Is it still neccessary to "drive in" new engines, or is that something of the past?

It is advisable to follow a Running in procedure that the Manufactures recommend, for the tyres, brakes, suspension and drivetrain bearings etc,

this gives the engine a chance to run in as well.

Gives the owner a chance to listen and feel that all is well.

 

But then Demonstrators & Hire cars might well be thrashed from day one.

Up to each and how they feel.

 

If you are getting a new car, enjoy.

Ok. Thanks.

Getting the car tomorrow!

Any ideas of how many km?

I tend to keep my cars for a while so I have always run them in a bit, whether it is strictly necessary these days I do not know but what can it hurt?

 

I have always changed the oil after 1000 miles and found more in those oil changes than in any others in the life of the car so that should tell you something I suppose.

 

When the engine is new, labouring the engine in a high gear can do as much harm as revving it, I just do 500-1000 miles sensible driving, if I find nothing major in the oil at 1000 happy days.

Its actually in the owners manual and it tells you what you should and shouldnt do. I think there is a link on the forum to download it.

Edited 22 April, 201511 yr by Reichter

OK. Having the DSG myself, so should stay clear of the worst revving and labouring.

If you have the DSG I would stay firmly in 'D' and 'Normal' if it is anything like mine Sport hangs on to gears too long for running in and Econ tends to shift up the gears a little too soon sometimes for my liking.

Just drive the car as normal, let it get warm before stretching its legs & you'll be fine.

Obviously driving gently for the first 1000km wont do any harm but its not necessary these days.

Drive it to the book for 750 miles then the brakes tyres and wheel bearings are bedded in, the drive train is half way there, then just drive it like you stole it,much more fun

They dont need running in mechanically really....only the brakes and tyres will need a bit of bedding in over a few hundred miles.

I believe the engines are batch bench tested to make sure they have no obvious faults and are putting out at the crank what they should be as per their spec, so they technically will have had the ass revved out of them before they even get fitted into the car.

Drive it however you would normally drive a car.....

If its a TDI just be mindful that they often take an age to get to the point where they start getting anything near the manufacturers figures.

My 2.0 150 now has nearly 23k miles on the clock (in just over a year) and today on a 123 mile mixed carriage way, motorway, A road run - including some crawling around M25 and some faster driving - averaged 55.9mpg.....and did about 52 on the return journey, which was even worse for traffic and was spent mostly with the AC on.

Same journey when new i struggled to get 50mpg, between 46-48 was the norm.

Edited 23 April, 201511 yr by pipsyp

I believe the engines are batch bench tested to make sure they have no obvious faults and are putting out at the crank what they should be as per their spec, so they technically will have had the ass revved out of them before they even get fitted into the car.

 

Don't forget driving on the starter motor, max speed over the squeek-and-rattle rumble strips during production and then 1st gear 9000rpm by the transportation company too.

Don't forget driving on the starter motor

Another good reason to get a DSG!

Running in will always be one of those things that will go round and round and there is no right answer. For what it's worth I think of it this way.

If it is my money buying the car I will run it in. If it has had a bit of abuse in delivery you can always try and balence it out. Bit like straightening the front disks that SWMBO has just warped with a bit of re-bedding

Hire cars always drive well at 18 months but would you want to own it at 10 years? If you change your car at three years why bother, but it is one of the reasons why I like to buy cars new

If manufacturers made engines that were not tight out of the box I would say running in is irrelevant. Although today they are leagues better than engines of the past it is still noticeable, probably more in the fuel consumption than in the driving. It is possible to build engines that need less running in but it takes lots of time and lots of plastigauge! Not really viable for a production engine.

Like anything it is horses for courses and some cars will come out of the factory better than others by the law of averages if you get a good one, top MPG from the get-go it will need less running in than the Friday afternoon dog

Each to their own I guess but I will always go easy on a new car until I feel it has freed up a bit, just seems common sense to me

drive it like you borrowed it !

Mine has 500 miles on it now and its getting the full beans on a regular basis, once the oil temp is 80 degrees of course