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Thu 6 Jan 2022 14:55

MG HS - Running in new car - lucklesspedestrian

Both my youngest daughter and I have new MG HS's on order for March (hopefully)

They are both petrol 1.5 manuals

This will be my first new car since 1994 (Citroen ZX in case you were wondering!) and I'm keen to run it in properly (assuming that's still a thing that one should do)

My understanding is that it's best to vary the revs quite a bit i.e. don't set a limit of say 2 or 3 thousand rpm but equally avoid thrashing to the red line and also not to let the car labour in high gear, all maybe for the first 1000 miles or so.

Any thoughts?

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Thu 6 Jan 2022 15:25

MG HS - Running in new car - catsdad

When HJ was a real person he used to have advice on this. As I recall it’s pretty much as you say. I would add running it up to temperature on the move before pressing on. Also I would redline it occasionally when fully warmed up once it’s got a few miles on the clock. Keeping it off the limiter though.
I used to run in my company cars like this purely out of mechanical sympathy rather than any benefit to me.
My current Golf is ex-hire so will not have been cosseted but it uses no meaningful oil at 30k miles on the clock and gives about 55 mpg in summer. Even if it did develop problems I couldn’t pin it on how it was run in. There is a school of thought that, providing it’s not badly abused, a variety of drivers is beneficial for bedding in a car.

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Thu 6 Jan 2022 15:34

MG HS - Running in new car - RT

I used to run all my cars in by sticking absolutely to half maximum rpm for the first 1,000 miles and gradually increasing that limit over the next 1,000 miles - not really possible with my present car, a 3.0 turbo-diesel automatic, that never needs to go over 2,000 rpm in normal use so I do occasionally "drive it like I stole it" to exercise the turbo vanes.

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Thu 6 Jan 2022 15:37

MG HS - Running in new car - badbusdriver

Any thoughts?

My thoughts would be to read the handbook.

If there are no particular instructions given there, I'd say this is a common sense issue. Simply put, if you wouldn't normally 'thrash' your cars, just drive it as normal.

A couple of other points though.

1, A hybrid car, by its nature, works best when driven in a more relaxed manner.

2, The MG comes with a 7 year warranty as standard. Are you likely to still own it at this point?. If the answer is no, and no 'running in' instructions given, then why worry about it?. Even if you do plan to keep it beyond 7 years, I still would do no more than I've already said (assuming no actual instructions on running in).

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Thu 6 Jan 2022 15:58

MG HS - Running in new car - _

I hope you checked servicing costs for year 2 and 4.

Eye watering.

Expect the mpg to be worse than it says on the tin with e10 petrol.

Do vary the revs a bit.and careful if you do floor it when damp.

I have a variation of that engine. They are both based on the GM 1.5 small gasoline engine but took different development paths.

When I tried one at launch I thought it was a great improvement on the previous models..but wasn't convinced by the amount of upper centre screen space taken up by the Pilot system.

I liked it but was wary of MG customer service after my experiences with the smaller ZS suv.

Instead of the HS I went for a Korando 1.5T 6 speed.

Which trim version are you buying?

www.honestjohn.co.uk/owner-reviews/mg/hs-2020/?rev...d

Have you read the owners reviews on here?

Hopefully you have one of the better dealers near you.

Link to MG-rover forum for you.

www.mg-rover.org/forums/mg-hs.336/

Edited by _ORB_ on 06/01/2022 at 17:07

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Thu 6 Jan 2022 17:47

MG HS - Running in new car - lucklesspedestrian

Expect the mpg to be worse than it says on the tin with e10 petrol.

Yes, I've been on the forum and the facebook page, the mpg is very much a hot topic, some posters describe low 30's and are not happy, some low 40's and predicatably much happier. A lot of owners find particularly poor mpg during the first 1500 miles or so after which it seems to improve.

It's a big lump of car powered by a 1.5 petrol engine and the aerodynamics of a housebrick so I'm realistic.

