Prep – It is imperative that the storage location is clean as dust and moisture free as possible. If moisture is a recurring issue in the selected location, place tarp or poly sheeting on the floor to prevent rust from forming in the undercarriage of your vehicle.

Now that your garage/storage space is prepped, its time to give your car the same treatment. It makes all of the difference getting your car professionally detailed inside & out with protective coats of wax applied to paintwork, providing an added protection, doing its best to ward off corrosion of your paintwork. It is not worth skimping out on cleaning your car as well as possible, the more time and effort spent here, the less money your car will devalue over the winter months.

Your wheels are next to be cleaned down thoroughly – it is important that you take the time to clean them inside & out, removing all of the brake dust. Porsche recommends rubbing a coat of petroleum jelly on the wheels to keep an extra layer of protection (this needs to be cleaned off in the spring).

Next, you need to use a conditioning compound on all rubber and plastic items which live on the outside of the car. This protects them from crumbling and cracking as the temperature changes. You can also take advantage of fuel additives/stabilizer. After adding this, drive for a few miles to make sure that you get the additive through the fuel system. This will protect your fuel tanks and lines, avaliable here.

That is the cleaning section of this guide done! Next, we have to change the oil and the oil filter in the Porsche, after which the car needs to be driving long enough for the oil to reach its full operating temperature. Next, its time to top everything up; Anti-freeze, windshield cleaner fluid, and brake fluid all need topping up. Once done, the car needs to be run long enough to run through the engine block. Ensure that you have the proper anti-freeze and winter blend washer fluid if you have an unheated garage.

The minimum coolant level also needs to be observed for water-cooled cars, make sure coolant is around 50% strength and protection down to minus 30°C to prevent damage to your radiators, engine blocks, cylinder head, and water pump.

To try and stop flattening tires, over-inflate the tires by approx 8-10psi. Make sure that you need to do this when the tires are cold or you won’t get an accurate reading. One of the easiest things you can do is simply filling up your cars fuel tank. Filling up the Porsche (with premium petrol/diesel) to prevent condensation and reducing the airspace.

Rodent proofing may be a less common problem for some people, depending on where the car is stored, depending on where you live. All air vents need to be closed to keep insects and other small creatures out. Make sure that you leave no entry points into the garage for mice, rats or squirrels to take advantage of. It is also worth covering your exhaust pipe to further reduce the risk of pests causing you problems.

Another handy trick for keeping moisture out of the car is silica get packs, often found in shoe boxes, these little packets are very effective, just remember where you leave them all! And remember to remove them in the spring (Keep out of the reach of small children or pets). One mistake that people often make is leaving their parking brakes whilst they keep their cars in storage. The car should be left in hear and place blocks of wood under the front & back of the tires.

Use a battery maintainer to connect the battery to a battery maintainer to charge your battery via your cigarette lighter, select the pulse maintaining mode which is used to charge your battery while in storage.

You can prop your windshield wiper arms using blocks of wood underneath the wiper arms so the wipers don’t touch or they loosely touch the windshield. You can also use cardboard between the wipers and glass to keep the wiper edge in top form. To keep to the car smelling just as a Porsche should, place a cookie sheet of baking soda on the passenger floor to keep the car smelling great.

Next, as it is nearly Christmas, it’s time for you to wrap yourself a present to open in the spring. After all of your work has been done you need to preserve it inside of a high-quality car cover, this offers protection from any disturbed dust or dirt that forms over the time you have the car in storage. We have a wide range available here.

And, finally, as a test of self-control, after it has been put into storage, your car needs to remain asleep until its hibernation is over. Do not get tempted by one sunny day in late autumn to go for an extra spin, as you will only be undoing all the hard work you put into prepping your car for the months it is supposed to be hidden away in hibernation.

For anything else that you need for your Porsche, please check us out at design 911.

Technical Information