Hello everyone,

I am sorry if this has already been brought up but I did a search and couldn't find it.

I will be picking my new Fabia VRS up at the end of the month I was just wondering how best to run it in. I have read various different things and I am a little confused. I have never had a brand new car before and want to do it properly.

I don't want to drive it really carefully only for the first 1000 mile if when this period is over and I want to give it a bit of stick the engine will get damaged as it is not used to higher RPM.

Maybe I am taking rubbish but I thought it best to ask you kind folk the best way to do it.

Any help would be greatly recieved.

Many Thanks

Doug

you do not need to run a car in these days.

however. not totally caining it for first 500 miles is advisable.

honestjohn.co.uk sorry i cant post a link to the actual page on this site, but on the FAQ you will find info on the best way to run in a diesel

Pixi

Follow the advice in the Owner's Manual, namely:

Up to 1000km (600 miles)

the following general rules apply:

* Do not use full throttle

* Do not drive faster than 3/4 of top speed

* Avoid high engine speeds

* Avoid towing a trailer, if possible

From 1000 - 1500km (600 - 1000 miles)

It is possible gradually to increase up to the maximum speed of the gear engaged or to the maximum permissible engine speed, respectively.

During and after the running-in period:

* Do not overrev the engine when cold - either in Neutral or when driving.

All the speeds and revs stated only apply when the engine is properly warm.

* Do not drive at unnecessarily high engine speeds - changing up early helps to save fuel, reduces noise and protects the environment.

* Do not let the engine labour - change down when the engine no longer runs smoothly.

After the running-in period

On cars fitted with a rev counter the maximum permissible engine speed is marked by the start of the red range on the scale of the rev counter. The needle of the rev counter must not move into this range.

Driving your car like a granny during the run in is almost as bad as caning the knackers off it everywhere. Im using the "Honest John" method for my Octy vRS coupled with the limits set out in my owners handbook (which are a teeny bit vague TBH). It's a method that seems to be followed by quite a few people.

Just drive it normally (that's not the "Normally" associated with petrol heads out on a saturday night) don't race the engine but dont be afraid to drive it at speed.

These days most engines are "Run in", as such, at the factory.

I used to work for Walon (the guys that get the cars off the boat at Portbury Docks) and believe me you would never buy a new car if you saw the way they drive the cars around :eek:.

Red line wos that then ?

It's Honest John for me. Followed it to the letter and rarely see even a whisp of smoke even under hard acceleration. Pussy footin' while running in a diesel can glaze the bores and give problems in later life...

I've found (600-odd miles done now) it to be fine not to overdo it revving wise.

3k rpm is plenty to get around REAL quick compared to most cars on the road anyway

Based on 'working it out' it's about 95ish mph in 6th.

As for labouring - the dealer basically said that the vRS torque is so much that hardly ever becomes an issue, it sure does apply to petrol engines.

Not trashing it is a good idea. Remember the ENGINE may have been run in at the factory (dealer said this too), but it still has to settle inside the car. The gearbox has notably improved after the first 200-odd miles, the gears I use most are 'easier' to slot into, the others still require a little more gentle behaviour.

I would always avoid pushing it hard when you have a turbo-charged engine, whilst it has not reached operating temperatures. It warms up pretty quickly anyway so I don't find that too annoying.

I've now started revving a little more, I firmly believe it is good to gradually 'push up' in revs - I still can't say I've got to 4k rpm though, reached 3.5k a few times when I was lazy changing up.

Will be driving down to Kent this weekend for a Christening, might give it some up/down the gears type welly to get a bit of revving action going

Can i jumo on this thread.....

from work i start up and then on the motor way str8 away, at speeds......is this okay whilst running in or should i let the car sit for abit to warm up??

I'd avoid trashing it up to speed when it's cold - it will warm up pretty quickly when you're doing 70ish anyway, I'd just stay below 3k rpm through the gears till it's warm really. Should still give you plenty of speed

from work i start up and then on the motor way str8 away, at speeds......is this okay whilst running in or should i let the car sit for abit to warm up??

You're not supposed to let the car sit and warm up - diesels are thermally efficient (relatively speaking)...so you could leave it running on your drive all morning, and it wouldn't warm up. So you'd be running the car cold for longer, so if you follow the theory that engine wear is worse when it's cold, then you're going to knacker the engine...

Rob.

Thanks for all you responses most kind.

The wife will be driving it mostly during the week and myself at weekends.

She does about 300 miles a week so shouldn't take long to get to the 600 mile mark.

The wife doesn't drive very fast any way and mostly does motorway driving.

Doug

Follow the advice in the Owner's Manual' date=' namely:

[b']Up to 1000km (600 miles)[/b]

the following general rules apply:

* Do not use full throttle

* Do not drive faster than 3/4 of top speed

* Avoid high engine speeds

* Avoid towing a trailer, if possible

From 1000 - 1500km (600 - 1000 miles)

It is possible gradually to increase up to the maximum speed of the gear engaged or to the maximum permissible engine speed, respectively.

During and after the running-in period:

* Do not overrev the engine when cold - either in Neutral or when driving.

All the speeds and revs stated only apply when the engine is properly warm.

* Do not drive at unnecessarily high engine speeds - changing up early helps to save fuel, reduces noise and protects the environment.

* Do not let the engine labour - change down when the engine no longer runs smoothly.

After the running-in period

On cars fitted with a rev counter the maximum permissible engine speed is marked by the start of the red range on the scale of the rev counter. The needle of the rev counter must not move into this range.

I feel there's one thing missing from the above - varying your revs as much as possible during the run-in period (within the prescribed limits of course). You'll get a nice tight lock between piston and cylinder, so you'll be burning less oil later on.

I think you should suggest that addition to SkodaAuto, Mattijs!

It is definitely worth changing the revs, I ended up going up and down the gears a bit in the 50 mph zones. As for the warming up - yep I didnt mean leave it parked up till it's warm, just don't floor it and so forth (if you ever need it) until it's up to decent temps

Also don't forget to leave the diesel engine running for 10 seconds or so at the end of a run, to do with ensuring the turbo is cooled OK. This is in the manual somewhere