Placebo Effect | Warmer weather = better overall experience - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

itsAlex · 04-19-2016, 11:30 AM

This is just a mere observation of mine, nothing important or scientifically proven, just thought I'd share

I've only owned the FRS for about 2 months now, and we've been getting weirdly warm weather down here in the GTA for the past two days (20C and up).

Driving the car in the past 2 days has been way more fun than driving it in colder weather in the past month. I haven't adjusted my clutch height yet, but my shifts have seemed to become more smooth most of the time. The shifter itself glides into each gear buttery smooth, in fact I don't have to warm up the transmission in order to get smooth shifts. The engine also seems so much smoother, I don't know why!

Even the noise of the intake seems more refined, can this all be due to warm weather? I feel like this is just me encountering a serious case of the placebo effect, but I know there are subtle differences, I know I can't be tripping out this much.

For those who drive this car in the cold and warm weather, do you experience the same thing? Or is it just me?

mazeroni · 04-19-2016, 11:38 AM

Yup. When the temps are below 70 it feels like you have to manhandle all the inputs to keep things smooth. Granted I have the stock transmission fluid. Over 70, 1>2 super smooth and the rest of the gears just seem to work so much better. The clutch and gas feel easier to modulate too. I find that is true even after a long drive in cold weather. The car just does not like cold weather.

This also being an invitation to 'hoon-the-shit' out of the car.

MisterSheep · 04-19-2016, 11:38 AM

Well for one your transmission could be smoother due to the fact that the fluid is warmer which helps guide the trans into gear better and will result in smoother shifts.

Tcoat · 04-19-2016, 12:16 PM

Once the car is warmed up I feel no difference in a thing no matter what the temperature is outside.

JimR · 04-19-2016, 12:35 PM

Bushings, door seals, engine mounts, diff mounts, and really anything with compliance is likely affected by extreme cold. Back during a bad cold snap, my all-seasons would flat spot from sitting overnight and thump for a few blocks. With fluids and rubber closer to operating temperature at ambient, no doubt the cumulative effect makes for a nicer drive.

continuecrushing · 04-19-2016, 12:46 PM

this sounds like one of the positive effects of global warming.

Assuming you believe the hype, of course.

Braces · 04-19-2016, 12:58 PM

I had the opposite feeling in 100 degree F Arizona. Summers .... I ran the A/C all the time which robbed some of the power. Winters ... no A/C needed .... car was way more responsive.

Tcoat · 04-19-2016, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Braces

I had the opposite feeling in 100 degree F Arizona. Summers .... I ran the A/C all the time which robbed some of the power. Winters ... no A/C needed .... car was way more responsive.

mav1178 · 04-19-2016, 01:11 PM

I've posted my fastest lap times in the winter...

Tcoat · 04-19-2016, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mav1178

I've posted my fastest lap times in the winter...

Not sure some of you know what "winter" means!

mav1178 · 04-19-2016, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Not sure some of you know what "winter" means!

Oh well, everyone hates California.

I'll just enjoy my 60-70F winters. And zero humidity in the summer.

Weigaldo · 04-19-2016, 03:07 PM

I was debating making a post about exactly this. I've had my car since November, and only recently have we been seeing above 70 here in Chicago. I had zero confidence in the cold because the TC would kick in so often at the slightest input. Above 70, I can actually take turns quicker and power out of them without sliding. This car has so much more grip above 70 with the all-seasons, I can't imagine how sticky it gets with good tires.

Tcoat · 04-19-2016, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Weigaldo

I was debating making a post about exactly this. I've had my car since November, and only recently have we been seeing above 70 here in Chicago. I had zero confidence in the cold because the TC would kick in so often at the slightest input. Above 70, I can actually take turns quicker and power out of them without sliding. This car has so much more grip above 70 with the all-seasons, I can't imagine how sticky it gets with good tires.

"All seasons" should be called 3 seasons. They still get hard in the really cold weather.

billwot · 04-19-2016, 07:34 PM

Lower temps, like lower altitude improve performance.

At lower temps, air is more dense. Greater air density means an increased intake A/F mass. Its like environmental supercharging. On my MR2 turbo the ECU would lock into low boost mode when intake air temps were below 32F to protect the engine from the combined effects of high boost plus increased air density.

