How did you break-in your engine?

Great question, if you search the site, you might find related answers (Mazda models share engines). That said, I do hope others can chime in here with helpful advice. 😁

This thread from our CX-5 Forum might shed some light on the topic...

Ps..Cool avatar image!
 
I only owned one brand new car off the lot with 15 miles. I drove it like I stole it after getting the car up to temp. I didn’t redline it, bounce of the rev limiter or do burn outs but I definitely didn’t baby it. A couple days after buying the car I took it on a couple hundred mile road trip. On the highway I used the cruise control sparingly. I really miss my speed3. Not so much the torque steer but the way it pulled hard in 2nd & 3rd gear, handled better then my speed6 and how strong the brakes were.
 
I only owned one brand new car off the lot with 15 miles. I drove it like I stole it after getting the car up to temp. I didn’t redline it, bounce of the rev limiter or do burn outs but I definitely didn’t baby it. A couple days after buying the car I took it on a couple hundred mile road trip. On the highway I used the cruise control sparingly. I really miss my speed3. Not so much the torque steer but the way it pulled hard in 2nd & 3rd gear, handled better then my speed6 and how strong the brakes were.
This.
Baby it if you can...
But in real life is unavoidable...
Do you really want to try merging onto the highway without full throttle?
Still need to go on a vacation?

Yeah try to take it easy when you can but from personal experience, sometimes you just need to drive it. Had Toyota and Ford engines outlast the frames and definitely didn't baby them during breaking period. Took it easy when I could but drove normal and didn't redline them either. Always got the first oil change early. Don't let that go.
 
Is "break in" really a thing on most cars anymore?

I personally think that with modern cars, it has less to do with the engine and more to do with other aspects of the car. Like they don't want you driving aggressively on tires that may still have the manufacturing oils/lubricants on them. Or maybe they want owners to establish a fuel economy "baseline" by driving less aggressively, so they (Mazda) don't get so many "my mileage sucks" complaints.
 
Is "break in" really a thing on most cars anymore?
From what I've read, and the experiences with others....no. It's not a thing.

Although, some very expensive cars have a built in "break in" period where the car isn't allowed to do certain things until a certain mileage.
 
From what I've read, and the experiences with others....no. It's not a thing.

Although, some very expensive cars have a built in "break in" period where the car isn't allowed to do certain things until a certain mileage.
But that’s on high end sports cars like McLaren, corvettes, m3’s, and race cars (typically not Mazdas, Honda, Toyota, etc.)

I talked to a few new vette owners and they weren’t able to rev above 3k till they hit 500+miles.
 
Due to the better materials being used, and manufacturing techniques, along with factory procedures, modern engine "break-in" after purchase is really just to seat the rings in the bore. The bearings will be "broken in" at the factory during the first few minutes of engine operation. By the time the car reaches the dealer, even if you're the first person to drive it, the bearings are good to go. Does that mean it isn't a good idea to get the first oil change early? No. Having the oil changed at 500-1000 miles (or after the first couple tanks of gas are run through) is still probably not a bad idea.

That being said, I've purchased a few vehicles brand new, and never really followed any specific "break-in" procedure, and each of those cars lasted well close to 200,000 miles before I got rid of them.
 
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