Porsche Cars, Products and LifeStyle » Porsche Maintenance Tips

Does Your Porsche Have an iManual?

Pepper Girl — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 03:23:37 +0000

We get a lot of questions submitted to us here at PorschePurist.com. Some technical, others not so much. One of the most frequent is, “How do I properly close the hood or trunk of my Porsche? Do I push down on the badge?” A quick online search will show you a number of conflicting opinions found in various forums, on blogs and from other Porsche “experts”. Fortunately, Porsche themselves answers this question, and many others on their iManual site. Even better, they answer a number of questions in video format like the one below. As always, if you can’t see the video in your email simply click on how to close the trunk or hood on your Porsche to watch it directly on our site.

Does your Porsche have an iManual?

The site is fairly new and only covers current models. However, there is quite a bit of “ever green” material on it that is pertinent to lots of different model years. We asked Porsche if there were any plans to go back further and they said no. However, it should be kept up to date going forward and the new 911 should come on line in the next few weeks. Take a few minutes and check out the site. You just might learn something!

How to Save Your Porsche Floor Mats and Keep Your Carpets Clean This Winter

Pepper Girl — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 04:17:36 +0000

When we bought our 2009 Cayenne one of the first things I did was to protect the outside of it with a clear bra. This turned out to be a great investment and my only regret is that I didn’t do something to protect the inside of my Porsche at the same time. You see, we split our time between Maine, Florida and a little barrier island off the coast of Massachusetts. Each one of these locations offers something unique in the way of dirtying the caramel interior of my Porsche (sand, mud, salt and slush). After nearly two years of stepping in and out of my Cayenne, the front mats were in pretty poor shape. With the weather turning colder and snow on the horizon I knew I needed to do something before things got any worse.

After looking around on the web I found a number of choices for Porsche Floor Mats

SuncoastParts.com (this is where we buy almost all of our parts and accessories) had a couple of choices including a relatively inexpensive set of rubber floor mats ($92.95) as well as a complete set (front and rear) of fitted and branded heavy duty Porsche floor mats ($189.95).

Then there was AutoAnything.com. They have a huge selection and are currently running a sale where you can save up to 35% off list on Floor Mats & get Free Shipping on top brands like Husky Liners, CatchAll, Hexomat and more! What’s nice about AutoAnything.com, is the selection (pricing ranges from $25 a set to over $100).

Lastly, I looked at WeatherTech mats. They offered two choices: 1. The WeatherTech^® all-weather floor mats designed to keep your vehicle floors clean and clear of rain, snow, mud and debris. but may require some cutting (in the rear to get the right fit) ($99.95). And, 2. The DigitalFit^TM FloorLiners^TM which are custom cut to fit your Porsche perfectly right out of the box and offer even more protection that the “all weather mats”. ($179.90)

What We Chose and Why

I wanted to buy the branded, heavy duty mats from SuncoastParts.com. Not only are they a sponsor of our site, but it’s where we buy almost all our parts (for all three of our Porsches) and they always provide us with great service. Unfortunately, this one time, they simply didn’t have the color I wanted available (I wanted to closely match our interior color vs. offset it) and I couldn’t wait due to impending snow fall.

I considered the selection from AutoAnything.com (as they were by far the cheapest) but in the end I felt you really do get what you pay for. While some of their offerings were decent, none seemed to be a true custom fit and perhaps more importantly, none of them used our factory hardware to snap down. If this isn’t a concern and you’re cost conscious, they do have some good, inexpensive choices.

So, after careful consideration I ended up ordering the DigitalFit^TM FloorLiners^TM from WeatherTech (pictures above). While more expensive than their all-weather floor mats, the Digital Fit mats are custom cut to match the shape of my Cayenne and they used the factory floor snaps to stay in place. Even better, I already had a WeatherTech^® Cargo Liner in the back of the Cayenne, so now everything matches.

Final Thoughts of New Porsche Floor Mats

When my new mats arrived all I needed to do was take them out of the box and snap them into place. For the front mats you must remove your carpets in order to install the WeatherTech mats. Not only does this ensure you won’t further stain your Porsche mats, but you can use the those factory clips (in the Cayenne they’re round snaps) to hold the mats in place. While they recommend you remove your carpets in back too, I found that the WeatherTech mats were simply too short (see picture in gallery of rear seat. Notice how the new rubber mat stops well short of covering the original mat?). They fit the floor space in the back of the Cayenne perfectly, but they didn’t run under the back of the front seat the way the carpet does. After looking at pictures of all the various offerings, it seems this is a shortfall for any selection. As the rear mats don’t snap in, I opted to keep my carpets in place to further protect the floors in the event that any of my long legged friends decide to stretch their dirty shoes beyond the reach of the new mats.

