I know this topic has been steam rolled to death but I just want some reassurance that I'm doing my break-in right.

Got the car new from dealer at 45miles odo. Mind u that this is the same car I test drove and when I say test drove, I REALLY tested it! If only I knew I was gonna buy it, I wouldnt have done it. Anyway, during the test session, I did about three really fast rolling starts. I'm pretty sure I didnt hit redline (probably kissed 6k or so) but I'm sure I passed 5k a few times (4-5 times?). After buyin the car, I passed 5k a total of 1 time only and kissed 5k 2-3 times. During my first 300miles, I shifted at or below 3k 97% of the time(got 23mpg during my first tank refill). After that, I started to go back to my 'normal' driving style of shifting just above 3k or right around 4k. Crunched 3rd gear once (shifted too slow) but have been 'smooth shifting' 95% of the time ever since. Car has never been raced, never been tracked and I ALWAYS warm up/cool down the engine/turbos for at least 1.45 to 2 minutes cooling it down up to 4 minutes if I drove the car for a long while.

In short, the car has been gently driven, except for a few instances, for the first 300miles and driven a bit harder after. So am I doing good so far with my break-in period? This is my second 'new' car and I'm want to make this one last a very very very long time. Any comments or suggestions welcomed!

Note: The car has started to smoothen out compared to when it was brand new and it's getting easier to drive now.

 

You should be fine. I don't think people give the car enough credit. Break-in is a good idea, but I'm sure there are alot of people who don't break their cars in at all and end up just fine. When I got my Mustang I "took it easy" for a couple days then opened it up. Still runs great.

I wouldn't lose sleep over it.

 

I did the opposite. I ran it hard from the start (17 mi). I did also take extra care to fully warm up and cool down. I would pull each gear through its power band and decelerate on the gears.

I was taught that nowadays the most important part of "breaking in" a car is getting the rings to wear properly so they seal better. The way you do that is by putting the engine under load as much as possible.

So far I've been getting about 22mpg in the city, and the engine runs and sounds fantastic. Either way I say to each their own. The most important thing is warming up and cooling down properly. As long as you do that the engine should be happy.

 

Yep it has been gone over...and I will say it again. "What the hell is a break in?" Never heard of it.

 

Exactly why we don't let people test drive before they complete all their purchase paperwork. The eventual owner doesn't want one that someone "REALLY tested". There are a few exceptions but for the vast majority they want one that's been driven no miles. I plan to get one with no more than a dozen or so miles or wait on the next one to come in because I'm not going to take one that someone with no intention or ability to buy has REALLY tested just to be able to brag to their friends about it.

Oh, and if after completing all the purchase paperwork and then testdriving they don't want it the paperwork is destroyed and everyone walks away. It's never happened so far but they aren't forced to buy it if they don't like it after driving it. So far it's a good thing it's not a motorcycle because every one of them would have bugs on their teeth in a big grin pattern.

 

Yeah..

But when you go in to get a warranty repair you will WISH you heard of it..


Another one that "knows better" than Mitsubishi..

Yeah, they put those warning stickers on the tires for fun..

And those pages and pages of instructions on "break in" are there for "easy reading" on the toilet..

You guys crack me up..

 

Legal highway speeds in 5th gear are not going to be "high speeds" for break in purposes. Don't worry about it.

 

I'm following the Mitsubishi manual, below 5,000rpms for 600 miles, and I'm at 590 miles or so right now.

What I wanna know is should I change the oil immediately? Or wait till a regularly scheduled interval? Like at 2500 miles or something?

Cause all my friends are telling me to change the oil immediately, and I'm confused. Oh & I did a search & read through most of the stuff, but they didn't really answer my question.

 

Im really not sure about evos, but generally, the first oil they put in your car has cleaners to deal with all that beginning engine wear you experience during break-in. You change the oil too early, you lose the cleaners, yet your car will still be breaking in.

 

Try asking your dealer?

 

THERE ARE NO ADDITIVES IN THE BREAK IN OIL!!!!! I'd recommend changing it out at around 500 miles. You can never change your oil too often.

 

here is an unusual question:

I've read all thru this thread but still have a question. I am about 2hrs away from where I will be buying my evo. I am buying it on my spring break on a monday, and probably going back to school on either friday or saturday. there is no way I will be able to put 1000 miles on it in one week. so, should I go back to school and leave late at night so that I can vary my speed from say 45mph to about 80mph on the highway? it has been stated numerous times not to maintain a constant speed while breaking in the car, but how long is "constant?" there is no way i can keep going from ~45mph to 80mph for what is normally a 2hr drive at 80mph.

what do y'all suggest?

 

bump

 

bump