For those of you who drive your 944 Turbo only seasonally, what is your storage recipe?
- heated space?
- treat the gas or put in special gas? Full or not full?
- cover or bubble?
- anything to keep varmints out?
Storing your 944 Turbo
Attached Garage
Heated Garage
Dump fuel right from tank
Wheel dollies but buying car lift in November
No cover as nothing can touch it when placed strategically
As for varmint I own two customized Jack Russel Terriers ….see photo of Stewie’s large Titanium grill
Heated Garage
Dump fuel right from tank
Wheel dollies but buying car lift in November
No cover as nothing can touch it when placed strategically
As for varmint I own two customized Jack Russel Terriers ….see photo of Stewie’s large Titanium grill
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dr bob
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Not a 944, but most of the badging is somewhat similar...
Climate-stable garage, focused on keeping the temp above the dew point for the most part. Since it's also the workbay on the other end, it's easy enough to just set the garage furnace at about 55º and never worry about condensation.
Varmints are the death of too many stored cars. There are ultrasonic repellors that have a lot of fans. Place a few around and under the car if you store it on the ground/floor. My wife as dead-sure that those things will cause the cats to develop early-onset dementia, so I don't get to use them. I used moth-balls placed strategically around entry points and the engine bay for several years here, but that same mrs dr bob decided the the fragrance just wasn't special enough. I decided that I'd just place the car on tall stands, up higher than the average garage mouse is willing to jump, and put a few bucket traps around it to offer a tastier but more fatal alternative.
The fuel tank stays full during storage, with fuel treated with stabilizer and a couple cans of Berrymans B12 added before the car is full oil serviced and stored. The treated fuel needs to be circulated through the system, and the level needs to stay up high so there's no chance for corrosion or varnishing of the sender or other inside-the-tank bits. Given the option, I'd work out a way to run the fuel pump for a minute or two to keep fresh treated fuel circulating and everything inside wet with that stuff.
My car gets cleaned regularly, and lives under a cover in the garage all the time between drives. Including winter storage periods.
As mentioned, fresh oil goes in just before the cars is stored, so there are no issues with moisture and acid build-up from combustion byproducts in older oil. Might be overkill, but it's simple and easy. The car sees only a few thousand miles of annual use at most these days, so it's an easy thing to just plan the annual services before it goes over there for hibernation.
Battery is disconnected from the car but connected to a 'smart' maintainer whenever it's not being driven. I -might- decide to replace the eleven-year-old battery this spring, just because it seems like it's a little long in the tooth. Reality is that it starts and runs the car just fine. It gets tested for specific-gravity in the fluid every year, so I'll know when it starts to go downhill long before any no-cranks or alternator and voltage issues develop. There's a whole annual electrical maintenance list that starts with the battery stuff and includes cleaning grounds and the like.
Lots of folks have their own magic storage recipe that seems to work for them. Mine may not be the best for everyone, but it's worked for me for several decades now.
HTH!
Climate-stable garage, focused on keeping the temp above the dew point for the most part. Since it's also the workbay on the other end, it's easy enough to just set the garage furnace at about 55º and never worry about condensation.
Varmints are the death of too many stored cars. There are ultrasonic repellors that have a lot of fans. Place a few around and under the car if you store it on the ground/floor. My wife as dead-sure that those things will cause the cats to develop early-onset dementia, so I don't get to use them. I used moth-balls placed strategically around entry points and the engine bay for several years here, but that same mrs dr bob decided the the fragrance just wasn't special enough. I decided that I'd just place the car on tall stands, up higher than the average garage mouse is willing to jump, and put a few bucket traps around it to offer a tastier but more fatal alternative.
The fuel tank stays full during storage, with fuel treated with stabilizer and a couple cans of Berrymans B12 added before the car is full oil serviced and stored. The treated fuel needs to be circulated through the system, and the level needs to stay up high so there's no chance for corrosion or varnishing of the sender or other inside-the-tank bits. Given the option, I'd work out a way to run the fuel pump for a minute or two to keep fresh treated fuel circulating and everything inside wet with that stuff.
My car gets cleaned regularly, and lives under a cover in the garage all the time between drives. Including winter storage periods.
As mentioned, fresh oil goes in just before the cars is stored, so there are no issues with moisture and acid build-up from combustion byproducts in older oil. Might be overkill, but it's simple and easy. The car sees only a few thousand miles of annual use at most these days, so it's an easy thing to just plan the annual services before it goes over there for hibernation.
Battery is disconnected from the car but connected to a 'smart' maintainer whenever it's not being driven. I -might- decide to replace the eleven-year-old battery this spring, just because it seems like it's a little long in the tooth. Reality is that it starts and runs the car just fine. It gets tested for specific-gravity in the fluid every year, so I'll know when it starts to go downhill long before any no-cranks or alternator and voltage issues develop. There's a whole annual electrical maintenance list that starts with the battery stuff and includes cleaning grounds and the like.
Lots of folks have their own magic storage recipe that seems to work for them. Mine may not be the best for everyone, but it's worked for me for several decades now.
HTH!
dr bob
1989 928 S4, black with cashmere/black inside
SoCal 928 Group Cofounder
928 Owner's Club Charter Member
Former Ex Bend Yacht Club Commodore Emeritus
Free Advice and Commentary. Use At Your Own Risk!
1989 928 S4, black with cashmere/black inside
SoCal 928 Group Cofounder
928 Owner's Club Charter Member
Former Ex Bend Yacht Club Commodore Emeritus
Free Advice and Commentary. Use At Your Own Risk!
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danmartinic
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I don't store my car, but I often go away for months at a time and I used to put it up on jack stands until I was told it's not good to leave the suspension with tires on unpressed like that.