It's the same principle behind lost performance at high altitudes. High altitudes mean lower atmospheric pressure, hence less A/F charge density.

04-19-2016, 12:16 PM	#4
Tcoat Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Drives: 2020 Hakone Location: London, Ont Posts: 69,841 Thanks: 61,656 Thanked 108,295 Times in 46,456 Posts Mentioned: 2499 Post(s) Tagged: 50 Thread(s)	Once the car is warmed up I feel no difference in a thing no matter what the temperature is outside. __________________ Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar, because Racecar.

04-19-2016, 12:58 PM	#7
Braces Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Drives: 17 Alfa Romeo 4C Location: Scottsdale, Arizona Posts: 987 Thanks: 570 Thanked 711 Times in 365 Posts Mentioned: 14 Post(s) Tagged: 2 Thread(s)	I had the opposite feeling in 100 degree F Arizona. Summers .... I ran the A/C all the time which robbed some of the power. Winters ... no A/C needed .... car was way more responsive. __________________ My 2013 Firestorm Red 13 FRS is gone. Bought the next best thing: 2017 Alfa Romeo 4C

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04-19-2016, 11:38 AM	#2
mazeroni Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Drives: 2013 Scion FR-S Series 10 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 1,117 Thanks: 600 Thanked 1,017 Times in 512 Posts Mentioned: 5 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Yup. When the temps are below 70 it feels like you have to manhandle all the inputs to keep things smooth. Granted I have the stock transmission fluid. Over 70, 1>2 super smooth and the rest of the gears just seem to work so much better. The clutch and gas feel easier to modulate too. I find that is true even after a long drive in cold weather. The car just does not like cold weather. This also being an invitation to 'hoon-the-shit' out of the car.

04-19-2016, 12:35 PM	#5
JimR Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Drives: '15 FR-S, '92 Sentra SE-R Location: Ozarks Posts: 69 Thanks: 5 Thanked 131 Times in 43 Posts Mentioned: 4 Post(s) Tagged: 1 Thread(s)	Bushings, door seals, engine mounts, diff mounts, and really anything with compliance is likely affected by extreme cold. Back during a bad cold snap, my all-seasons would flat spot from sitting overnight and thump for a few blocks. With fluids and rubber closer to operating temperature at ambient, no doubt the cumulative effect makes for a nicer drive.

04-19-2016, 12:46 PM	#6
continuecrushing Join Date: Mar 2013 Drives: 2013 Firestorm FRS Location: Lake Elsinore, CA Posts: 2,707 Thanks: 1,231 Thanked 2,144 Times in 1,003 Posts Mentioned: 73 Post(s) Tagged: 2 Thread(s)	this sounds like one of the positive effects of global warming. Assuming you believe the hype, of course.

04-19-2016, 01:11 PM	#9
mav1178 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Drives: 2005 Toyota Camry Location: 91745 Posts: 6,562 Thanks: 493 Thanked 6,099 Times in 3,030 Posts Mentioned: 95 Post(s) Tagged: 3 Thread(s)	I've posted my fastest lap times in the winter...

04-19-2016, 03:07 PM	#12
Weigaldo Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Drives: 2016 Steel AT FRS Location: Chicago Posts: 114 Thanks: 25 Thanked 26 Times in 20 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I was debating making a post about exactly this. I've had my car since November, and only recently have we been seeing above 70 here in Chicago. I had zero confidence in the cold because the TC would kick in so often at the slightest input. Above 70, I can actually take turns quicker and power out of them without sliding. This car has so much more grip above 70 with the all-seasons, I can't imagine how sticky it gets with good tires.

04-19-2016, 07:34 PM	#14
billwot Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Drives: '11 Cayman , '14 Camry, '11 Tacoma Location: Eastern NC Posts: 509 Thanks: 57 Thanked 396 Times in 198 Posts Mentioned: 5 Post(s) Tagged: 1 Thread(s)	Lower temps, like lower altitude improve performance. At lower temps, air is more dense. Greater air density means an increased intake A/F mass. Its like environmental supercharging. On my MR2 turbo the ECU would lock into low boost mode when intake air temps were below 32F to protect the engine from the combined effects of high boost plus increased air density. It's the same principle behind lost performance at high altitudes. High altitudes mean lower atmospheric pressure, hence less A/F charge density.

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