One last thing to note. WeatherTech calls the color I ordered Tan. However, as you can see in the pictures, and like my cargo liner in the back, it’s more of a dark beige than anything else. It sill looks better than an even darker color like grey or black, but it’s definitely darker than it appears on the WeatherTech site.

Do you run Winter Floor Mats in Your Porsche

What about you? Do you use winter mats in your Porsche? It doesn’t matter if you drive a Cayenne or drive your 911, Boxster, Cayman, etc. year round. Any model can benefit from the protection these custom fit rubber mats afford.

Why are Center Lock Nuts on Racing Porsches Red and Blue?

Pepper Girl — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 01:46:42 +0000

Ever notice the center lock nuts on some Porsche race cars? Unlike the black/silver RS Spyder wheel nuts available on street cars, some racing Porsches will have red nuts on one side and blue on the other.

Notice the red nuts on the driver’s side above (you can click on the image above for a larger version)

A number of you wrote to us and wanted to know why? The colors aren’t just aesthetic; Red nuts are right hand threads and blue nuts have left hand threads. What’s the difference? Simple, right hand threads are nuts that we’re all familiar with. You know, “righty tighty, lefty loosey”.

In racing, it’s not uncommon to install right hand threaded nuts (red ones) on the left (US driver’s side) and left hand threads (blue ones) on the right (passenger side). Teams do this so that all the wheels can come off by turning the nut in the same direction (toward the front of the car). UPDATE: A number of you have written in to mention another reason for the right/left threading; so the nuts won’t loosen when the car is moving/accelerating.

Note the blue nuts on the passenger side of the 918 RSR

If there’s something you want to know about your Porsche, or Porsche in general, let us know. We’ll do our best to find an answer for you. You can get in touch using our contact form or give us a shout on Facebook.

*Special thanks to Orbit Racing for help with answering this question

Will you drive your Porsche this winter or put it in Storage?

Pepper Girl — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 21:13:43 +0000

The answer to this question most likely depends on both where you live and what you drive. You might be the type that no matter what, you’re driving your Porsche year round. Or, maybe you live in a colder climate with lots of snow and salt and need to prepare your Porsche for winter storage. Maybe you’re lucky and do both, we do (we store our 911 and 993 and drive our Cayenne). What ever you do there are choices you need to make and things to consider.

If you store your Porsche in the Winter

Saying goodbye to your baby while it sits quietly in winter hibernation is hard enough. Don’t make it any harder on yourself by making some of these common mistakes that will haunt you come spring time.

Common Mistake #1: Forgetting to over-inflate your tires. At best, this will leave you with flat spots. At worst, you might need a whole new set of tires. What ever you do, don’t go over the maximum pressure recommended for your tire. A good Porsche tire gauge can help.
Common Mistake #2: Forgetting to disconnect the battery or connect a trickle charger. There’s nothing worse than going to start your Porsche for a nice spring drive and find the battery dead and you’re not going anywhere.
Common Mistake #3: Not using a fuel additive (like this fuel preservative from Griot’s Garage) in your winter storage routine. Condensation in the fuel system is good for nothing but trouble.
Common Mistake #4: Forgetting about your coolant lines. If you’re air-cooled you don’t need to worry about this, but for those of you with water in the veins, a Corrosion Inhibitor is essentially like a fuel additive for your coolant. It works to prevent corrosion from developing in your radiator and coolant lines.
Common Mistake #5: Forgetting to reduce your insurance coverage. We’re not agents, so be sure to talk with yours first, but if you’re not going to be driving your Porsche you can remove or reduce a significant amount of your coverage. All you really need while it’s being stored is “comprehensive”. We save $100s every year with this little trick.

These are but a few of the costly mistakes you could make if you don’t store your Porsche properly. Check out our 10 Easy Steps to Winterize Your Porsche for a complete list, and links to products that will ensure your Porsche stays in tip-top shape while it’s tucked away.

If you drive your Porsche in the Winter

Believe it or not, most 911s (excepting some older turbos) make for great winter drivers. The rear-engine configuration puts so much weight over the drive tires, as long as you have good winter tires, you’re biggest concern (besides other drivers) will probably be ground clearance and getting over larger snow drifts.

