Vaseline on wheels and other ponderings.

[Pumas]

As a new Boxster owner I spend at least an hour on this site daily learning about how to take care of my car. I've learned a great deal so I just wanted to say thank you to everyone here for providing this valuable resource. Just so you are aware my car is a 2001 Boxster tiptronic with 92,000 miles. It appears to me that it runs perfectly. I know the last owner well and he took excellent care of it and has owned multiple Porsches since the mid sixties.

I do have some random questions;

What's the significance of putting Vaseline on the wheels? What does it do? Why? The owners manual says to do it and I have I was just wondering?

How much is too much to wash my car? I'm a professional salesperson who washes the car daily. Customers see my car and I always want to provide the best impression. So am I washing it too much? In ten years will the paint suffer? What kind of products are best for each part of the car?

Has anyone tried the Tequipment valve stems? Almost daily I air up the tires and I assume that the current valve stems leak. While I don't mind airing them up I would save a great deal of time across a month. So whaddya think?

I have that minor oil leak. RMS? How pertinent is this to fix? Should I fix it immediately? I've heard stories of Porsche volunteering to fix this. Is this true? If not how much will it cost me to fix it?

What is the interior made out of? The dash seems to shine up best with leather cleaner conditioner but if it's made of leather then it's very thick and I've never seen anything like it. Door panels?

How hard can I realistically drive my car daily and make it last a long time? I drive the most incredible country roads each day that have incredible curves and while I'm not exceeding a top speed of 65 I do ask the car for much more than I would another car because of it's capabilities. Am I hurting it's long term reliability?

The transmission in my car is Tiptronic and it climbs to fifth gear rapidly which seems to make the engine lug somewhat. When driving in town should I be driving harder to avoid this?

I also want to say that I'm so glad that I didn't buy a 911 like I thought I wanted. I love this car!

Thank you,

Justin

[haggis]

I believe the vaseline is to protect the rims from the harmful brake dust and general road debris.

The vaseline is the right ph to not damage the alloys as some other over the counter products may do. I have wondered the same so perhaps a more experienced Porsche owner can add to my comments.

[Pumas]

I have heard of people using Vaseline on Fuchs wheels as well. In the Owners manual it states that jelly should be applied every three months. Since I clean my wheels every day I feel like the Vaseline does not last very long. Would it behoove me to apply the jelly on a more regular basis? Who knows? Seems to my untrained eye that as the wheel becomes hotter the viscosity of the Vaseline goes was up and it melts off anyway, but that's just my opinion. There are small stains on the wheel where brake dust has baked on, perhaps from the last owner neglecting to use the Vaseline.

[number9ine]

I have heard of people using Vaseline on Fuchs wheels as well. In the Owners manual it states that jelly should be applied every three months. Since I clean my wheels every day I feel like the Vaseline does not last very long. Would it behoove me to apply the jelly on a more regular basis? Who knows? Seems to my untrained eye that as the wheel becomes hotter the viscosity of the Vaseline goes was up and it melts off anyway, but that's just my opinion. There are small stains on the wheel where brake dust has baked on, perhaps from the last owner neglecting to use the Vaseline.

Vaseline in the owner's manual? Rosie Palm jokes aside, I need to read mine again.

[jmatta]

I've not heard of puttting vasoline on a painted/clearcoated wheel. You'd be far better off removing the wheels, cleaning them thoroughly and waxing them with a poylmer like RejeX. I have Fuchs wheels on my 911 that are clear anodized...they benefit from vasoline because it permeates the soft surface.

[1schoir]

Justin:

That's a lot of questions!

If you are washing the car that frequently, you just have to be especially careful with the sponge/mitt/cloths that you are using and to make sure that there are no grains of sand or dirt embedded in any of them. Especially true if you drop one of them on the ground by mistake. In that case, they can act like sandpaper and it will not be evident at first.

As far as the RMS leak, if it's minor I would not worry about it too much. It is very important to differentiate it from a IMS flange or IMS bolts leak though. Jake Raby and Charles Navarro have reported that a leaking IMS flange is sometimes evidence of an impending failure of the IMS bearing. The RMS is dead center on the engine, and the IMS is a little to the left of center. The only problem is that with the transmission mounted, both leaks may appear to come out in the center and don't give you any clue where they originated. Apparently, automatics are less prone to IMS failure than sticks, but I don't think there are any hard statistics on it. In any case, I would not let it interfere with your enjoyment and if it's not too bad, have it looked at if you ever have occasion to drop the transmission. My indie had a Boxster up on the lift and showed me how he could hear an IMS that was possibly on its way to failure. He pulled the transmission and he was right! Only an experienced, trained ear, could pick that up, IMO.

Your valve stems should not be leaking such that you notice a difference in air pressure from day to day. You can have good quality valve stems installed that will not leak, without the "Tequipment" expense.

