How to drive a new car
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Reading the manual would be a fair start in correctly using your brand new car.
For first 600 miles, try not to run the engine at a low RPM (below 2000 RPM) or a high RPM (above 4000). Don't run at a constant RPM, even if you are on the highway. The owners manual for Toyota talks about speed instead of RPM (for various reasons I don't want to get into), but most other automakers correctly specify engine RPM instead of speed.
The worst thing you can do is to baby the engine, causing the piston rings to not seat properly. It takes a certain amount of engine wear for the rings to seat properly against the piston walls.
The worst thing you can do is to baby the engine, causing the piston rings to not seat properly. It takes a certain amount of engine wear for the rings to seat properly against the piston walls.
Take it out this weekend for a spirited drive.
The key is to keep the transmission in a lower gear, no matter what speed you are going. You don't have to drive at 2000+ RPM all the time, but try to keep the transmission from shifting too fast (which it will do for maximum fuel economy).
What? If you are driving 100 km/h (60 mph in US), you don't need to keep it in low gear because you will be close to 2000 RPM or more. You only need to keep it in low gear if you are driving very slow, but you don't have it to keep it above 2000 RPM all the time. I assume your car has a tachometer (although some don't these days). Remember, varying the RPM is important. If you are at a red light for awhile, rev your engine a few times in Neutral or Park (but don't over do it).
The subject matter is called "break-in" somewhere in the manual.
ok I found it. it says: (please see my questions in italics)
- avoid sudden acceleration. what do they consider sudden acceleration? flooring it off the start?
- do not drive continuously in low gears how do I know what gear I'm in? and do they consider gear 2 to be low?
- do not drive at a constant speed for extended periods so I should avoid the highway for the first 1000km or go on the highway and press the gas till I reaches 100km or so, then release the gas and let it go down to about 90km/h and repeat?
- for the first 300km, avoid sudden stops. what do they consider sudden? driving at 60km/h and pressing hard on the break?
- for the first 1000km:
- avoid sudden acceleration. what do they consider sudden acceleration? flooring it off the start?
- do not drive continuously in low gears how do I know what gear I'm in? and do they consider gear 2 to be low?
- do not drive at a constant speed for extended periods so I should avoid the highway for the first 1000km or go on the highway and press the gas till I reaches 100km or so, then release the gas and let it go down to about 90km/h and repeat?
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Actually that seems a good setting to obtain those RPM variations without killing it.
there may not be any bad effects, but maybe your car would perform better, last longer and get better fuel economy if you did do these things in the first 1000km. the manual does say to do this so your car lasts longer. why would they put it in the manual if it doesn't improve anything?
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The manual was written by idiots!!!
It's too generic as each one of those definitions is interpretted diffrently by different people.
high speed - faster than 70/80 mph
sudden acceleration - probably don't red line the RPM or swing the needle.
vary your speed - go city to highway to city and don't use cruise control
constant speed - don't use cruise, increase and decrease speed on highway
Just my personal interpretation.
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Engine last longer or not is how you maintain and take care of your car. I didn't drive the car hard so it's not gonna hurt anything.
Better fuel economy, I am getting 40 miles to the gallon.
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Are you on the highway all the time and no traffic jams?
In CA there is really no highway driving because of traffic.
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LMAO and i thought I was alone in this.
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