Running in period

[true romance]

"Drive it like you stole it"

[littleyellowspider]

"Drive it like you stole it"

You mean "drive it like you hired it".

Nowt quicker than a hire car!

[Actus Reus]

Except an off-white Astra-Max van. Even jet-fighters struggle to keep pace with those, especially when being driven through the Limehouse Link tunnel.

[Scoobydoo]

I was told by the dealership to drive carefully (about half power) for 1200 miles before thrashing was allowed - I made it to about 300. But I am trying to drive sensibly most of the time with about 5% thrashing...!

I must admit I'm ready to get a stage 2+ remap already, its fast but lacks that real G force after about 60Mph.

[nuroc]

When I get my Scirocco should I run it in?

A pub chat last night came to the conclusion that modern cars don't need to be run in, and I must admit to not having run in my last 3 cars (with absolutely no problems).

What are people's thoughts on this?

[Shaun]

Just let the oil get warm then drive it how you wish IMO

[juniorbanks]

Depends what your looking to do to it, i wouldnt look to be tacking it on the track straight away and the thread recently about remapping the car day 1 was mostly frowned upon and most said to break it in for a 1000 miles.

If you just mean driving it a bit harder then yeah like Blue says above make sure its nice and warm (usually 15-20 mins of driving) and then your good

[nuroc]

I'm getting a TDI 140, so taking it on the track wasn't in my plans.

Having said that, I do like to 'maintain steady progress' and the roads of the North Yorkshire Moors are not too far from me.

[littleyellowspider]

Just run the tyres and brakes in for a few miles. Aaaaand enjoy.

[gibbsy]

I've not 'run in' any of my ast few cars. As littleyellowspider said just bed in the brakes and tyres. Don't red line the gears for a few hundred miles and...................when in doubt..................flat out

Where's my Rocco

[Scott_mac]

I've not 'run in' any of my ast few cars. As littleyellowspider said just bed in the brakes and tyres. Don't red line the gears for a few hundred miles and...................when in doubt..................flat out

Where's my Rocco

So you don't 'run in' your car, but then suggest bedding in the brakes and tyres and not red-lining it for a few hundred miles... err.... sounds like running in to me!!

Letting the oil get warm is usually the only requirements with modern cars and that goes for any car on any journey... though it's not until you fit an oil temperature gauge that you realise how long it takes to warm the oil up!

[maisbitt]

Depends what you want out of the car. If you'll change it when the warranty runs out then you're at no risk as long as it is well maintained.

Depending on how you run the car in, you'll see a difference in oil and fuel consumption. It needs varied driving at no more than 3/4 of the RPM range for the first 1000km/630ish miles) with no harsh acceleration.

Running in on a long motorway journey stuck at 80mph in 6th for the first 300 miles won't do it any good either - it could glaze the bores, giving poor piston sealing and up your oil consumption considerably. Did this on a MK5 Golf and it drank a litre of oil every 1000 miles and wasn't as economic as i'd hoped. My Roc has used 1/2 a litre in 16,000 miles, and was run in with varying engine speeds, not giving it more than 2/3 throttle for the fist 700 miles.

Gentle first 200 miles for tyres and brakes - like everyone else says though!

[kenti]

Letting the oil get warm is usually the only requirements with modern cars and that goes for any car on any journey... though it's not until you fit an oil temperature gauge that you realise how long it takes to warm the oil up!

My 2011 rocco has oil temp measurement in the MFD, which is very nice to have actually. Don't know if the previous editions has it.
And yes, it does take some time for the oil to reach working temp, quite a bit longer than engine temp.

The manual says to drive it in the first 1500km/900ish miles, which I chose to follow just in case
It should have used some oil during the first 500km/300ish miles as well, but it hasn't used very much so far (3000km/1800ish miles).

[gibbsy]

I've not 'run in' any of my ast few cars. As littleyellowspider said just bed in the brakes and tyres. Don't red line the gears for a few hundred miles and...................when in doubt..................flat out

Where's my Rocco

So you don't 'run in' your car, but then suggest bedding in the brakes and tyres and not red-lining it for a few hundred miles... err.... sounds like running in to me!!

