I just bought a 6spd 2003 Titanium in the Polished Titanium color. I take delivery in a couple of days. Do I need to take it easy on it for the first 1,000 miles or so, or can I rev it up from the start?

 

To be safe, take it easy.

 

yeah take it easy. any tints or mods for the future? how much did it cost?

 

If ya can... Take some pic's! Half the people on this forum are hungry for some pic's! If not... that's cool!

Congratz on the TE! You're the first that I've heard!

 

yes, the break in period is very important, but it's much more important to take lots of good pics of the car and post them here at maxima.org immediatly after delivery

congrats BTW

 

What the heck do the wheels look like???

Do you recall the 'bright finish' on the Anniversay Edition wheels? Anything like that?

We need to know!

 

Someone, please explain why the break-in period is so important. Just for the record (I will deny this upon trade-in), I didn't worry about the break-in and I haven't had any probs because of it. Yes, maybe some hoses will have to be replced at 90k miles instead of 100k, but I'm be breakin in some other car then.

What about the test drive? Who did not redline their Maxima on their test drive? How else can you know what you're getting?

 

I'm not an engine engineer, so I dont know specifically what goes on in the engine, but break in period and early morning startup/driving routines are important.

If you have no problems buying a demo car for a substantial discount, thats good.. but I would never do that..

 

Take some pics....NOW!

 

its got something to do with how the pistons wear into the engine... if you dont take it easy, they can warp and create a crooked path. by going nice for the first x miles, they wear in smoothly. something like that.

 

the threads on H&R vs. Eibachs...LOL!!!

I too was a firm believer in break-in periods until I learned the break-in process for the typical small aircraft engines:
1. Max throttle immediately at takeoff
2. Do NOT run the engine BELOW a certain RPM/power level EXCEPT WHEN LANDING
3. Do NOT do touch-and-go's on a new engine -because the loads vary too much

All of this being 180 degrees diametrically opposite to what we're led to believe break-in periods should be so..go figure!

 

why would a car manufacturer advise a break in period if there was no need for one? they gain nothing from it. some cars dont even have break in periods. so if a certain car manufacturer tells me about the break in period, i think ill listen to the advice from the manufacturer.

 

I did not take my car over 3500 RPM on my test drive. First time I redlined was at 800 miles.

 

PICTURES!!

 

I did a moderate break in on my car. Took it up to 6K twice on the half hour test drive, than on the trip back home (8 hours) I ran it up to 100 MPH twice for a brief period. Other than that, I *tried* to stay below 4Krpms. It seems that there are two extremes on this issue. Some come out of the dealership spinning tires and do extended max rpm shifts for the next three months. Others seems to shift at 2K rpms at the most for the first 3K miles. I think there is a happy medium.

 

The dealers are idiots, they kept telling me that there is no break-in any more.

Also, most of us were not the first person to drive our cars. Mine had 7 miles on it. So that means someone could have ran the crapp out of it and I wouldnt have know. regardless I took it easy for about 1000 miles. I got on it around 650 once.

 

My car had 90 miles on it since it was the last 2K SE on the lot. I am sure the damange done on the previous 90 miles was FAR worse than the damange that I caused hitting 100 on the way home. Break in periods are meant to prevent high levels of stress on the engine. I just drove normal for the first 500-700 miles. I would certainly not clock 1/4 miles times during the first 1000 miles but I wouldn't worry about it otherwise.

Do you ever wonder about break in periods for cars like the NSX and S2000. If you never got about 3000 RPM on those cars, you would never get above 25MPH

 

i went to www.nissandriven.com to check out the titanium edition maxima, if you click on maxima at the main webpage, you will see that the 2k3 is out, and its not like the rumors, same as 2k2 but with the titanium package. the pictures at the site suck, so can't tell anything different about the titanium max from the pics, but here is what nissan has to say about it:

"Titanium Edition Package
After 22 years of redefining the 4-door experience, Maxima SE celebrates with the sleek look of titanium. Outside, the Titanium Edition Package adds special 17-inch dark chrome wheels - a great complement to the SE's rear spoiler, tinted taillights and chrome exhaust finisher."

its a package, not a special edition like the anniversary edition max, and i dont think the paint is special or titanium, but i'm not sure.

Cfbrenton1, take some pics of your car, i think a lot of members will be interested in seeing the pics, and great choice on a car. (you's a smart person )

 

Why would they recommend you not mod your car? Since when did anyone listen to NISSAN here?

Well, I hear a lot of guys take it easy for a little while - except for hitting 100mph on the way home, ONLY hitting 6500rpms twice on the test drive, taking it easy 'til 650miles, etc...

So, everyone thinks the break-in period is important, but doesn't really follow it, can't tell me why it's important, and can't tell me any stories of what happens when you don't allow for breakin?

