Hello everyone 

Just bought my first ever new car , was looking for a 2 year old citigo but managed to get a new one for £8k so treated myself 

Is there a recommended running in guide for a new car or just drive as normal and Don't read line it everywhere

 

Thanks

'Driving in' / Running in advice in the Owners manual.

 

The tyres need a few hundred miles to get the newness off, so after checking a setting the tyre pressures easy for a while.

The brakes and suspension need running in as does the gearbox, and bearings etc.

So while taking it easy the engine gets an easy run in. 

 

Just common sense really.

Or drive it like a Demonstrator or Hire Car gets driven straight from a PDI and it might last for years more than a ''Run in carefully' car does.

 

Have fun.

Had mine new ,now three months old. Take time out to read the handbook supplied.It does cover  running in in the handbook.

Avoid engine revs over 3000 rpm for the first 1000 miles.Then start to increase engine speeds......

Buy some correct grade oil,and check oil level after a few hundred miles,and weekly,it will need some topping up as the engine overcomes internal friction.

If you have not used a car with stop/start facility before,stick with it,it will save you some fuel -if you have the patience.

We all have a different view of how we will use a car,and just how much care you want to spend .Take a long term view ,wax the body,and it will last.......

Edited 30 May, 20197 yr by Blackcountryman

Many thanks

 

From my motorbike experience bought a 2nd bike that must have be ran in too easy and always used a fair amount of oil

 

So not sure to keep revs down to 3k or 4k , just looked @ online manual and says :-

 

"Running in the engine
During the first 1,500 km, the driving style is decisive for successful the running
in process is.
During the first 1,000 km the engine should not be pushed to more than 3/4
of the maximum permitted engine speed.

From about 1,000 to 1,500 km the engine can be pushed up to the maximum
permitted engine speed."

 

Seems a bit high to me , 3k seems better to me aswell

Cheers Steve

Edited 30 May, 20197 yr by steveeeg

There 'Driving in / Running in'  has been the same for ever with what ever fuel, engine capacity, power etc.

 

Same with 'May use 0.5 litres / 1,000 km, May use more in 5,000 km,  Covering their backside stuff.

Over high Alpine Passes in Summer towing a Horse Box.

 

The 3 Cylinder / 1.0 litre engine is near to a m/Cycle engine.  Just drive sensibly.   Its up to a owner / driver to use their experience, but you are not seizing engines these days 

by taking the car to the NSL and staying at it for a while.

Maybe best not sit at 80 mph for a few hundred miles if you have a long drive home.

Modern engines are built to high standards and will have been tested to max revs at the factory already. It is more a precautionary (covering of the posterior) thing.

There is a 24 hour reliability/distance record classification that some manufacturers have successfully competed in where a couple of cars are randomly selected off the production line and with no other special preparation other than a standard pdi and 60 km test run are then subjected to full throttle circuits of a banked track.

Accepted that these are diesels (because a petrol engine would have to stop too often to fill) but they were just standard Vauxhall/Opel Astra sport diesel models and Mazda 6 and averaged over 120mph for 24 hours. No reported failures or issues.

 

I'm not recommending that as a method of course but as Offski intimated it is possibly more important to run in the tyres, and roughen of the contact surfaces, while bedding in the brakes with sensible driving than what you are likely to subject the engine to.

When I put new tyres on my car (Octavia) I was initially terrified I had made a mistake with the selection of Michelin Primacy as they felt so bad (light steering, no feedback, poor directional stability). The improvement over the ensuing 150km or so was amazing, and reassuring.

 

Just don't slog the engine in low gears with a lot of throttle, you are better off keeping the loads lighter using a lower gear and higher revs and about half to two thirds throttle as an occasional max if you have to accelerate up a steepish incline. If the manufacturer says keep below 4000/4500 rpm then that still gives you a lot of latitude in a normal road environment. 

 

In my youth, if you had a rebore and new rings fitted to an engine, then you had to have a "Running In, Please Pass" sticker on the back of your car for what seemed forever.

Thank goodness those days are over.

Edited 30 May, 20197 yr by Gerrycan

Loving the citigo really impressed with quality and great fun to drive , I love driving small cars especially as drive a motorbike most of the time and citigo has replaced a people carrier

 

Have driven normally not babied and not thrashed , using up to 3500- 4000 revs from time to time , avoided motorway , lots of speed changes and also some hills to load the engine  , great fun

 

It looks to have a built in immobilizer but no alarm ?

 

Is this correct ? The dealer said it had a factory fitted alarm & immobilizer , but I think he is getting confused with the remote central locking which flashes lights and its not a alarm ????

 

Cheers Steve

Edited 1 June, 20197 yr by steveeeg

No alarm - not even a factory option . Just a red flashy light on the door for what it's worth

Well my wifes car has now reached 66 miles since we picked it up on Thursday. Could take 6 months to run in at that rate.

I have been reving to about 4k when I drove it, and it can run at 70 below 4k easily.