Here are some winter driving tips straight from the Porsche Camp4 Driving School:

Cars respond more slowly on slippery surfaces. Always wait a moment after steering, braking, or accelerating to see how the car behaves before giving it more input.
Visibility is greatly reduced in bad weather. Make sure you can see clearly, and turn on your headlights.
Brake carefully and accelerate more gently.
Get the car pointed where you want to go before getting on the gas.
Be aware of reduced grip.
Take corners at lower speeds.
Brake sooner and longer than on dry surfaces.
Apex later. (don’t know what “apex” is? check out our Porsche motorsport terminology for more information)
Look for fresh snow – it provides more grip.
Avoid icy ruts.
Look farther ahead. So many of us keep our eyes glued to the back of the car in front of us. The car goes where you look, so get those eyes up and anticipate your next move!

For even more detailed information and tips see our post on preparing your Porsche for winter driving. Be sure to read to the end as lots of users posted their own great Porsche winter driving tips.

[Picture Source: PelicanParts.com and iedei.wordpress.com]

Have you Ever Considered Doing Some of Your Own Maintenance?

Pepper Girl — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 21:33:06 +0000

If not, you should. Not only will it save you some $$$, you get a great sense of accomplishment from a job well done. Even if you’re not handy with a wrench or don’t have a ton of tools there are some simple, routine maintenance items you can do in your Porsche without going to school to be a Porsche tech. What type of DIY maintenance projects have you tackled on your Porsche?

One such project we decided to tackle is changing the plugs in our Porsche Cayenne. While changing the plugs in our 993 can be a bit of a challenge (think dropping the motor), doing so in a 2009 Cayenne V6 is a breeze. This was our first plug change on the Cayenne and it took less than 60 minutes. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the hardest, I would put this at a 2. The only reason it’s that high, is that it can be a chore to remove the coils, but this only takes patience and a bit of leverage. Here’s a brief tutorial for any of you that might want to do so yourself.

Parts and Tools Needed

- 1 Socket wrench and at least a 9″ extension (we connected up a 3″ and a 6″ to reach the deep plugs)
- 1 5/8″ spark plug socket (make sure it has the little rubber grabber installed)
- 1 Porsche mystery tool found in your Cayenne tool kit
- 1 longish flat head screwdriver or some other implement to remove coils (more on this later)
- 1 Flashlight or shop light (optional)

Parts Required

No two plugs per cylinder here. Just purchase six pre-gapped plugs from your favorite Porsche parts house and you’re good to go. We purchased our set six of genuine Porsche plugs for $72.00 from Suncoast.

The Process for Changing Spark Plugs in your Porsche Cayenne

Depending on your garage, experience, equipment, etc. you may want to amend these instructions slightly to fit your specific needs. Bottom line, it’s a fairly easy project and you simply need to be sure not to damage the plug wire clips as they are a bit fragile. Unfortunately, we learned this the hard way. The good news is a local dealer had a replacement piece in stock and it was only $18 bucks. We’ll give more detail on this at the end of the post.

1. Open the hood.

2. Remove the front plastic engine cowling. This is the small plastic strip that runs horizontally across the motor and encompasses the oil cover cap. It simply un-clips with some light tugs on each side. You’ll need to remove your oil filler cap to get it completely off.

3. Once removed, you can see each of the plugs are placed squarely in the center of the manifold with the plug wire clipped to the top of the coil (remember the coils sit over the spark plugs in this engine design) via a black plastic snap on clip.

4. To remove the plug wire you’ll need the mystery tool we referenced in our tool list above. If for some reason you can’t find yours, you could easily fashion something out of a small piece of thick gauged wire or even a wire hanger (these can come in handy for other uses too).

5. Simply maneuver the tool so it’s under the clip (as in the picture above) and give a slight tug upward. This will disconnect the plug wire cap from the top of the coil and expose the coil. If you find any debris, like the leaf we found, be sure to remove it before taking out the coil and plug. You don’t want leaf litter or any other type of debris falling into the cylinder once that plug is out.

6. Now, remove the coil from the top of the plug. The hardest part about doing this is breaking the suction the coil has on the plug. Twists and turns help as do some good leverage with either your own strength or that of a screwdriver.

7. Once you have the coil out, you’ll need to place it out of the way and remove the spark plug using your ratchet and socket. Remember, you’re going to need that long extension as you get further back along the engine where the plugs are buried a bit deeper. We were going quickly, so we would just lie the coil along the manifold for easy access. If you’re worried about knocking it around, you might want to lay it on your work bench or on a cart. We don’t recommend putting them on the ground as you don’t want to get them dirty and you wouldn’t want to take a misstep and crush one underfoot. While they aren’t terribly expensive, it could still make for a much longer day.

8. Once the plug is removed, clean out around the plug hole to remove any small debris and then simply insert your new spark plug into your socket and screw it back in. Remember not to over-tighten. Now replace the coil (again make sure it is clean of any debris) and push down until it “pops” back on. Re-clip your spark plug wire to the connector and repeat the whole process five more times.

