steering vibration - '01 boxster S

[rosso]

Hello, new the to the forum and was hoping to get some insight on severe steering wheel vibration during the first 10min of driving. I bought my first porsche ('01 boxster S) with 42k in Jan. Only driven it twice so far and I'm not sure if it's just normal with the 18" rims and p zero's or if I should get it checked out. The vibration seems to go away after 10min but I can hardly hold onto the steering wheel for the first while because the shake is so bad. It's porsche certified with a 2yr warranty so i would think everything would have been checked out and adjusted before i took it home.

Appreciate your help.
- Rosso

[z12358]

Welcome and congrats!

If the shaking stops after 10 mins, and if the frequency of the vibrations is proportional to the speed, I'd have to diagnose flat-spotting on the tires. Especially in winter, when you park warm tires onto cold cement, the part that touches the surface temporarily memorizes the flat shape. The patch will be larger with underinflated tires. This also gets amplified in winter -- as the air in the tires cools after a drive, the air pressure decreases and the tires deflate slightly, thus increasing the flat contact patch.

Solution?
1. Proper air pressure.
2. Rubber mats in the garage
3. The Tire Cradle (www.tirecradle.com)... I haven't used them and I find them overpriced, but have got good reviews.
4. Push car a few feet every few weeks if parked for a long time.

Hope this helps.
Z.

[rosso]

thanks for the diagnoses, sounds like i've got a project for the weekend. i'd love to get the entire garage floor coated when it warms up a bit.