Winter Driving?

[wparsons]

Originally Posted by 7thgear

have you guys seen his posts in this thread? hilarity!

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showt...t=52837&page=5

[Suberman]

Originally Posted by Burrcold

Christmas didn't come early then

No

[aghuman]

Originally Posted by Kfresh23

Question: How do you disable the auto-window up/down function? I really dont like when its super cold and the window "attempts" to roll down and doesn't! Then the window function is in "alarm" and the button light flashes. I know how to re-set it, but I would rather just have it disabled.

Simple 10 min fix
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25229

Side Notes:
Do this adjustment at your own risk though, be careful closing your doors after making this adjustment because it makes the top of your glass the first point of contact when closing your doors which means it could shatter easier if you close the door too hard.

When adjusting the screw back in place, toy with it a bit so that the default position when the door is open is the window in its highest position.

This will change a few settings:
1. The car will now be unable to detect if the doors are open or closed.
2. Normally after unlocking the car via the keyless fob, you would have about a minute or so to open a door before the car locks itself. This feature will now only realize you are in the car after you put the key in the ignition and turn it one notch. The danger of this is opening your door and putting your keys inside for whatever reason and closing the doors again. It hasn't happened to me but just something i noticed and thought I should share.

Even aside from those cons, I think this was the best thing i did for winter, I got very annoyed at how much these windows struggled with frost and find that this works well for me.

[Huss]

My g35 coupe with me in it is ideal 50/50 weight and I am in Edmonton and I drove this car through hell and back on this winter lol never got stuck once I actually feel a lot safer in it than any car I have owned. One thing is the VDC is weird it doesn't work at all on Ice. So it's usually off, car gribs and go it might gotta be with it being almost 3700lbs lol and I have 215-55-17 since my stock wheels are 19s I think the brz/frs will do better with a 205-55-16 tire!

[CreinCrein]

Is anyone driving in a lowered FRS this winter? I've got mine lowered to about 1 1/2 hand widths and while the ride has been okay, there has been mild to medium scrapage (cringe) in some icy areas, as to expected.

Comments? Concerns? I'd love to hear them.

[Suberman]

Originally Posted by CreinCrein

Is anyone driving in a lowered FRS this winter? I've got mine lowered to about 1 1/2 hand widths and while the ride has been okay, there has been mild to medium scrapage (cringe) in some icy areas, as to expected.

Comments? Concerns? I'd love to hear them.

Stock ride height gives 5.9 inches of ground clearance, which is pretty normal for a sedan or coupe body style. Stock Audi run around 4 inches. Dropping an FRS an inch or two is not good in winter but with care you should be ok, depending on local conditions.

Lowering a car will increase your chances of getting stuck and there are quite a few plastic underbody panels which may be damaged on ice rutting.

The front and rear plastic body panels are also vulnerable to "hooking" damage on heavy frozen stuff, just as for parking blocks and curbs. If you hook a bumper valance you can easily tear it or crack it.

Subaru create a nice illusion of a low slung car but these cars are pretty normal in ride height and make good daily drivers as a result.

[DR 86]

Mine's lowered almost 2 inches no problems driving around this winter. You just have to exercise common sense, if it looks like you'll get stuck/scrape, don't drive over it. Helps to have a second car for those really shitty days, but that's rare in Toronto. Thank God I don't live in Calgary though ;p

[Evil Jesus]

Originally Posted by Suberman

Stock ride height gives 5.9 inches of ground clearance

Minimum running ground clearance is actually 4.9 inches, not 5.9 inches.

[Suberman]

Originally Posted by Evil Jesus

Minimum running ground clearance is actually 4.9 inches, not 5.9 inches.

Oops.

I think my memory rounded it up to 5 inches. Then mistakenly "remembered" the 5.9 number instead of the 4.9 number.

[jimmillion]

Originally Posted by Suberman

We're watching this thread for information.

My concern would be the effect extra weight might have on steering and particularly oversteer.

Sorry been away on vacation and just got back. The extra weight in the back actually produces a bit more understeer believe it or not. The rear end having more weight to push thru the snow creating more grip prevents the rear from snapping out as fast and as much as before. I've driven around the city plus to and from the airports and I'm honestly happy with the set up. Still steps out with a bit of gas but not nearly as much.

Originally Posted by daiheadjai

I've been meaning to do that (as if the BRZ needed any less trunk space), but I'm concerned about it sliding around in the trunk.
Have you encountered any movement in those bags? Should I get that, or sand (factoring in also the possible need to use it to get the car out of sticky situations)?

Most of the stuff I put in the BRZ trunk ends up sliding all over the place anyway

Velcro tape my friend, I put two long strips underneath the bags and they haven't moved all winter. the velcro hooks on to the carpet and works beautifully... I also use it for my tool bag and wash bucket that I keep in the trunk without any problems.


sorry for the late reply, but I'm back now!

[congee]

Does anyone here garage their brz/frs?

I usually park my car in a non-heated garage but found out today that garaging your car in a heated garage could speed up corrosion. The garage is usually 5-6 degrees above the outside temperature. Should I start parking outside now?

[GodDamage]

Originally Posted by congee

Does anyone here garage their brz/frs?

I usually park my car in a non-heated garage but found out today that garaging your car in a heated garage could speed up corrosion. The garage is usually 5-6 degrees above the outside temperature. Should I start parking outside now?

heat activates the salty water mixture building up on the car, when its in the cold, its normally fine, still corrosive just not as bad, but once it starts to get warm it starts to get more corrosive

[wparsons]

My wife's car has been garaged for the last 6 years, with no rust proofing and very infrequent washing in the winter and is 100% rust free underneath. The only rust on it is in a small scratch (condo parking has it's disadvantages, like neighbours that can't drive). My MKIII jetta was parked in the same conditions and the floors started to get soft, but anyone that knows VW's knows that's what all MKIII's do.

[automatic]

Oh boy...-24 this morning.

Windows frozen, car cranked slow, clutch pedal sticky, radio not turning on. Fun drive into work.