Now with supposedly only four weeks until my car is supposedly built (optimism is foolish), I was wondering what the definitive line on running in the new engine (specifically a vRS one with it's twin charge thingy).

I've read all manner of opinions like "for the first 500 miles never go above 3.5k, then gradually increase in 500 mile increments", and "drive it normally just don't redline it for 1000 miles but watch out while the brakes bed in", also "if you don't drive it with a bit of poke the ECU and engine won't adapt to their full potential".

Who's right?

Having owned a Fabia vRS which I suspect was COMPLETELY babied for the first 3K of it's life, my advice is: -

Wait for the oil temp to warm up - get out there and just drive it.

Don't be afraid to give it full rev's - it'll bed the engine in better and you will guarantee longer life of your engine*

*This advice I was given by a VW Master Technician.

The procedure I've always used is:-

Do not exceed 4_000rpm for the first 1_000 miles, Do not drive at a steady speed for more than about 10 miles during this time.

After this, get the oil and filter changed (The dealer may argue that it's not needed, but you're the customer and trying to give them money).

Drive and service normally after this.

drive it normally, including redlining it (mine was bouncing off the limiter at 14 miles, the first sliproad I came to!) if it needs full throttle use it... just "normal" driving. most of it will be varied revs and gentle anyway.. people who baby too much tend to not get the engines "seating" properly, and have more oil use, and less power...

I'm up to 16,000 miles now, driven normally from new, 1 liter of oil in the first 10k, and 250mil since the 10k service... (some people are using 10 times that much!)

I always drive my new cars as normal from day one, the last one was my grande punto sporting, 107,000 trouble free miles... (mapped at 4k)

There are some pretty wild homespun ideas flying around about 'running in'.

I would stick to the Skoda recommendations - it's in the handbook,but boils down to - First 1000km don't use more than 3/4 of available revs (i.e. dont exceed about 4000 revs.)and avoid full throttle.

1000 - 1500km gradually increase rev range and throttle travel up to maximum permitted.

drive it like you stole it

I would stick to the Skoda recommendations - it's in the handbook,but boils down to - First 1000km don't use more than 3/4 of available revs (i.e. dont exceed about 4000 revs.)and avoid full throttle.

1000 - 1500km gradually increase rev range and throttle travel up to maximum permitted.

is the handbook VRs specific or just a general fabia book? all engines cant be the same with regards to running in

all i'll add is that im into my 8th year with my mk1 VRs and i never drove it like a baby once and only used 1 ltr of extra oil in all those years, i think im with sharkrider on this one

Just follow the manufacturers running rules in the handbook. You don't have to drive it slowly during running in as many people think, but just avoid the things it's says in the owners manual. The idea is to drive it normally but avoiding (as Ken says above) constant speed/throttle settings, full throttle and full revs, and build up to using full throttle and full revs over the first 1000 miles. If you use full revs and full throttle too soon you can damage the engines long term ability to be mechanically reliable. It causes hot spots on the pistons and rings and removes too much metal from the cylinder bores. This can cause glazing and even scoring of the cylinders and the engine may break a piston ring or piston at some point later on in life due to the cylinder bores inability to retain an oil film. It's not uncommon on higher performance engines in particular as they age. Whilst this may reduce oil consumption and improve power in the short term, too much throttle too soon is in effect ageing the engine prematurely and you will find the engine will start to lose power and use more oil as the mileage gets higher when compared to someone who follows the proper manufacturers running in instructions. Unless you are planning to race your engine, then I would advise always sticking to the manufacturers instructions. Diesel engines are less prone to damage during running in but high performance petrol engine not pre-run in can be a slightly different cup of tea. But then, everyone does there own thing I guess.

