[OC718]

I know it's the middle of August, put this coming winter will be the first time I store my 718 Boxster for the Winter. My garage is heated 55 Degrees (F), but would like to hear if you recommend:
- a car cover,
- Battery charger,
- Mats (not sure if that is the correct term) for tires
- Stabil for fuel

And if yes to any above which of each would you recommend

Thanks

 

[porkey]

I know it's the middle of August, put this coming winter will be the first time I store my 718 Boxster for the Winter. My garage is heated 55 Degrees (F), but would like to hear if you recommend:
- a car cover,
- Battery charger,
- Mats (not sure if that is the correct term) for tires
- Stabil for fuel

And if yes to any above which of each would you recommend

Thanks

...opinions may vary. Unless it's a private storage facility, I do not believe car covers are necessary. I've never used them...never had any issues. I prefer easy access and better air flow (read circulation). Besides, I love "visiting" my baby in the winter to say "hi" and just admire her good looks...not all covered up! My dad on the other hand used them extensively for decades. Battery TENDER or maintainer is a must in my opinion (actually, I always have my baby hooked up to one). Car "mats" or the like, probably not a bad idea, unless you can move it around weekly, to lessen flat spotting. Truth be told, I've never used them and never had any permanent flat spotting but once again, not a bad idea when a car will sit for extended periods. Finally, yes to Stabil when a car will sit, unless you can run it quite regularly during the winter, which most of us snowbirds cannot...?

 

[wriggly]

...opinions may vary. Unless it's a private storage facility, I do not believe car covers are necessary. I've never used them...never had any issues. I prefer easy access and better air flow (read circulation). Besides, I love "visiting" my baby in the winter to say "hi" and just admire her good looks...not all covered up! My dad on the other hand used them extensively for decades. Battery TENDER or maintainer is a must in my opinion (actually, I always have my baby hooked up to one). Car "mats" or the like, probably not a bad idea, unless you can move it around weekly, to lessen flat spotting. Truth be told, I've never used them and never had any permanent flat spotting but once again, not a bad idea when a car will sit for extended periods. Finally, yes to Stabil when a car will sit, unless you can run it quite regularly during the winter, which most of us snowbirds cannot...?

Definitely get a battery tender. As porkey stated, I also keep a tender on mine all the time when the cars parked in the garage. I have four cars and I cannot drive them all the time. Just opening the door for a few seconds is enough to start the tender charging again and it'll stay in the charge mode for a few hours before the green light goes back on. The 718 seems to have one heck of a parasitic drain on the battery, more so than any of my other cars.

As for the tires, I have Race Ramps Flatstoppers and have used them for quite a few years. I once had a Mustang that I did nothing with over winter and the first spring after winter the tires thumped pretty badly for a couple of days. It was a 2013 and the tires were supposedly resistant to flat spotting. My second garage is also my man cave and I have a stereo out there, the requisite fridge stocked with beer and the walls are covered with petroliana signage and it's heated and air conditioned. My cars never get covered. They get dusty but I'd rather be able to look at em. As for the fuel, it doesn't hurt to add some Stabil or Startron to the gas.

 

[OC718]

Thanks to porker and wriggly. Any suggestions on battery tender. I know Porsche see. Or Are there others that work berrer

 

[porkey]

Thanks to porker and wriggly. Any suggestions on battery tender. I know Porsche see. Or Are there others that work berrer

...I was raised with the Battery Tender by DelTran. I still use their tried and true Battery Tender Plus on my cars and motorcycle. The Porsche tender, especially their updated version, looks like it should work very well too. A tender or maintainer constantly monitors and "maintains" the proper charge.

 

[wriggly]

...I was raised with the Battery Tender by DelTran. I still use their tried and true Battery Tender Plus on my cars and motorcycle. The Porsche tender, especially their updated version, looks like it should work very well too. A tender or maintainer constantly monitors and "maintains" the proper charge.

Me too...DelTran FTW. Installed the pigtail straight to the battery and out the plastic grill above the battery. when I plug in, I route the cord up through the cowl by the wipers and into a wall outlet.
I tried the cigarette lighter when I first got the car and found it went to sleep after about half an hour. I put the cardboard that comes in the Battery Tender packaging on the windshield so I remind myself not to start up and back out of the garage while plugged in.

 

[Baka1969]

This may be a little old-school, but, I would change all the fluids in the car before storage. Also, it's usually best to make certain the gas tank is filled (with stabil).

 

[Viffermike]

My two cents, which is based on some fairly recent research:

While DelTran's Battery Tender is still a good unit, it has been superseded by others. Considering the nature of modern car batteries -- they are much more complex, both structurally and chemically, than they used to be thanks to Auto Stop-Start, broader regeneration systems, higher required standby amperages, and other factors -- a so-called 'smart charger' is, IMHO, required for our cars.

I own the MUS 4.3 made by CTEK, which is a Swedish company that's generally credited with inventing the modern smart charger. It can handle the AGM-type batteries that our 718s use (not all Battery Tenders are designed for use on AGMs), and AFAIK it can also maintain Optima-type spiral-AGM units, too.

CTEK makes OEM battery chargers for a number of manufacturers -- including Porsche. Here's a link to one. Note the design. It's simply a rebadged CTEK.

 

[wriggly]

DelTran are good for all lead acid, flooded or AGM and gel cell batteries. Personally, I like the extremely low amperage of the DelTran motorcycle charger.

 

[Viffermike]

DelTran are good for all lead acid, flooded or AGM and gel cell batteries. Personally, I like the extremely low amperage of the DelTran motorcycle charger.

True. But DelTran has greatly expanded its product line in the past 5 years or so as a reaction to the necessity of the modern smart charger for vehicle batteries. In effect, it had to design and make a line of smart chargers -- including converting the venerable Plus model to one while retaining the bulky all-steel form factor -- to stay afloat. By most accounts, its current models are nowhere near as well reviewed as they used to be.

Meanwhile, CTEK has made nothing but smart chargers in its history.

Look: I swore by a BT Plus when I was an avid motorcyclist. Back then (late 1990s through most of the 2000s) it was the best available. That's not the case now. BTs are still good, but they are not the best. That's all I'm saying here.

 

[JakiChan]

I just bought the Porsche one. It looks cool. It plugs right in to the 12V port. When I went on my shopping spree at Suncoast I just threw it in.

 

[greywing]

I am currently using both a CTEK Mutii US 3300 and a NOCO Genius G3500 and like them both. They are both up to date on current battery chemistrys and technologies. One feature I prefer on the NOCO is if there is a mains power failure, it will restart when power resumes without intervention whereas the CTEK requires button pushing to restart. I don't know if this is peculiar to the CTEK Model I have and whether it is common to the Porsche Version or not.