Do people not like heated seats?

Building Candy · 19 Nov 2019 at 14:36

I have a 2012 mk7 Fiesta metal, with heated seat, which on a day such as today was switched on from the moment I sat down. Im looking to change in the next 6 months to a 2 year old car (£11k or so), I like the car just want a bit newer so the mk8 fezza seems a good choice and it has a 6 speed gearbox which I feel it needs.

Now I have looked through about 50 cars online and only 2 (non ST models) have heated seats! I thought this might be an expensive option, but no, on a £16k-£20k fiesta the "comfort pack" is £300 for heated seats and steering wheel. Why would you not spec that when so cheap (for the cost of the car) especially in the UK, I might be a pansy but I have mine on 3 months of the year. I would say £300 is a small price to pay so my bottom stays at its optimum temperature! Do people just not like heated seats???

200sols · 19 Nov 2019 at 14:40

Most are probably ex lease cars and specced to be as cheap as possible.

utajoker · 19 Nov 2019 at 14:42

I loved them in my bmw and miss them in my octavia vrs.

Ahleckz · 19 Nov 2019 at 14:43

The salesman wants to sell a car they can deliver that month, not have a 3 month lead time due to options.

WorTortle · 19 Nov 2019 at 15:43

I would never have specced them buying new but after having them on a car bought second hand I'd definitely spec them going forward.

One of those things you don't realise how good it is til you get it.

Yaayuh! · 19 Nov 2019 at 15:48

Rarely used and certainly not an option I'd choose to pay for individually.

disfunktion · 19 Nov 2019 at 16:00

People don't want to add extras as for lease etc it bump's up the monthly cost. They see a sticker price and want to pay that - and the dealer wants to keep the monthly figure as low as possible to entice the customer.

Lead times also make a big difference - When I specced a VW a few years ago to factory order it added 2 months to the lead time to add extras - but standard spec cars were available within weeks. Most people wont wait for long build times.

sideways14a · 19 Nov 2019 at 16:00

Got them on my 5 and they are great on cold mornings.
Will be looking to have them on any cars i pick in the future if i can.

Amp34 · 19 Nov 2019 at 16:04

Why would you have them? My bum heats the seat up in a minute or two and with heated seats they become uncomfortably warm after that.

Heated steering wheel on the other hand...

ttaskmaster · 19 Nov 2019 at 16:31

Building Candy said:
Do people not like heated seats?

Nope.
I have them on my Octavia... absolutely wasted.
If it's cold enough to need them, I'll have been outside in order to get to the car and so will be wearing nice warm clothing. Same for when I park up and get out the car.
By the time the seats have heated to be of any use through that clothing, I'm already warmed from the Climatronic heater and, as Amp says, the seats just bake you from that point onward.

I have several regular passengers who love them, but I just don't use them myself.

Haze · 19 Nov 2019 at 16:34

Don't use mine, they are pointless, likes someone said, my bum has already warmed the seat up by the time the seat heater had started to kick in, if they could be set to heat up before I get in the car they might be useful....

Terminal_Boy · 19 Nov 2019 at 16:38

I liked the ones in my CR-V on a frosty morning and I wish my Duster had them for odd frosty day we have here.

Alternatively, I’d pay good money for a chilled driver’s seat on the days the car’s parked in the sun when it’s 40°C.

paradigm · 19 Nov 2019 at 16:38

My last 7 cars have all had heated seats and unlike @Haze I find they are great, get far warmer than my own body can heat the seat up (which is kind of the point), and certainly in the convertibles it helps get some heat into what can be seats almost down to freezing point in this weather at 6am!

Juicy Jama · 19 Nov 2019 at 16:40

I had them. Got a car that doesn't have them. Miss them terribly.

Mercenary Keyboard Warrior · 19 Nov 2019 at 16:42

I thought they were really only there for comedy value in the summer when people complain they are hot, you stealthily hit the heated seat button

Had them before think pretty pointless personally

Cooled seats on the other hand probably make sense, but then I am luckily back to alcantara now which is IMO by far the best seat material.

Uther · 19 Nov 2019 at 16:45

Never knew I wanted them until I had them, I think I would really miss them now. Pretty much a must have with leather seats, otherwise it's like sitting on a block of ice in the winter.

Steeps · 19 Nov 2019 at 16:45

When I've been on my feet for 9 hours and have a 2 hour drive home to look forwards to, that's when I'm glad the car has heated seats. Also nice to take the edge off in winter (and not leave on). Would I miss it if the car didn't have them? Not really.

Rroff · 19 Nov 2019 at 16:46

I have them in my truck - only use them when it is exceptionally cold which isn't often as they heat up very quickly while the heating needs the engine to warm up. But some of my passengers use them more frequently.

You only seem to get them if they are part of a trim level or bundled with a package with other "essentials" almost no one specs them individually.

LizardKing · 19 Nov 2019 at 16:48

Cant beat them in this weather, leather seats take ages to warm under body heat and they heat up quicker than the heaters.

They are also great for backache.

But, i'd never spec them on a lease!

Kenai · 19 Nov 2019 at 16:51

If people's body heat is working faster than the heating element in the seat, there must be some seriously shoddy parts being used.

In my Octavia they're hot within a minute or so.