how many miles should i put on my car before i start driven it hard?

 

i would go atleat the first 500 miles or so thats just my opinion

 

yah, its like 450 miles

 

on the lancer the guy that sold it to me said around 300..but i would say 500-600 miles..

 

Its 500 miles

 

Well it depends, if you want the engine to last as long as possible, then the mileage(s) in the previous posts are a good starting point. Some drive it like they stole it from day one, but the few people I know over the years who have done it this way have blue smoke coming out the tailpipe by 50k. Since they don't care about longevity, no big deal.

I'm an old fart so I tend to break in engines much more conservatively, meaning I'd much rather wait for at least 1k to be on the clock before becoming Ricky Redline all the time. Even then due to traffic or passing, I still have to wind it up once in a while. It's no big deal, as it's the exception vs the rule.

My tips for break-in

1) Wait at least 30 sec after starting up before moving 2) Wait until the engine temp gauge had reached the "normal" position and stayed there for 10min/10miles before winding it up. If it's cold in winter where you are, wait longer. 3) Check your oil dipstick at every fillup to see if you need to top off your motor oil. 4) No highway driving at a given speed/RPM for more than 30min at a time. Vary speed up or down as you prefer.

DF

 

good call DF. I didn't take it above 3k for the first 900 miles or so. Tried to go 1000 but couldn't resist. There will be times, especially in first when you go over, but like diesel said, make it the xception not the rule. And the last point about varying your speed on highway miles is key, if you have to exit the highway and then get back on do so.

 

Ya the mans right 900 or 1000 miles should do.

 

you need to vary the rpm, not the speed.