Our local dealership is pretty good and we have a connection of sorts with them so I'm happy with that. We've gone for Exclusive spec in black with a red/black leather interior (bit of a pimpmobile I know!). We were lucky enough to get it on the MG affinity scheme with a 4K approx discount so it is one helluva lot of car for the money.

Expect lots of posts when we finally get it!

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Thu 6 Jan 2022 17:37

MG HS - Running in new car - lucklesspedestrian

Any thoughts?

My thoughts would be to read the handbook.

If there are no particular instructions given there, I'd say this is a common sense issue. Simply put, if you wouldn't normally 'thrash' your cars, just drive it as normal.

A couple of other points though.

1, A hybrid car, by its nature, works best when driven in a more relaxed manner.

2, The MG comes with a 7 year warranty as standard. Are you likely to still own it at this point?. If the answer is no, and no 'running in' instructions given, then why worry about it?. Even if you do plan to keep it beyond 7 years, I still would do no more than I've already said (assuming no actual instructions on running in).

A couple of points:

1: It's not a hybrid, I specifically stated it was the 1.5T petrol in my original post

2: Good question, I had hoped I might be rewarded during ownership of a slightly smoother, slightly more economical engine which uses (slightly!) less oil

3: Fair point about the handbook but even if it does not mention specific running in instructions, I'm still not convinced (purely on that basis) that it's not still a good idea (mechanical sympathy I suppose as another poster mentioned)

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Thu 6 Jan 2022 18:06

MG HS - Running in new car - badbusdriver

A couple of points:

1: It's not a hybrid, I specifically stated it was the 1.5T petrol in my original post

2: Good question, I had hoped I might be rewarded during ownership of a slightly smoother, slightly more economical engine which uses (slightly!) less oil

3: Fair point about the handbook but even if it does not mention specific running in instructions, I'm still not convinced (purely on that basis) that it's not still a good idea (mechanical sympathy I suppose as another poster mentioned)

Sorry, quick glance at the MG website (to check the warranty duration) led me to believe the HS was hybrid only. Had I looked in more detail, I'd have seen two separate listings for the HS, only one of which was hybrid!.

But while your car may not be a hybrid, turbo cars also lend themselves to a more relaxed driving style, so it isn't that much different to a hybrid. A look at the specs confirms this by showing peak torque arrives from 1500rpm, so not really any need to be heading near the red line.

People who don't thrash their car, by definition are driving with at least a degree of mechanical sympathy. I just don't feel there is need to do anything else on a modern car, certainly if nothing is mentioned in the handbook about running in.

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Thu 6 Jan 2022 18:47

MG HS - Running in new car - sammy1

My advice would be try to avoid too many short trips where the engine does not reach operating temperature otherwise drive as normal. You have a modern engine with best quality oils so nothing worth concerning yourself.

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Thu 6 Jan 2022 19:01

MG HS - Running in new car - bathtub tom

I've read that cars which are gently run in become oil burners and you should drive it like you stole it as soon as possible from new to bed in the rings (once it reaches normal temperature of course).

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Thu 6 Jan 2022 23:06

MG HS - Running in new car - focussed

I've read that cars which are gently run in become oil burners and you should drive it like you stole it as soon as possible from new to bed in the rings (once it reaches normal temperature of course).

Generally true - because modern petrol and diesel lube oils always contain a package of anti-wear additives it's advisable to drive fairly hard from the start otherwise the rings will not have a chance to bed in to the bores. Use the torque, but don't thrash it for the first 200 or so miles, after that just make progress when you can , vary the speed a lot, use engine braking in the lower gears, don't dawdle around in high gears.

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Thu 6 Jan 2022 23:33

MG HS - Running in new car - Big John

it's advisable to drive fairly hard from the start otherwise the rings will not have a chance to bed in to the bores. Use the torque, but don't thrash it for the first 200 or so miles, after that just make progress when you can , vary the speed a lot, use engine braking in the lower gears, don't dawdle around in high gears.

