Wondering about your opinions on best practice to 'break in' a new car. Also, are there any special considerations for an Octy?

 

These are listed online:

 

1. Drive slowly for 5-10 minutes each time you start out. ...
2. Use stop-and-go driving to wear in the engine and brakes. ...
3. Brake a little gentler and earlier. ...
4. Test the car's capabilities without maxing them out. ...
5. Change the oil after 1,000 miles (1600 km).

 

https://m.wikihow.com/Drive-a-New-Car

IMO the best practice is to drive the car normally without straining the engine at low revs or running at higher revs.

 

Personally, I run a maximum of 4000 rpm for the first 1000 miles and then increase the rpm limit by 500 rpm for every 100 miles driven.

 

Some say there's no need to run in, but it certainly won't do any harm to take care of your new motor.

 

3 hours ago, Otto_Octavius said:

Wondering about your opinions on best practice to 'break in' a new car. Also, are there any special considerations for an Octy?

 

These are listed online:

 

1. Drive slowly for 5-10 minutes each time you start out. ...  Drive normally, just don't rag it around. Watch out in the wet as the tyres will have the mould release agent on them. Just ensure you get the engine up to temperature.
2. Use stop-and-go driving to wear in the engine and brakes. ... Yes, but as said previously, you need to get the engine up to temperature and go through a decent rev range to get the piston rings seated. Don't sit on the motorway at a constant speed.
3. Brake a little gentler and earlier. ... Yes, but again you need to ensure you've got your wits about you. Plan ahead, but throw the anchors on if you have to. Safety first. You can wear them in with normal driving. It's only for the first hundred or so miles as the break in cover wears off. But you need to be gentle for a few hundred miles more.
4. Test the car's capabilities without maxing them out. ... You'll need to go up the rev range as the mileage increases. Driving around a city center with stop start traffic does the trick.
5. Change the oil after 1,000 miles (1600 km)..... The manual doesn't say you have to, so if it was of importance for the engine, I'm sure it would. That short of an oil change is normally for motorbikes and performance engines.

 

https://m.wikihow.com/Drive-a-New-Car

 

See answers after your questions

Edited 21 June, 20197 yr by tunedude

Thank you!

I set the maxi dot to see the oil temperature since that always takes longer to warm up than water temp. This helps both when new and as general practice all the time, and don't use higher rev range until it's over 80 centigrade.

 

Edited 21 June, 20197 yr by Sweephand

3 hours ago, tunedude said:

 

See answers after your questions

 

Agree with everything Tunedude says but would add that after 1000 miles, check your fluid levels. Changing oil after first 1000 miles might still apply to high performace super cars but hasn't been necessary on ordinary cars for at least 40 years! However don't ignore the oil. Sometimes a new engine will use oil whilst it beds in so check the levels after 1000 miles and top up if necessary.

Just now, Scot5 said:

 

Agree with everything Tunedude says but would add that after 1000 miles, check your fluid levels. Changing oil after first 1000 miles might still apply to high performace super cars but hasn't been necessary on ordinary cars for at least 40 years! However don't ignore the oil. Sometimes a new engine will use oil whilst it beds in so check the levels after 1000 miles and top up if necessary.

 

Yes, good shout. New engines like their oil whilst they bed in, so if it needs a top up in the first few thousand miles, don't panic.

I made sure I always warmed the oil up before driving it how I still do now - a mix of everything including revving to red line. 

Don't worry about it, just drive as you normally do. New mass produced engines are far more resilient than they used to be. Just don't rag it to death all the time.

 

All new cars get a bit of a thrashing on the rolling roads in plant within 5 minutes of the first time they are started up. They are checked for stuff like sensor faults and the ability to engage all gears and accelerate cleanly on full throttle, all within a 2 to 5 minute process cycle time so they have to get on with it.

 

Plus there the fact of a dozen or so different drivers moving the cars about through the factories, dispatch pens, transport routes, dealerships and PDI. You can guarantee they ain't going to be hanging about as the clock is ticking!!

 

An early oil change is a great idea though and won't do any harm.

 

 

Edited 22 June, 20196 yr by BigEjit