Radioactive991

Hello Everyone!
I am a 24 year old pilot and car enthusiast like yourselves, born and raised in San Diego, CA. I have been going to school in North Dakota, where this past winter it got as cold as -65 degrees Fahrenheit. I am in San Diego now but am about to go back to school in North Dakota and I really want to bring my car, I have some questions for anyone who has owned a car in extreme temperatures like these.

I own a 2013 911 Carrera S (manual transmission) sitting on black HRE Wheels with Pilot Sport 4S tires (love these tires but will definitely get snow tires before it starts snowing, open to suggestions). I absolutely love this car and would really love to bring it to school with me. This past year I brought my 2013 BMW X5 Diesel and still own that aswell but am considering selling it and bringing the 911 instead. The BMW X5 was great in the snow but the diesel gelled up pretty fast past -30 degrees making the car unusable for weeks with these sustained temperatures (even with built in heated block and fuel pump).

My 911 has 60k miles on it and has never had any issues whatsoever, I will of course be getting a full service done here in CA before bringing it to North Dakota. Especially because they had a hard time even finding an oil filter for my 2013 BMW X5, they just don't see European cars over there much at all.

I am curious if anyone can help me with real world knowledge or any knowledge on how to care for my 911 in these extremes and if the car can even handle this stress??
Can anyone help me?
Cant seem to find any guides for these temps, thanks

LexVan

Well, run Mobil 0W40 for sure.

Can you plug in a battery maintainer? That's all you'll need.

Can you ever get the car up to full op temp? That will help a lot, too. Plan on an early oil change after winter (fuel dilution and moisture build-up).

Run good fuel, keep the tank full.

Buy a new battery before you depart.

Have a service like AAA or a rider on your insurance for Roadside Assistance.

Always have a good charge on your cell phone.

LexVan

I'm sure you already have a safety bag in the car; flares, candle, matches, protein bars, blanket, shovel. Stuff like that.

Radioactive991

I would think I can plug it into a battery maintainer, if not, Im really not worried about the cost of buying a new battery. Whatever I need to do to protect the car, I will do. I was thinking of getting a full Clear Bra wrap as soon as possible and maybe an undercarriage coating? Anyone know how I would go about fighting off the elements under my car (beyond getting car wash/undercarriage wash atleast twice a week)?

Yeah the car will always be warmed up for a long time before moving it anywhere, if im in a rush, I will just uber or take the bus. Not worth hurting this car, its my baby.

In regards to oil changes, I was thinking of getting them more often than that, maybe once a month? 4-5 months of winter, so 4 times? Cheap peace of mind

I have AAA but no idea where I would service a 911 in North Dakota haha

Yeah Cellphone is an always must. We are required by the school to always carry snow-boots, blankets, flares, food, gloves, jacket, and a razor blade in case of getting stranded in an airplane crash or in a car. -65F is no joke

LexVan

Get a new battery before you go to school. You can put in yourself. About $220. There is a great thread here. Let me know if you want the link.

Clear bra sounds wise. Get a good installer.

Don't start the car, and let it idle. Start it, and go, after the car comes off high idle. About 90 seconds. Short shift. Keep RPMs below 4K untill oil is at 180. It may never hit 180.

Coating underneath? I'd say "no".

You DON'T need to change the oil every month. Fresh oil for winter. Change again in March/April.

Radioactive991

I will change the battery, any brand you recommend for cold temps?

Ok dont let it head up past the high idle? Wont be really hard on the engine in these temps?

Radioactive991

Should I upgrade the fuel lines or anything to withstand -65F so they don't freeze and crack?

