Winter in Pittsburgh
 

Good day all. Jinx is out of the country.
I am looking for some general advice.
First major snow of the season.

We have about five inches of snow in Pittsburgh.
2003 base Boxster.daily driver, driven this past
Weekend. Summer performance tires.
Car is at times in a enclosed garage other
Times outside but covered.
I plan on driving it weather permitting
Every second or third day.

My question is is it advisable to start the
Boxster and leave it run until it reaches
Operation temperature. I have access
To a area to run the car, but it is a
Relative smooth and level but unplowed
grass Area.

Thank to all in advance for your help
Bill

The general advice is to warm it while driving keeping the rpms low until it reaches ideal operating temperature.

In addition, because of tight engine tolerances (the engine is built to be reach ideal state while warmed up and in operating mode), if you start and don't drive it long enough, some oil seeps past and the next start-up, I get a cloud of smoke for a couple seconds. I don't know what impact this could have on the rest of the car - AOS etc?

I'll let the experts chime in on more technical details.

1. Don't drive in snow or ice on summer performance tires. I totaled one doing that.
2. Use a battery maintainer and start it when the roads are clear of any ice or snow and you are going to drive it. More cold starts just doesn't make any sense to me. Just increases the total time not yet lubricated parts are rubbing together. (I kept my second Boxster outside and on a maintainer for weeks at a time when the temperatures were wrong or the surfaces doubtful. Pulled the cover off, disconnected the battery, let it sit for 30 seconds max (unless I had to wait for a windows defrost) and then drove off gently until the temps had reached 180.)

Boxster under cover of snowhttp://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1422294564.jpg

I think there is some debate on warm up
A couple weeks ago a thread about warm up time may offer some thoughts
My feeling, don't start it unless you are going to drive it some time. Enough to burn moisture out of oil
Otherwise you are just dirtying the oil.

I only have summer tires and have driven in the snow. They don't give much traction getting up hills and stopping

I'm going through withdraw right now. I haven't driven since Christmas day. This is my 3rd winter but first where I'm not driving the Box unless the roads are clear of slippery stuff and salt

Here in the Philadelphia area, we are waiting for it to start snowing hard

Winter tires are great
 

I've only driven the Boxster on snow once on summer tires - just a little snow on the ground, the tires locked up under braking and spun leaving a stop sign. Then I put the car in storage and won't see it until mid-March.

I live at the top of a fairly steep, quarter mile long hill. My other car is an Acura CL-S (front wheel drive). On new, all season tires (don't know the brand / model), I couldn't make it up the hill the first time it snowed and I just missed being in an accident on the highway when it slid under moderate braking so I bought a set of winter tires.

The difference is significant. I strongly recommend winter tires to everyone I discuss cars and driving with. It is so much safer - much better control under all aspects of winter driving.

Larry (The Bald Eagle)

I drove mine through much of the winter last year, on all season tires. It handled just fine. It is a good winter car. I warmed up a bit, without issue, then drove it, keeping revs low until warm. Only issue is road rash along the front lower cover. Be sure to keep it salt free. On warmer days, get to a car wash with a wand, and spray out those wheel wells. Then in spring, get the car off the ground, pull the wheels, take out the liners and give it a real good cleaning (do that anyway, even if you don't drive it in winter).

I wanted to say
Thank you for the advice.

Bill

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1422462029.jpg

Winter in Pittsburgh; see u mid-March.

Boy that is a sporty little 2 door coupe next to the Boxster
Good thing gas is < $2

I'm only waiting till a good rain washes the Salt from the Roads
I guess that could be mid-march

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1422465989.jpg

A guy down the street lets me store my Porsche there for the winter. That is a '77 Lincoln Conti... the back seat of it is bigger than my bathroom. The other car he got in there is a baby blue '57 Tbird convert, it is beautiful but he said it hasn't been moved or started since the '80s.

Today was a balmy 73 degrees so I drove to work and back with the top down :D

Uh, and your point is...? Jinx lives in Pittsburgh :rolleyes:.