New car - breaking in?

[Rogerstone]

Just about to take delivery of my new 2.0tsi vrs. Do you have to break it in?

[Item]

General consensus seems to be just to drive it!

 

Mixed usage, mixed speed journeys are the best - avoid long intervals at fixed motorway speeds early on and make sure you get the engine and oil up to temperature before any "spirited" driving.

 

Also bear in mind that although you don't need to baby the engine and gear box (once up to temperature) you should give the brakes and tyres a little time to settle in before riding them too hard.

Edited 14 June, 2016 by Item

[Gabbo]

Just drive it like normal. No need to do anything special.

[studarude]

I've got a similar issue, my vRS is due to arrive a week (i hope!) before i take the family down to Cornwall for two weeks, so i'll have a 300 mile trek at motorway/a road sort of speeds so how is it best to tackle that? 

[Rodge]

As as already been said, don't drive for long periods at constant speed/engine revs. I avoided using the standard cruise control for the first 1000 miles in order to allow more variation in speed.

[CFBScout]

As as already been said, don't drive for long periods at constant speed/engine revs. I avoided using the standard cruise control for the first 1000 miles in order to allow more variation in speed.

 

Interested to know the rationale of not holding a steady speed and the effect on the 'running in'??

[Gabbo]

Its rubbish, just drive to your holidays as normal. Using cruise control is not a problem.

I've driven on the motorway with cruise since 0km and am now at 65k without any issues & averaging >50 mpg

I've done this with every diesel car I've owned (now on the 6th) & never had a problem.

 

Not running at constant speeds is an old issue from diesel barge engines where there would run at almost 0 load just to charge the battery.

Nothing to worry about with a modern car diesel engine.

 

If this was the case, it would at least be written in the manual.

 

Just drive like normal.

Edited 14 June, 2016 by Gabbo

[harrysprout]

Amazed at why this question is asked over and over again. It's not a1954 Wolseley for Christs sake!!

[pist0nbr0ke]

When I saw the thread title I thought you had locked the keys in the car  :p 

[themanwithnoaim]

I've got a similar issue, my vRS is due to arrive a week (i hope!) before i take the family down to Cornwall for two weeks, so i'll have a 300 mile trek at motorway/a road sort of speeds so how is it best to tackle that?

Shouldn't worry about constant speeds on that journey

[Gerrycan]

Amazed at why this question is asked over and over again. It's not a1954 Wolseley for Christs sake!!

Or it has just had the cylinders rebored.

Can't remember when I last saw a 'running in' rear window sticker

[Gerrycan]

There was a time when manufacturing tolerances were not particularly concise, metallurgy was less refined, castings were inconsistent and lubricant technology was quite basic.

Running in was essential for honing and work hardening surfaces and to reduce the possibility of seizing the engine during its initial 'tight' phase. The first oil change at around 1000 miles was always interesting to see how much metal came out of the sump and transmission.

 

Nowadays it is very different. I personally think the official advice is worth following but not necessarily related to running in the engine but from the point of view of getting used to the characteristics of the vehicle before testing its limits. If they just said 'you can go your hardest' then some people would and we have all heard stories of brand new vehicles being written off in the first hours or days of ownership. Especially true of the relatively high levels of performance currently available from even mundane vehicles

It also provides a get out clause for the manufacturers if the vehicle has been patently abused.

 

Bear in mind that when Opel/Vauxhall and Mazda set 'distance in 24 hours' class records that a couple of diesel vehicles were selected at random off the production line. They were then allowed to run in the tyres and brakes and other safety testing for about 40 miles (I saw that reference once but have not seen it repeated) and then they were placed on a banked circuit and run at full speed for 24 hours.

Even allowing for regular refuelling/pilot change stops the 2.0d Astras averaged 124mph in 2013 and the Mazda 6 2.2d in 2015 averaged 137mph. No break downs for either teams

 

So you be the judge.

 

Roll cages, full racing harnesses etc were installed otherwise the vehicles were in standard road trim, but with appropriate rated tyres such as the Michelin Pilot sports

[cherry evo]

Had a new Seat Toledo 1.9tdi 110bhp in 2000 as my 1st company car. Poor thing was abused from day one (2k miles on the first pair of front tyres), did 300k before it died! 

 

My Octy has just turned 5k miles in 6 weeks, I dont abuse it as I did when I was younger however, I just drive the car. Dont think about not revving it, I just drive! More important not to labour the engine...... Just checked the oil, its used none...... 

[pist0nbr0ke]

(2k miles on the first pair of front tyres), did 300k before it died! 

 

150 pairs of front tyres?   

[carrock]

i think its important to make sure the engine actually revs out occasionally when running in

 

On my diesel VRS it would be very easy to never rev beyond 3000 rpm, but when running in I deliberately drove for a few seconds in a lower gear so as to reach 3500, then after a few hundred miles did the same but to 4000 rpm, then 4500 etc.

 

Is now loosening up nicely but at 5 weeks and 3840 miles its ready for a few seconds at the redline I think

[Gerrycan]

Had a new Seat Toledo 1.9tdi 110bhp in 2000 as my 1st company car. Poor thing was abused from day one (2k miles on the first pair of front tyres), did 300k before it died! 

 

My Octy has just turned 5k miles in 6 weeks, I dont abuse it as I did when I was younger however, I just drive the car. Dont think about not revving it, I just drive! More important not to labour the engine...... Just checked the oil, its used none...... 

I think you and I live in alternate universes.

Surely that sort of abuse of a car (an innocent 1.9d for Pete's sake) contravenes the Royal Society For The Prevention of Cruelty to ....something??

My 1.4tsi just had its second service at 24k km and guy serving me (somewhat disbelievingly) said my tyres were less than half worn and the brakes were like new.

 

At some stage I have got to give the car a 20 minute stint at a continuous 4000 rpm or over to burn off carbon deposits on the inlet valve. Probably have to be 3rd gear stuff and without the wife present because she would probably think I had been abducted/replaced by aliens

[cherry evo]

I think you and I live in alternate universes.

Surely that sort of abuse of a car (an innocent 1.9d for Pete's sake) contravenes the Royal Society For The Prevention of Cruelty to ....something??

My 1.4tsi just had its second service at 24k km and guy serving me (somewhat disbelievingly) said my tyres were less than half worn and the brakes were like new.

 

At some stage I have got to give the car a 20 minute stint at a continuous 4000 rpm or over to burn off carbon deposits on the inlet valve. Probably have to be 3rd gear stuff and without the wife present because she would probably think I had been abducted/replaced by aliens

 

Lol, that was 16 years ago when I was in my early 30's and a bit wild!! I have calmed down a bit now as I was gaining speeding points like there was no tomorrow (I will not elaborate!). Had winter tyres on my last car (Altea tdi 105bhp) and the fronts had done 14k miles & were about 2/3 worn!! 

[cherry evo]

150 pairs of front tyres?   

 

Lol, I did calm down a bit, but never got more than 8k out of the fronts. Kept the car until it was on 110k, but it then went to a friend who treated the poor thing the same as what I did! Poor thing had a dogs life and it was a real nice car.....