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Old 12-11-2010, 08:41 AM   #1
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I couldn't take it any longer!!! Took the car out of storage....

Well, as the title says, I HAD to take the Boxster out of the garage and take it for some runs this morning! I just had this desire and could not resist any longer.

Well, good thing I did! First, I feel really good now, second, I think it was necessary.


-In storage since end October, under a cover, in my garage, dry and cool, charged battery once 3 weeks ago, locked.
-Car started on the first try, no problem at all, like it was yesterday and not after 6 plus weeks.
-The front brakes made some funny noise during the first few miles, I checked and it looks like the pads left a mark on the rotors during storage, needed some driving/braking to clean up.
-The tires were flat spotted (HTZR3), took a while to get some heat in there and get them back to normal.

Lessons learned:-
-Charge battery ever so often or use a tender, we know that!
-Rotate tires or get them off the ground, otherwise there might be a problem flatspotting them.
-Best thing to do for car and soul, drive every 2 weeks, that's what I'll do
-Dust gets into everywhere........

Later,
Andy

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Old 12-11-2010, 09:32 AM   #2
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I'm going to ask a dumb question, is there snow in winter in Utah?
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Old 12-11-2010, 10:12 AM   #3
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Instead of getting the tires off the ground, over inflate them. I run mine up to 45 to 50 psi. make rolling the car around in the garage real easy.
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Old 12-11-2010, 11:01 AM   #4
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My car is basically in storage but I'll take it out once in while, because I too, can't stand not driving it. My problem is the remote won't work. This has happened 3 times in a row after not being driven for 1 to 2 weeks. I have to unlock the door with my key which sets off the alarm. Then the remote starts to work again. A quick tap and the alarm is silenced. I guess I just need to store it unlocked.
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Old 12-11-2010, 12:29 PM   #5
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Yes, we have lots of snow! In the valley, though, it melts mostly and today it is 45 and dry, later rain and snow in the mountains.

Good idea overinflating! Will def do that 'cause it ain't fun driving with flatspots....!!!!

My remote won't work after 1 to 2 weeks as well, guessing here but I think the car just goes into "sleep mode" to save battery?? Someone with more insight?

I would store locked since I heared that leaving the car unlocked will drain the battery much faster...? Again, somebody with more insight?

Ahhhh, I could go for another drive right now!!! Instead I took the Audi and taught one of my daughters to drive stick, poooooor Audi...........
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Old 12-11-2010, 01:34 PM   #6
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You definitely need to purchase a battery maintainer, if you leave the car sit for weeks on end. I leave my car unlocked in the garage all winter on a maintainer and have never had an issue with the remote all these years...not sure why you feel you need to lock it. Modern tires don't flat spot (unless you lock them under braking). Very common for the pads to adhere to the rotor...unless let sitting for years, this causes no harm.
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Old 12-11-2010, 01:58 PM   #7
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Maybe "flatspot" is the wrong word but even Goodyear is using this term when talking about storage of tires. Last time I flaspotted a tire was on my bike since all of our cars have ABS.
And trust me, modern tires do flatspot from extended periods of standing still, learned my lesson some time ago (boat trailer....), I thought the tires on my car do not do this but.... here we go! Luckily the tires seem "to come back" into shape when driven and warmed up.

You are right, a maintainer would be nice, maybe for Christmas ? Meanwhile I charge the battery once a month or so, no problem!

And the remote is just not a problem per se, it just does not unlock the car, I do it manually and it's done. Looks like I am not the only one.
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Old 12-11-2010, 02:32 PM   #8
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Read your owners manual (why does no-one do this?)

Page 193, Storing Your Porsche, it says that you should

Clean the car
Fill the tank with gas
Change oil and filter
Inflate tires to 58 psi
Move vehicle occasionally to avoid flat-spotting the tires


In addition to this I add fuel stabilizer to the tank as my car can be stored for up to 5 or 6 months.
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Old 12-11-2010, 02:39 PM   #9
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I agree with Mark, but one thing Charles Navarro recommended when storing your car is to use Stabil but only put about a quarter tank of gas in. Gasoline will degrade in about a month or two, so after you fire it up in the spring go fill it with fresh gas.
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Old 12-11-2010, 03:16 PM   #10
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Missing UT...