We had one problem

Even though we knew the plug wire clips were fragile, one of ours still broke during the removal process. Fortunately, the clip that attaches from the plug wire to the coil is actually two separate part numbers (see the picture above).

If you look closely at the picture above (click on it for a bigger version), you can see where ours broke if you look just to the left of the VW logo. That’s right, it’s a VW part too. In fact, our local Porsche dealer didn’t have one in stock, but thankfully Gary, the parts guy at Darling VW in Bangor Maine, did! It was a matter of seconds to re-attach it and we were good to go.

One DIY project on the Cayenne done. Next up is how to replace the cabin filter in your Cayenne.

What type of DIY projects have you tackled on your Porsche?

Porsche Spring Start up Steps

Pepper Girl — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 16:16:51 +0000

After what seems like one of the longest, coldest and snowiest winters in just about forever, spring has finally sprung here in the US. For a good number of you that means it’s time to get your Porsche ready to go back on the road. For those unfortunate souls who, for one reason or another, might need to put their Porsche away for a bit, here are our tips on preparing your Porsche for storage.

Now for the rest of you. I know it’s an exciting time and it’s hard not to just open that garage door, whip off the cover, start up your beloved Porsche and hit the road. Trust me, taking a few extra minutes to make some minor checks and adjustments will do both you and your Porsche a world of good. The following steps are done (in some form or another) for both our ’97 993 and our ’73 911 but are good for just about any Porsche. If you have additional steps to add, please comment below and we’ll add them to the list for next year.

Spring Start up Procedures for your Porsche

1. Open the Garage Door: If you haven’t already done so, now would be a good time to open that door. While the chance are slim, you never know what type of vapors might accumulate. Opening the garage door will not only provide fresh air, but also give you some natural light to complete your inspections.

2. Give it a Visual Inspection: Walk around the car in order to eyeball the tires, the lights, the interior, etc. What you’re checking for is to make sure that nothing went flat, no cracks developed in any visible gaskets or lights and to ensure that no unwanted stowaway built nests in your tailpipe, airbox or anywhere else for that matter. Don’t forget to look under your Porsche for any signs of new leaks that may have magically developed over the winter.

3. Check your Hood Latch: In the winter, a number of you may have rigged your hood lock so that it doesn’t/can’t catch in order to close the hood most of the way yet still turn off the engine light. Be sure to make sure you use the release lever on the hood so that when you do close it for real, you don’t bend the locking mechanism. This is a mistake you will only make once and if we can help you avoid it, all the better.

4. Check your Battery: Most likely you have some form of trickle charger connected to your Porsche this winter. Not only do these devices ensure an easier spring start-up, they help to greatly extend the life of your battery. Remove your charger (and don’t forget any lines you may have run under the hood too). If you didn’t use a charger, reconnect your battery (hopefully you have your radio code in a safe place) and ensure it has the proper charge.

5. Tires: I know, you already did a visual inspection on the car. That’s okay, go back over your tires. This time, use a gauge and check the air pressure (I use this Porsche Tire Gauge as it came with my 993, but any accurate gauge will do). If you followed our instructions for storing your Porsche then most likely you over inflated your tires for winter storage. Use this time, while the tires are still cold to get the most accurate readings and adjust the levels accordingly. While making your adjustments be sure to look for any cracks in the sidewall or treads and keep on the lookout for flatspots. Most flatspots can be driven out over time. However, if you find dry-rot or a crack, it’s time to check out Tire Rackand select new tires for your Porsche.

6. Proper Lubrication: Most likely, your Porsche has been sitting for months. This means most, if not all, of the oil has settled and your engines delicate moving parts will have little to no protection coating them. For some, this may be overkill, but if you want, simply remove the DME or fuse that controls the fuel pump. This will allow you to turn the Porsche over a few times in order to bring the oil and fuel pressure up. Once pressure is up, replace the DME or fuse and you’re ready to start it up.

7. Start your Porsche: If you stored your Porsche properly and you followed the instructions above, your Porsche should start right up. Once you have it running be sure to turn on all the lights and blinkers to make sure your electrical system is working properly. Ideally you’ll have someone in the garage with you to check your brake lights. Be sure to pump your brakes a few times just to actuate those calipers/drums and lines in-case they became a little tight during storage.

8. Take it for a Test Drive: Roll your Porsche out of the garage, test the brakes and take it out for a 20 or 30 minute drive around your neighborhood. Be sure to take it slow at first and allow your Porsche to come up to temperature. For air-cooled Porsches you don’t want to let the car idle to bring it up to temperature, you definitely want to drive it. Keep your revs under 4000 RPMs until that oil is nice and warm and be sure to bring a cell-phone with you in the event things don’t turn out as planned.

