Winter motoring is one of the harshest environments you can put your
Porsche through, which is why it's recommended to prepare it properly for the months ahead. Mike Askew has done just that with his 997 Carrera S.
2004 997 CARRERA S
Like most current 911 owners, I've taken a keen interest in the press reactions to the new 991 over the past few weeks. Although I'm aware that the GT Porsche'verdict is the only one that really matters, it's been interesting to see what other organs make of the latest evolution of the car.
The vast majority seem to regard the 991 as a faster but more mature package than the 997 - which is probably the precise reaction
Porsche was hoping for.
But as seems the case with every new car launch these days, I've noticed that many magazines and papers have felt the need to put the other side of the argument across.
One of the Saturday broadsheet motoring sections dedicated a column listing why the 911 is essentially an overrated and overpriced anachronism. Now, I fully understand that the 911 isn't everyone's cup of tea. But what does irk rne is the idea that a review needs to be 'balanced' by a writer who clearly has a pet hate about the car in question. I'm paraphrasing here, but the underlying message of the piece was that anyone who chose a 911 over a Cayman was effectively a moron. One line even read "drive a Cayman and you weep at how good the 911 could be". Really? I've driven a lot of miles in both and, yes, the Cayman is probably the sharper of the two when you're hurtling around a track but that doesn't change my view that the 911 is the better all-round package. Like many other owners, I need the flexibility of occasional rear seats, and regard the 911 (regardless of version) to be a slice of motoring history.
Feeling the need to defend the 911's cause, I've spent a good few hours over the last month ensuring that LX54HFC looks its best. Actually, that's not entirely the case. After the last report went out, I was offered the chance to see how the professionals prepare a car for the winter months. Although I'm borderline OCD when it comes to cleaning and polishing, the opportunity of having my car treated to the equivalent of a full spa treatment was too good to pass up.
The work was carried out by Gareth Wynne of Detail My Ride. Although his operation is based in the Midlands, Gareth performed the detail work at the workshop of Slough-based tuning guru, Paramount Performance.
To cover every aspect of the job would require another magazine, but to witness a professional like Gareth transforrn a car is a remarkable experience. As its name suggests, detail is the name of the game. There's a special brush and fluid for every conceivable stage and Careth's knowledge of paint, finishes and how to remedy problems is truly mind-blowing. The products he uses are also pretty special. Having admitted that the car was last cleaned with Fairy Liquid and a year-old chamois, Gareth took me through the range of Dodo Juice products he swears by. Treated with the same reverence and respect as under-the-counter prescription drugs, they're the secret to transforming a car from clean to concours-spec. Based on the evidence of the finished article, it's not hard to see why.
The onset of winter has prompted me to sort out LX54HFC's dicky battery. Having been lumbered (for OPC warranty reasons) with the original Moll battery for nearly two years, I replaced it with a new Bosch one. By all accounts, all 997s give their batteries a really hard time, so it will be interesting to see if I need to resort to the faithful trickle charger this winter. Despite being given a clean bill of health by the dealer, the old Moll one needed constant charging if the car was left for more than five days without starting.
I've also had another crack at sorting the slightly malodorous aircon system. Over the course of the last two years, I've had countless attempts to rid the system of a stale pong that infiltrates the cabin for a few minutes after start-up. Although I've had success with preparations such as Comma's air-con cleaner (an aerosol that you let off in the car while on 'recirc'). the problem has always come back after a couple of weeks. The latest thing to try was a Decosol antibacterial spray that had to be injected into the fresh air intake under the bonnet. After a bit of trial and error, I managed to discharge the contents of the can into the vent intake, and, so far it seems to have worked. As with so many of these things, only time will tell if it's been a complete success.
Before I sign off, I'd like to thank everyone who contacted me last month about iPod compatibility kits. Seems like a lot of you are holding onto your budgets until you hear about a system that is 100 per cent reliable. I plan to follow up a few leads (no pun intended) over the coming weeks - hopefully I'll have something to report soon.
HOW TO CLEAN LIKETHE PROS
Gareth's makeover of LX54HFC took a full day and more processes than most weekend washers will manage in a lifetime. Here's how he did it. ..
STEP 1
The wheels and arches are cleaned using a non-acidic, citrus-based Dodo Juice degreaser and lambswool metal-free brushes. Gareth advises that the wheels are always done first as the cleaning the spokes always creates spray.
STEP 2
After a once-over with a high pressure lance, the bottom half of the car (usually the filthiest) is sprayed with a citrus-based degraser that helps to lift the dirt clean of the surface. This is followed by a high-pressure rinse to remove the solution
Using a foam lance, the car is coated with a pH-neutral shampoo, which is worked into edges and gaps. This is followed by another rinse, second shampoo with a lambswool wash mitt, a final rinse.
STEP 3
With the paintwork washed, Gareth decontaminates the paintwork with a special clay bar. Used with a bespoke clay lubricant, this gently removes tiny contaminants on the paint surface Although the paintwork of LX54HFC looked immaculate at this stage, the clay 'found' enough specs of old tree spa, road tar and general crud to turn the surface black.
STEP 4
With the paintwork dry, the body is treated to a Dodo Juice pre-wax cleanser (no, I dodn't know such a concoction exsited either). Applied using a rotary polisher, this prepares the paint surface for the final wax. Gareth chooses the final wax according to paint type and ambient temperature and the case of LX54HFC, opted for a Supernatural Hybrid Carnauba preparation. This is applied using a foam pad and was allowed to cure before being buffed off with a clean cluth.
STEP 5
With the bodywork gleaming, the finishing touches are carried out. This usually involves the polishing of the tailpipes, glass cleaning and the application of a non-silicone gel to the tyres.
If you'd like to treat your
Porsche to a similiar automotive spa treatment by Detail My Ride, contact it at: www.detailmyride.co.uk. Prices start from just GBP 49.
Story: Mika Askew
gtpurelyporsche dot com
November 19, 2012, 4:30 am
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