Soundstream

I am storing an 09 Boxster for winter. It is a CPO car that I purchased in April 2016, and have only put 1,500 miles on it during the summer.

I am storing the vehicle in a heated indoor facility, and was told that I should have the oil changed before putting it away for the winter.

My first question is, given the light usage of the vehicle and the oil only being in there for 6 months, do I need an oil change before storage, or can it wait until I pull it out in the spring?

Secondly, if I do get the oil changed, do I have to get it changed at a Porsche dealership in order to maintain my CPO warranty? Or can an independent mechanic do an oil change (following Porsche specifications)?

it is more convenient for me to just get it done my the independent mechanic who is storing the car, but I don't want to void the CPO warranty for having done so.

Or should I play it super-safe and have it changed by the independent before storage, and then have it re-changed by Porsche in the spring to satisfy the "annual oil change" requirement (and simply not tell them about the pre-winter oil change)?

Any insights would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Ian

LexVan

Change before storage.

You can go to the Indy shop. Save your receipt and log your mileage and date in your book.

DBH

Most will say change oil before storage. However, I never have and never had a problem. To each his own...


Have your guy do the oil/filer change. Just be sure to keep the receipt in case the question ever comes up - chances are, it never will.

8 LEGS

I have never changed the oil before storage either and have not had any issues. However, I do have a light service (inc. oil change) as soon as it comes out of storage in the Spring. Make sure your gas tank is full when you put it away.

Soundstream

Thanks for all the info guys.

I know the indy oil change is fine for the regular Porsche warranty on a new vehicle as Porsche can't force you to use their dealers.

My concern is that the CPO contract (which I was unfortunately never provided) may be treated differently and could be more specific on their requirements.

I could call Porsche NA, but I truly suspect they will just say "take it to the dealer" without actually looking into it.

Phil G.

Just put mine to bed for winter. Did an oil change as the car is almost a year old. Waxed and detailed the car thoroughly, put the battery on a CTEK MUS 4.3 charger (all is now well - charging directly using the pigtails on the battery, covered the car with California Car Cover (Softweave -no lint on the convertible top), and put mothballs all around the perimeter of the car to keep the mice away. My garage is not heated, but it rarely gets below 40-45 degrees, even on coldest days. Only problem is the garage smells like my grandmother's closets! All should be well in the Spring.

Archimedes

The reason you change the oil before you store is so you don't forget in the Spring. If you trust yourself, there is no need whatsoever to do an oil change after only 1500 miles.

Phil G.

It's my understanding that oil should be changed annually, and brake fluid flushed every 2 years, regardless of mileage. Agree?

DBH

Yup. That's the party line.

Archimedes

That's debatable, but even if you buy that, it still has no bearing on whether you put new oil in before storing or after. If he has 1500 miles on that oil, there is absolutely zero reason to change it before storage, other than to just get it done so he doesn't forget in the spring. I might stabilize the fuel, but I wouldn't touch the oil necessarily.

RickBetterley

My rule is to change the oil at the end of the season to get the acids out. But 1500 miles probably didn't generate much acid.
If you are going to change it in the spring anyway, do it before storage season.

jwalz1

I just bought a CPO car as well and they went over the contract with me in detail but I can't say I am 100% sure on this.


You have to keep to the Porsche service schedule at an authorized dealer or you void the warranty. I do not think this prevents you from getting an oil change at a third party dealer if you do it twice, but an annual one at the dealer is required and generally I think is a little under $200.


If when you bought the car, it had been serviced by the dealer this year then you could have the third party do one for winter storage, and then have a dealer do one before next years storage to meet the 2017 annual service requirement (if your CPO goes through 2017).


For what it is worth, I believe the reason that people recommend fresh oil before storage is that some bit of acidity from combustion builds up in the oil during its useful life and you don't want oil with a high acidity to sit in your car for months. However if you only did 1500 miles I am not sure I would be that concerned. Think about it this way, if you drove the car year round and (I forget the interval) but you went up to 10,000 mile intervals (I am using my bimmer's interval) you would have the car experience far more acidity over that same time period by driving the car than you would with it sitting with barely used oil.


I owned a Honda s2000 for about the last 15 years and would put 2-3000 miles per year on the car. I started with changing it a couple times a year and then went to once. I think it would get changed mid-summer (yes that makes no sense) and so it would sit every winter with maybe 1500 miles of use on the oil for 5 months. Never had a single issue with a gasket, seal or anything else. Even supercharged it which tended to push oil temps a bit higher than normal. No leaks in year fifteen even though seals and gaskets had plenty of opportunity to dry out or break down from acidity.


Put as much care as you wish, but oil with pretty low miles on it is not that big of a deal in my opinion. The Porsches are engineered at least to the same standard the Honda was. My dealer highly recommended the Porsche cigarette lighter trickle charger which I found on Amazon for $150. I think I have 3 copies of my contract. The dealer gave me one, then mailed me another, then Porsche sent me a welcome pack with a pen, a little Porsche coffee table book and another copy of the warranty. I am sure if you asked the dealer they can PDF one and send it to you.