My first journey will be getting on the motorway and driving to a meeting 80 miles away.

It’s an auto and I was just going to take it easily for a 1000 miles?

a new car – there is no run in period

No run in

Drive it normally if not harder than you would. Pick up any failures early.

Have a look at:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bathtub_curve

Best to find the issues early and then can be dealt with quickly. Driving like Miss daisy could mask issues that would potentially appear later and more difficult to progress through warranty (possibly).

Most OEMs these days just say drive as normal but don’t miss the first service / inspection whatever you do.

Just nail it from new.

It’s a lease, right?

Or as above if it’s a lease… That’s a different story! Drive it like you stole it.

No, I paid for it by bank transfer in the end as they wouldn’t budge on price if I went PCP but I did get 10% off with extras at cost price and as there was a 3 month wait, I managed to get one hopefully Friday.

Was tempted by a lease but I want to own my car and then store it after 5 years of driving. Nothing wrong with leasing but not for me.

Depends on whether it’s a girls car or a mans car.

It’s a girls car of course 😆

Well on Saturday night it is…

A number of new cars do require a ‘running in’ period according to the manufacturers. I was advised by the manufacturer of my car, to not go above 4000 rpm for the first 1000 miles (i think). Others may differ so ask your dealership.

What does the manual say?

I pick the car up Friday evening and hence no manual.

Might just do what piha said 4K rev limit for 1000 miles 😥

Drove mine sensibly for 500 miles and as I was a bit ocd changed the oil at 1000. Can’t tell if it made any difference but still have it 10 years later

Yes I’ve heard of changing oil to get rid of metals but many argue against it.

Might change it at 1000-2000 miles.

Problem is though it’s highly likely if the car was made abroad it has already been run at the limit. Used to work in a temp job unloading cars from the ferries and containers (brand new) and driving them to the distribution depots (up to 20 miles away). The drivers of these cars were insane…. Absolutely insane. Dealer gets car, polishes up, fixes any blemishes and delivered to you.

Seems to be split opinion so just do what feels right for you. It’s your car. Perhaps speak with dealer to see what they say rather than guessing.

New cars don’t really need running in like cars of old – but it’s still a good idea not to rag it though! And being an auto it will change up whenever possible so less of an issue engine-wise.

But brakes, etc still need consideration – so avoid heavy braking if at all possible.

No more than half rev range , don’t use full throttle and don’t let it labour in too high a gear for the first 1500km. That’s what the manual for my car (VwGolf) says

It’s a mini right?

From the manual

What does MINI say? From page 148 in the manual under “Breaking-in period”, it ssys:

For gasoline engine, 4,500 rpm and
100 mph/160 km/h.

For diesel engine, 3,500 rpm and
93 mph/150 km/h.

Avoid full load or kickdown under all circumstances.

From 1,200 miles/2,000 km
The engine and vehicle speed can gradually be
increased.

Silly question, but did you ask the person who is selling it to you? At least if they say no, and it goes bang, you can go back and hit him with your curling tongs.

It is a mini, right?

😉

I am sure your wife will be happy with it! Great cars.

Handbook in mine said drive like a daisy for 1500 miles.

I only read it after 5000 miles driving it hard. Oh well it’s a lease car anyhow

Thanks for the advice! Especially brakes. Will take it easy for the first 1200 miles regrettably.

Found a 2 year old PDF which had what people said here:

Drive under 4500 rpm / 200 mph up to 1200 miles 😥

Brakes 300 miles.
Clutch 300 miles.
Tyres 200 miles.

‘She’ hates it btw.

Don’t redline it or labour in too high a gear for 1000 miles, change oil and filter, then enjoy it.
The manufacturers tend to underplay oil changes as they want to boast long service intervals, but as long as piston rings and cylinders are made of cast iron a new engine will contaminate its oil to begin with.
Don’t initially idle it too much if you can help it, cam loading is much higher at low revs.

Drive under 4500 rpm / 200 mph for 1200 miles

Thays advisable after 1,200 miles too 😉

Ok will not let it idle or labour in a high gear.

