NYC2SD

But I only have 350 miles!! I know I should wait huh? Just wanted to vent my frustration.

xChungHsienx

hey i say just go for it. Why would you just drive like a little puss for? Eventhough its only got 350 miles...see all you gotta do is...HIT IT HARD FROM THE BACK. and everything will be fine.

Chung-Hsien

jjs

were on it when you bought it?

If >0, it is a safe bet that it has been floored at least once already...

[maxi-overdose]

iTrader: (3)

i know...it is like quitting smoking for me...

I floored it at 800.....that's the only time to test if I have tranny slippage.

NYC2SD

only 6 miles..they pulled the sucker off the showroom floor!

jjs

but someone somewhere put 6 miles on it. Ok, maybe a total of 1.5-2.0 miles (Japanese dock, on ship, off ship, holding lot, on train, off train, on truck, off truck, on dealer lot).

Someone could have had fun around the dealership...

who knows? That's the ****er today, you really never know for sure.

Still, I would assume someone along the line might have gotten pedal happy....

Bottom line...go for it!

TimW

iTrader: (6)

if it hasnt been driven.

You're right, floor it.. its not like there are any problems with 2k2 clutches.. Dont let that wussy transmission tell you how to drive.. Dont let some pristine cylinder walls make you call them daddy.

Besides, Dodge Neon rental cars ROCK! And I dont know about you but I love catching up on all my missed Car and Driver issues while in the dealership waiting room.

emax02

iTrader: (1)

I really don't think the guys who take the car off the transport floor it, infact I highly dow't it. These guys do this as a job day in and day out. I am sure there are tight rules and guide lines on the way the driver conducts his or her self.

alembicf1x

I'd be curious to see dynos from people who babied their cars the first 1,000 miles vs. those who drove 'em hard...BTW, I did try Dan's break-in procedure, I'm at 5,500 miles and it just keeps getting stronger.

From: dan scolnick[SMTP:dans@dmscomp.com]
>Sent: Thursday, May 21, 1998 4:28 PM
>To: Multiple recipients of list
>Subject: RE: SHE (green '99) arrived!
>
>At 06:11 PM 5/21/98 +0000, Aleksandr Milewski wrote:
>>As for the break-in advice, IMHO avoiding WOT is a bad thing. Some (like
>>Dan S.) will tell you that for the first 1000 miles, after you're at
>>temperature, you should ONLY drive at WOT or closed throttle. Keeps
>>cylinder pressures up, helps the rings seat, or so goes the story. Dan has
>>been doing this on all of his cars, and they seem to be unreasonably fast
>>and last forever.
>>
>>Dan, care to elaborate?
>>
>
>Actually I read his post about abusing the engine by not revving it over
>3000 rpm during breakin and CRINGED. I then decided that with the list
>being so inane and nasty lately, and with the miata.net recomended break-in
>available (which isn't bad, just kinda ****) and my controversial break-in
>in the archives I decided,
>
> who am I to advise this person how to break in his car? If he want's it
>to run like a granny-mobile, thats his choice. There is just so much
>ignorance being spewed like definitive knowledge lately, i'm too tired of
>it to argue.
>
>so to make it short.
>
>I have broken in all of my cars at WOT, CT (wide open throttle and closed
>throttle), revd to redline at least once per 20 miles for the first 1200
>miles.
>
>They have all run over 200,000 miles (some over 300,000) and never had
>anything other than normal maintainance.
>
>They all have gotten high MPG compared to their peers
>
>They have all been rev-happy.
>
>They have all been among the fastest of their peers.
>
>AAHHRRR - Which was the only one dyno'd got the highest HP of all the NA
>miata's at the bama dyno day last year (and that was with setting the
>timing by EAR) and AAHHRRR had less modifications than most. I realize
>this will get many people upset, so just pretend dyno's don't matter
>because they don't.
>
>With all the sniping i've gotten lately from people who ignore results,
>can't seem to run fast laps, disparage others, and tell me i'm abridging
>others rights by stating my opinion, i'm not inclined to share my
>experiences anymore.
>
>So for those of you who have gone to schools, drive on tracks, add on
>parts, think that 4-wheel drifts are slow, don't modulate brakes, and drive
>by reading books, playing video games, or listening to ALL the instructors
>without UNDERSTANDING ANY of them, don't bother flaming me or arguing with
>me. i've had enough. You're all right. Just meet me on the track or any
>twistee road.
>

