Its a Ford thing!

[LIFTEDXPLODER96]

Wow after my 96 XLT has been sitting in my yard outside for 3 + years waiting for me to collect parts for its build..i hooked a battery up to it today and it started right up! didnt even cough on nothing! only in a Ford would i have such luck! how long have u guys let your X's sit outside and not even starting it? i think 3+ years is pretty impressive

 

[LONO100]

i kept my old rodeo in my moms garage for three years. it had 220k miles on it. i dropped a new battery in it and it fired right up, just needed a sqeaky belt tightened. fords are underrated for their durability. i beat my 03 focus to death on the freeway, racking up 230k miles on it in 7 years. other than tires and belts, the only problem i ever had with it was a thermostat replacement. ran like a champ, no oil leaks, tranny ran like butter and served me well during my long commutes that sometimes went up to 225 miles in one day.

 

[barbaroja]

Ive had experience with fords, and the famous toyotas, and let me say their reliability is much alike. In fact I feel toyota is overrated. Both had failed stuff wich I consider normal for any car.

 

[IZwack]

IMO, this reliability is mostly an attribute of fuel injection and a computerized engine management system.

 

[LIFTEDXPLODER96]

I agree the computer controlled system is the way yo go..it would be quite a bit harder to start if it was carbureted

 

[gadourym]

I had a 90 mustang that someone had given me (it was only a 4-cyl, and the body was in rough shape). It had been sitting for almost 3 years. I put a new battery in and it fired right up, and I drove it out! I had to replace the rotted tires, but I drove it for 2 years and the only work I had to do was a clutch cable and a timing belt!

The thing ran great, but the body was too shot to keep it on the road after my 2 year registration was up, so I sold it...

 

[gavin]

how long have u guys let your X's sit outside and not even starting it? i think 3+ years is pretty impressive

my 1986 Bronco2 sat for about 10 years.
10 year old fuel still in the tank.
started right up once I got the fuel pump working.

 

[colintrax]

I think it's funny you guys are saying it's the new fuel management systems. In the motocross world we're just getting fuel injection and o2 sensors. And all they do is cause problems and break. Only good thing is the instant throttle response and no need to carry brass to the track

Honestly though, as long as the oil was good when it was last ran every engine should start and run atleast decent after 3 years. Fuel going bad can cause issues, but what else? Maybe gaskets getting dry rot.
Now 10 years.... that's pretty awesome

And for another Ford rocks story, my grandma had a 92 escort, she put 400,000 miles on it before a piston blew. And we know the origanal owner was lying about the mileage, he said it was only 130,000 when she got it. So ATLEAST 530,000 miles and she tends to change the oil every 10,000 miles or so and get the super cheap dino oil at pep boys. Air filter gets replaced every couple years when I remember to take a look at it, Spark plugs probably never got replaced, nor the belt, or really anything other than the radiator (took a wack to the curb) tires, brakes, and battery.

 

[deadernie]

I agree the computer controlled system is the way yo go..it would be quite a bit harder to start if it was carbureted

Air in the tires,fresh fuel and battery, a shot of ether and I drove my '70 Dodge Dart from behind my brother's garage where it had sat for six years. He said "No way is that thing going to start. Much less move". Lol.

No electronics or fuel injection there. But that was also before we had gas polluted with ethanol.

 

[colintrax]

^that's quite a bit of work, if that car didn't start then it had issues before it was ever sat.
Fresh gas, a new battery, and idk what ether is but I'm guessing it's starter fluid so hate to break it to ya, but that isn't all that impressive. Then again, it is a dodge