Jump to content

Hello and Winter Questions


CalgaryStig

Recommended Posts

Hello All.

 

Purchased an '05 Boxster S this year and love the car. Love it so much that despite stating I would drive it only on weekends...I have driven it almost daily to work. I get a little emotional when hopping into my SUV (or as I call it now the poor handling GreyHound bus).

 

If possible I would like to ask some questions and get some answers from your collective experience/technical knowledge. I have researched quite a bit on what to do with the car during the winter. The previous owner would keep it in his garage and remove the battery and place it on a charger/maintainer. What peaked my curiosity was a recent article in Excellence magazine. The tech expert there stated that storing your Porsche for a long period of time was the worst thing one could do. I have talked briefly with a Boxster owner (via a fellow co-worker of my wife) who does drive his car in the winter with winter tires.

 

Now, I don't intend to drive my boxster every day in the winter. And it would never go on Deerfoot or main roadways. If I did not put it away I would (only when roads are clear) drive it very occasionally and up to normal temperatures and for at least a decent amount of kilometres (probably to Costco). I do already have an appointment in October to have the oil changed before I would put it away.

 

So my questions are (in no particular order):

 

1. What do you guys do for the winter? Do you store it? Drive it a little? Drive it a lot?

2. Is a battery tender from AMA ok? Or is the official Porsche charger better?

3. I would not just start the car in the garage and let it warm up but would drive it. What's a good distance to drive?

4. Tire recommendations?

 

Thanks in advance for your time. I look forward to participating with the club!

 

Shayne.

Link to comment

Hi Shayne,

I stored my car last year with no issues by following the what Porsche recommends. South Centre Porsche did the yearly maintenance/oil change last year around this time and gave me a winter storage cheat sheet.

If I can find it I'll post some of the information on it.

 

We used the Porsche battery tender to keep the battery charged. The only slightly disconcerting thing was when I started it up after the winter the engine made a ticking noise. Martin at South Centre told me this is normal, let it warm up drive around the neighborhood a few times while taking it easy and the tick will go away. It did and the car ran great for the rest of the year.

 

For winter tires try South Centre Porsche or Tire Rack.

 

Brodie

Link to comment

Hi Shayne,

 

I may be wrong but I think the one you want would be connected to an electrical outlet. Cigarette lighter would be a counter productive loop I believe.

 

As far as storage is concerned I think your on the right track with the oil change in Oct. I woul also add Stabil to the gas (always listen to Ned). Mine is always stored with full insurance as I continue to hope that this global warming thing we keep hearing about will hit Calgary some time soon thus allowing a winter run. If stone chips don't concern you, drive as much and as far as you like. Life is short and you paid good money for the car so use it!

 

That's my $0.02

 

Paul

‘12 Targa 4S - Amythist metallic

'81 SC Targa - sold but not forgotten

Link to comment

Shayne,

 

You should drive it for at least half an hour to get everything (engine, gearbox) up to temperature. I think Porsche recommends driving it once a week, but that's not really feasible in a Calgary cold spell.

 

If you are going to drive it during the winter on nicer days, you don't need a particularly aggressive set of snow tires, however you definitely need some sort of cold weather winter tire. There are a few sets on Kijiji, such as:

http://calgary.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-auto-parts-tires-tires-rims-Porsche-17-winter-wheels-with-tires-W0QQAdIdZ314070758

 

The battery tender is key, but even with that and not being driven, it still may kill the battery (I have a friend with a 997 Carrera who doesn't drive it in the winter, on a battery tender and has still had to replace the battery in the spring).

 

I have another friend who drove his Boxster in the winter. He reported it to be a good winter car - with heated seats, and the small cabin warms up quickly so he said it was quite a treat to drive in the winter.

Link to comment

Thanks Paul.

 

From what I can see, Porsche sells two types of chargers. The first "charge-o-mat" maintainer plugs into 120 volt outlet and pushes 0.5 amps to the car via the cigarette lighter. You can also purchase some alligator clips so it goes direct to the battery. The cable length is something ridiculously long like 30 feet.