I totally agree varying driving style still giving it some beans at times from the off but not totally thrashing it for a few hundred miles has always worked for me.

Edited by Big John on 06/01/2022 at 23:34

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Fri 7 Jan 2022 10:39

MG HS - Running in new car - John F

I've read that cars which are gently run in become oil burners and you should drive it like you stole it as soon as possible from new to bed in the rings (once it reaches normal temperature of course).

I've read a lot about cars in the past 60yrs but I've never read any absurd and arguably reckless advice like this. I suspect it was written either as a joke or by an engine rebuilder looking for work. Material quality and precision assembly have certainly improved over time but an engine still consists of metal pistons rapidly scraping their way up and down inside metal cylinders. So l think the advice from Land Rover mentioned in Metropolis's post is good advice. That's what we have followed with Mrs F's Peugeot 2008 - the first (and hopefully the last) new car we have had since we met over 40yrs ago. I shall report on its oil consumption in due course.

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Fri 7 Jan 2022 14:02

MG HS - Running in new car - focussed

I've read that cars which are gently run in become oil burners and you should drive it like you stole it as soon as possible from new to bed in the rings (once it reaches normal temperature of course).

I've read a lot about cars in the past 60yrs but I've never read any absurd and arguably reckless advice like this. I suspect it was written either as a joke or by an engine rebuilder looking for work. Material quality and precision assembly have certainly improved over time but an engine still consists of metal pistons rapidly scraping their way up and down inside metal cylinders. So l think the advice from Land Rover mentioned in Metropolis's post is good advice. That's what we have followed with Mrs F's Peugeot 2008 - the first (and hopefully the last) new car we have had since we met over 40yrs ago. I shall report on its oil consumption in due course.

Sorry, but the advice you are dishing out is wrong for modern power units.

Because, as you mention, bore finishing techniques have been refined, the window to bed the the rings is very much reduced.

www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

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Fri 7 Jan 2022 18:06

MG HS - Running in new car - John F

I've read that cars which are gently run in become oil burners and you should drive it like you stole it as soon as possible from new to bed in the rings (once it reaches normal temperature of course).

Sorry, but the advice you are dishing out is wrong for modern power units.

Because, as you mention, bore finishing techniques have been refined, the window to bed the the rings is very much reduced.

www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

Apparently this harsh 'break-in' advice from a USA bike pundit is controversial......

forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?89690-Ongoing-Bre...y

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Thu 6 Jan 2022 23:52

MG HS - Running in new car - Metropolis.

Here is the blurb from Land Rover for their Ingenium engines, if anyone finds it interesting..

The vehicle is built using high-precision manufacturing methods, but the moving parts of the engine must still settle in relative to each other. The running-in process occurs mainly in the first 3 000 km (2 000 mi) of operation.

During the running-in period of 3 000 km (2 000 mi), observe and follow the instructions below:

Do not fully press the accelerator pedal.

Avoid high engine speeds (rpm) until the engine has reached its full operating temperature.

Avoid operating the engine in too high a gear at low engine speeds (labouring).

Gradually increase engine and road speeds.

Avoid extended operation at high engine speeds with abrupt stops.

Avoid frequent cold starts followed by short-distance driving. Where possible, allow the engine to reach operating temperature.

Longer journeys are more helpful during the running-in period.

Do not participate in off-road driving, competition driving, track days, sports driving schools, or any similar events.

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Fri 7 Jan 2022 10:18

MG HS - Running in new car - madf

I try every week to exceed 5,000 rpm when warm.

Keeps catalyst and engine clean.

(Petrol and diesel).

Namby pamby motoring in a diesel around town is bad news.

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Fri 7 Jan 2022 10:52

MG HS - Running in new car - Xileno

"Here is the blurb from Land Rover for their Ingenium engines, if anyone finds it interesting.."

I'm sure that all makes perfect sense from an engineering perspective but I wonder how many hire or lease vehicles will be treated to such pampering?

