Storing the Boxster

[FC]

I'm starting to think about how I will store the 987 for the winter (roughly Dec thru Mar - only because the roads are full of salt/sand). My guess is that I'll get a chance a few times in the winter to drive it around the neighborhood on a nice weekend day, but for the most part, I will keep it covered and plugged to the wall via the "battery maintainer."

Now, I have two legitimate car garages and a pseudo garage (where the Jeep currently lives). It amounts to an area under the deck adjacent to the real garages. It has a garage door, but it is not weather-proof as some drops of water fall through the corrugated pieces of steel just beneath the (POS, decaying, PT-wood, to be replaced next year) deck. On the sides, the spot has the outside wall of the garage (concrete) on one side, the door on the other, and what amounts to large panels of lexan on the other two sides. So while this setup prevents it from getting snowed on and getting blasted by wind, if it gets really cold, the car gets pretty close to that outside temperature.

My thinking is that the Boxster will go in there for the winter under a nice car cover and plugged in. We would rather use the two garages for the two cars we will use frequently since only those two garages have direct access from the house.

I know the 987 should take any weather imaginable, but am I risking damage to the top, etc with prolonged exposure to the top? Should I leave it up or down? Do I need to apply any kind of product to anything? What kind of cover should I get? Any recommendations (OEM?)? Any car storage tricks I should know of?

Thanks!

[bren]

Sounds like a nice cozy spot for mice looking to escape the winter.

[ZBB]

Originally Posted by bren

Sounds like a nice cozy spot for mice looking to escape the winter.

+1

I'd be more worried about mice than water drops on a car cover...

[lip277]

Is there a way to suspend something under the deck to protect the car?
Even with a cover - I'd want something in addition to the cover....
I'm thinking of something along the lines of a tarp or canvas (installed at an incline) that can deflect the water (or other stuff) to the side so it doesn't get on the cover.
I'm not getting a real good picture of the set-up you have described above.... A pic might be helpful.....

As to little critters getting into places - yeah... I'd be concerned that way too.
Maybe moth balls or such to make it unattractive to them?
I don't have any experience with that problem...
With all the cars I have had in storage - I guess I've been lucky....

As to the cover material.....
I have covers on my cars that I store inside.
The cars outside - I do not cover.

But - When I was in CA - I had my 2002 covered when it was outside. That was 25 years back so I'd not think my experience would be worth much now.
(FWIW - It was a fabric that has become the "NOAH" material I think. Nice - but bulky)

As to what I have now -
I have purchased two covers recently though... (indoor covers for the Mustang and the CS).
I found it interesting how different they were - and one I would recommend while the other I would NOT. Same fabric material - different suppliers....

The material was "Dustop" - again for indoor storage....

Mustang - I ordered this from California Car Cover.... Nice snug fit and the cut is correct for the car.
2800CS - I ordered this from Griots (who got it from Covercraft). Loose fit, cut/profile not quite right... just sloppy. I called both Griots as well as Covercraft to verify that the is the proper 'custom' cover for my car. It was. It fits well enough for me - not worth taking back or such...

But - I'll be getting my future covers from CCC from now on.
California Car Cover Link

[FC]

Re: mice, I know what you mean. It does seem liek ti shoudl be packed with rodents. But I've had that spot acting as a storage shed for years and the only thing I found was a frog. I think it just gets too cold to provide proper insulation in the winter. Still, I was thinking of getting a few deterrents. I have power in that garage.

I'll post a pic when I get a chance at home.

I had an outdoor cover for the 190E (dumb move) that was pretty nice. Water proof with a felt-life material on the inside. But I did notice that the paint was become dull on the friction points (and I didn't even use it that much).

I could always store it inside and leave the jeep out, but my wife will not agree to that. She will likely be driving the JGC daily to the train station.

[Sharp11]

Originally Posted by FC

Re: mice, I know what you mean. It does seem liek ti shoudl be packed with rodents. But I've had that spot acting as a storage shed for years and the only thing I found was a frog. I think it just gets too cold to provide proper insulation in the winter. Still, I was thinking of getting a few deterrents. I have power in that garage.

I'll post a pic when I get a chance at home.

I had an outdoor cover for the 190E (dumb move) that was pretty nice. Water proof with a felt-life material on the inside. But I did notice that the paint was become dull on the friction points (and I didn't even use it that much).

I could always store it inside and leave the jeep out, but my wife will not agree to that. She will likely be driving the JGC daily to the train station.

Once you put the car in there, the mice will see that as an ideal spot for cover - I wouldn't do it, you're asking for trouble.

[clyde]

Originally Posted by lip277

Maybe moth balls or such to make it unattractive to them?

I wouldn't want to have the smell of mothballs in the car come spring...

There's no perfect solution, but even if you leave the car in the non-weatherproof carportrage under a cover you should be pretty much okay. If it's protected from the wind, there shouldn't much abrasion from the cover since it won't be moving much. And if you wax it before putting it under the cover, so much the better. I'd probably be more concerned about mice in the more indoor garage since it's a more hospitable place, but I'd still be concerned. I'd leave plenty of traps around...but ones that catch them where they are rather than invite them an area they wouldn't otherwise be. If it's not easy to connect a battery maintainer/tender/whatever in that garage, you can always remove it and hook the battery up in a better location.

[FC]

Originally Posted by clyde

I wouldn't want to have the smell of mothballs in the car come spring...

There's no perfect solution, but even if you leave the car in the non-weatherproof carportrage under a cover you should be pretty much okay. If it's protected from the wind, there shouldn't much abrasion from the cover since it won't be moving much. And if you wax it before putting it under the cover, so much the better. I'd probably be more concerned about mice in the more indoor garage since it's a more hospitable place, but I'd still be concerned. I'd leave plenty of traps around...but ones that catch them where they are rather than invite them an area they wouldn't otherwise be. If it's not easy to connect a battery maintainer/tender/whatever in that garage, you can always remove it and hook the battery up in a better location.

That was my thinking. I do have electricity and lighting in there.

[lupinsea]

Put the Boxster in your actual garage. Put the JGC (that you wife would use often) in the actual garage, too. Put whatever other car you drive out side and just deal with a brisk walk through the weather to your car in the "carport-that-is-not-a-carport".

We don't get the cold up here but we get a lot of rain during the winter. Never had much of an issue with a quick dash in a down pour out to the car in the driveway.

Personally, I'd rather have the fancy car in the garage than outside.

[Nick M3]

The basic answer is to get off your ass and weatherproof the third garage space so that you can store the 987 there with a clear conscience.