My '01 E350 V10 Chateau (yeah, I'm proud of it) is not going to be driven daily any more. I bought a minivan for the wife and kids to use as a run about mainly to save wear and tear on the Real van and save on fuel. I want to ask suggestions on how to maintain and preserve the E350. I expect to use it for vacations, camping and towing, hauling, etc so I can't "mothball" it. We have 4 kids so no minivan can handle a roadtrip (not safely anyway) or even a big grocery run which means the Real van has to stand ready. It is the best family vehicle I've ever owned and I do not want it to deteriorate from lack of use. I'll bet a lot of you have a beast you use on an as needed basis: How often and how far should I drive it? Any tricks or tips? Thanks!

 

I've had four big vans over the last 22 years or so, and for probably 16 of those years, the van was a third vehicle as opposed to a commuter. (And I have an old BMW that sits most of the time as well.)

If you're able to drive the van once every week or three, try to do that--and for at least 20-30 miles, to warm it up fully and evaporate condensation out of the oil.

If you want to store it over extended periods, put Sta-Bil in the gas tank. Also I usually do an oil change if a vehicle is gonna sit for a while, so it doesn't have the acid and combustion crap in old oil. Likewise, change the antifreeze based on time rather than mileage and stuff, and watch your tires for signs of crispiness if you let it sit a lot.

George

 

You might want to reconsider, depending on how many mice are in your area.

I've heard mothballs can discourage mice from entering vehicles that sit too long.

E350 LT tires are tough, but sitting can hasten aging the rubber, especially in sunlight. The waxes that prevent rubber oxidizing kind of bleed to the tire's surface thru running. Sitting in rain/sun can deplete the wax on the surface, drying & bleaching the rubber, leading to dry rot. Best to protect tires from the elements. Unless run regularly tires can take a set, especially if underinflated. Long layups traditionally meant jacking & blocking.

Weathering also can leave 'pad prints' on rotors that sit, resulting in trobbing brakes. Batteries also go down from parasitic memory & security loads. There are maintenance 'trickle' plug in & solar chargers.

Today's gas apparently doesn't have the shelf life it used to. Presumably additives like "Sta-Bil" have kept pace, but I'd Q whether its better these days to keep the tank full or nearly empty. Traditonal thinking was to keep it full to minimize air space in an attempt to reduce condensation & prevent tank from rusting. Nowadays most tanks are plastic & carefully isolated from the atmosphere & I've heard its better to park them nearly empty so you don't get stuck w/lots of stale gas.