english yeoman wrote:

You could always look at an SE and save a fair wedge on the HSE - a full (brand new) leather interior can be bought off ebay for 600-700 quid...

Not sure why you'd need an FBH. The car should start OK at any English winter temperature. If it's comfort, then as said above, the heater comes on very quickly owing to the electric heating element, and the top models (now - not sure about earlier) have heated seats and steering wheel. Ex AA Series III LWB Safari - Gone
300TDi Disco (bought new - terrible car) sent back after 18 months
Freelander 1 Estate - leased, given back at end of lease
200TDi Disco (bought from a mate with 100,000 on the clock) - Gone
Disco 2 TD5 - sold and exported to France
FR2 TD4 GS - Gone
FR2 SD4 HSE - Now changed for a DS
New model ex-demo Evoque S 180 in white
Unable to order a new DS, so gave up. Now have a Volvo S90 Recharge.

My current Rover 75 Connoisseur SE CDTi has a FBH with a timer and remote. What it enables you to do in the winter is set the timer 20-30 minutes before you leave for work, so you jump in to a fully defrosted car with a warm as toast cabin.

I'm with Past master ………. what's the problem? I find that even when its really cold here, the combination of heated front windscreen, Aircon on auto defrost, wonderful heated front seats and a heating system that warms up fast anyway is more than adequate for the UK.  Life is not a dress rehearsal!

Its nice to go out just in time to hear the FBH shutting down, thick rimey frost around, all windows clear, open the doors, get in, quickly close the doors again, don't want to let the heat out.