+1 on the suggestion of using Rejex on the rims. It definitely makes it easier to clean the brake dust off the rims.

You can drive the car as hard as you want and it will not affect its longevity. Raby and Navarro are convinced that the babied, pampered, never-driven-hard cars are the ones that suffer more IMS failures.

Regards, Maurice.

[White987S]

Just don't leave the jar of vaseline in your car. This may freak out passanger. :)

[Orient Express]

I have to admit that when I first started in Concours, I also heard (and tried) the story about Vaseline as well as the need for a left-handed torque wrench and annual muffler-bearing replacement. It did take me a while to find that while these things sound plausible, in-fact they are myths.

All Vaseline will do over time is attract more brake dust as well as cook on the wheel overtime, especially if you are always in the jar! Another similar myth is to use Pam instead of Vaseline, also bogus.

A polymer protectorant such as ReJex is far superior not only for keeping a very slick non=permeable coating that resists brake dust accumulation, it also is great for the paint finish as well as (especially) the glass.

Washing you car with water is something that depends on your environment. If the car is driven in inclement weather often, then washing is the recommendation. Pay close attention, as has been noted earlier, of the condition of your sponges, and how dirty your soap water is. Getting the rinse water off quickly is also very important, especially if the rinse water is hard.

If the car is just getting dusty from road and environmental grime then using a spray detailer with a fresh microfiber cloth is preferable. This will lift off the dust and light grime easily, as well as leave a fine silicone filler wax in the microscratches of the paint. This filler material helps prolong the depth and shine by leveling the paint surface.

[Pumas]

Thank you Gentlemen for your responses,

I'll try the Rejex, sounds like many people have had a good experience with it. I did go back to my owners manual and reread it and it does state that Vaseline should be applied every three months (so I'm not crazy) but I trust the experience of the fine people on this board so Rejex it is.

I've also been using a spray detailer and those microfiber cloths (which are completely amazing) when I didn't have the time to wash the car completely. Sounds like I should be doing that more than totally washing the car. Stacy will even wash my towels completely separately so as to not mix up the chemicals on the towels because I don't think they really come totally clean.

I have an oil change coming up soon and I will get the car up on the lift and inspect exactly where the oil leak is coming from. Either way it is very, very minor. I have noticed that on hot days when I drive the car hard the oil consumption is greater. Possibly from greater expansion? I'm also planning on JB welding the little plastic lip at the front of the wheel well that cracked off, whilst I've got it up there.

You mean I get to drive the car harder and it will prolong it's longevity! WOW! "Well officer I feel a strong compulsion to take excellent care of my car and it must be driven hard to maintain it." Thank you Maurice, at this point I love you for telling me this. I've always had the habit of naming my vehicles and I've teetered on naming her Ginger or Trixie Holiday (ha ha) for the different driving styles. Ginger obviously refers to driving her gingerly and the fact that my better half Stacy is a whole lot like Mary Ann from Gilligan's Island, and we all know the Professor was getting them both. Well Trixie is a "mistress" that wants to be driven fast. So what you're telling me is that I get to spend more time with my mistress! Hooray!

When I went out to the store to score the Vaseline I ran into some old friends who saw me with the giant tub of the stuff. We all had a hearty laugh about it. "Oh yeah sure it's for your wheels." and "Things aren't so good at home huh?"

Thanks guys,

Justin

[1schoir]

Thank you Gentlemen for your responses,

I'll try the Rejex, sounds like many people have had a good experience with it. I did go back to my owners manual and reread it and it does state that Vaseline should be applied every three months (so I'm not crazy) but I trust the experience of the fine people on this board so Rejex it is.

I've also been using a spray detailer and those microfiber cloths (which are completely amazing) when I didn't have the time to wash the car completely. Sounds like I should be doing that more than totally washing the car. Stacy will even wash my towels completely separately so as to not mix up the chemicals on the towels because I don't think they really come totally clean.

I have an oil change coming up soon and I will get the car up on the lift and inspect exactly where the oil leak is coming from. Either way it is very, very minor. I have noticed that on hot days when I drive the car hard the oil consumption is greater. Possibly from greater expansion? I'm also planning on JB welding the little plastic lip at the front of the wheel well that cracked off, whilst I've got it up there.

You mean I get to drive the car harder and it will prolong it's longevity! WOW! "Well officer I feel a strong compulsion to take excellent care of my car and it must be driven hard to maintain it." Thank you Maurice, at this point I love you for telling me this. I've always had the habit of naming my vehicles and I've teetered on naming her Ginger or Trixie Holiday (ha ha) for the different driving styles. Ginger obviously refers to driving her gingerly and the fact that my better half Stacy is a whole lot like Mary Ann from Gilligan's Island, and we all know the Professor was getting them both. Well Trixie is a "mistress" that wants to be driven fast. So what you're telling me is that I get to spend more time with my mistress! Hooray!