9. Final Inspection: When you get back to your garage do one final walk around. Check everything again and be sure to get down and check for leaks. While you might not have seen any leaks during your initial inspection, bringing the Porsche to temperature might now show where a gasket cracked or otherwise failed during storage. Check all your fluid levels, dust it off and you should be ready to enjoy your Porsche for another season.

Every year we get numerous request from regional Porsche clubs asking if they can reprint this article. The answer is yes! All we ask in return is a link back to our site from your website and to cite PorschePurist.com as the source.

Lastly, each year our readers help us out by providing their own check list. Does yours differ from ours? Do you have any tips that are model specific? Let us know and we’ll add them to the master list.

10 Easy Steps to Winterize Your Porsche

Pepper Girl — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 22:21:16 +0000

We woke up last week to a blanket of white. We couldn’t believe it, snow! In October even. We weren’t ready, not even close. Fortunately, our Porsche was. In fact, we had just put the 993 into a state of hibernation the day before.

There he is. All tucked away in the corner for a long winter’s nap.

For those of you who live in warmer climates, drive a Cayenne, or put snow tires on and drive your Porsche year-round, regardless of the weather, this post probably isn’t for you (but you may want to check out this one on preparing your Porsche to drive through the winter). For the rest of you, do read on as it’s that time of year again and you may be thinking about winterizing your Porsche.

When we first started PorschePurist we focused only on air-cooled Porsches. Not wanting to discriminate we now include water-pumpers of both the front and rear-engined varieties. As usual, if we missed anything in our list, or your process differs, please let us know and we’ll add it in next year.

Winterizing your Porsche: The Short Form

Below this list you’ll find a detailed explanation of each step along with links to places for purchasing certain supplies.

Set the date.
Wash and clean, inside and out.
Gas it up and include a fuel additive like STA-BIL.
Fill your tires to the maximum pressure allowed by your tire; or, use a set of tire cradles that are shaped to the tire and help to prevent flat spots without the need to over inflate.
For those of you pumping more water than oil through the pipes, be sure the check and top off your anti-freeze.
Disconnect the battery or attach a trickle charger.
Put the car in gear or park and don’t apply the parking brake.
You might consider placing some type of reusable desiccant in the car, like this Peli Desiccant Silica Gel if your garage is not climate controlled. Remember, you will need a number of these as the interior of your Porsche is a large space (we use five of them in the 993). You can easily check them once a month or so and reactivate them per the instructions.
Cover it.
Call your insurance company and let them know the car is off the road. In most cases you can reduce all your coverages to minimum and remove the liability insurance (in some states this can save you as much as $100 per month).
Play racing games, drive simulators and wait for the snow to melt and the salt to get washed away so you can prepare to drive your Porsche again in the Spring.

Preparing your Porsche for Winter Storage

1. Set the date: Living in New England, We’re never sure what the weather is going to be from one minute to the next. As fall gets closer to winter we pay closer and closer attention to the weather. We’re obsessed with keeping our cars clean and rust free (something that’s hard to do with the amount of salt placed on the road during a typical New England winter). So, rather than taking any chances, we watch the weather and make sure to have our cars prepped and ready before the first snow flies.

2. Clean it inside and out: The cleaner the car is when you put it away, the better it will look every time you check in on it. We usually do a complete wash and a put a quick coat of wax on just for that added protection. Don’t forget the wheels. The last thing you want to do is leave brake dust on your rims to sit and eat at the finish for the winter. In fact, if you get the wheels good and clean you might consider putting on some Armor All Wheel Protectant. This stuff works amazing and will make keeping your wheels clean and brake dust free come next driving season.

3. Gas it up: Make sure you have as full a tank as possible. I make it a point to gas up at the station closest to my garage right before I put away my car. With a full tank you help to keep out any unwanted condensation or water build up that can happen when a car sits all winter long.

3a. Use a fuel additive: I like STA-BIL Fuel Stabilizer. Read the directions and use the proper amount for your tank size. The key with any fuel additive is to put it in prior to filling the tank and then to make sure you drive for a few miles to get the additive throughout the entire fuel system.

4. Tire Pressure: There’s not need to put your car on jack-stands (which most wouldn’t recommend anyway). Simply put a good amount of tire pressure in each tire. Make sure you don’t over inflate past the manufacturers recommend capacity, but you should go over the recommend driving pressure. In general, tires can lose 1 psi per month under normal conditions and an addition 1 psi per ever 10 degree (Fahrenheit) drop in temp. As a general rule of thumb, I put 50lbs of pressure in each tire. You have to remember to do this when the tires are cold or you won’t get an accurate reading and you may end up with flat spots. There is nothing worse then taking your Porsche out for the first time in the spring and having damaged tires due to flat spots from storage. Properly inflated tires will avoid this.