Hmmmmm... Glad I didn't waste any time pu$$y-footin around.

 

Here is a theory. Maybe they want you to take it easy on the car so you get time to learn about it and possibly don't cause harm to yourself or the car by trying something stupid. For example, racing someone else and not knowing the intricacies of the vehicles. Like how much steering input it will take to switch lanes at 120+. By 1000 miles you will feel safe drinking something, lowering the window, playing with the radio, all while shifting in traffic or going 80+ on the highway.

How does this theory sound? Therefore, the actual engine receives no benefit from "Breaking" it in.

Where are the pic's of the TE? I am going to order one in SEP after the wedding

 

they're always looking out for liability issues

 

Galo you must be a pilot for real! Touch and go's are about the craziest thing I have seen. Especially for the F-15 Eagle, and the F/A-18 Hornet. Those guys just want to show off too. In Hawaii our commercial airport is right next to the military base.

 

When I purchased my 2001 SE it had 73 miles on it. The dealer told me to drive it like I want it to perform. He was a editor for a international car magazine before he became a dealer. It you want the car to be fast, drive it fast from the start (doesn't mean you have to abuse a car). If you baby a car during the "break-in" peroid it will form a pattern which makes the car slower (there is some explination for this). I think it all has to do with programing the ECU. This soft break-in period stuff is questionable. Sales guys can tell you this so you believe that you're protecting the value of your purchase by babying the car for 1000k. This is not neccessarily true and I believe that you're actually making your car slower in turn.

 

I know there's no reason to trust the car manufacturer when it comes to following a break-in schedule , but if you want to see what Nissan recommends, open your Owner Manual and turn to page 5-15 or 5-16 (depending upon your model year). Then do whatever you like.

 

After playing with the Design your Maxima feature on the website. It seems that the 'Polised Titanium' color is exclusive to the Titanium Edition, just like the Majestic Blue was in 2001 on the AE.
You can get the Titanium Edition in all the other colors, but if you want the Polished Titanium color, you HAVE to get the Titanium Edition package.

 

A break in period for modern engines is debateable. When I got my maxima I kept it below 5k rpms for the first 500 miles and did not use the cruise control. At 103,000 miles the engine is still smooth and burns no oil.

One thing you do want to take it easy on is the brakes. You can warp the rotors very easily on a new car.

 

I didn't use my rear defroster or gas cap holder for the first 20 miles.

 

 

And I will make sure to not turn the volume past 1/4 from Min volume the first 100 hours or operation. That may prematurely damage the speakers and amps.

 

the rumors apply for the 2004 maximas

 

this is what ive heard also...

 

I think youre right on that one. That's what a Ford dealer said to my friend, who just bought 2002 Mustang GT. He said if you want your car to be fast, drive it fast, let it go on the hwy, so your ECU can adjust to your driving and thats how your car will respond in the future. But still, I wouldn't redline it up to fist 1000, but on the hwy, its a good idea I think let it break in...

 

In the old times (!?) pre 90', break-in period WHERE mandatory. WHY? Because manufacturing process did not allowed the kind of sub-millimeter precision we now take for granted. Precision has increased many many times over the last 10-15 years. CAD (Computer Aid Design) and computerized tools are more common than ever.

Why should it be only cars that need break-in period. Why not your chain-saw, lawn mower, snow blower? What about a Boeing 747 flying at just 300mph on its first transatlantic flight? What about a nascar or a formula1 engine? ???

Break-in period IS an OLD and enduring myth.

 

I broke in the demo !

So you never told us...HOW MUCH DID YOU PAY??

 

Well said

 

of it..only rather simple, single engine birds. Checked out on Cessna 150/152's, 172s and 182s and Piper Archers. Simple, four-seaters. Been flying for about 6 years, have right around 296 hours up there.
And yes, those Tomcat jocks are something else...I would give my left nut to get a ride on one of them!
Hey, touch-and-gos are fun,,just make sure you've a reasonably long runway, like over 2600 ft!!

 

I think that the break in is for the engine to work itself into a "groove" at the RPM that the engine is going to spend a majority of the time running in. Airplane engines spend a majority of their time at high rpm, therefore a high rpm breakin. cars, well if you think about it 90% of all cars spend their time at or below 3500 rpm, therefore the low speed breakin. thats just my $1.75 on the issue.

 

Only $10K for a ride in a MiG-29.

 

on a good 172! No thanks!

 

If you don't drive your car gently for the first 500 miles your clutch won't ever work right. The clutch will get hot spots on it and will have a much shorter life span, I know this from past experiences I think a 500 mile break in is all that you really need but I played it safe a little while longer. I'm now at 9000 miles and my car works great.