Edited 13 September, 201114 yr by Estate Man

whilst i cant say for sure as im no mechanic so i could easily be talking out of my a$$ but what about demo cars? mine only had a few miles on it and i can assure you i drove it like i stole it as im sure many others will do. does this mean never buy an ex demo as its not run in correctly and wont last

in the past it was a must but with modern engines do the old rules still apply?

brakes are different and to work properly they need bedded in, i guess with the car its each to their own but im gonna drive it normal. lets face it when you buy a 2nd hand car you dont ask if its been run in correctly

I bought an ex demo...

Out of the 3 I drove, it has better power and better fuel consumption.

This gives me the impression as above, just give it some

Saw my vRS yesterday and there's already 12 miles on it. Didn't expect it to be that much going from the production line to the ferry, etc. Anyway I'll be driving it normally but not hitting the limiter since it's runs out of go before then. The limiter protects the engine anyway. Let it warm up and cool down properly and it will be fine

Drive it hard, or you my find it will end up like mine uses more oil than fuel thinking of getting shoot of it.

They run the tsi engines for around 16hrs in the factory(a simulated 1,000mile run in)

this doesn't mean that no running in is required but it does limit the damage that the owner can do if they decided to abuse the engine.

just be gently for the first 100 miles whilst you and the car get used to each other(ecu adjusts)

then drive it normally from that point.

The thing i have ALWAYS done is a running in serivce!!! i think an oil and filter change is crucial after 1000miles, the only reason VAG group don't recommend one anymore is too reduce the fleet/commercial running costs to make there vehicles more appealing to a company

TBH drive it how you want just get an oil/filter change after 1000miles

Hmmm. So many opinions! However I end up driving it initially, it'll be more fun than my mother's car which I'm borrowing at the minute. The next 6/7 weeks can't go quick enough (if my car gets supposedly built on the supposedly correct week).

Mine was eased in to start off with for the first couple of hundred......then I lost the will to drive like granny and gave it some beans. Used 2 ltrs of oil in my 7.5k miles and hasn't budged since i topped it up! As for performance and MPG I seem to be getting my fair share of both, average about high 30's sometimes low 40's (this is speeding up and slowing down round bendy back roads for a lot of the journey, usually heavy footed because i'm late for work!). Highest MPG - 45.6... Lowest i've seen - about 29... and managed to get that up to 38 over the last 15 minutes of my drive home

They run the tsi engines for around 16hrs in the factory(a simulated 1,000mile run in)

this doesn't mean that no running in is required but it does limit the damage that the owner can do if they decided to abuse the engine.

just be gently for the first 100 miles whilst you and the car get used to each other(ecu adjusts)

then drive it normally from that point.

The thing i have ALWAYS done is a running in serivce!!! i think an oil and filter change is crucial after 1000miles, the only reason VAG group don't recommend one anymore is too reduce the fleet/commercial running costs to make there vehicles more appealing to a company

TBH drive it how you want just get an oil/filter change after 1000miles

Is there any evidence of the artificial run in done on the engines and does this apply only to the vRS or all tsi engines??? I ask because my 1.2 tsi 85 should be here in a week or so. :-)

Yeah dont worry about running it in, just treat it with respect (dont hammer it from cold if you can help it) and all will be fine.

Ours has done just over 2k, every time I get in it I tend to give it a fair bit. It's used 300ml of oil and is returning 42mpg on a sensible run.

The twincharger engine does use a bit of oil so just be prepared to top it up every now and again, it will tell you when it needs a litre.

Okay long story but here go

My Brothers girlfriend is german, she has a brother that now works in a mercedes car factory... he used to work in the Wolfsburg factory until 18months ago.... when he was visiting england a conversation came up with my uncle who recently ordered an audi a4 avant 2.0 tfsi, he was asking my

brothers girlfriends brother about running in the engine.

now Matt(The brother who worked for vw) used to work in the vehicle inspection team at the wolfsburg factory.

he assured my uncle that VAG run in all there twin charged engines for 1000miles before they even get to the final inspection team.

