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Drive it like you stole it: BREAK IN PERIODS

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Old 07-13-2006, 09:32 PM
  #16  
Arnzo
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I'm debating this now. I have 350 miles on my new CS and I've already bumped the limiter....I just couldn't resist. I babied my S4 through the break-in and it ended up chugging roughly 1 qt every 1k (no leaks). This ended up being one of the motivating factors to get rid of it an step up the 911.
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Old 07-13-2006, 10:34 PM
  #17  
nkhalidi
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My history:

E46 M3: 2003, 11/02 build date. Redline at 16 miles on the odo. Took it to the track repeatedly, sold it with 22k after three years, motor was rock solid, every bearing recall / service action completed. Negligible oil consumption. Current owner uses it as a track car, says the motor pulls harder (and the car is measurably faster) than his old M3, an SMG car.

B7 S4: 2006, 12/05 build date. Redline at 100 miles. Didn't follow any break in. At 7800 miles now, car is daily driver, zero oil consumption, everything is peachy.

997S: 2006, 10/05 build. Redline at 100 miles, at the track at 300 miles. Car has 1500 miles now, is on its second set of tires. You do the math. Has consumed .5 quart of oil. I enjoy the car, I don't 'get on it' until it's warm, and it's been terrific. I know the warranty will take care of any problems that may arise, and I don't intend to keep the car after warranty.

My two cents.
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Old 07-13-2006, 11:20 PM
  #18  
gravedgr
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Sorry, Ben, but I couldn't make myself read all those threads. HOWEVER, someone recently reported that on 911's sold in Germany there is no break in period. They reported being told by their factory delivery person that the break-in period for models sold in America were due to liability reasons.

I don't recall if it was on Rennlist or not, but this does not surprise me at all.
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Old 07-13-2006, 11:29 PM
  #19  
Superfans
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I really have doubts as to whether you can drive it like you stole it. I guess if you don't mind it to rattle, creak and whine afterwards, then you can drive it like that.
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Old 07-14-2006, 12:37 AM
  #20  
micgreeny
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I think the first 500 hunred miles is very credicial, payed very close attention after that still did not go over 4200 RPM's . after about 1200 miles I hit it a couple of times but no red line till 2000 miles. thats what I did but keep in mind that I really don't know ****.so I think it's best to follow the manual or the best you can(its very hard). I have 2300 miles now and have burned about half a quart.----------------mike
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Old 07-14-2006, 01:02 AM
  #21  
ronmart
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Originally Posted by JFScheck
Break her in following Porsche's rules with a few excurssions to 5-6 every now and then and everything will be fine!
Yep, that's what I did.

I was pretty good for the first 1000 miles, but after a thousand I'd occasionally see 5500 - 6500 rpms. The closer I got to 2000 the more the demon in my foot would forget and I'd bounce off 6500.

Now that I'm out I don't change gears until I'm at 6500 about 40% of the time!
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Old 07-14-2006, 05:11 AM
  #22  
Queram
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There will never be a consensus on this topic, it is one of those dangerous topics. I have my own style to break-in a car. I do it gradually and be done in the 500 miles. It is that long because of the brakes and tires. After that woohoo.

All my cars have been rock solid when I sold them.
All my cars have the strong motors (is it luck, I dont think so) Instead of pitying, I teach them how to behave from the beginning.
I prefer to buy a well-hard driven car from an enthusiast that I know rather than a 40 year old woman.
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Old 07-14-2006, 08:41 AM
  #23  
allegretto
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Originally Posted by B-Line
Greetings all,

A topic of conversation has come up on one of my previous threads and I wanted to pose a question to some of you Pcar owners.
- This topic is not geared for the "garage queen/blvd. cruiser owner" but for the driving enthusiasts out there who really PUSH there cars to do what they were designed for.

- My argument (open for debate) is that a car (within common sense reason) should be driven hard and broken in the way you plan to drive it for the rest of it's life. The term, drive it like you stole it

With synthetic oils, fuel injectors, technology/fly by wire, etc... You should be programming your car to understand the way you plan to drive it. You should also do a couple heat cycles on the brakes to get the pad to form to the rotor.
And, if something is going to break because the car is driven hard, let that thing break in the first few hundred miles.. This way Porsche will need to fix it and fix it right..

So, what are your thoughts.. Drive it like a baby or drive it like you......

B
Just put it on the truck and ship it to me. I'll return it when it's broken...in
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Old 07-14-2006, 11:59 AM
  #24  
stom_m3
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Here is the thought of run it hard;

http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm
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Old 07-14-2006, 12:14 PM
  #25  
JFScheck
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Originally Posted by Queram
Instead of pitying, I teach them how to behave from the beginning.
Great quote - Wish I used this one on the wife -



Boy - I hope my wife doesn't join our forum...
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Old 07-14-2006, 12:24 PM
  #26  
1Carnut
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I have never broken in any car I have owned. I realize I might be in the monority, but I drive them they way I like to drive me, and that is hard.
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Old 07-14-2006, 01:05 PM
  #27  
Pugnacious
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Break-in (or run-in for those speaking the King’s English) has got to be the most discussed topic that never reaches a consensus on automobile enthusiast’s forums. Manufacturers all have similar but varying procedures; Porsche can’t even get it straight from country to country so there is not even consensus within some manufacturers for the same vehicle.

If you know the dynamics of what is taking place in a new motor the job is quite simple. If you don’t I would follow the manufacturers over simplified, do no damage procedure that was written by both the engineering, legal and possibly marketing departments.

When normal people get together they talk about current events, their family, their job. When car guys get together we talk about breaking in our new cars and on that we all have an opinion.
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Old 07-14-2006, 01:30 PM
  #28  
MMD
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What's funny is there's no recurrent discussion on these Porsche boards about ruined engines and voided warrenties by guys who did NOT follow the breakin guidelines.

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Old 07-14-2006, 01:52 PM
  #29  
OCBen
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Well, for one thing, the 997 is still new. So you won't find any reports here on something that would be expected to show up in the long term. Also, when engine problems do surface it's very difficult to correlate (and hence prove) that these problems are the direct result of engine abuse and improper breakin.

If you're an idiot, do as an idiot would and abuse the engine all you want. Just don't come crying if you develop engine problems later in your ownership. But if you plan to keep the car long term RTFM.
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Old 07-14-2006, 02:04 PM
  #30  
1999Porsche911
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I guess if you do not know better, you are stuck following the manual. But for many of us who do know better, breakin is over in the first 100 miles.
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