I have a 1995 Ford Econline E-250 that I have had since it rolled off the factory floor. It has about 225,000 miles on it. I don’t use it much any more, but I want to keep it in good running condition - because I do use it occasionally. I had it checked out, nose to tail, and the only thing the mechanic found that needed to be fixed was that it need new ball joints and an ABS switch. I have had that work done.
My question is this: how often, how far, and at what speed should I plan to drive it to keep it in good running condition?
If I were you, I would do the following:
Connect a battery tender to the battery to keep it charged.
In good weather, take it out on the highway for a moderate-speed (45-50 mph) drive of about 45-60 minutes once a month–after checking tire pressure, oil level, trans fluid level, etc. And then, make sure that you change the oil at least once a year. Twice would be better.
Continue to maintain the vehicle–using elapsed time rather than odometer mileage–as your key to when to perform each maintenance function. For example–if the factory maintenance schedule says something like…every 3 years or 30,000 miles…make sure that you use 3 years as your guide.
Thanks! That’s definitely doable!