Now this was 18months ago, and this was answering a question to do with the audi, but he said ALL tsi and tsfi engines,

so take that for whatever value you want but Matt isn't just a normal factory savvy, he has been building cars for 9 years and has a german equivelent of a masters in mechanical engineering. he seemed an honest and very concivse type of person that would tell the truth about something like that.

long story i know but you asked.

so yes your 1.2tsi is in theory already run in

Edited 13 September, 201114 yr by Sonner

They run the tsi engines for around 16hrs in the factory(a simulated 1,000mile run in)

this doesn't mean that no running in is required but it does limit the damage that the owner can do if they decided to abuse the engine.

just be gently for the first 100 miles whilst you and the car get used to each other(ecu adjusts)

then drive it normally from that point.

The thing i have ALWAYS done is a running in serivce!!! i think an oil and filter change is crucial after 1000miles, the only reason VAG group don't recommend one anymore is too reduce the fleet/commercial running costs to make there vehicles more appealing to a company

TBH drive it how you want just get an oil/filter change after 1000miles

I am planning to change the oil & filter after 1k miles or so. Is the oil filter easy to reach on the new vRS? the current one is right at the front so pretty easy.

I read all the "Rules" about running in and the problems with oil use some people have had. This is usually atributed to how it was run in.

All's I can say is how I treated mine.

The dealer told me, no running in was neccassary. "Just drive it normally"

I Got it will 9 miles on the clock, I drove it home. (About 5 miles being careful, not to go to high up the rev range, while it was warming up.)

I picked up my bags, then drove to a friends house normally. Engine was warm at this point, (temp reading up in the 90's On the maxidot display)

This involved several racing starts, with the car in D mode, and a few experiments with manual.

Then I put it in S expecting it to be similar to D. Racing start from the lights, and the car went upto the red line upto 3rd gear before The grin on my face was blocking my view, so I slowed down again...

Then I drove another 200 miles at motorway cruising speeds, with normal driving from then on.

I have driven 7000 miles now, and only had to put in about 250ml of oil. My car doesnt miss a beat, it seems well run in. Im sure only time will tell!

I am planning to change the oil & filter after 1k miles or so. Is the oil filter easy to reach on the new vRS? the current one is right at the front so pretty easy.

I really wouldn't do this, this was recomended years ago when the new cars were filled with a "running in oil" and it was to help seat the engine while being driven gently as it used to be! things move on.... you need the older oil... just change it at 10k or 1 year.

I read all the "Rules" about running in and the problems with oil use some people have had. This is usually atributed to how it was run in.

All's I can say is how I treated mine.

The dealer told me, no running in was neccassary. "Just drive it normally"

I Got it will 9 miles on the clock, I drove it home. (About 5 miles being careful, not to go to high up the rev range, while it was warming up.)

I picked up my bags, then drove to a friends house normally. Engine was warm at this point, (temp reading up in the 90's On the maxidot display)

This involved several racing starts, with the car in D mode, and a few experiments with manual.

Then I put it in S expecting it to be similar to D. Racing start from the lights, and the car went upto the red line upto 3rd gear before The grin on my face was blocking my view, so I slowed down again...

Then I drove another 200 miles at motorway cruising speeds, with normal driving from then on.

I have driven 7000 miles now, and only had to put in about 250ml of oil. My car doesnt miss a beat, it seems well run in. Im sure only time will tell!

bob on.

like I said my last was the fiat 107k of no breakdowns, engine as good as new... previous was mark I vRS, 80k, and fine... my longest was a citroen paxo VTR 157,000 miles in 4 years, wrung its neck all the time, including from new, 20k service intervals, never used a drop of oil, engine as good as new at that mileage..... (it went through about 3 gearboxes though :( my last citroen! lol..)

I have no worries about this engine... like I said, i have put in 250mill in the last 6,000 miles... I always tend to run my cars over 100k and have never had a failure, modern engines are strong, and oil technology has come on massively in recent years...

we need to move with the times.