Winter 2014 in Toronto, Canada has had weather reminicient of of my childhood winters "up north" with heavy snowfalls, -25 degree celsius temperatures, and frigid winds. It has been the perfect winter weather to test Mud UK's Land Rover Defender Heater Snow Cowl.
Land Rover engineers designed the Defender heater to draw outside air from the top of the front wing (fender). This intake location is perfect for keeping water out of the system during water crossings, but it fails during those months when snow and ice quickly accumulate on top of the standard plastic grate. The heater cowl design was initially a military solution to this problem; it is simple and it works.
A clairvoyant moment in the fall of 2013 found me searching the internet for heater cowl manufacturer Mud UK's North American retailer. I required the heater cowl specific to a right-hand-drive model Defender; there is a difference and you'll need the correct one. My search led me to a now closed retailer (edited 2018) who stocked the part I needed and were great to deal with. Given an hour on their website I could create a lengthy wish list of specialist imported Land Rover parts - it was worth a visit.
The heater cowl install is one of those pleasant evening jobs. You're not going to get greasy, there won't be any bruises or cuts, and your not going to be hunched over your tool box cursing a lost seldom used tool. With a screwdriver and half an hour you can have the heater duct cleaned out and the cowl installed. To install, simply undo the screws affixing the original intake grate, place the cowl on top, and tighten the screws - remembering that tight is tight enough.
I believe that the engineered purpose of the Defender heater is to demist the bottom 1/4 of the windshield. If the heater is improving cabin temperatures, congratulations, you have survived to spring. The Mud UK heater cowl will not improve the heater's tepid performance.
Where the heater cowl does excel is keeping the intake free of ice and snow; its promised purpose. The raised bonnet (hood) design and box-like proportions of the Land Rover Defender allow snow to build up on the heater intake rather quickly. Park a warm engine during a snowfall, and the intake will quickly ice up. In this scenario, the heater will blow a reduced volume of smelly air drawn from your engine compartment through any cracks or loose connections in your heater plumbing. Now you are cold, oil smelly, and driving blind. Some further thoughts:
In summary - I like the price, the aesthetics of the product, and it performs as promised. If your morning commute starts with brushing 3 or 4 centimeters of ice and snow off of your bonnet (hood) the Mud UK heater cowl will keep your heater intake clear of obstructions.