Edited by Xileno on 07/01/2022 at 10:54

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Fri 7 Jan 2022 11:15

MG HS - Running in new car - daveyjp

On the rare occasion we have had brand new cars we have always done a long distance road trip of a few hundred miles over the first weekend.

I also wouldn't use Land Rover as an example of a company producing highly reliable engines!

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Fri 7 Jan 2022 11:57

MG HS - Running in new car - thunderbird

I haven't run a new car in since the 1970's. Back then it was do so many miles at such a speed and increase it to whatever for another number of miles etc and after about 1,000 miles all is perfect.

Since 1980 its been drive normally but do not use full throttle for a certain mileage and do not drive at a constant speed for long distances for the first 500 miles. In those 40 years I have never had an oil burner or a car that had any engine issues. Some have run to over 100,000 miles, some have been driven for 10 years or more.

Just looked in the Fabia handbook and this is what says:

"During the first 1,000 km, the engine should not be driven with more than 3/4 of the maximum permitted engine revs and without the trailer.

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

Looked at the Pulsar handbook, pretty similar. 1,000 miles, 4,000 rpm max (about 2/3), no constant speed (fast or slow) for long periods, and no full throttle.

Simple enough for both, no need to dawdle along. In all honesty other than driving at a constant speed for a long period its no different to 95% of normal driving. Considering 70 mph is about 2,300 rpm in both cars its not really a great hardship and in modern turbo cars part throttle still give plenty of acceleration.

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Fri 7 Jan 2022 12:36

MG HS - Running in new car - paul 1963

Just treat it gently for the first few months, let it warm up etc.

To be honest I rarely use more than 2000rpm around town and I certainly never rev it to the red line.

John F's and thunderbirds advice is spot on imho.

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Fri 7 Jan 2022 12:48

MG HS - Running in new car - thunderbird

Just treat it gently for the first few months,

Bad advice. Treat it too gently and you risk glazing the bores which will lead to low power and high oil and fuel consumption.

Thunderbirds advice is spot on imho.

My advice was NOT to treat it gently.

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Fri 7 Jan 2022 12:32

MG HS - Running in new car - Metropolis.

“also wouldn't use Land Rover as an example of a company producing highly reliable engines!”

Not really relevant, just quite a thorough guide on running in. Land Rover have not designed their own engines in years, only the Td5 and now the new line of ingeniums. all the other rubbish with catastrophic failures in some cases, have been Ford, BMW. The Rover v8 was a Buick.

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Fri 7 Jan 2022 12:42

MG HS - Running in new car - RT

“also wouldn't use Land Rover as an example of a company producing highly reliable engines!” Not really relevant, just quite a thorough guide on running in. Land Rover have not designed their own engines in years, only the Td5 and now the new line of ingeniums. all the other rubbish with catastrophic failures in some cases, have been Ford, BMW. The Rover v8 was a Buick.

Apart from Ingenium - designed by JLR to avoid using Ford engines.

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Fri 7 Jan 2022 12:52

MG HS - Running in new car - Metropolis.

The Ford/PSA diesel v6 was a total disaster. Refined but little else. I see Ford has just started putting it in the F-150 and has apparently finally made several major modifications to prevent the crank snapping issues. Maybe they will be viable engine swaps for existing Disco 3-5 and RR owners when the original goes bang.

Getting side tracked now, sorry OP

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Fri 7 Jan 2022 14:11

MG HS - Running in new car - brum

From...

www.mg.co.uk/sites/default/files/2021-11/MG3%20Own...f

Economical and Environmental Driving

Running-in

The engine, transmission, brakes and tyres need time to
'bed-in' and adjust to the demands of everyday motoring.
During the first 900 miles, it is essential that you drive
with consideration for the running-in process and heed the following advice:
• Do not allow the engine to exceed 3000 rpm in any gear or the vehicle speed to exceed 72 MPH.
• Do not operate at full throttle or allow the engine to
labour in any gear.
• Do not drive at a constant speed (either high speed or
low speed).
• Avoid heavy braking where possible. After 900 miles, engine speeds can be gradually increased.