NYC2SD

I agree, I used to work at a dealer and the trasport guys just get the cars off and into a staging area. They deal with new cars all day so its no biggie to them.

It's the Demo's you have to worry about

I know there is a lot of talk on the board about "break it in like you'll be doing your normal driving". So if I don't open it up now am I gonna have a slow ride?

jjs

Uh, if you would have read the post, I took those events out of the equation, leaving some more miles that could very well not have been added under tight supervision.

TimW

iTrader: (6)

the break in isnt JUST for the engine.. its for the drivetrain as much as the engine.. why 60mph in the manual? wheel bearings, tranny seals, syncros... The engine doesnt care how fast you going until 90mph anyway.

*I* would baby the transmission, auto and especially the 6sp.

Nissans take up to 10K to fully break in, you'll have plenty of time to beat the crap out of it.

I dont know about Mazda engines.. they arent Nissan engines. There are plenty of people on .org who can attest to less oil consumption and higher mpg with a proper breakin.

xChungHsienx

Yea thats true. When i got the car i was getting about 18.0-18.5 mpg but now after 9K miles i get about 20.5-21.0 so it does help.

Chung-Hsien

IceY2K1

iTrader: (3)

ROFL!

IceY2K1

iTrader: (3)

If it's leased or if your NOT going to keep it for 100K+ miles, then BEAT THE CRAP out of it. Nissans' can take it for a lot longer than anything else I've owned.

If your unsure or planning on driving it till it falls apart, I would baby it as long as you can possibly handle it.

My 4DSC

I agree...
Perhaps this type of break-in is what results in a "Factory Freak".
My 2000 GXE ran 14.8 @ 94.75 100% stock...
I never gave it a "proper" break-in.

suds1

Anybody that has ever driven a rental car knows this fact: Most of them have around 7,000 miles on them and already drive like crap. Even the nicer cars. Why? Because everybody that drives them from day one drives them like a maniac. Personally, I don't particularly want my car to drive like a rental car after I've only had it for a few months. But everyone has their own car to deal with. Just my $.02 worth.

Maxima06071

I did my proper breakin' in and I get my average 22mpg.

sloppymax

iTrader: (8)

i was pulling out my condo complex today and saw a 2k2. there was the white cover over the hood and trunk. there were dealer tags on it. i got up beside him and noticed he was a salesman from the local dealership. i punched it and he looked stun with the noise from the frakenpipe and berk intake. he punched it and we ran into traffic. he proceeded to swerve in and out of traffic. i had to turn off but i was still looking at him when he smashed into the rev limiter. it bucked and made the loudest popping sound. im sure it had little to no miles on it and im sure thats not the proper nissan break in procedure.

foodmanry

iTrader: (15)

Keep in mind people that not all engines, drivetrains, and transmissions are the same. For example, engines that come off as "factory spec" have certain parameters they need to meet. The engine may be "factory spec" being just within parameters, which coincidentally happens more often than an engine that is very close to perfect. So most of us have the engine that either barely made it within spec or average spec. This is why everyone is getting different mileage, power, and engine life. Sure breaking it in helps, but it really is insignificant than what kind of engine you start with.

The same holds true with the transmission. Just FYI for you guys to keep in mind.

Subw00er

iTrader: (1)

Max's come with 5 or so miles because every one is driven for 5 minutes by an engineer who checks various things. I think one in 40 or so is driven longer, like 20 minutes.

