Someone posted a long time ago that it was bad idea to have the wheels in the air during winter storage because the shock absorber's shaft/piston can rust when it's extended and then later tear the seals when its compressed again. True??

 

Great tips. Concerning mice I believe I have found the best solution and in the past two weeks I have caught seven. Last winter I must have caught two dozen.

The problem with traps is you must continually check them or once they've tripped they are useless whether they caught a critter or not. I did not invent this, I've seen it called a bucket mouse trap and you can search online for more ideas and variations. The supplies are probably around your house: a bucket, stiff wire, wooden dowel, or coat hanger, and a water bottle or can etc. You can get pretty creative with what you have.

The below photos will illustrate better than words how to make it but the key is for the bottle to spin freely on the wire. Place some kind of ramp for mice to climb up to the opening and once they step onto the bottle it spins and they fall into the bucket. It's up to you if you want to try to relocate them but they won't survive the night in the winter anyway so partially fill the bucket with water and antifreeze. I coated the center of the bottle with peanut butter and did not have to re-bait all winter.

I grab them by the tail with needlenose pliers for disposal but if you don't check up for a week or so they will sink to the bottom but not stink in my experience.

Now I just have to figure out how to keep spiders out.

 

That is part of my reasoning for leaving it on the ground. However, if you stop and think about it, the lower portion of the shock piston shaft is always exposed. If the upper part is susceptible to rusting, wouldn't the lower part be too?

And while my general practice is to leave the car on the ground, I also use winter storage for my bigger projects. Both the 928 & 944 have spent extended periods of time up on stands (liftbars for the 928) while stuff was being done.
With no apparent ill effects.

 

Thanks - same for me; winter is when I knock out the bigger projects. I sprouted a red leak at 3rd Coast so I'm sure I'll be futzing around with that for a while this winter.

 

One rodent control method I used back in the day was to make a big shaker of Cayenne Pepper and shake it on the ground for 3 feet around the car after I parked it. Rodents get it on their feet and since they groom themselves so often they would go absolutely s*itballs crazy. Never had a rodent problem in a car with the Cayenne forcefield...

 

Finally have the fluids changed and batteries disconnected.

Now the detail work can commence, terminal vacuum, upholstery/carpet cleaning and leather/vinyl/rubber feeding, clay the paint and **** polish ...

Also getting some styrofoam to put under a few of their tires to see how that works! Thanks for all the feedback!

 

 

Why not just drive the car (like they do in Germany) when the roads are dry? It would avoid the flat spotting problem, keep the fluids and seals friendly, and give you the continued pleasure of driving your 928 thus avoiding withdrawal....
Not trying to be funny, but they do have heaters (and damn good ones) for a reason.

 

Salt. Even when they are dry, there's a lot of salt residue on the road.

I've taken the bottom of mine apart a few times.
No corrosion.

Come spring, I wait until there have been a couple good rains to wash the roads clean before I take it out.

I'd like to keep it that way.

 

Owned my car 28 years now, and always used to run the car up to temp each downtime every year, run air-con and all electrics etc, etc..,no problems, six years ago I read on here not to start the car for the duration, so tried that !. The next spring my car developed problems with the K-Jetronic injection system and Air-con, cost £600 to fix.!. not to mention electrical gremlins (although none that were not fixable,) When I mentioned this to the garage that did the work, they said K jet systems do not like to stand unused for long periods of time. (In my case 5 months !)
Since then I reverted back to my old regime of starting the car every three weeks, during downtime, making sure any exhaust condensation has stopped before switching off and the exhaust is hot
I use 2inch thick Styrofoam pads under the tyres and it works well, when they get too flat I just get some more.
Also engine oil and filter, and new coolant, a dash of Sta-bil
Also the car sits in a dehumidified, heated and carpeted garage. We don't get problem's with "Critters" least I don't, fingers crossed 1
Maybe this is wrong in the eyes of many, but it works for my car, and basically Iv'e proved it.

Ken
80 928 S
5 Speed
UK

 

You are quite correct about the 928's heaters being great!

Unfortunately where I live, the roads get covered in a thick coating of salt, sand/pebbles and other corrosive paint eating substances that melt ice and snow. We get over 200 inches of snow per winter. This is why I have the 2006 Cayenne, it is the "Winter Beast" with locking differentials and Hakkapeliitta R3 snow tires on it! If you have not tried Hakka's for a winter tire, you are missing a whole dimension of car control on icy or deep snow roads. They make Blizzak's tremble and weep in their presence!

While I do have a heated wash bay that I use often in winter, subjecting a 928 to the road rash of our winters is simply not going to happen. The best I could do is pull them out into the parking lot on a nice day, warm them up thoroughly and drive about 100 yards on salt free pavement.

But then again, on nice day's, I want to be out skiing!

As with all things we can not play with for a time... Absence makes the heart grow fonder...

 

 

Huh. It’s possible to just store a car for the winter? Cover it up and forget about it? I thought the idea was to take it apart and fix a bunch of stuff.

 

Yes, conditions vary, so "don't drive in winter" is too simple a rule.

Our state roads are treated with generous amounts of salt and nothing else. There may be a few times during the winter when the salt has been washed away by rain, and we have a clean and dry surface. County and town roads are treated mostly with sand with a little added salt. Until they sweep the roads in the spring, they will be sandy, at best. Much of the time the surface is a mixture of compacted snow and sand. That's how all roads were when I was a kid - perfectly fine until the spring thaw led to slushy, discontinuous ruts. I have mixed feelings about all the salt they now use.

As winter progresses, frost heaves develop on these roads. My 928's ride height is way too low for them - raising it is on my winter to do list.

As much as I'd like to keep a car exercised, it's no fun driving a sports car around here in the winter. Not worth the expense of winter tires, or the penalty of using all-season tires year 'round. Better I work on it so I won't have to (?) during the driving season.

That's my particular situation. It would be different if I lived further south.

 

I forgot about that part. My wife actually alters her drive to work since one set of railroad tracks is so bad during the winter her VW is at risk going over them.