This was my second winter with my Boxster as a daily driver. Bought all seasons for it last winter and they were worthless. This winter I bought Blizzaks and it gets around great. You don't mention what size tires you have. Mine are 18's and the Blizzaks cost $1100. If you have 17's you will get by much cheaper and an extra set of wheels will be easier / cheaper to come by. Not so with 18's - you could spend an additional $1k for wheels. Might need to throw a few more bucks into the tire estimate depending on what size tires you have.

We had an extended cold streak last month in Omaha where the temps didn't get out of single digits for the high. You could really tell the difference in how "limber" (or lack thereof) the car was at these temps. It made lots of creaks and groans I've never heard in 1.5 yrs of ownership. It certainly got nowhere near ND lows. I can't imagine how hard -30 would be on any car, let alone a sometimes fragile sports car.

My $.02 says put it away and buy a beater. The wear and tear will be multiplied in those conditions. You're still young enough that a year seems to take forever to pass (that will change as you age), but your tour will be done before you know it and you can take your pristine Boxster to warmer climates.

BTW
I concur with Brucelee. Thank you for defending our great nation.

Terry

item 3-Super 66
 

Happened to me as well.

I found it to be an accumulation of ice/snow in the wheel that, of course, disappears when the temperature goes up.
Hope this helps.

Thank you again for all your help. I've decided I'm going to keep her, I love the Boxster too damn much to give her away. I'm going to do my best to save up for a beater and do that. I'm looking at apartments and the one I'm eyeing has an indivdual garages with outlets for an engine block heater...so she should be able to weather it out.

I'm just full of questions, lol.... but any recomendations for reliable and affordable beater cars/suv's? I've heard Audi A4's a lot but I also hear reliability at high milages is poor.

Below are some pics I took after waxing her tonight... thats when I made my final decision :D

I would not buy a used Audi. Nuff said.

Subaru, Honda, Toyota all make good used beaters IF you buy right!

Oh, and beware of a just-waxed black Box. She's quite the seductress. :)
I hope it all works out for the best for you.
Z.

I use mine as a daily driver, have winter tires, and wash it every week, these are just cars after all, winter will not kill it, I see Boxsters flying down salt covered roads in Bavaria all the time. Warm it up, keep it maintained, drive carefully as the same crazies are always on the road, and enjoy driving it.