I need to do everything I can here in San Diego before there's no where to do this stuff in North Dakota. I couldn't find a garage to change the X5 oil myself and couldn't do it outside

Norsk

You might want to touch base with the Porsche dealer in Fargo to see if they have any suggestions.
Perhaps change your coolant and make sure the ratio is good to -65.
I have had good luck with Blizzak, Nokian, and Alpin Pilot snow tires. Real issue is more ground clearance than traction.
Will you be able to park indoors overnight? Or outside? In addition to the battery maintainer you may want to investigate a battery warmer. ( They make an electric “blanket” that goes around the battery or a heated plate that sits under the battery that you should be able to fit in the 911.)
Hit your door and frunk gaskets with spray silicone before winter so they don’t freeze shut after a wash.
Buy some lock deicer for the emergency key lock, just in case.
Keep a jump pack charged and inside the cabin.
Carry a shovel or entrenching tool.
Jaegermeister for extreme unction.

ClassJ

Four full blown snow tires, winter mats, the right engine oil, is a start.

As far as the cold, more engine wear will occur on cold start. Whether a 9a1 engine will wear more than any other in extreme cold I don’t know. I know my 981 Cayman was more grumpy on a very cold start than say a BMW but still fine. An engine heater if even an option on these cars would help.

As as far as everything else, it all depends on your personal tolerance for driving a sports car in the snow. It’s really no different than any other car. Just smaller and lower. I did it with a low mustang GT for many years.

Personally, I bought and X3 M40i to take the winter abuse. I got tired of having to snow blow my driveway completely to move around a car in the winter that had no ground clearance. Getting around town and through parking lots with reduced ground clearance was always a stressful event in snow. Salt trucks driving by pelting the car, driving in a smallish cabin with snow boots and a winter coat, constant salt on wheels, aluminum parts, trim, snow plows digging up stones that get thrown into paint and windshields, tire to wheel well reduced clearance causing ice to hit body, snow scraper and brush swirls......it stopped being fun for me and many times I just wanted a “normal” car to drive that day.

I also drove my Cayman in the winter occasionally.m with a Porsche winter wheel package. The dealer thought I was crazy.

The interesting thing about a rear or mid engine car in the winter is that the front of the car (hood, cowl) does not get engine heat in the normal way so ice buildup is very hard to get rid of. The front by the radiator will melt, but the hood, fenders, wipers, etc stays a block of ice. On a mid engined car, almost nothing melts front or back.

So can it be done? Yes. I have done it. I washed my cars often in the winter, never parked them outside after a car wash without a good drying, and detailed them twice a year with a complete undercarriage wash each spring when the summer tires went back on.

Porsche cold weather tests these cars. Does it make sense to do it? That is up to you. A cheap all wheel drive truck to beat on when there is snow on the ground plus the Porsche with winter tires for just normal cold days might be the answer.

OliverK68

Magnetic block heater.

smbryan

Have a set of 991 wheels with Michelin Alpins on them if you want some snow wheels/tires

Norsk

Not to disagree with Lex, but if it is bitter cold, say -30, you have to let the car warm enough for the defroster to function properly or as soon as you get in the car frost will begin to form on the inside of the glass and you will just end up waiting for it to warm anyway. So, warm up 5-10 minutes; yes this causes moisture in the crankcase but a highway run once a week should negate. YMMV

AdamSanta85

I would just buy a beater 4WD whatever with good heat and leave the 911 at home. 4Runner or whatever. -65 is crazy.

phefner

Lex should be followed, and I'll just add when I swap from snows to summer, I do a break flush too. I did a wrap and CQuartz Pro. Shines right up after each wash. Find an indoor place to do some weekly to twice monthly washes.

Hated having a 2nd car/truck. Just a waste of maintenance, insurance, etc...

Heaters in the 911 are great. Drove during our polar vortex in Chicago and the car got to temps. Your just going to have to limit short trips, plan ahead some, and when necessary take an additional 20 minutes to get and keep at temp for a bit. I mean really, is that such a bad thing to get a little drive in. So much so that you need to dump hard earned dollars into some 2nd/3rd p.o.s.

There is a cold weather thread in here somewhere. Follow up with us when you can this coming winter. In the mean time, here is a shot I took during one of the snows we had. Its a blast leaving EVERYTHING behind. These are beasts in the snow:

koala

It will be absolutely fine. I used to winter-drive sports cars in Calgary & Edmonton. Lots of folks up here running supercars in the winter. AWD Lambo's are fairly common to spot during a Calgary winter.