Another option to consider is to use some type of tire cradle. Basically, this is a shaped piece of plastic or hard foam that “cradles” your tire and will keep them from developing those dreaded flat spots. One such product to consider are Flatstoppers from Brute Industries. (the makers of RaceRamps.)

5. Check and top off the anti-freeze: With the introduction of the Porsche 996, Porsche gave us the first production, water cooled motor in a 911 (don’t forget about the motors in the 924, 944, 928 and 968 series either). Each new Porsche model since has continued this water pumping tradition. Regardless if your Porsche is stored indoors or out (you never know if your indoor space may loose power) it is a good idea to to check and top off all your fluids, paying special attention to your engine coolant/anti-freeze. Once topped off, be sure to run the car for a few minutes to ensure that fluids are properly circulated throughout the engine block. The last thing you want is to come back in the spring and find your beloved Porsche weeping green tears into a puddle around the tires.

6. Battery Maintenance: Some people like to take the battery out of their cars or at least disconnect them. Not us. We like to use some form of Battery Tender to make sure our battery is always fresh and ready to go. It would be a shame to get a nice Spring day, go to start the car and find you have a dead battery (not to mention, it can get expensive replacing your battery every year).

Let’s face it, the electronics in a modern Porsche tend to eat up a battery pretty easily if the car isn’t used frequently. So, either disconnect it or put on some type of Battery Tender. What you definitely want to avoid is starting your Porsche and letting it “warm-up” or run to charge the battery. This simply allows condensation to develop or collect in your motor (you won’t get it hot enough to burn it off) and can possibly cause long-term damage. Don’t believe us? Look in your manual, you will see this is not recommended. A few additional things to remember if you do decide to disconnect the battery: 1. you will need to have your radio code handy in the spring to get your system functioning again. 2. If your Porsche is equipped with an electronic hood latch, be sure not to close the hood all the way. If you do, you will need to jump the switch through the fuse box which is entirely all to annoying when you simply want to drive your baby again. A simple way to avoid this is to place a small piece of foam padding under the latch preventing it from engaging.

7. No Parking Brake: We always just leave our car(s) in gear or in park and left the parking brake off. Different people say different things about this step, but we’ve always felt, why risk it? Why risk having the parking brake freeze or bind over months of storage. We’ve heard others say that long term use of the brake system can stretch the cable and weaken the system. If you are worried about your Porsche going for a drive without you behind the wheel, a simple and inexpensive wheel chock works very well. If you don’t want to spend the money on something application specific, grab a piece of wood from the pile and snug it under a tire. This will work just as well.

8. Keep it dry: Moisture is your enemy during long term storage. The best way to win over the wet is with the use of simple dessicant packs. Personally, I like these Peli Desiccant Silica Gel Packs because they are inexpensive, self contained and more importantly, reusable. Five or six of these should be sufficient for most Porsche applications (you’ll need more for a Cayenne or Panamera). At the end of the season (if you have a lot of moisture you may want to check more frequently) simply place it in the oven until the color changes back indicating dry and you’re ready for the next season.

9. Cover it: Even if your car is in a nice heated garage, securely tucked away with the key hidden, we’ve always thought it a good idea to keep our cars covered. This way, you don’t have to worry about anyone or anything bumping into or crawling on or over you nice paint. We use a thick, padded, custom fitted cover from California Car Covers. If you do use a cover make sure it covers your exhaust pipes. If you don’t use a cover (or yours doesn’t cover the pipes), you might want to think of covering your pipes with something (those big 16 oz keg cups work great. simply insert them into your pipe bottom first). The idea behind this is to keep out any rodents that might want to try and build a nest for the winter. You laugh, but we’ve seen it happen to friends cars and it can be very frustrating and expensive. If you’re looking for a cover and don’t want to spend the money on a custom one, Empire Covers offers the lowest price for car covers of anyone else we’ve seen!

10. Save some money: We know that many of you may not have access to winter storage and as a result, need to rent storage space from a local garage or self-storage area. A great way to help offset the cost of this storage area is to reduce your insurance coverages. Specifically, call your insurance company and let them know you’re taking the car off the road for the season. They should remove all the liability coverage (as you won’t be driving) and reduce your other coverages to the state required minimums. Depending on where you live and the type of coverage you have on your Porsche this could save you anywhere from $50 to $500 a year in insurance costs.

