Tips/Tricks with a new car? "Break-In" period

Tips/Tricks with a new car? "Break-In" period

Other than reading the fat manual, does anyone have quick tips I need to take note on with handling a new car?

is that engine break-in? most cars now days dont have an engine break in period. just drive it and get the feel for it. what are you getting?

You're actually supposed to drive a new car hard to correctly seal the rings.
http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

agree w/ rollatuner... have fun!

Just don't get caught going insanely fast. Burnouts are fun too!

LOL... I thought I read that here somewhere... silver 09 5speed corolla

tell me its a XRS!

just follow the manual. there is a chapter on break in and while the link rollatuner posted has been around for a while, there is nothing really backing it up other than what he says is proof. the site is based off motorcycle engines also.

the manual probably has something around the first 300-500 of the early break-in and then up to 1000 is when it's broken in. it is not very hard to pull out the manual and read it.

The manual does not really specify alot. No hard breaking, towing, and sudden acceleration. Thats pretty much it. It does say no sudden acceleration, not HARD acceleration... I wonder if its different.

No, its not an XRS. I wish

The manual is too conservative. The link is correct. You have to drive it hard to get a correct seal on the rings.

You should vary the RPMs and make sure to go through all the gears, but you really shouldn't do any really hard acceleration, or hard driving.

I was tempted to do the "hardcore" break-in at times - but stuck with the tried and trued method.

I've got three cars that are close to 100K miles or well over - 96 Camry (5SFE) - 280K, 02 Corolla (1ZZFE) - 150K, 03 Matrix (2ZZGE) 98K - two of them don't burn any oil, the Camry burns maybe ~4oz (1/8 quart) between OCI (every 5K miles) and they all still run pretty well.

I followed the manufacturer's recommendation - just normal, easy driving for a few hundred miles, lots of variation of throttle applications (idle to WOT), tried to avoid long highway road trips (steady state throttle) for the first couple of hundred miles. Changed oil right after break-in period. Eventually switched all the cars to either full synthetic or synthetic blends.

That is what I am doing. Question on " lots of variation of throttle applications (idle to WOT)", is this on 5th gear or throughout the gears?

I try and stay off WOT application in first and second gear - OK to open it up in the higher gears. But yeah, basically you want to mix it up a bit in all the gears - don't drive steady-state, like hundred mile stretch with the cruise control on.

Don't get crazy and drive WOT everytime, don't lug the engine either - basically a little bit of everything. Don't worry - the miles will roll on pretty fast.

The first hundred miles are the most critical - after that, you should have developed a decent routine and continuing to break-in the whole car.

Newer cars don't really need to be broken in like cars 20+ years ago. Manufacturing tolerances and build quality is so high and carefully controlled, the cars are ready to roll, straight off the dealership lots.

Think of the easy break-in as a preliminary shakedown of the car - bedding in the brakes, making sure that all the bits work, circulating the fluids. Don't want to beat the hell out of the car, only to find out that the dealership didn't torque the wheels enough and you see your wheel roll past you in an aggressively taken corner (True story - me and a Ford Ranger truck on a test drive ~ 15 years ago , a memorable day).

Another question i forgot to ask, people have given me different answers as to when I should get the first oil change done?

do it between 500miles and 1k

just follow the manual. some people have their theories, but it's just a theory. the whole every 3k is for older cars and marketing.

Up to you really - how I view it, an oil change is pretty cheap compared to potential problems. Assuming that it is done correctly - ie, they remember to put the drain plug back in, actually fill it with oil, etc. - doesn't hurt to change it on a conservative schedule, especially the very first fill.

Oil quality is so much better now - 3K changes is not necessary anymore - but again, up to the owner. I personally changed the break-in oil fairly early (500-1500 miles), then at least 5K miles changes with conventional oil, 5K-10K with synthetics. No oil problems at all - UOA's all look good as well, low wear metals, good filtration, strong additive packages.

Thanks! Im pretty much over with the break in period having close to 300miles on it.

break-in period is the first 1000 miles.