When I went out to the store to score the Vaseline I ran into some old friends who saw me with the giant tub of the stuff. We all had a hearty laugh about it. "Oh yeah sure it's for your wheels." and "Things aren't so good at home huh?"

Thanks guys,

Justin

Justin:

Sounds like you have things under control and your hands full at the same time! :clapping:

For that very minor oil leak, some have had success in switching to a slightly heavier weight oil and that has gotten rid of the leak completely. Pedro (of Pedrosgarage.com) had done just that, and he tracks his car frequently and has way over 150K miles on his Boxster.

It might be worth a try at your next oil change.

Regards, Maurice.

[mikefocke]

How much is too much to wash my car? I'm a professional salesperson who washes the car daily. Customers see my car and I always want to provide the best impression. So am I washing it too much? In ten years will the paint suffer? What kind of products are best for each part of the car?

Ans: Depends on how you wash it, how much water you use to flush out the dirt first before you wipe over the section.

Has anyone tried the Tequipment valve stems? Almost daily I air up the tires and I assume that the current valve stems leak. While I don't mind airing them up I would save a great deal of time across a month. So whaddya think?

Ans: You shouldn't have to be adding air daily. Get to a tire shop and have them dunk the tires in a tank and check for leaks. (I add/subtract when the seasons change and the temps cause expansion/contraction. But I also go months between needing to add.

I have that minor oil leak. RMS? How pertinent is this to fix? Should I fix it immediately? I've heard stories of Porsche volunteering to fix this. Is this true? If not how much will it cost me to fix it?

Ans: Not at 92k to a second owner they won't help. ~$1000. Switch oil weights and see if that helps. Watch your oil levels. You have a TIP so it won't get on the clutch plates.

What is the interior made out of? The dash seems to shine up best with leather cleaner conditioner but if it's made of leather then it's very thick and I've never seen anything like it. Door panels?

Ans: Depends on your car and with what options it was built. Basic dash is plastic. Optional was leather. Ditto for door panels.

How hard can I realistically drive my car daily and make it last a long time? I drive the most incredible country roads each day that have incredible curves and while I'm not exceeding a top speed of 65 I do ask the car for much more than I would another car because of it's capabilities. Am I hurting it's long term reliability?

Ans: No but do remember you are driving a car with 92k miles on the suspension and at some time it will need a refresh. Not that there aren't Boxsters with 225k miles on them...but they were well maintained.

The transmission in my car is Tiptronic and it climbs to fifth gear rapidly which seems to make the engine lug somewhat. When driving in town should I be driving harder to avoid this?

Ans: I let my TIP figure out what gear to be in unless I'm in hilly country and then I switch to manual and control the gearing myself. Yes the TIP favors gas mileage in normal driving. But it also has the capability of learning that you are driving aggressively and changing its shift pattern to suit.

Edited July 8, 2009 by mikefocke

[itzbob46]

What's the significance of putting Vaseline on the wheels? What does it do? Why? The owners manual says to do it and I have I was just wondering?

A. It's just a laquer finish. Perosnally, my 18" originals are perfect with ordinary car washing soap. I wouldn't use any fancy wheel cleaners. And I won't be bothered with Vaseline. But mine is not driven on saltey winter roads.

How much is too much to wash my car? I'm a professional salesperson who washes the car daily. Customers see my car and I always want to provide the best impression. So am I washing it too much? In ten years will the paint suffer? What kind of products are best for each part of the car?

A. Wash it when it's noticably dirty. Save some time and $. In 10 yrs, assuming 300 washes per year, you may not have paint anymore! Decent car was soap, and not to excess, on everything.

Has anyone tried the Tequipment valve stems? Almost daily I air up the tires and I assume that the current valve stems leak. While I don't mind airing them up I would save a great deal of time across a month. So whaddya think?

A. ANY valve stem should work well enough to only add air each few months. Perhaps you have corrosion on the beads which is more likely to be a leak source.

What is the interior made out of? The dash seems to shine up best with leather cleaner conditioner but if it's made of leather then it's very thick and I've never seen anything like it. Door panels?

A. Do you want glossy parts inside. If so, I don't have your answer. Personally, I just like the parts inside to be clean. A damp towel wil ldo that just fine. A little windex on stains.

How hard can I realistically drive my car daily and make it last a long time? I drive the most incredible country roads each day that have incredible curves and while I'm not exceeding a top speed of 65 I do ask the car for much more than I would another car because of it's capabilities. Am I hurting it's long term reliability?

A. It's an '01, like mine. I think that tires are your biggest worry for wear. Enjoy it! Don't worry about wearing out suspension.

