I've just bought a brand new Audi A4 - and am unsure if I should 'run it in' for the first few hundred miles? I've never had a brand new car before and wasn't given any guidance from the dealership when picking up the car (admittedly I was far too excited to be thinking about asking sensible questions).
Can anyone tell me if you still need to do this with modern engines - I have spoken to a number of friends etc who all have differing opinions on whether or not to take it easy.
I've done 250 miles already keeping it below 3000 for the majority of the time - if I do need to run it in, how long should I do this for?
|
www.honestjohn.co.uk/faq/faq.htm?id=44
Myself I keep it below 3000 revs for the first 1000 miles, with the spin up to 5,000 revs every 200 miles. The important thing is not to make it labour in very low revs.
After 1000 miles, go for it.
Dont forget the pads, disks and tyres need to bed in.
|
As I do not do a great mileage these days and would be worrying for weeks and weeks, I just take them out to safe places for a good settling down thrash; it seems to do nothing but good. This has been with Oriental cars.
|
The main thing is to not let the engine labour in any gear during the first few hundred miles; modern manufacturing technology and far superior lubricants and fuel ensure that tolerances are much tighter than in the days when "running-in" was essential to ensure maximum lifespan.
Most modern cars will easily cruise at/exceed the maximum speed limit without problems due to higher gearing.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
|
Thanks for the advice guys - think I'll keep driving it the way I have been then, and occasionally giving a good bit of stick just to 'loosen her up' :-)
|
Agreed, if you don't give her some stick regularly then she will definately be slower than she needs to be.
We had an ST170 at work that had been driven gently from new, it had 6,000 miles on and it was soooo slow it was unreal. I hope the people who bought it gave it a damn good thrashing to loosen her up.
Blue
|
Doesn't the Owners Handbook give guidance on this subject? They usually do. (If in doubt, read the instructions!)
--
L\'escargot by name, but not by nature.
|
|
Doesn't matter what it is, computer, tv, dvd player, car.. it normally has to go badly wrong before I will even think about looking at the manual!!
|
Some years back i bought a new VW Golf. On the day I bought the car I was surprised to find my next door neighbour about to take delivery of a similar car. He was a senior bank official who lavished care and attention upon the car and drove sedately. My Golf was thrashed from day one but serviced on the nail. Two years later it was back in the VW Garage with 54,000 miles - sitting next to an absoutetly immaculate Golf with 15,000 miles - my neighbours. It was priced at £1800 more than mine. Two people I know bought each of the cars. The 15.000 mile example broke their heart and anything that could go wrong did. My Golf EIL 628 is till in the road with only a new clutch 16 years later. I have adopted the same principle since with few problems. My advice is drive it the way you want to drive from day one.
|
|
|
|
I always read the manual so I know how to fix things my wife manages to activate or break whenever she sits in the car!
|
|
|
|