On my last 3 month trip, I did what my buddy always does with his: parked with tires inflated to max psi as printed on tire itself. I returned, deflated them back to regular and did not notice anything different from before I left.
Much easier!
On my last 3 month trip, I did what my buddy always does with his: parked with tires inflated to max psi as printed on tire itself. I returned, deflated them back to regular and did not notice anything different from before I left.
Much easier!
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Tom
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I got a set of these. They work (it seems) but hard to justify the price for what they are. Even in the dead of winter, I'd be more inclined to move the car in the garage a little every few weeks -- you wouldn't need to move more than half a foot to avoid flat-spotting....
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Darwin
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You guys do way more than I do. I used to routinely have 6+ month long deployments to questionable locations and I never did anything...call me a heathen (I probably deserve it) but I always came back to a car that felt normal without doing anything. Nice to learn some techniques for the next "vacation"!
1984 VW Rabbit Pick-up - Not stock
1988 944 Turbo S - Really not stock (Chris White special)
2012 VW Tiguan - Kinda stock
2013 Cayenne Base - 6 Speed! Tastefully modified, mostly stock
1988 944 Turbo S - Really not stock (Chris White special)
2012 VW Tiguan - Kinda stock
2013 Cayenne Base - 6 Speed! Tastefully modified, mostly stock
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dr bob
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Late back to the discussion...
I store the car on tall stands, wheels/suspension dangling. I appreciate the concern for not exposing the shock rods and a risk for corrosion and seal damage. I'm not concerned really. If you have that concern, spray the exposed shock rods with silicone. For longer-term (years...) storage in a humid climate, there's a really stinky marine preservative spray that has more cling and body to it. It comes in convenient spray cans as "sea-doo lube" last time I bought some. I've tried the high tire pressure method at our previous home, but that tended to be for much shorter periods (project months). We also had families of hawks living in palm trees to manage the vermin population.
The "tall stands" get the car up higher than mice are generally willing to jump. It's a bit of a process getting it up high while close to a wall, but somehow I manage it each autumn. Only one bay of my garage has a high enough ceiling for a storage lift, and that bay also garages snow equipment and another car (Honda Pilot) that wouldn't fit under the 928 on a lift anyway. I converted the "third bay" when we bought the house, from a lawn-mower and maybe golf-cart garage into a workshop with plenty of room for a car plus all the workshop stuff, and an adjacent work-from-home office.
A neighbor has a Benz that she flat-stores for the winter. I replaced leaking fuel pumps in it a few years ago, and left it outside their garage for a few days waiting for parts. After fitting the new pumps and when starting the car, a fleet of mice came fire-drill style out of the wheel well in front. It was spring, only a few days, yet the fuel-stinky car was an attractive nuisance for the fleet of munchers. No apparent damage.
The garage is climate-controlled (60-75ºF depends on season), so no need for winter washer fluid while stored. I leave distilled water in there, so no issues with calcium buildup in nozzles or on hood paint and windscreen if I actually have to use them. The 928 has a second "intensive washer" tank that also has distilled water in it; originally meant for clearing commercial car wash spray treatments from the glass. It's, um, unlikely that it will ever go through a commercial car wash.
I store the car on tall stands, wheels/suspension dangling. I appreciate the concern for not exposing the shock rods and a risk for corrosion and seal damage. I'm not concerned really. If you have that concern, spray the exposed shock rods with silicone. For longer-term (years...) storage in a humid climate, there's a really stinky marine preservative spray that has more cling and body to it. It comes in convenient spray cans as "sea-doo lube" last time I bought some. I've tried the high tire pressure method at our previous home, but that tended to be for much shorter periods (project months). We also had families of hawks living in palm trees to manage the vermin population.
The "tall stands" get the car up higher than mice are generally willing to jump. It's a bit of a process getting it up high while close to a wall, but somehow I manage it each autumn. Only one bay of my garage has a high enough ceiling for a storage lift, and that bay also garages snow equipment and another car (Honda Pilot) that wouldn't fit under the 928 on a lift anyway. I converted the "third bay" when we bought the house, from a lawn-mower and maybe golf-cart garage into a workshop with plenty of room for a car plus all the workshop stuff, and an adjacent work-from-home office.
A neighbor has a Benz that she flat-stores for the winter. I replaced leaking fuel pumps in it a few years ago, and left it outside their garage for a few days waiting for parts. After fitting the new pumps and when starting the car, a fleet of mice came fire-drill style out of the wheel well in front. It was spring, only a few days, yet the fuel-stinky car was an attractive nuisance for the fleet of munchers. No apparent damage.
The garage is climate-controlled (60-75ºF depends on season), so no need for winter washer fluid while stored. I leave distilled water in there, so no issues with calcium buildup in nozzles or on hood paint and windscreen if I actually have to use them. The 928 has a second "intensive washer" tank that also has distilled water in it; originally meant for clearing commercial car wash spray treatments from the glass. It's, um, unlikely that it will ever go through a commercial car wash.
dr bob
1989 928 S4, black with cashmere/black inside
SoCal 928 Group Cofounder
928 Owner's Club Charter Member
Former Ex Bend Yacht Club Commodore Emeritus
Free Advice and Commentary. Use At Your Own Risk!
1989 928 S4, black with cashmere/black inside
SoCal 928 Group Cofounder
928 Owner's Club Charter Member
Former Ex Bend Yacht Club Commodore Emeritus
Free Advice and Commentary. Use At Your Own Risk!
I store mine in the house garage over the winter with a full tank of gas, fuel stabilizer, extra air in the tires -- approximately 45 psi, CTEK battery charger, and the sunroof slightly open. Bonus if I have time to wash and wax too, then I will put the cover on it. I typically change the oil in the spring after storage, it doesn't seem to make it onto my project list during the holidays.