| Winter Storage and Maintenance Tips By: Ken Koop-The Yellowstone Region (Old Faithful Newsletter)Everyone wants to keep their Porsches in the best possible shape they can. Living in this part of the country requires a little extra preparation before winter to have a car that will be ready for the road next spring. Even though you’re not using it, storing your car for six months can still be hard on it. With some preparation, your Porsche will look beautiful in the spring and be ready for the road. Here are some suggestions before putting your cars away for the winter. |
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| Wash your vehicle.Be sure to thoroughly clean under the car as well as the wheel wells. After washing, don’t forget to open and dry door sills, sun roof sill, engine and trunk compartment. Wax the car if needed. Clean interior and trunk. (Never use cleaners with ammonia in them for the windows) Treat all leather with a good leather conditioner every two years. Apply a tire treatment and clean the rims.
Change the oil and brake fluid if needed. Check all fluids for proper levels(coolant, power steering fluid, oil and windshield washer fluid–fill with a good fluid that will not freeze).
Check the battery fluid level. Using a flash, light look into each cell, if the water level is above the cells, the level is ok. If the cells are exposed then add distilled water to bring up to the top of the cell. Connect a battery maintainer. (Especially important for 1990 cars and newer). |
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| Top off the gas tank.Inflate tires to the maximum pressure that the side wall pressure permits.Don’t forget to readjust to the pressure before driving next spring.For manual cars leave gear shift lever in neutral, for automatic cars leave in park. Block tires with 2 by 4’s or wheel chocks.
Do not set parking brake! (This stretches the cable over long periods of time). Cover your car. If at all possible leave in a heated garage around 62 degrees with low or no humidity. Place “Decon” in your garage to keep mice from dinning on your rubber parts or nesting in unwanted areas. (If you have pets do not allow them into the area with Decon) It is also a good idea to start the car for 10-15 minutes every month to circulate fluids. As the car is running, turn the air conditioner and heater on to circulate their fluids as well. Pump the break and clutch pedals 5-10 times to keeps those parts functioning. With this extra care, your Porsche should last longer and have fewer problems in the years to come. |
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Winter Car Storage and Maintenance Tips
