I have read the manual and I have done searches on this board and I have no clue what to think. The manual say for the first 600 miles chill and dont stay at one speed for too long??? What does that mean? What is too long??? I travel 60 miles roundtrip to work, how do I not stay for one speed for too long?? Can I drive about 60 for twenty minutes??? I have no idea?? I want this baby to last so I really want to do thing by the book but its tough when you dont understand what the book means!! Hey by the way when did you guys get your first oil change?? I have been told by people in the know that I should do it at about 500-1000 miles and then do it every 3000 as regular. What do you all think. I think I am going to do this to be safe.
Break in Period!!!
- Thread starter temptsboy
- Start date
andy_guerriero
Member
- :
- 2003 Protege5
I've always interpreted the break-in period as the time when you shouldn't rag on your car and drive like a tool. Drive how you think your grandma drives.
As far as oil changes - 3000 miles is BS. That's what the oil companies tell you, because of course they want to sell more oil and more oil changes. Follow what your manual says, which is every 5000 miles for rough driving conditions and every 7500 for normal. Of course, if you read, almost anywhere you would drive in the US is considered a rough driving condition.
This is for N/A engines. If you have a turbo, I'm sure it's something different.
As far as oil changes - 3000 miles is BS. That's what the oil companies tell you, because of course they want to sell more oil and more oil changes. Follow what your manual says, which is every 5000 miles for rough driving conditions and every 7500 for normal. Of course, if you read, almost anywhere you would drive in the US is considered a rough driving condition.
This is for N/A engines. If you have a turbo, I'm sure it's something different.
Familia323
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Basically just keep your RPM's low for the first 600-800 miles then just gradually go a little faster and push your car a little harder. Just use your head. I've heard that for the first 600 miles you are supposed to keep your car under 55. But that's pretty damn hard to do if you drive on the highway. But seriously, just go easy on your car. Don't floor it, (if you have a manual) don't let it rev too high in one gear, don't act like speed racer and take a 90 degree turn at 50. You know what I'm getting at.
As far as the oil thing goes. I'm friends with a mechanic and he says change your oil every 3,000 or less. Seriously, it doesn't hurt. Also, if you are changing your oil for the first time, I would change it at like 2,000 just cause it's the "break in" oil. After I changed my oil at about 2500 miles, my car seemed to run alot smoother and more responsive... hard to explain, but let's just say I could notice a nicer difference. I wish I had changed it sooner for the cars sake. Either way it's your choice.
Remember: Oil is your cars blood. What would you want running through your veins?
As far as the oil thing goes. I'm friends with a mechanic and he says change your oil every 3,000 or less. Seriously, it doesn't hurt. Also, if you are changing your oil for the first time, I would change it at like 2,000 just cause it's the "break in" oil. After I changed my oil at about 2500 miles, my car seemed to run alot smoother and more responsive... hard to explain, but let's just say I could notice a nicer difference. I wish I had changed it sooner for the cars sake. Either way it's your choice.
Remember: Oil is your cars blood. What would you want running through your veins?
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andy_guerriero
Member
- :
- 2003 Protege5
Familia323 said:
I have to disagree.
1) It costs money. Places like Jiffy Lube charge upwards of $30-$40 depending on where you live and what type of oil you use. I know there are cheaper options but not everyone is inclined to use them.
2) The more you go to places like that, the more chance there is that they're going to F up your car, especially a new one like a P5 that has a specialized oil filter.
I appreciate the fact that your mechanic told you this, but again, he gets paid for things like this so of course it's in his best interest to have people changing their oil more rather than less. I'm more inclined to trust what the manufacturer of the car says.
Familia323
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yeah yeah yeah... I figured you'd say something like that after I posted, but I thought I'd wait and see. Yes I know the mechanic is going to be more inclined bla bla bla... true in most cases. But he is my personal friend and I trust him. He also used to be the mechanic(pit crew, whatever) for a track driver in '88 that won 1st place in the GT1 series(something like that). Now I'm not saying "this is the absolute truth, do it or die!".... I'm just saying this is what I believe and what he believes.. and YES changing your oil that frequently WILL hurt your pocketbook. However, I was getting at the fact that it WILL NOT hurt your car.
dukerjames
Member
andy_guerriero said:
what specialized oil filter? I'm planning to do my first oil change soon by myself, so our P5 use a special filter? I was just going to buy some generic oil filter that fits, is that okay?
andy_guerriero
Member
- :
- 2003 Protege5
Better check that, pal. 
I'm not sure of the specifics, but the P5 has some kind of floating filter or some such.. I'm sorry but I don't know much more about it. When I took mine in for the first oil change, I overheard the mechanics talking about it.
I also have a friend who tried to change his own oil on his P5 and couldn't do it because of the type of filter.
Anyone have more info?
I'm not sure of the specifics, but the P5 has some kind of floating filter or some such.. I'm sorry but I don't know much more about it. When I took mine in for the first oil change, I overheard the mechanics talking about it.
I also have a friend who tried to change his own oil on his P5 and couldn't do it because of the type of filter.
Anyone have more info?
