HELP! Please Advise What 2 do 1st when car sitting outdoors in Florida, for 4 yrs?
 

Hi, I am finally able to get my car, its been in Florida for 4 yrs. without being started. I would like to be able to drive it again on long trips. I am fearful as what to do first? Obviously, I need a new battery (even though last one was brand new when I left) I was told to change the Gas & Oil.. FIRST before Starting the Car..also told to change the Serpentine belt to be safe. I don't know what else to do! I have no idea what condition the seals are in (nor which seals they are, lol). I don't know if it is safe to "Start the Car First," and drive it to a station, or should I Change the Fluids First? I really want to Drive it on long trips again, if in good shape but I'm fearful, any help would be appreciated, Car is Mustang GT, has 40,000 orig miles, no accidents, 35th Anniversary, I hear it holds 15 gals. of gas, not sure..Don't know how many miles it gets on highway or street either, any info. and advice would be welcome.
PS. I was told NOT to start the car 1st because the gas and oil may ruin the engine if it has been sitting in there, for 4 years. What about the transmission fluid and anti freeze?
What should I do first? Please Help! Thank you in Advance ;D

Was the car outside or in a garage? Tarped at least??
How handy are you with a wrench? If you're not too mechanically inclined then do NOT even THINK of starting the car. There could be all sorts of problems too many to start guessing here.
The gas, is trash. The oil is trash too.

I'd dump oil, gas, coolant and trans, swap in the new battery and fire it up. See how it idles for a bit. Don't push it too hard when you do drive it around at first.

I agree. You can safely assume that your fluids are trash. Ever leave a beverage outside for a few days on accident? If so, you've seen the seperation of the fluid inside the bottle. Over time, most fluids in the vehicle will break down and begin to seperate the same way. Gasoline is the worst for that. Also check your brake fluid.

I'd eyeball the serp belt too, because the heat and humidity in that climate make it likely that you will have a dryrotted belt. You don't want to jump on the road and throw/snap the belt three miles down.

Plugs and wires I'd also recommend, as well as running a good fuel injector cleaner through the first two tanks of gas you go through after you've swapped over.

Hopefully your brake lines are good still but it never hurts to crawl underneath and take a look at that nature has done to them. Over the years I spent working as a parts guy at a Ford dealership I can't tell you how many times I've seen those lines rot. They may be fine but it's just another precaution, peek underneath and make sure you aren't going to blow a brake line the first time you have to do a hard stop.

Car out side. No Tarp. eeek! Problem is .. not allowed to work on Cars on Association Property, Do you think I can at least start the car if I check the oil, add dry gas then drive to add more "New Gas" Then drive slowly to have all the fluids changed....Car checked? etc? The Mechanic is about 2 miles away, maybe less. Oh BTW. I am Pretty handy with a wrench...etc ;D Thank You so Much for your Advice! Glad you added not to push to far at first... good thinking!

Car sitting 4 years in Florida what to do First!
 

Hi JGibson and All , Wow, that's great advise! Thanks!... I see what you mean about fluids in the vehicle Breaking down...I also like your idea of running a good fuel injector cleaner through the first two tanks of gas ..Wow, I would not be happy if I blew a brake line the first time, I came to a hard stop.. OMGosh... that's a scary thought..Will check them as well, Are they fairly visible ..Can I use a mirror...perhaps? Wouldn't want a dry rotted serp belt either, so will check that out for sure. Wouldn't want to jump on the road & snap a belt three miles down, So I will take it slow..Good thinking! Oh, BTW, Which wires, did you mean?
I appreciate your reply as well as all the others, Thanks Again, Guy's ;D

Thanks LilRoush, GreyStang, JGibson, You Guys are Great! ;D

Ignition wires, running to the spark plugs are what I meant.

You should be able to get underneath the car and see the brake lines. Just remember a flashlight. :)

How come the Mustang sat for so long, if I may ask?

Think you can just get a flatbed towtruck to get it from where it's sitting to a more feasible location to work on it? That would probably be your best bet.