not the miles? (you've, on phone)

Like if I'm driving in LA and I go 10 miles in 1 hour because there's terrible traffic, shouldn't be more than 10 miles worth break-in? Isn't that more like 40 miles of break-in? Assume I turned off eco mode.

 

There's lots of outdated info out there about breaking a car in. Jag says they don't require one. Most people seem to agree now that a lot of consistent speed or rpms during the first 500 is bad, and you should try to vary the speed and rpms. So basically no highway cruise control or long idling initially.

 

Break-in recommendations are BS. Modern engines don't need break-in. Drive like you stole it. *

* Says the guy who does 2-year leases

 

Jag says they do require one.

Page 142 of the F-Type Owner's Handbook gives details.

 

Yeah, if you make it to page 42, much less page 142!! before your car is already broken in you need help. How the hell could you read 142 pages with that thing sitting outside?!

My handbook's in my glove box many miles away right now but I'll check it next week.

 

Yup. Most of the myths are pretty outdated.

 

I think the idea is to use the index in the owner's manual and spend 2 minutes reading the simple published procedure. The first thing I usually do when taking delivery of a new car is look up break-in recommendations in the owner's manual index by looking under the "Bs". I asked my JLR sales person about break-in at delivery, and he said "there is no recommended break-in procedure." I double-checked when I got home, and, of course he was incorrect.

EDIT: I have heard of cases (not F-Types yet) where people with blown engines get warranty claims denied because the break-in policy called for not exceeding XXXX rpms for the first YYYY miles. Most ECMs for the last 10 years or so have given the manufacture the ability to detect how many times a car has hit certain rev peaks. It's not a myth that if they establish a certain break-in policy, and they can establish that you've not followed it, certain manufacturers have called people on it when the car shows up at the dealership with a blown engine.

Of course, 99.9% of the time it doesn't cause any problems, which is why one can usually get away with "drive it like you stole it." It's a personal choice to play the odds, which are pretty good in this case.

 

Listen to Shift. He knows what he's talking about. The engines are ready to drive.

 

You'd think if it was that important they'd put it on page 1. Or 2. Or 3...or 147.

 

On Porsche European delivery this is what they tell Americans: “For American customers, we must recommend you to keep it below 4200rpm, for everyone else we suggest use it as you normally would: careful while cold, then flat out.” The German 991 Turbo S manual has no mention of keeping RPMs below 4200 like the US. Just use common sense. Warm up the car, don't hold redline for prolong periods of time, etc. Obviously this isn't for Jaguar but it's all the same. My guess is it's for legal/liability purposes since the US is so ligitious.

 

Does the manual say anything about using the round thing in front of me to avoid telephone poles? I know it seems like this should be common sense like everything you've been saying but without a liability warning on page 136 I'm afraid I'll just hit 99.7% of them.

 

Again. Thumbs up Shift for posting this. Have to say that not letting the engine warm up is the worst thing you can do. I must admit I have a 3-5 minutes warmup time here. Is it that bad to spend 5 minutes looking at it? (you can even look from the outside ). Give it a break. Warm it up. Let the blood (aka oil) flow.

 

I would respectfully suggest to all those who posted after me to read more carefully if you are capable. Of course, all contemporary engines are "ready to drive" hard, assuming they were assembled properly, as the vast majority are. If you bother to re-read, you will also see that I said that 99.9% of the time you'll be fine no matter what you do, break-in recommendations be damned.

I was only pointing out what COULD happen in those extraordinarily rare .1% of cases where you might have "lost the lottery" with a blown engine. I happen to think that people should be informed of all possibilities and make their own informed decision.

Cheers, out . . .

 

Blown engine with my Jag means shifting to Italian... not such a bad perspective :P