor has been using a towel for the past 5 years and now just got one of these blankets. Seems to work for them but it looks ridiculous. I've never had a problem with starting my car for 15 minutes and letting the heat take care of it.