Fair points, but honestly...isn't it a bit overkill for just a month or two? I've left my old Mustang sitting for nearly two months without stabilizer and never had issues. Maybe it's more about the specific car or fuel quality in your area?
Fair enough, but I've found it's not always about the length of time as much as the conditions and the car itself. A couple years back, I had an old '74 Nova that I left parked for about six weeks while I was away for work. Didn't think much of it, figured it'd fire right up when I got back—after all, I'd done the same thing with my Civic dozens of times without an issue.
Well, when I finally got home and tried starting it, it sputtered, coughed, and stalled out repeatedly. Took me a good afternoon of troubleshooting before realizing the fuel had gone bad enough to gum up the carburetor jets. And this was just regular pump gas, nothing fancy or ethanol-heavy either. Ended up having to clean out the carb and drain the tank—lesson learned the hard way.
On the flip side, my buddy's '68 Mustang sits for months at a time over winter without stabilizer, and he's never had a hiccup. Maybe older Mustangs just have tougher stomachs, or maybe it's climate-related? I'm in a pretty humid area, and I suspect moisture and temperature swings might have played a role in my Nova's fuel degrading faster.
So yeah, stabilizer might seem like overkill, especially if you've never had trouble before. But after that experience, I figure it's cheap insurance. A few bucks spent on stabilizer beats spending a weekend elbow-deep in carb cleaner and frustration. Guess it just depends on your luck, your car, and maybe even your local gas blend.
Interesting point about climate possibly being a factor. But I'm curious...could the difference actually be more about tank condition rather than the car model itself? Maybe your Nova had some rust or sediment in the tank that sped up fuel degradation or caused blockages faster, while your buddy's Mustang tank was cleaner inside? Just wondering if it's less about luck and more about individual car history or maintenance habits.
That's a fair point about tank condition. I've definitely noticed with older cars, even small maintenance details can make a huge difference on trips. Had a friend whose vintage Benz kept sputtering out randomly, and after weeks of frustration, turned out to be tiny rust flakes clogging the fuel filter. He'd been meticulous about oil changes and engine tune-ups but overlooked the tank itself. Makes me wonder—how often do you guys actually inspect or clean out your tanks? I admit I haven't really thought about it much myself, mostly because I've been lucky enough not to have issues yet. But now I'm thinking maybe I should be more proactive about checking mine before the next big road trip...
"Had a friend whose vintage Benz kept sputtering out randomly, and after weeks of frustration, turned out to be tiny rust flakes clogging the fuel filter."
That's exactly why I always recommend checking the tank condition periodically, especially if you're running an older ride. People often overlook it because it's not as obvious as oil or spark plugs, but rust and sediment buildup can cause serious headaches down the road. A quick visual inspection every year or two—and maybe even a tank flush every few years—can save you from getting stranded somewhere inconvenient... learned that lesson myself the hard way with my old Mustang.
