Putting the Boxster to bed 4 the winter

[Bengalfan]

I'm a newer owner, having purchased my 2000 986 this past summer. This is the 1st time for me to put a car in storage for a winter.
I've had the car detailed, and getting the annual service next week. One mechanic told me to wait until next spring, while the other said this is the best time so that it is stored w/ fresh fluids - which sounded best to me.
Bought a nice car cover, although it will be inside storage. Was told to put wood under the tires, and dryer softener towels inside all areas to keep bugs and vermin away and to put moth balls under the car. Plan to start it about every 4 weeks or so.
Any comments on anything else to do is welcome as I'm completely new at this.

[brian325is]

Hook up a battery maintainer into the cigarette lighter. Over inflate the tires a little. Fuel stabilizer in the tank and ran through the system. Leave it alone and don't start it till spring

[Overdrive]

I'm with Brian, battery maitainer with the cigarette lighter adapter. You're actually able to run the cord through the bottom of the door's weather stripping, where there's a small cutout that allows the wire to exit the car and the door to still fully close. Starting the car and running it idling without actually going for a good, long drive will do more harm than good, believe it or not, so you should just stick with keeping the battery maintained. I don't have the luxury of storing my car indoors, so it definitely needs to be detailed and covered before it hibernates, and I'm only going to be keeping the battery maintained and tires inflated.

My recommendation if you're worried about critters getting into the wrong places, cut some soft foam inserts in the shape of your intake ducts on the car's sides, and stick those in there. That, in combination with the car cover should keep them out of those spots. The door will be closed with your battery maintainer used as described above, so no critters there, either. You just might want to wrap the cord in a little extra electrical tape or something in case they decide they want to munch on it, stopping your battery maintenance and bbq-ing themselves at the same time.

Dryer sheets are a great idea, as are moth balls for under the car (definitely keep em outside). I'd also recommend a small cup of baking soda in-car for moisture/odors, just don't forget you put it in there so you don't end up stepping on it or otherwise spilling it inside the car.

Fuel stabilizer for sure. It's really up to you what you want to do with the fluids. If you get the fluids done right before storage, they'll be fresh and only have sat for a short time, but unless your fluids are at the end of their life cycle, I wouldn't worry about changing them out before spring. That's just my personal opinion. My oil was changed in July, about a year and maybe 2,000 miles on it by then, and I probably won't change it until next Spring/Summer. It's got maybe 3,000 miles on it, if that, since the change. I've got no worries about the car sitting over the winter with what's in it now. Again, entirely up to you, as you'll hear advice from folks of both schools. The way I see it, neither is wrong, and neither method would really see you harming the car unless you haven't been taking care of it.

[schnellman]

I'm down near Dayton and although I keep my car in its own garage and keep the maintainer on, I do take her out when the roads are clean. Never a short drive. At least a half an hour -- enough to get all the fluids up to operating temperature to boil off any unwanted moisture. Stabilizer in the tank and a few extra PSI in the tires is also a good idea.
Overall, winterizing can start nearly as many battles on this blog as what brand of oil to use.

[Penland]

I just got done putting mine away for winter,these are the things I did

a) Oil Change
b) Over inflated the tires a couple psi
c) Put in about 5 Silica Dessicant packs (these are what I used, 40 Gram Silica Gel Desiccant Dehumidifier Aluminum Indicating Canister - SilicaGelPackets.com)

d)Hooked up battery maintainer to the battery, I don't have the cigarette lighter version, mine hooked up straight to the battery
e)Put down a 9x12 3mil thick plastic drop cloth and put moth balls on it
f)Covered my exhaust and intake just in case any critters decided to move in.
g)Put car cover on
h)Cried a little bit, knowing it would be 5 months until I got to drive her again

[Highlow]

In Florida the 'winter' is the best time to drive a convertible!

[WhipE350]

You guys have got this down to a science! I'm in NC and need to get a maintainer, car has sat for 9 days and it has been cold at night, noticed battery was a little weak. We put the top down late today, rolled the windows up, cranked the heat and headed to the liquor store...it was 53 and sunny. It's nice here in the winter just as long they don't have that liquid salt crap on the roads. If the there is even the threat of freezing rain or a dusting of snow they pile that crap all over the roads and then I have to wait for the next heavy rain to wash it off the roads.

[Bengalfan]

Thanks for all the answers - especially plugging the exhaust and intakes. Is a maintainer and a trinkle charger the same thing? Sounds like it is, but never seen one that would backfeed via the cigarette lighter plug.

[schnellman]

Originally Posted by Bengalfan

Thanks for all the answers - especially plugging the exhaust and intakes. Is a maintainer and a trinkle charger the same thing? Sounds like it is, but never seen one that would backfeed via the cigarette lighter plug.

They aren't the same. A battery maintainer is more sophisticated and will cycle as needed by the battery. A trickle charger just never stops and can actually boil the battery.
I've used a maintainer through the cigarette lighter for three years and it has worked well.

[Overdrive]

Originally Posted by Bengalfan

Thanks for all the answers - especially plugging the exhaust and intakes.

Just don't forget that you put them there. If anything, add some kind of bright/neon colored streamer tags onto them, kind of like the "Remove Before Flight" tags you see on aircraft, just as an added bit of insurance that you won't start the car with a plugged intake and/or exhaust.

One thing with any sort of battery charger/maintainer is that you don't want to ever use them on a frozen battery, so keep ambient temps in mind if there's no sort of temp control involved in your storage. You'll have to let the battery thaw if it's frozen, but if it's already hooked up to maintainer prior to hitting low temps then it shouldn't freeze.

[Flavor 987S]

Here is one of the best Winter Hibernation post on the 986 Forum, from MNBoxster. MNBoxster now posts here as Lil Bastard (Jim). An oldie, but a very goodie:

http://986forum.com/forums/general-discussions/7567-winter-storage.html

[Mark_T]

There is also a section in your owner's manual that explains the recommended storage procedure.

[thstone]

I don't know how you guys do it - I'd be in a deep, deep depression if I had to pack the Boxster away for months at a time.

[jaykay]

Yep even worse if you don't have a heated garage or garage for that matter to work on it!!!

[Overdrive]

Originally Posted by thstone

I don't know how you guys do it - I'd be in a deep, deep depression if I had to pack the Boxster away for months at a time.

It's not easy, especially when you get to leave and come home every day and see it under a car cover in your driveway snoozing.

[Flavor 987S]

Originally Posted by thstone

I don't know how you guys do it - I'd be in a deep, deep depression if I had to pack the Boxster away for months at a time.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder. And come Spring time, every year, I pull 2 "brand new" Porsche out of the heated garage!

[Overdrive]

Originally Posted by Flavor 987S

Absence makes the heart grow fonder. And come Spring time, every year, I pull 2 "brand new" Porsche out of the heated garage!

with sweet scissor doors.