Hey Andy - I use to live on the bench in Bountiful. No winters better than UT winters...snow and warm sunshine in the same day. I didn't have a convertible then but many days were ski / then golf. Now in MI - and it is perma-grey. I have a slate grey box - so I just disappear in the horizon.

btw - my winter drive is an A6 2.7T. Want to swap repair stories
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Old 12-11-2010, 03:57 PM   #11
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Yeah! Seems we all know everything including me not even reading the manual.. ..!!!

Let's see:-

-Clean car, check.
-Fresh gas, check. not full tank but maybe half.
-Stabil, check
-Fresh oil and filter, check
-Overinflate tires, fail! I usually go a bit higher than recommended anyways.

Urban, you miss Utah? We're here for 16 years plus and looks like we get stuck here, not a bad thing. My Audi served me flawless for many years now (knocks on wood).

My conclusion, drive the thing on a regular basis!

Later,
Andy
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Old 12-11-2010, 09:21 PM   #12
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I do not agree with half a tank of gas. Add Stabil fuel stabilizer, fill the tank and run the car to insure the treated fuel is completely through the fuel system. A partially filled tank will "sweat" with temp changes and condensation will form on the inside exposed metal causing corrosion after time. If you do start your car during the winter, remember to allow it to run for at least 20 minutes to completely come up to temp to burn off contaminant's (moister, fuel) in the oil. During initial start-up the fuel is enriched and excess fuel is washed passed the rings and into the oil, a lengthy warm-up will rid it. You can imagine if this took place multiple times and not burned off how contaminated the oil can get.
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Old 12-11-2010, 11:54 PM   #13
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Temptation or not, it's best to store the car and leave it.

Full tank w/ stabil. No corrosion issues, but a full tank does not allow oxygen to get to the fuel and degrade it.

Over-inflate tires to 59 PSI.

Get a battery tender, pull battery and leave on the bench.

Or, forget everything I just wrote if you don't care about treating your car the best.

But, trying to drive in winter is an excercise in frustration, I mean, if you can't drive it like a Porsche, what's the point?

My '90 964 is asleep under it's cover, fresh oil, clean, battery pulled, keeping my '76 2002 company, and waiting for Spring.

We got 15" of snow here today and it's heading to -15°F for the next couple days. There's no point in taking it out before Spring, I like my cars.



Cheers!
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Old 12-12-2010, 02:50 AM   #14
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48 plus inches in four days, another four day storm starts tonight with the dire predictions of 40 more to the lucky county that wins. The closest I got to the Porsche was to watch the guy shovel the drifts off the garage its in. I completely agree with the "leave it in hibernation" advise. Besides, the rust below my intake vent, (which makes no sense to any of us who have it), is accelerating, I can just imagine what some salt treatments would do for it....
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Old 12-12-2010, 03:06 AM   #15
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Always store with a full tank. Add fuel stabile and its fine in the spring. My tires call for a max 44 PSI. I run them up to about 50 PSI for storge. Am I damaging them, or is the 44 PSI max meant for actually road use?
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Old 12-12-2010, 04:10 AM   #16
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For those concerned about flatspotting and tire damage due to overinflation, it clearly states in your Owner's Manual, for long term storage to overinflate your tires. For example, it is recommended to overinflate my 2006 987S to 58 PSI.

I've done this now for 4 winters, with excellent results (I also take one step further, and use nitrogen).
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Old 12-12-2010, 06:26 AM   #17
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I lift the car and turn the wheels a quarter turn once a month. I don't have lot of front to back room where I store it so moving it to rotate the tires really isn't an option. Also, it's -29C here right now - you wanna try rolling a car that's been sitting at that temperature for a while - you'll think it's been welded to the floor.

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