 

The second "charge-o-mat" is a maintainer and charger and is a little more expensive. It also plugs into a 120 volt outlet but pushes over 3 amps to the car. It is plugged into the car at the cigarette lighter as well.

 

Now, I'm no electrical genus so I don't know what the true difference is between the two and if a charger/maintainer is better than just the maintainer. I may make a run down to SouthCentre and see what they say.

 

I did speak with Alpine Autowerks (where my car is serviced) and basically it is six of one or half dozen of the other in terms of winter storage. I do NOT like rock chips so that is a negative for winter driving. As well I have new Michelin Pilot Super Sports that will not be that great in the cold.

 

Paul, so you change your oil and leave the car until an early spring or do you drive it when the weather is clear?

 

Shayne.

Link to comment

Thanks Keith.

 

I agree. I do not see driving the car every week. Maybe every three weeks or monthly. I think at this time storing it appears to be my choice. Thanks again for the info everybody.

 

Shayne.

Link to comment

Shayne,

 

My apology, not sure what I was thinking earlier with cig lighter! Either works although I prefer to connect directly to battery with the battery disconnected. Keep in mind that my car is old and the only I'll affect of disconnecting the battery is that the clock stops. Not sure on newer cars what, if any, ill affects would be.

 

As far as driving is concerned I try to get it on the road two or three times through the winter. Not too concerned about temp or rocks, just that the roads are dry. I would not drive it hard at all due to tires and grip but long enough to get everything warm and working. Last year due to all the snow and time constraints the car sat all winter.

 

If you decide to store, would suggest increasing the tire pressure and driving onto some sort of foam (all four wheels) to prevent flat spotting. Cover car, place steel wool in exhaust tip (mice), place note on steering wheel about steel wool, tell significant other not to use car as storage shelf, wait 8 months!

 

Paul

‘12 Targa 4S - Amythist metallic

'81 SC Targa - sold but not forgotten

Link to comment

I highly recommend you purchase the "C-Tec 3300" battery maintainer from Canuk Tire (was $65 when I got mine) because it is the EXACT same unit as the $250 one from Porsche -just without the Porsche sticker overtop the C-Tec one. And I mean EXACT same unit. (Actually just checked and CTire is up at $90 and Suncoast has the Porsche labeled one for $110 so maybe the prices have become closer than when I got mine a few years ago). .

 

Pump up your tires and park on pieces of wood, cardboard or tire cradles instead of concrete. The temperature difference between the concrete and air during the typical Calgary winter can contribute to more severe flat-spotting.

 

Fill the gas tank to the top and add some fuel stabilizer (also Canadian Tire).

 

And then either do not start your engine at all, or of you do start it you should run it long enough to get the coolant up to normal operating temp as well as the oil. This will burn off any internal rust-causing condensation. There are a lot of strong opinions on starting or not.

Running it keeps things lubricated but you don't want to cause corrosion on things (think of the steam that comes out of the exhaust when you first start a car in winter).

 

I park my 997 for winter using the above points and have not had any problems.

 

Cheers

John

Edited by johnstoy
Price check
Link to comment

Thanks John.

 

That's great advice on the battery charger. I was reading that c-tec is the actual manufacturer of the Porsche charger but did not know they were available in North America. So do you attach yours directly to the battery? If so do you disconnect the battery? Or does the c-tec go through the cigarette lighter? I will run to Canuck Tire today to grab one.

 

Once again...Thanks.

 

Shayne.

Link to comment

I hook mine directly to the battery - and leave the battery connected. That way all the electronics keep their settings and you don't get a bunch of error codes in spring (also the door window lowering feature keeps working and at least on mine, the trunk latch is electric). There is quite a gap to run wires into the "frunk" near either side near the wipers with the lid closed.

 

John

Link to comment

Thanks John.

 

I did get the cTek today at Canadian Tire. Looks good. The manual is a little vague though. I'm under the impression that to just maintain the battery you would connect both eyelets, or alligator clamps, to the correct posts and then plug into the CTek. Do you do this? The manual states to place the negative clamp on a ground post. However, it calls this "charging".

 

Finally, do you use the regular car mode or the winter mode?