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Fri 7 Jan 2022 16:09

MG HS - Running in new car - madf

On the rare occasion we have had brand new cars we have always done a long distance road trip of a few hundred miles over the first weekend.

I also wouldn't use Land Rover as an example of a company producing highly reliable engines!

Lots of pictures of broken crankshafts from Land Rover cars - available on You Tube.

They appear to have major quality problems.

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Fri 7 Jan 2022 15:52

MG HS - Running in new car - moward

The section on running in from my Mazda owners manual seems to be pretty light on detail. It states as follows:

No special running-in is necessary, but a few precautions in the first 1,000 km (600 miles) may add to the performance, economy, and life of your Mazda.

Do not race the engine.

Do not maintain one constant speed, either slow or fast, for a long period of time.

Do not drive constantly at full-throttle or high engine rpm for extended periods of time.

Avoid unnecessary hard stops.

Avoid full-throttle starts.

Do not tow a trailer.

Reading between the lines, just driving normally is good enough.

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Fri 7 Jan 2022 16:39

MG HS - Running in new car - thunderbird

From...

www.mg.co.uk/sites/default/files/2021-11/MG3%20Own...f

Economical and Environmental Driving

Running-in

The engine, transmission, brakes and tyres need time to
'bed-in' and adjust to the demands of everyday motoring.
During the first 900 miles, it is essential that you drive
with consideration for the running-in process and heed the following advice:
• Do not allow the engine to exceed 3000 rpm in any gear or the vehicle speed to exceed 72 MPH.
• Do not operate at full throttle or allow the engine to
labour in any gear.
• Do not drive at a constant speed (either high speed or
low speed).
• Avoid heavy braking where possible. After 900 miles, engine speeds can be gradually increased

Not seen such a list of requirements since the late 70's. The 3000 rpm limit if from the dark ages.

Still got the handbook for the Triumph Herald for some strange reason. Here is what they said in 1969:

Recommended Speed Limits

Although no specific speeds are recommended during the running-in period, avoid placing heavy loads upon the engine, such as using full throttle at low speeds or when the engine is cold. Running-in should be progressive and no harm will result from the engine being allowed to "rev" fairly fast for short periods provided that it is thoroughly warm and not pulling hard. Always select a lower gear if necessary to relieve the engine of load.

Full power should not be used until at least 1,000 rniles (1,600 km.) have been covered and even then, it should be used only for short periods at a time. These periods can be extended as the engine becomes more responsive.

So just like today they were pretty much saying drive normally.

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Sat 8 Jan 2022 10:38

MG HS - Running in new car - thunderbird

Found the 1964 Anglia manual and Mr Ford was pretty tough for running in.

RUNNING-IN SPEEDS (New and overhauled engines)

During the first 500 miles do not exceed the following maximum speeds:

lst gear 10 mph

2nd gear 20 mph

3rd gear 30 mph

top gear 45 mph

These Maximum speeds should not be held for long periods at a time. Excessive

engine racing and long periods of idling should be avoided, particularly when the

engine oil warming up from cold. The engine should under no circumstances be

overloaded; therefore change down to a lower gear in good time when necessary,

allow the engine to operate at normal rpm and avoid fierce acceleration. (My comment - no chance of that with a quoted 0-60 time of 29 seconds)

ROUTINE MAINTENANCE

Running-in period

First 300 miles: Change engine oil.

Change oil in rear axle/differential.

Tighten cylinder-head bolts, and check valve clearances.

Check wheel nuts.

Check clutch clearance at release arm (free movement 1/16in).

Daily: Check oil level, radiator, petrol, tyres and lights.

Weekly: Check battery electrolyte and tyre pressures.

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Mon 10 Jan 2022 14:31

MG HS - Running in new car - lucklesspedestrian

Sorry, been away for a few days but thanks for all the helpful advice. When the car does finally roll off the slow boat from China I think I can amalgamate a reasonable plan from all the previous posts. Cheers!

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