Heated steering wheels - how important in UK?

Participant · 17 May 2017 at 12:05

Hello...just running my next car through the configurator and squeezing in a heated steering wheel at £150 takes me over £40k VED arse violating threshold :mad:

. So a heated wheel would end up costing me £££s.

How important is a heated steering wheel would you say? I've never had one and can't say I've ever felt that my hands are uncomfortable on the wheel, or felt the need to wear gloves. If I spec'd it I'd need to lose reversing camera, integrated rear sunblinds, ventilated seats, or panoramic sunroof, all of which I'm really keen on.

Opinions? Would you not be without it, or do you hardly ever use it?

Jamesyboyjim · 17 May 2017 at 12:11

Honestly I wouldn't worry. Its just a luxury gimmick.

Vanquish-Storm · 17 May 2017 at 12:14

Ask them to throw in the heated steering wheel for free

Quartz · 17 May 2017 at 12:15

FFS! You're in Warwickshire, not the Himalayas.

paradigm · 17 May 2017 at 12:15

I've always wanted one after trying one, but I certainly wouldn't pick one if it took me over the daft £40k threshold.

Another option would be to look how difficult a reversing cam retrofit is (pretty easy on my car for example), and drop that in favour of the wheel. The rest of your options would be a nightmare to retrofit so the only real possibility is the camera.

adolf hamster · 17 May 2017 at 12:15

Vanquish-Storm said:
Ask them to throw in the heated steering wheel for free

this, although i can't say i've ever got in a car and wished it had a heated steering wheel....

Psycho Sonny · 17 May 2017 at 12:16

you live in warwickshire not siberia

Scottland · 17 May 2017 at 12:17

I love mine, but it's definitely a nice to have rather than a necessity.

paradigm · 17 May 2017 at 12:17

Vanquish-Storm said:
Ask them to throw in the heated steering wheel for free

Wouldn't work, as this would still put the "list price" of the car above the limit. Discounts don't get catered for, stupidly.

You can see if it's possible for them to do it as a dealer-fit option though. AFAIK only factory fit options are taken into consideration for the list price >£40K VED thing.

geekman · 17 May 2017 at 12:18

It was one of my favourite options on my old car, lovely on cold winter mornings.

fRostiE · 17 May 2017 at 12:18

throwing it in for free wont help... the VED threshold is based on the list price of the vehicle, not the price achieved through negotiation AFAIK

Banzai_Joe · 17 May 2017 at 12:24

My wifes corssa has one and tbh its really nice.
My new car won't have one as its not even an optional extra, would have liked one, but won't miss what i don't have i guess.

Dav4 · 17 May 2017 at 12:31

Who the hell needs a heated steering wheel in the UK? It's been such a mild winter I never even bothered using my heated seats it's just not cold enough

Will Gill · 17 May 2017 at 12:33

Love mine, awesome addition to early evening rood down driving

Vanquish-Storm · 17 May 2017 at 12:42

paradigm said:
Wouldn't work, as this would still put the "list price" of the car above the limit. Discounts don't get catered for, stupidly.

You can see if it's possible for them to do it as a dealer-fit option though. AFAIK only factory fit options are taken into consideration for the list price >£40K VED thing.

Ah thats crap, does that mean they still go by list price on used cars then? I have not read into it much to be honest?

Phemo · 17 May 2017 at 12:49

Yep, and as the supplement is for 5 years, even if you sell the car after 3 years, the new owner also has to pay the supplement for 2 more years. It's a crazy system.

As for the heated wheel, I can only echo what others are saying. It's a nice thing to have and I had more use out of it than I thought I would - if it was just the £150 charge then it would be a no-brainer. But when it costs an additional £310 a year for the first 5 years, no it's not worth it. Even if you only had the car for 2 years that still means it's a minor nice to have extra that's cost you £770.

MooMoo444 · 17 May 2017 at 12:49

Heated wheel? Can't say I would have ever considered this in the UK.

Somewhere like Finland where you regularly have -30c or whatever, maybe, but definitely not here in the UK.

ttaskmaster · 17 May 2017 at 12:50

Useless, IMO.
It's usually the backs of the hands with less flesh that suffer most from the cold, at which point you just direct your heater vents to cover the 10 and 2 position on your wheel. .

This was evident from having had heated grips on the bike - Even stationary with no wind chill, they could burn the insides of your hands but the outsides would remain freezing. Swapping to heated gloves with the element wires on the backs, hands stayed toasty warm under all conditions.

Ditch the steering wheel and keep below the bracket.

Participant · 17 May 2017 at 12:50

Hmm. My other option is to downgrade the engine from the 280PS 4x4 to the 220PS FWD then spec it to the rafters.

But on balance I think the engine is more important. I've never once gotten into my current car and though 'wow my hands are freezing'. In fact I have quite warm hands for some reason so a cool wheel is actually quite nice.

ttaskmaster said:
Ditch the steering wheel and keep below the bracket.

Thanks but I think I need the steering wheel

Clarkey · 17 May 2017 at 12:51

I'd love a heated wheel, and hate a panoramic roof so it's an easy decision for me.