That’s it, you’re Porsche is now ready for a rest and you can begin planning your drives for next spring. Remember, your Porsche will get lonely so be sure to visit often. One of the main reasons we purchased our Porsches was the look of the 911. It’s a work of art that gives us enjoyment every time we see them. So, when we don’t get to drive over the winter, we sneak a peek into the garage at least once a week, just to check in.

Is there anything we missed? Do you have other steps in your winterization process that other readers may benefit from? If so, let us all know by commenting below.

What’s the True Price of Deferring Service on Your Porsche?

Pepper Girl — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 02:29:07 +0000

Despite some opinions to the contrary, not all Porsche owners are wealthy. In fact, a lot of us are far from it.

However, wealthy or not, we still need to service our Porsches on a routine basis and also deal with the occasional major service that might pop up. One way to minimize your maintenance costs is to be sure that you NEVER “defer” any normal or routine services. While performing routine maintenance on your beloved Porsche might seem like “no brainer”, you would be amazed at the number of emails we receive asking if its truly necessary to service a Porsche as recommended in the owners manual or, can such maintenance be “deferred”.

What’s Deferred Service on a Porsche

Deferred service is a term that arises from an owner’s decision not to perform routine maintenance items (i.e. oil changes, tire rotations, brake bleeds, air filter, etc.) due to the perceived high cost of Porsche repair work, no time to get it done, sheer laziness, apathy, or a combination of all four. Sure, in the short term they might save a few $$$ by holding out on that service, but what’s the long term cost of this type of decision? Unfortunately, as the case below show us, that cost can be quite high.

Buying a Porsche with no Maintenance or Service History

On a recent visit to Porsche of Hilton Head to pick up my new Cayenne we took a walk out back to the service bay to see if there was anything of interest being done. Our eyes were immediately drawn to a speed yellow 996 that had the motor dropped out and in pieces below it.

After talking with the tech for a few minutes we found out that this particular 996 was owned by a long time customer who purchased the Porsche online and without a service history. As the unlucky new owner found out the hard way, this particular 996 was completely neglected when it came to routine services, even things as basic as oil changes. The amount of crud and gunk built up on the motor quickly became more than it could handle resulting in a couple of scorched pistons and a blown motor. Total cost of the repair was close to $18,000 by the time everything was brought back to normal.

Don’t Defer Maintenance

Yes, a $300 oil change is expensive but in most cases you’ll only need to do this once per year. However, as seen above, the cost of “deferring” this simple routine maintenance has the potential to be much, much higher.

While the 996 mentioned above is an extreme example, it doesn’t stand alone. We’ve heard way too many other stories of neglected Porsches being purchased and said purchase quickly coming back to haunt the new owner.

Porsche Pre Purchase Inspection and Buyers Guide

Remember, if you are buying a used Porsche, ask for service records and be sure to have a Pre-Purchase Inspection by a reputable shop. If the current owner doesn’t know the service history of the Porsche you’re thinking of buying (and doesn’t have records to back things up) make sure your PPI includes a “leak-down” test and think about looking into the many different Porsche Buyer’s Guides available for extra information. A little money up-front can save you a fortune in future repairs.

Spring Start up Procedures for a Porsche

993C4S — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 20:44:48 +0000

It’s hard to imagine, but winter has finally come to a close and it’s time for those of us in the colder climates to start thinking about putting our Porsches back on the road. Personally, we’re only about two weeks away from our first drive and it might be sooner if possible.

When we first started this site it was named 993C4S.com after our favorite air-cooled Porsche. As the site has grown and gone through a number of changes, so has the audience. The Spring Start-up procedure listed below, while specific to a 993, can apply to almost all Porsches (outside of a few specific points). What we want to know is what specific start-up procedures do you go through for your particular Porsche? Is there anything specific to a 944 spring start-up? How about a 356 (other than turning the crank) We would like to expand this section to include procedures for each individual model but need your input to do so. We look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Most people are familiar with the process for getting their Porsche ready for winter storage. However, in our excitement we might not remember that there are certain steps, for both safety and mechanical reasons, that we should follow when putting our Porsches back into service after any long-term storage.

Steps for a Safe Porsche Spring Start-up

Do a quick walk around: Visually inspect the car, the tires, the lights, the interior, etc. Make sure nothing went flat, no cracks developed in any visible gaskets or lights and make sure you had no unwanted visitors build a nest in your tailpipe or anywhere else for that matter. Look under the car for any signs of new leaks that may have developed during storage.

Battery: Hopefully you had some sort of Battery Tender” on you car during its storage. Not only will this ensure a smooth spring start-up, it will greatly extend the life of your battery (especially in a 993). Remove your batter tender and test it to make sure it has a full charge.