Bob

[atmorris]

As a new Boxster owner I spend at least an hour on this site daily learning about how to take care of my car. I've learned a great deal so I just wanted to say thank you to everyone here for providing this valuable resource. Just so you are aware my car is a 2001 Boxster tiptronic with 92,000 miles. It appears to me that it runs perfectly. I know the last owner well and he took excellent care of it and has owned multiple Porsches since the mid sixties.

I do have some random questions;

What's the significance of putting Vaseline on the wheels? What does it do? Why? The owners manual says to do it and I have I was just wondering?

How much is too much to wash my car? I'm a professional salesperson who washes the car daily. Customers see my car and I always want to provide the best impression. So am I washing it too much? In ten years will the paint suffer? What kind of products are best for each part of the car?

Has anyone tried the Tequipment valve stems? Almost daily I air up the tires and I assume that the current valve stems leak. While I don't mind airing them up I would save a great deal of time across a month. So whaddya think?

I have that minor oil leak. RMS? How pertinent is this to fix? Should I fix it immediately? I've heard stories of Porsche volunteering to fix this. Is this true? If not how much will it cost me to fix it?

What is the interior made out of? The dash seems to shine up best with leather cleaner conditioner but if it's made of leather then it's very thick and I've never seen anything like it. Door panels?

How hard can I realistically drive my car daily and make it last a long time? I drive the most incredible country roads each day that have incredible curves and while I'm not exceeding a top speed of 65 I do ask the car for much more than I would another car because of it's capabilities. Am I hurting it's long term reliability?

The transmission in my car is Tiptronic and it climbs to fifth gear rapidly which seems to make the engine lug somewhat. When driving in town should I be driving harder to avoid this?

I also want to say that I'm so glad that I didn't buy a 911 like I thought I wanted. I love this car!

Thank you,

Justin

I believe that the Vaseline coating is for annodized wheels with no paint or clearcoat. In that event, the Vaseline "soaks" in to the aliminum and provides a kind of release agent for the brake dust so it doesn't permanently stain the wheel. If you have painted/clearcoated wheels, you don't want Vaseline, you just need a good coat of wax.

Washing the car a lot is only detrimental if you don't pay attention to the cleanliness of your mitts, sponges, and towels because they can trap dirt particles and scratch the paint the next time you use them, or if you are taking the car through cheap-n-quick commercial car washes or using harsh detergents like dish washing soaps to wash the car. This can remove the wax coating (especially if you use carnuba waxes) in as little as a single wash. Then your paint is left unprotected and most people don't even realize this has happened. Make sure you are using a reputable purpose-formulated car wash soap, and only in the ratio specified, and you can wash as often as you like. I use Ziano Z-7 Show Car Wash.

The daily adding of air doesn't necessarily mean the valve stems are the culprit. It could also just be loose or leaky valves, or even a problem with the sealing bead on the tires or the rims themselves. Start by making sure the valves inside the stems are good, and are in tight. Replace them if your not sure, they are cheep and easy to get at any auto parts store. Then move to replacing stems. Then look at the tires or rims.

If your oil leak is minor, and appears to be an RMS leak, then most people just live with it unless it becomes worse.

I believe the dash could be all leather, but in most cars is a mix of leather and vinyl sections. I use Zaino Z-9 Leather Soft Spray Cleaner and Z-10 Leather in a Bottle on both the leather and the vinyl in my car. You can get it here. It is good stuff and keeps the interior smelling new (this stuff really does work folks...) In a pinch, I will use Armor All on the vinyl and Lexol on the leather, but the Zaino is the way to go. In fact, I buy one Zaino Ultimate Protection Show Car Kit per year, and do my Porsche, my son's 300zx, and my wife's MB 300E with it. You only need to do it once a year, and it will have shine and depth that you will not believe. G-R-E-A-T stuff !!

The general concensus seems to be that Boxsters that are driven often and spiritedly, and have the oil changed frequently - a minimum of every 5k miles, remain healthier longer. There is also some reputable opinions out there that suggest not using Mobil 1, but instead using another Porsche approved synthetic oil. I use Castrol Syntec, but a friend of mine will use nothing but Royal Purple in his. I have also been told, by very reputable people, that this engine should never be lugged below about 2500 rpm. That can be difficult around town sometimes, but it is something that I now adhere to, religiously. How doable that is in a Tip I can't say since I have never had one or driven one.

I hear you on the 911 thing. I did similar and have never regretted it either. The 911 is fun to drive too, I have driven my friends 993 many times, but it is a totally different experience than driving the mid engined Boxster. Someday, I'd love to put a Stage IV 2.9L Raby engine, or a Ruf 3.4 Carerra engine conversion in my Boxster so that I have Carerra HP in a mid engine chassis. THAT would be the hot ticket !

Edited July 10, 2009 by Andy_M