Letting the oil get warm is usually the only requirements with modern cars and that goes for any car on any journey... though it's not until you fit an oil temperature gauge that you realise how long it takes to warm the oil up!

Sorry, should have explained a little better. It is always best to bed in and get the feel for new brakes. I've just had new pads fitted to my Volvo and they screamed and screetched for the first 100 or so miles and the peddle had a harder feel.

A long time ago when you had a new car you were advised to gently run in the engine. The clutch with as many as four gears had to bed in, after about 2000 miles you could actually engage first without having to 'double the clutch'. Ah, the good old days petrol 26p a GALLON.

Perhaps I'm showing my age. Still it looks as though I'm going to be a lot older by the time the bloody car arrives.

[Scott_mac]

I've not 'run in' any of my ast few cars. As littleyellowspider said just bed in the brakes and tyres. Don't red line the gears for a few hundred miles and...................when in doubt..................flat out

Where's my Rocco

So you don't 'run in' your car, but then suggest bedding in the brakes and tyres and not red-lining it for a few hundred miles... err.... sounds like running in to me!!

Letting the oil get warm is usually the only requirements with modern cars and that goes for any car on any journey... though it's not until you fit an oil temperature gauge that you realise how long it takes to warm the oil up!

Sorry, should have explained a little better. It is always best to bed in and get the feel for new brakes. I've just had new pads fitted to my Volvo and they screamed and screetched for the first 100 or so miles and the peddle had a harder feel.

A long time ago when you had a new car you were advised to gently run in the engine. The clutch with as many as four gears had to bed in, after about 2000 miles you could actually engage first without having to 'double the clutch'. Ah, the good old days petrol 26p a GALLON.

Perhaps I'm showing my age. Still it looks as though I'm going to be a lot older by the time the bloody car arrives.

My little Lotus Elan +2 still needs to be treated as such... we're not all quite young whipper snappers on here, but I certainly don't recall petrol quite the cheap.... i do remember it being in the 50p per litre realm though. Thankfully I don't pay for my fuel anymore, well not directly anyway!

[panhandle]

I'm 1500 miles in; and gave it some near red line action in that time. I always let the oil heat up to about 90 beforehand and have given it a good mix of short/long distance and low/high revs - surely this is the best way to give the engine some balance without thrashing it everywhere.

I came from a BMW that used to tell me when to top the engine oil and would of expected the same with my Roc, but havent seen any warnings as yet - should I top up?

Cheers

[whicher]

If anyone's been around the High Wycombe area you'll know that there is no shortage of roads that go up and down steep hills! I'm going to be taking delivery of my Scirocco in a few weeks and have been reading the threads on running the car in, of which there seems to be several opinions about what the best way to treat the new engine is.

I'm concerned that all this hills around here will put a bit too much load on the new engine and was wondering what other people thought about this. I'm not getting the car on a lease agreement and the Scirocco is something that I'm going to want to keep for a very long time, so really keen to treat it right from the start!

Thanks guys,
James

[ayeaye]

Make sure you have a couple of passengers at all times and make them push it up the hills to help.

The DSG box won't let you labour the engine so just drive normally and you'll be fine.

[Shaun]

Just let the oil get warm then treat it normally and dont worry about running it in, cars these days are pretty much run in from new.

[RW1]

I'm concerned that all this hills around here will put a bit too much load on the new engine and was wondering what other people thought about this. I'm not getting the car on a lease agreement and the Scirocco is something that I'm going to want to keep for a very long time, so really keen to treat it right from the start!

When I got mine, at 30 miles on the clock, the first thing I did was take it up into the Peak District and drive 200 miles on various gradients, powering up and overrunning on the various gradients at various engine speeds upto 3,000 rpm on light throttle. Never used large throttle openings but instead let the DSG manage the situation (as ayeaye says). Same with the overruns, kept to a 3,000 rpm max.. Then after that, just drove normally but no use of full throttle for a while. Only used full throttle occassionally when the mileage got to about 800 miles. Let go at 1,500 miles and been enjoying it ever since!

So I don't see a few hills doing the engine any harm. More likely to do it some good!

Brakes are something you need to be aware at above 50mph when heavy braking. Until about 1,000 miles, there were steering "funnies" with it pulling one side or the other. Once the brakes settled, they have been fine.

C.