 

Shayne.

Link to comment

Some pointers on vehicle storage;

 

1. Lift the car unevenly off the ground two wheels at a time

2. Rotate the left front wheel counter clockwise ¾ of a turn every third week

3. Remove your passenger seat and store it upside down in a basement

4. Turn the steering wheel to right every second Saturday then the left every 3rd Sunday

5. Remove the exhaust tips and place a dryer sheet in the muffler to keep it smelling great

6. Open the hood 3 times and rotate counter clockwise on one foot on the fourth Wednesday of the month

7. Check the oil with an ocular nugget every second month

8. Buy a good charger and hook the positive to the wooden frame of the garage and the ground to the neighbours dog

9. Start the daily driver everyday

10. Run around the block chanting charge, charge, charge

11. Note for convertibles, find the high point on the top and rub it for luck the Thursday on the seventh week of storage

12. Mark the front of the car on the floor and measure the length of the car multiply by 6 divide by 3 multiply by 2 divide by 4 and put the mark on the floor at the rear

13. After the dryer sheet is no longer fragrant remove the exhaust system and tape the exhaust ports and hang the system from the roof of the storage facility

14. Make sure there is an air mattress near the vehicle - must sleep next to the vehicle and keep it company or it may not start in the spring

15. Buy some baking goods, possibly muffins and use them as stands

 

In all seriousness, all we do with all our cars is put fuel stabilizer in them, hook the chargers up, cover them and leave them be. There are two schools of thought on starting them periodically, if you do choose to start it make sure you allow the unit to come to operating temperature.

 

As for your Ctek hook it up as directed and set to the it to the car mode and it will maintain, we use the same Ctek you bought in our other cars they can charge but when in storage they are not charging continuously only maintaining.

Edited by Caymanwalter
Link to comment

I was gonna ask what brand of dryer sheet to use but then I read the rest of your post.:D

 

I think the ctek will be fine but what confuses me is this and other videos:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s30H5wYiPUg

It shows the eyelets attached to both individual corresponding posts on the battery. The manual makes no mention of the eyelets or alligator clamps attached like this. Only one to the terminal and one to the ground. I think it would be convenient to attach both eyelets to the battery itself and then to the ctek. Maybe this is the difference between charge and maintain but the manual has no info on this.

I have no electrical experience or knowledge other than that a three prong outlet does not fit into a two prong outlet!

 

Thanks for the info Walter.

Link to comment

In preparing for my '88 Carrera's first Canadian winter hibernation I am trying to figure out if my garage is suitable for winter storage. The intention is to put it to bed and not turn a wheel until spring. The interior temps in my fully insulated, detached garage are warm enough to melt the snow that my daily driver deposits on the floor. In spite of my attempts to keep the floor dry, I am concerned about the elevated blast of humidty. Would heating the garage be an improvement? If so, should I consider radiant (infrared) or forced-air?

 

Marc & Leslie Schroeder

88 Carerra Coupe

Link to comment
  • 4 weeks later...
Guest ArcticOne

In the Hat, I usually park the summer cars in the garage in early November. Sometime in April (maybe March with a good spring) I start it up and go for a drive.

 

If the battery dies I charge it up then. Only caveat is with newer cars with complicated electronics (my SL 320) I will use the C-Tech unit as boosting can cause issues.

 

No Stabil or anything else. No issues to date.

 

jb

Link to comment
Guest ArcticOne
In preparing for my '88 Carrera's first Canadian winter hibernation I am trying to figure out if my garage is suitable for winter storage. The intention is to put it to bed and not turn a wheel until spring. The interior temps in my fully insulated, detached garage are warm enough to melt the snow that my daily driver deposits on the floor. In spite of my attempts to keep the floor dry, I am concerned about the elevated blast of humidty. Would heating the garage be an improvement? If so, should I consider radiant (infrared) or forced-air?

 

Marc & Leslie Schroeder

88 Carerra Coupe

 

Marc, my garage temp stays around the 5C range. Doubt that there will be a significant humidity blast to cause concerns. We are in a dry climate, others store their cars in a more humid climate without concern.

 

jb

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...