Cutler

iTrader: (3)

Flooring to WOT is not that bad, neutral drops are REAL bad!!

TimW

iTrader: (6)

I consider the rev limiter a safety feature, not a gentle reminder that you're pushing the car too hard.

KLOOGY

iTrader: (12)

Are you coming to our Next Carlsbad Race Run ???

irvine78

iTrader: (2)

never ever broke in my car that properly...then again, didn't really do crazy stuff..just drove alot!

and yesh, i too get around average of 23mpg(mixed driving)..more if i just drive on freeways only..

slvr2KSE5

im a tech for the ford dealer here on maui. when we get "new" cars they range between 3.2 milesna up to 65 miles. the higher 1s have a "road tested at the factory for xx miles to ensure quality" or some crap. basically i call it covering up for that trip to dunkin donuts.
trust me...new cars are beat to hell at the dealer. lot techs, PDI techs, salsemen, the ppl unloading from the docks. (i have personally seen a driver from the docks stomping it in a new car leaving. ironically it was an 02 auto max.) i have personally beat down a bullit mustang and it hasnt come in once for anything other than 5k service. i see the car all around too.

njmaxseltd

iTrader: (19)

I have to agree with the don't break it in theory. I'm sure Indy car motors aren't Broken in. There built and run to the max for a few hours.

I had an 89 P-Lude Drove it like I stole it from day 1. Red line and all. The car gave me 170,000 perfect miles over 10 years and NEVER used a drop of oil. Nothing ever failed in the engine compartment, not even a sensor.

My 99 SE-L Also driven HARD from day one. WOT and Red line - I drove it like I stole it. I did take it easy on the brakes till the pads set in but thats about it. Now the car has 48K on it, I get 27 - 28 MPG, runs perfect and doesn't lose or burn a drop of oil between changes. I'm using Amsol now along with extended drain intervals. Absolutely no oil consumption at all.

dwapenyi

iTrader: (3)

How do you "drive it like you stole it" and still get 27-28 mpg

DW

Colonel

I find this a bad example. Race motors, albeit a motor with metal and rings, valves, pistons and stuff, should not be compared to a typical passenger car motor. Yes these car motors (NASCAR,IRL,CART,F1,Indy Lights....) are run to hell and back...BUT how many are NOT rebuilt before the next race or even used again? And think how many fail on the track as well. These motors are made to run XXX miles and that's really it.

The typical person does not have the motor of their car rebuilt every XXX miles. I, let alone most, also don't have the "correct" answer as to break in or not. But since some have had good experiences (based upon the "views" of this thread) with both sides of the coin, I think until people do metal analysis in conjunction with driving habits and maintenance performed at what intervals, there will not be a fact based definitive answer to this question.

BTW, I erred on the side of caution...I "broke" mine in. I get good MPG...(23 mixed[50/50]) Never drag the car so don't know if I have good 1/4 times or not...so I am no help there.
___________________

dwapenyi

iTrader: (3)

You know, if I had a new car and I beat on it before the "required break in period" I'd simply just change the oil.

DW

Colonel

How would you know that it would solve all your problems at that point? I am not flaming...just curious as to how changing your oil will solve all potential mechanical issues with a motor that might not have been broken in and because of this might be the cause of a failure?

dwapenyi

iTrader: (3)

B/C the biggest issue I see with a new motor is wearing in of the new parts, like metal shavings. Since the oil was designed to suspend and take it away, then changing it should clear things up. If there's more to it, I'd like to know

DW

TimW

iTrader: (6)

we've been arguing this long enough for him to have 1000+ miles by now..

NYC2SD

Thanks for all the input guys. I took it out and gave it a go, and fell in love with the Max all over again. There is a really noticeable increase in power over my 2000 SE. I floored it only up to 70mph and ram out of road (rush hour traffic)

IceY2K1

iTrader: (3)

Ran out of road by 70mph?

I feel bad for you NY guys. I can hit 70+ mph(50mph speed limit) in the 1.5 mile commute to work.