4500 rpm and 100 mph max for the first 1200 miles – not that I would do that on road.

Might do a 1K or 5k oil change instead of the 10k requirement.

Sales guy said no running in but manual says different.

Honest John says: don’t change oil. https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/faq/running-in-a-petrol-engine/

Not sure about that one.

Oh, and keep a regular check on the oil level for the first few weeks, it is likely to use a bit whilst everything beds in

Thanks, I’ve always been into banger-nomics so this my first new new car instead of new to me.

I know you lose money once you drive off but you only live once!

My Golf was raced around the Top Gear track at 130mph by Jeremy Clarkson with just 1000 miles on the clock. No issues until the 3 yr warranty ran out – since then it’s had around £2.5k of repairs including replacement electronic dampers, engine heat exchanger & coil packs. Just as well I persuaded VW to provide a 12 month warranty extension at no cost…

That’s nowt to do with TG more to do with the fact that VW are unreliable IMO

since then it’s had around £2.5k of repairs including replacement electronic dampers, engine heat exchanger & coil packs.

You got a reliable one then!

Coil packs failures were endemic across the range around 1998/2000.

Vary revs/gears, avoid steady speeds and don’t labour the engine

I hired a Golf in Sydney last year, it had 6km on the clock.
Gave it a thrash up the Putty Road to the Hunter Valley, it’s popular scratching road with the motorcycling crowd.
It was “run in” when I gave it back all right.

On outboard engines (boats) you want to give them a good ragging initially which helps the rings to bed in. If you don’t do this they won’t seal as well and the engine can then ‘make oil’.

Many engines are tested at the factory prior to installation – this includes a period at max revs.

I’d be much more worried about kerbing the nice new wheels than anything you can do to the engine.

what does need ‘running in’ is the new tyres and brakes. tyres have a waxy stuff on them to aid ould release so you’ll not get full grip for a few tens of miles, brakes need to bed in a little too so allow for this for a few hundred miles.

as for engines there is a good argument to rag it early, but ONLY once its fully warmed and oil is up to temp. A bit of full throttle will ensure the piston rings seat properly and wear to fit the bores, ensuring good power and less oil use. The theory suggests modern engines with very very smoothly honed bores need this to be done early or oil use could be a problem. however there is no consensus. There is more consensus though on varied driving, different revs and loads, and don’t let the engine struggle at low revs, ie general/normal driving but varied (not all town or all motorway for the first few k)

I think the main concern with a new car is allowing it to sit at the same rpm for an extended period of time, eg: motorway use. I would advise for the first 500 miles, don’t use cruise control and vary the speed alittle.

If the car sits at a single rpm for a long time, the swept part of the cylinder that is being worn in will form a slight ‘edge’ over the hole area the piston rings will sweep over when used dynamically, this edge can cause problems.

Honest John says: don’t change oil. https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/faq/running-in-a-petrol-engine/

Not sure about that one.
No, it says don’t change the oil to fully synthetic [because the reduced friction might inhibit the initial ‘wear’].

Back in the day they used to use specific oil for breaking in which was presumably thinner.

I hired a Golf in Sydney last year, it had 6km on the clock.
Gave it a thrash up the Putty Road to the Hunter Valley, it’s popular scratching road with the motorcycling crowd.
It was “run in” when I gave it back all right.

As a former cleaner and deliverer of hire cars in Sydney, please be assured that all hire cars are thoroughly “run in” for the benefit of their customers from new, new-new.

Some are even crash tested with 100km on the clock 😳

I love Hunter Valley except for all the new resorts popping up ruining the countryside.

Keeping it below 4K for the first 1200 miles as per owners handbook but it’s frustrating.

Blipped the red line by accident for a second and enjoyed the acceleration.

I bought a BMW motorcycle that had 5000 miles on it and had belonged to an old chap – it was 5 years old. It burned oil at a fair rate when I got it but after I gave it a damn good thrashing or two it stopped burning oil – so I do believe the rings needing to bed in thing

I love Hunter Valley except for all the new resorts popping up ruining the countryside.

Quote of the day.