break in -i know i know...
#16
03-31-2010 | 05:22 PM
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From: SoCal
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Every car when it leaves the factory is fully tested to red line for any and all issues. There is no "best way to break it in", really just things not to do.
Don't do lots of highway miles before 500 miles, the constant RPM will not break in the piston rings or cylinders correctly.
Don't flog it. Possible the worst thing you can do is underun the engine.
Don't race it to red line every time. This could be worse than flogging.
Do drive it with varried RPMs on a regular basis.
Do drive it like you stole it after the 500 miles is thru.
Do have fun with you car and dont leave undriven for to long (this is best for you and the car!)
Don't do lots of highway miles before 500 miles, the constant RPM will not break in the piston rings or cylinders correctly.
Don't flog it. Possible the worst thing you can do is underun the engine.
Don't race it to red line every time. This could be worse than flogging.
Do drive it with varried RPMs on a regular basis.
Do drive it like you stole it after the 500 miles is thru.
Do have fun with you car and dont leave undriven for to long (this is best for you and the car!)
great advices~
#17
03-31-2010 | 07:49 PM
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Joined: Aug 2006
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From: New York
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Definitely helpful information, thanks!
i've heard if you baby the car too much too early, then the ECU gets "used to it" that when you try to drive the car hard, it won't give you as much performance as if you drove it like you stole it from the beginning which requires an ECU reset. Is this completely a myth? I've kept it under 4K RPM under 1K miles, then under 5K RPM under 2K miles. would i need an ECU reset?
thanks - as you can tell, I am mechanically challenged (amongst other things)....
i've heard if you baby the car too much too early, then the ECU gets "used to it" that when you try to drive the car hard, it won't give you as much performance as if you drove it like you stole it from the beginning which requires an ECU reset. Is this completely a myth? I've kept it under 4K RPM under 1K miles, then under 5K RPM under 2K miles. would i need an ECU reset?
thanks - as you can tell, I am mechanically challenged (amongst other things)....
#18
03-31-2010 | 11:57 PM
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 253
From: LA
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I really hope someone responds to this saying its not true, but my car downshifts a lot also, i'll be on surface streets going 55 in 7th gear!!!
I really did baby my car during break in, I'm beginning to wish I hadn't now, especially since now the car has 3k miles and is in the dealership for a busted water pump, after only two and half months of ownership.
I really did baby my car during break in, I'm beginning to wish I hadn't now, especially since now the car has 3k miles and is in the dealership for a busted water pump, after only two and half months of ownership.
#19
04-01-2010 | 01:41 AM
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Joined: Jan 2008
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From: South Florida
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Break in period for me has always been an opportunity to learn the car and also have the car learn the driver. I don't see the sense to jumping into a new car and just hammering away without taking the time to adjust to the controls and shift patterns.
On the other hand I also don't feel a decent occasional sprint is going to ruin the engine.
I believe that most car manufacturers declare a break in period to somewhat insure a timeline and mileage of pampered warranty costs . If they have to warranty a car for 50K miles it sure is cheaper for them if the first 2K miles were driven like Miss Daisy style . Plus some owners only drive the car 2K miles in a year .. so that cuts the hard driving warranty time down as well.
On the other hand I also don't feel a decent occasional sprint is going to ruin the engine.
I believe that most car manufacturers declare a break in period to somewhat insure a timeline and mileage of pampered warranty costs . If they have to warranty a car for 50K miles it sure is cheaper for them if the first 2K miles were driven like Miss Daisy style . Plus some owners only drive the car 2K miles in a year .. so that cuts the hard driving warranty time down as well.
#20
04-01-2010 | 10:39 AM
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From: Santa Clara, CA
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I really hope someone responds to this saying its not true, but my car downshifts a lot also, i'll be on surface streets going 55 in 7th gear!!!
I really did baby my car during break in, I'm beginning to wish I hadn't now, especially since now the car has 3k miles and is in the dealership for a busted water pump, after only two and half months of ownership.
I really did baby my car during break in, I'm beginning to wish I hadn't now, especially since now the car has 3k miles and is in the dealership for a busted water pump, after only two and half months of ownership.
#21
04-01-2010 | 10:52 AM
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Joined: Jan 2010
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From: Waltham, MA
Rep Power: 55
I really hope someone responds to this saying its not true, but my car downshifts a lot also, i'll be on surface streets going 55 in 7th gear!!!
I really did baby my car during break in, I'm beginning to wish I hadn't now, especially since now the car has 3k miles and is in the dealership for a busted water pump, after only two and half months of ownership.
I really did baby my car during break in, I'm beginning to wish I hadn't now, especially since now the car has 3k miles and is in the dealership for a busted water pump, after only two and half months of ownership.
#25
04-01-2010 | 09:32 PM
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 253
From: LA
Rep Power: 40
If you babied your car during break-in and want to reset it, you can always disconnect the negative terminal on the battery for a few minutes then plug it back in. Then drive it the way you like and it will re-learn. However, what you described (55 in 7th) sounds more like the fuel conserving behavior of PDK in auto mode.
#26
04-02-2010 | 07:12 AM
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 276
From: Los Angeles
Rep Power: 32
I really hope someone responds to this saying its not true, but my car downshifts a lot also, i'll be on surface streets going 55 in 7th gear!!!
I really did baby my car during break in, I'm beginning to wish I hadn't now, especially since now the car has 3k miles and is in the dealership for a busted water pump, after only two and half months of ownership.
I really did baby my car during break in, I'm beginning to wish I hadn't now, especially since now the car has 3k miles and is in the dealership for a busted water pump, after only two and half months of ownership.
The PDK does adapt to your driving "style" (it learns). But I'm almost positive that it continually learns vs. its something that is set during break-in. That would make no sense as its when you are supposed to be taking it easy. Sometimes, I'm in sport auto taking it easy and its fairly mellow. However, when I start to get more aggressive and get on it, PDK starts to keep the revs up more vs. upshifting right away. Often I go straight to manual mode.
#27
04-02-2010 | 12:56 PM
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,012
From: Santa Clara, CA
Rep Power: 67
This is true. The car will constantly learn and adapt to your driving style. As with all electronics though, sometimes it's good to just clear the memory registers and start fresh. A simple disconnect of the battery will accomplish this and I believe is worth doing once in a while.
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