Heated seats. Heated steering wheel is extra!

The New Hampshire solution when a heated steering wheel is too expensive! No heated seats? Flannel lined jeans!

LoneRanger

Can someone tell me why Ford would make you spend 2500-5000+ to get a heated steering wheel to go with your seats? This is one of the 2 or 3 dumbest damn things that I just do not understand.

L.R.

This smells like a marketing tradeoff to me, something to add value to higher trim levels. Also, I'd think that heated seats are made in much higher volumes than heated steering wheels at this point since so many more vehicles have seat warmers but not steering wheel warmers. So, the wheels might be more expensive and thus need to move to higher tiers. Not sure and probably wrong but that's my gut feeling about it.

I've never had a vehicle that had one but a recent drive in a vehicle that did have it made me a believer. Super nice to have on a cold day and I felt like it warmed up much faster than a seat warmer. What's the rest of Ford's lineup look like when it comes to heated steering wheels?

No idea, but the heated wheel is the bomb diggity! We use it maybe a few dozen times a year, and it is the best thing EVER! but I'm not paying xxxx thousands of dollars for it.

L.R.

Because anyone that needs a heated steering wheel probably has too much money and Ford figures to someone like that $2500 - $5000 doesn't mean much. I didn't look at the options and prices, but it seems like it should come with some other things and not just be a heated steering wheel for that price, and that the price should be a little more specific. $2500 - $5000 seems arbitrary; that it should be one price, not all prices in between.

ETA: I just reviewed the options list and the heated steering wheel is FREE, you just have to pay for the B&O sound system which is $2500 - $5000 depending on the model. Shouldn't be a problem to get your heated steering wheel as long as you're getting the nice sound system.

David

What's the rest of Ford's lineup look like when it comes to heated steering wheels?

My 2017 F-250 has one

LoneRanger

Can someone tell me why Ford would make you spend 2500-5000+ to get a heated steering wheel to go with your seats? This is one of the 2 or 3 dumbest damn things that I just do not understand.

L.R.

The reason why options are bundled into distinct packages is to improve manufacturing efficiency. If Ford unbundled all the individual items from the Mid/High/Lux package and made them a la carte, it would really decrease their efficiency as they would have wire and install an infinite combination of features rather than have 4 distinct templates (base, mid, high, lux).

As for why the heated steering wheel is in the lux package? Probably the result of market research and focus groups that told Ford that people who wanted a heated steering wheel REALLY want a heated steering wheel and would be willing to spring for the Lux package to get it.

The one that really baffles me is the universal garage door opener being part of the lux package. An integrated universal garage door opener was generic technology in mid-80's minivans.

If you really want a universal garage remote, Lowes has them for $35. I don't want one, but I do want the B&O speakers. Not enough to pay that kind of money though.

AcesandEights

If you really want a universal garage remote, Lowes has them for $35. I don't want one, but I do want the B&O speakers. Not enough to pay that kind of money though.

I actually am getting the Lux package on a Badlands. I'm getting it for the adaptive cruise control, evasive steering assist, and B&O sound system. The heated steering wheel, wireless charging pad, universal garage door opener, etc are just freebies as far as I'm concerned.

LoneRanger

Can someone tell me why Ford would make you spend 2500-5000+ to get a heated steering wheel to go with your seats? This is one of the 2 or 3 dumbest damn things that I just do not understand.

L.R.

It came standard on the BMW M Car. I don't use it much because that car NEVER gets left outside, so it is never used. It is also on my wife's Mini (which does get left outside) and on those few chilly mornings, she doesn't have to wear gloves to drive. I guess it depends on where you live and if you are willing to wait for the interior to heat up. For me, the Bronco goes in with the BMW to the garage, so it will get not much used either. But it comes with the FE, so I will have it.

BuzzyBud

The New Hampshire solution when a heated steering wheel is too expensive! No heated seats? Flannel lined jeans!

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Gloves and the dash vents are aimed at my hands. I can see heated grips and thumb warmer on a snowmobile, but inside a heated car? Even a heated seat is only going to be one a few minutes.

An explanation of New England weather
60 above zero: Floridians turn on the heat. People in New England plant gardens.


50 above zero: Californians shiver uncontrollably. People in New England sunbathe.


40 above zero: Italian and English cars won’t start. People in New England drive with their windows down.


32 above zero: Distilled water freezes. Moosehead Lake’s water gets thicker.


20 above zero: NYers don coats, thermal underwear, gloves, wool hats. People in New England throw on a flannel shirt.


15 above zero: New York landlords finally turn up the heat. People in New England have the last cookout before it gets cold.


Zero: People in Miami all die. New Englanders close the window.


10 below zero: Californians fly away to Mexico. People in New England get out their winter coats.


25 below zero: Hollywood disintegrates. The Girl Scouts in New England are selling cookies door to door.


40 below zero: Washington DC runs out of hot air. People in New England let the dogs sleep indoors.


100 below zero: Santa Claus abandons the North Pole. New Englanders get frustrated because they can’t start the “kah.”


460 below zero: All atomic motion stops (absolute zero on the Kelvin scale). People in New England say, “Cold ‘nuf for ya?”
500 below zero: Hell freezes over. Red Sox win World Series.

Holy shit that's freakin hilarious!