Tires: Even though you did a quick walk-around, go back over your tires. Check the air-pressure (I use this style Porsche Tire Gauge as it came with my car, but any accurate gauge will do). Chances are you over inflated them for winter storage. Now, while the tires are cold, is the best time to adjust inflation back to proper levels. Look for any cracks in the sidewall or treads. Check for flat spots.

Lubrication: Remember, your Porsche has been sitting for a long time. This means the oil has mostly settled and those delicate moving parts might not have enough protection on them. Prior to starting the car simply remove the DME or fuse that controls the fuel pump, and turn the car over a few times. You want to do this long enough to bring the oil and fuel pressure up. Once the pressure is up, replace the DME or fuse and start the car.

Fire it up: If your Porsche was properly stored for the winter and you follow the steps above, your car should start with no problems. Once running, turn on the lights and blinkers and do another quick check to make sure all the electric systems are running. Hop back out of the car for one-last walk around and make sure you don’t see any new leaks now that the car is running.

Test Drive: Roll your Porsche forward, test the brakes and take it out for a 20 or 30 minute drive around your neighbor hood. Be sure to take it slow at the beginning and let your Porsche come up to full operating temperature. I try not to bring my Porsche over 4000 RPMs until it is at full operating temp. Be sure to take a cell-phone with you in the unlikely event of a problem.

Final Check: Do one final walk around. Check again for any fluid leaks. Check all your fluid levels. If everything is good to go, you’re done. Take the car out and enjoy.

Does your spring start-up procedure differ from mine? Let me know what you do differently or what you would add to the list?

[Image Source: Author, p-car]

Spring Start-up Procedures for Your Porsche

993C4S — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 20:36:38 +0000

Each year, we publish a “Spring Start Up Procedure” for owners preparing to take their Porsche out of winter hibernation. Each year, we add a little something to the list. This year is no different. Personally, we’re only about two weeks away following our own advise and enjoying our first drive. What about you?

For those of you that haven’t been with us since the beginning, this site was originally named 993C4S.com after our favorite air-cooled Porsche. As the site grew it went through a number of changes and our audience has grown along with us. The Porsche Spring Start-up procedure listed below, while specific to a 993, can apply to almost all Porsches (outside of a few specific points). What we want to know from you, is what specific start-up procedures do you go through for your particular Porsche? Is there anything specific to a Porsche 928 spring start-up? How about a 356 (other than turning the crank) We would like to expand this section to include procedures for each individual model but need your input to do so. We look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Steps for a Safe Porsche Spring Start-up

Do a quick walk around: Visually inspect the car, the tires, the lights, the interior, etc. Make sure nothing went flat, no cracks developed in any visible gaskets or lights and make sure you had no unwanted visitors build a nest in your tailpipe or anywhere else for that matter. Look under the car for any signs of new leaks that may have developed during storage.

Battery: Hopefully you had some sort of Battery Tender” on you car during its storage. Not only will this ensure a smooth spring start-up, it will greatly extend the life of your battery (especially in a 993). Remove your batter tender and test it to make sure it has a full charge.

Tires: Even though you did a quick walk-around, go back over your tires. Check the air-pressure (I use this style Porsche Tire Gauge as it came with my car, but any accurate gauge will do). Chances are you over inflated them for winter storage. Now, while the tires are cold, is the best time to adjust inflation back to proper levels. Look for any cracks in the sidewall or treads. Check for flat spots.

Lubrication: Remember, your Porsche has been sitting for a long time. This means the oil has mostly settled and those delicate moving parts might not have enough protection on them. Prior to starting the car simply remove the DME or fuse that controls the fuel pump, and turn the car over a few times. You want to do this long enough to bring the oil and fuel pressure up. Once the pressure is up, replace the DME or fuse and start the car.

Fire it up: If your Porsche was properly stored for the winter and you follow the steps above, your car should start with no problems. Once running, turn on the lights and blinkers and do another quick check to make sure all the electric systems are running. Hop back out of the car for one-last walk around and make sure you don’t see any new leaks now that the car is running.

Test Drive: Roll your Porsche forward, test the brakes and take it out for a 20 or 30 minute drive around your neighbor hood. Be sure to take it slow at the beginning and let your Porsche come up to full operating temperature. I try not to bring my Porsche over 4000 RPMs until it is at full operating temp. Be sure to take a cell-phone with you in the unlikely event of a problem.

Final Check: Do one final walk around. Check again for any fluid leaks. Check all your fluid levels. If everything is good to go, you’re done. Take the car out and enjoy.

Does your spring start-up procedure differ from ours? Let us know what you do differently or what you would add to the list?

[Image Source: Author, p-car]