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Either way it's a matter of personal preference.
But, I live in the Great White North where it takes several minutes for the oil to flow sufficiently to float the crank when your avg. winter temp is 10°-20°. Running it in winter would certainly accelerate engine wear. I agree, not an issue if your ownership plans are short term (mine aren't).
But maybe the greatest factor in my hibernating the car each winter is that it just cannot be driven to it's limits in cold weather - if all I'm doing is using it as a means of conveyance, what's the point?
I didn't buy the Boxster for this - a Honda/Toyota/Hyundai/Subaru, etc. does a much better job of that. It takes a lot of miles to heat up the tires sufficiently to perform as designed, and there's always that unknown icy patch just ahead, not to mention the inability of other drivers raising the potential of a collision in the bleak weather.
+1 to Blue2000 - the winter can take a terrible toll on the underside. Aside from the looks, it can make the car harder to service when all the fasteners on the underside sieze from rust. ++1 that Sports Cars have increasingly become less fun, heavier, more complex and more difficult to repair/maintain. Winter use (IMO) just compounds the issues.
And, avoiding Winter Driving does preserve the car. Last fall, I was on a cruise and stopped at a scenic overlook - potty stop/ leg stretcher. A mid-aged guy and his wife on a Harley pulled in and asked if the car was new. I told them it was 10 yrs. old - a '99 and they said they couldn't believe it, that it looked showroom new. Probably not possible had I run it the past 10 winters.
I don't have any regrets cocooning the Boxster for 5 mos./ yr. Aside from making the car worth more in years to come, it heightens my appreciation of it for the other 7 mos. of the year. It's one of the Rights of Spring.
True, I'm Jones'n for it right now, but we just passed Daylight Savings, so the end is nye - YEA!!
Last edited by Lil bastard; 03-11-2008 at 11:45 PM.
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Hybrid Mode
