winter storage - tires

I park my car in the winter. I wondered what the rule was for tires. I am planning to inflate the tires to the max pressure indicated on the side wall, and park the car with the tires on plywood (I've heard the concrete floor is hard on them). I live North of Toronto, so the temp in my garage during January or February, can easily be below freezing. My question is, would I be better off to leave the tire pressures normal, and jack the car and leave it all winter on jack stands? Thanks. Jason

I would not jack it......rather than plywood though, stop by your local carpet store and buy 15-20 of his old carpet sample squares (18X18 or whatever, at a buck or 2 each)......drive the car up on 3 or so under each tire........don't forget to fill your tank, top your battery, plug in your tender. .......or buy a set of winter shoes and keep driving

Jason - I live in the northeast and what I do when I put my car away for the winter is 1) inflate the tire +10 over what you would normally do 2) Roll the car up onto carpet remnants (I go 3 thick) If your garage gets wet from other cars/snow (and you don't want the carpets to get wet) - you can use rubber car mats under the carpet remnants. Just get cheap generic ones, you just need a lip on the edge of them so that the water doesn't roll onto the carpet. The carpet helps keep the tires from getting flat spots and keeps the tires directly away from the cold concrete. Hope this helps....

For the past 5 winters I parked my Boxster with the tires at about 7 to 10 PSI over spec on concrete garage floor (with full tank, fuel stabilizer, battery maintainer, etc.). The first two winters I had Pirellis and they took at least 20-30 miles of driving in the spring to smooth out the flatspots. The last 3 years I had Bridgestone S02A's and they smoothed out in the spring in only about 5-10 miles. One year I pushed the car a a few inches forward and backward every few weeks so it sat in a few different spots on the tires. It didn't seem to make any difference. I plan to do the same with the C4S this year. My only question about parking on carpet squares, does that potentially hold any dampness against the tires and wouldn't that be bad? I don't know.

manual says inflate to 58 psi and do not jack the car up. fill up gas and change engine oil. make sure the garage is clean and mouse free (not a joke)

Thanks, guys. I know to do the oil change, and to fill it with gas and stabilizer. I never thought of carpet squares... I'll consider that. I'm pretty sure I'm mouse free, and the garage is indeed clean. What do you guys do with your battery? Trickle charging it all winter seems excessive... I assume a "maintainer" is something of a monitor that charges when need be, and does nothing unless required?

How about these to prevent flat spotting? Tire cradle

$344 plus shipping?!?! That's offensive. I'll stick with carpet. To the OP, buy the small Battery Tender (the JR., I believe it's called), top off the tank and change the oil (like the others said). Put some plywood followed by carpet squares under the tires and a cover over the car and you'll be good to go. Couldn't hurt to fire it up once or twice a month either.

I'm totally convinced that the Porsche Battery Maintainer is the way to go. I used it on my Boxster for 5 winters and when I traded the car, the original 5-year old battery was still working like new. I just plugged it into the lighter socket at the beginning of winter, and unplugged it in the spring. I bought mine from Suncoast... http://e-partssales.com/Merchant2/me...Code=POTE996CC But it is a standard Porsche part that should be available at any dealer.

When I used to winterize my boat, I'd get a can of "fogging spray" from the boat dealers - basically light oil with an atomiser on the can. The idea was to run the engine, and spray the fogging spray into the intake until the engine stalled. This left a very fine coating of oil over all the cylinders, exposed valve stems, guides etc.... Starting it up the first time for the next boating season took a little longer, and resulted in a small cloud of smoke as the oil burnt off, but it prevented any possibility of rust in the cylinder top end, or so the boat dealer insisted. One other thing - if it gets seriously cold in your garage, you might want to make absolutely certain that your antifreeze mix is up to scratch. You do NOT want the water to freeze. Again, I used to go to great lengths to make sure all the water was out of the block in my boat (it was lake water, and antifreeze wasn't an option. I'm not sure how relevant this is to your Boxer engine, but I'm sure someone will comment. I bought my 911 to drive - if it got really cold then studded tires would be my solution.

I use Tire Cradles for 5 years now. No flat spots at all. http://www.tirecradle.com/ Well worth the money. They will last forever.

If your car is going to be in your home garage, why wouldn't you simply start the car every three weeks on a nice day and back it out onto the driveway. Starting your car regularly and completely warming it up is better than any method of storage except a climate controlled garage and all the prep associated with storage.If you move your car once every 4 weeks, there is no need to do anything to your tires.

Totally agree with 1999. That is the way to do it. Mark (MarkinMD), I am not sure why you feel the need to store your car in Fred, MD.? I grew up out outside the beltway and there was NEVER a need to store a car over the winter.

To 1999Porsche911 I once backed my Corvette out in the middle of winter and on flat level drive that was plowed almost could not get it back in. The Porsche would do better I think but unless you drive it and fully warm it up you are going to do more harm than good. Once it snows here in Minnesota the roads are always a mess and full of salt residue. Driving it then parking it would mean the salt would still be on the body and under carriage doing bad stuff especially in a warm attached garage.

So, are you telling me that your driveway is NEVER clear in the winter months and has salt all over it. Just back it up to move the tires and let it idle for 30 minutes, run the air conditioning, clutch and brakes, then put it back where it was. It doesn't get dirty or wet, the tranny fluid becomne nice and warm, the oil reaches full operating temperature, seals become nice and coated, moisture is removed from the exhaust and other engine componants, etc, etc. What's not to like about doing this? Even just moving it back a little in the garage and ruunning it is fine.

I have been storing my P-car for two years now. Only inflate the tires 10psi more, panty hoses over exhaust pipes, battery tender and 1/2 tank of gas.

Dell, I just can't bring myself to drive a P-car on salted roads. I live on a hill and our street gets salted even if we only get a dusting of snow. So I parked the Boxster every winter, usually just for the 2-3 months that they salt the roads. I will probably do the same with the C4S, too. If the weather is more moderate, I might drive it during the winter. I just ordered a boar's hair brush with a pole so I can wash it without getting my hands wet, just in case the weather cooperates this winter!