I have a newish vehicle and I’m trying to determine when the break-in period ends. The break-in period for this vehicle is approximately 1,000 miles (stay well below the red line, no sudden stops, no towing, no engine braking, no cruise control for long periods, etc). After I bought this vehicle I relocated. In the process of moving, I had driven the car about 500 miles on the highway in three days of highway driving. The brakes weren’t used very much.
Because of those long trips, I’m suddenly approaching the 1,000 mile mark. Therefore, should I extend the break-in period to 1,500 miles because 500 of the 1,000 miles was long trip mileage?
“Newish”? A car with less than 1,000 miles on it is pretty much brand new. How many miles are on it? How close to the recommended break-in procedures were you on the trip? I’m thinking you have nothing to worry about.
You have nothing to worry about. Modern engines are ready to go when you get them. “Break in periods” are only there as a CYA for the manufacturer.
I bought a brand new Toyota pickup in '89 that I immediately started commuting 103 miles each way with. I had it for many years, passed it on to my daughter, and it got totaled by an errant Hyundai at 338,000 miles. It never had the engine opened up. It still got the original mileage and used only a quart of oil every 1200 miles. I could provide other examples, but that pretty much establishes in my mind that the best break in method is to just drive the vehicle the way you plan to use it.
Today’s cars need minimal break-in but it is still a bad idea to go on a long trip and drive at the same speed for a lengthy period. My last new car had to go on a trip just after I bought it,. I varied my speed and did what the book said. After 9 years I have yet to see any oil consumption between changes.
This OP was just recently asking about the dealer loosing one of their keys to car they bought about a year ago. If this is the same vehicle it is a little late to worry about break in period. If this is a new vehicle it would be nice to know what it is.
I created a June 7th thread for advice that was called “Latest time to back-out of a new vehicle purchase,” so I recently bought a new 2016 car, which is the subject of this thread. The other thread (June 11th) about the dealership losing my key/fob is about my 2015 car.
On my 2016: 800 is current mileage, of which 500 miles was relocating via freeway drive. So the engine is probably broken-in. I’ll start downshifting to brake and using cruise control on my daily commutes. But I probably should still be careful on the braking system a little while longer.
At 800 miles what’s done is done. No point in any “special” driving.
80% of the break-in was done on a test bench at the factory, another 10% in your first 50 miles of driving, the rest in the first 500 miles.
Breaking in the brakes takes about 10 firm stops from highway speed.
OTOH it took about 15k miles (over 2 years) for the engine in my Toyota to “loosen up” and reach it’s full MPGs.
Brakes are meant to be used from day one. Most dealers have free classes to explain and answer questions about their new cars. You should probably make use of one.
Why won’t you tell us what these vehicles are? It would simplify people answering questions for you.