11 replies to this topic

[andybmini]

Just a thought, as we all know the Mini heater isn't the best, so wondered if anyone had fabricated an alternatve heater?

I don't mean a plug i one but a real heater installed in the car, i've always thought a hairdryer element

[Ethel]

Wood burning stove would be more fashionable.

[MiniDick]

Put on a few layers of clothing, do some press-ups and star jumps before you go out in it OR just be hardcore, grin and bear it!

Seriously though, you should be able to come across a second hand heater for cheap.

[andybmini]

It's not so much if the mini heater works or not, more around improving it!

Something i've never understood with car manufacturers (even modern cars), you can have a £5 hairdryer that pumps out hot air immediately, but not a car heater!

[buddylove]

Cause its cheaper to base it off of the engine heat.

[andybmini]

Cause its cheaper to base it off of the engine heat.

But then we all know that Mini's aren't cheap anymore anyway !

[Retro_10s]

Take it apart, Clean it, paint it, fix any connections, flush through the heater matrix,.. put the case back together and use seam sealer around the inside edges,..

Then connect the hoses around the the demister vents properly, seal them off with lots of insulation tape and a jubilee clip. Do the same for the convaluted pipes around the base of the heater. It all helps, you get a fair bit more action from it that way,.

other than that,.. there's not much you can do apart from spend £10 on a ciggy lighter powered heater that will work striaght away. you'll have to fit a ciggy lighter first of course.

[Lund]

My heaters fantastic. I take clothes off in my mini

[benb12]

Maybe it would be a better idea to try upgrading the fan?

[Retro_10s]

Upgrading the fan will only increase airflow,...

There's nothing you can do about the heat produced except try and fit a larger matrix in the heater box. Improving the airflow by sealing the box and hoses off properly makes a quite a difference however,

in standard form the heater (whilst it works) blows a lot of air through the joins and gaps of the box construction. Seal these off and you get a much better result. And it only takes half a day to do it plus £5 worth of sealant. if that....

[1987_ParkLane]

Never looked at the heater matrix, or know how they are positioned, but I know where they are lol, but couldn't u like put two together so you get twice the heat?

[monkey]

I rekon if you fabbed up a new box to house it all in, then you could get two matrix in the one box, and maybe install some kind of better fan while your at it.

If you fancy one of them "plug into the lighter hole" jobbies, then you could always hard wire it in instead of plugging it in?