Drive it like you stole it!

[DustyFizz]

When I asked the Service Manager about the break in period that was his answer. Said he had years experience servicing Mazdas and not to worry about breaking in the car.

BUT...
I think I'll drive it like I borrowed it
First week of a three year lease

 

[halfast3]

When I asked the Service Manager about the break in period that was his answer. Said he had years experience servicing Mazdas and not to worry about breaking in the car.

The first time I drove a CX-5, the salesman told me the exact same thing. (wrc)

 

[wbw]

I had an uncle that used to tell me 'Don't believe anything you hear and only half of what you see'. What does the owners manual say?

 

[yrwei52]

I had an uncle that used to tell me 'Don't believe anything you hear and only half of what you see'. What does the owners manual say?

"Break-In Period

No special break-in is necessary, but a few precautions in the first 1,000 km (600 miles) may add to the performance, economy, and life of your Mazda.

• Do not race the engine.
• Do not maintain one constant speed, either slow or fast, for a long period of time.
• Do not drive constantly at full-throttle or high engine rpm for extended period of time.
• Avoid unnecessary hard stops.
• Avoid full-throttle starts.
• Do not tow a trailer."

Page 3-41 of owner's manual.

 

[DustyFizz]

I had an uncle that used to tell me 'Don't believe anything you hear and only half of what you see'. What does the owners manual say?

The owners manual tells me not to operate the door handle while driving because I could fall out.

page 3-15

 

[erhayes]

Worst thing I ever heard regarding breaking in a new vehicle is to abuse it. Sounds like a real mental midget know it all type. Ed

 

[Unobtanium]

The first time I drove a CX-5, the salesman told me the exact same thing. (wrc)

...and this is why he is a salesman and not an engineer, lol

 

[Scythe024]

Sounds like my test drive lol.

 

[Seabright]

Not much out there on engine break-in procedures. I did read that cylinder pressure does help seat the rings. So I am keeping the rev's mostly below 4000 and applying moderate acceleration occasionally. And mostly driving as I normally do.

 

[purplengold]

I didn't race the engine but i did race a few other cars

 

[inlinev]

I didn't race the engine but i did race a few other cars

Sounds like you are within the arbitrary and highly interpretable recommendations. Keep motoring.

 

[GP 2004]

I didn't race the engine but i did race a few other cars

I raced a CRV - I won!

 

[Unobtanium]

Not much out there on engine break-in procedures. I did read that cylinder pressure does help seat the rings. So I am keeping the rev's mostly below 4000 and applying moderate acceleration occasionally. And mostly driving as I normally do.

Most of the break-in isn't even about the engine.

 

[purplengold]

When I drove my CX5 home from the dealer it was a 25 mile drive and took it easy on my new baby. When I got home I noticed a heated rubber type of smell coming from the engine. I figured it was just things being heated up for the first time. It was actually kind of a good smell. The first few weeks the garage would also smell like leather. Mmmmm


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[fdew]

When I asked the Service Manager about the break in period that was his answer. Said he had years experience servicing Mazdas and not to worry about breaking in the car.

Service manager. His department gets paid for doing service. On warranty work he gets paid by Mazda. There could be a connection between this and his advice.

 

[Unobtanium]

When I drove my CX5 home from the dealer it was a 25 mile drive and took it easy on my new baby. When I got home I noticed a heated rubber type of smell coming from the engine. I figured it was just things being heated up for the first time. It was actually kind of a good smell. The first few weeks the garage would also smell like leather. Mmmmm


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My dealership was one of the first in town to get an '05 Mustang GT (first year or the S197 platform). One of the techs and I took it out, and he drove the dog s*** out of it. That car smelled like a chemical waste-dump (I just rode in it...don't blame me...) when we were done with it. Had to park it across the dealership parkinglot and behind the wash-building so that noone smelled it, because you KNEW that smell ,lol!

 

[Unobtanium]

Service manager. His department gets paid for doing service. On warranty work he gets paid by Mazda. There could be a connection between this and his advice.

Yep, and again, a service manager is not an engineer. The break-in is drive-line related. Even mating of the brake pads and rotors (every company has different specs on this, GM's brake break-in specs and their driveline specs are at complete odds with each other on the ZR1 and Z06 Z07 package, lol!), the diff gears, the wheel bearings, everything.

That said, I did lose about 1/2 quart of oil in the first 515 miles I drove my Z06, per the dip-stick. After that, I changed the oil, and never noticed another drop missing. Further, the tail-pipes never sooted up again like they did that first few hundred miles. The rings legitimately did seat, and my car was run at the factory a lot longer than 15 minutes. I know, because I was there and saw it.

No-matter how well polished parts are, they have high and low spots until they are lapped in by actual USE. When you abuse the vehicle before this happens, all the force of part interaction is translated to these high-spots. More metal than necessary is displaced in this manner. The result can be minimal/none, or it can be meaningful over the life of the vehicle. As micropolishing and other things have advanced, I lean toward it being minimal...but still, as pedantic as people are on this forum and others...minimal matters to 'em! break the vehicle in the way the manual/company making the vehicle states to!