Does a newly purchased motor vehicle need a break-in period?
5 Answers
Newly purchased motor vehicles require a break-in period. The precautions for using a new car are as follows: 1. Maintain smooth acceleration, avoid sudden throttle inputs, and prevent the engine from revving too high; 2. Before starting, ensure the coolant temperature reaches at least 50 degrees Celsius, start in a low gear, and shift to a higher gear after 1 kilometer; 3. Shift gears promptly while driving, avoid prolonged use of a single gear, and refrain from using high gears at low speeds or low gears at high speeds; 4. Choose good road conditions to avoid excessive vibration and impact, and disengage the clutch before braking; 5. Use high-quality fuel and engine oil, and avoid using engine wear-resistant additives.
A few days ago, I accompanied a friend to pick up his new car, and we even went through the manual together. Although the engine comes factory-cold run-in these days, you still need to take it easy for the first 2,000 kilometers. Don’t floor the accelerator to 5,000 RPM, avoid fully loaded long hill climbs, and give the brake pads and tires time to break in. The transmission is especially delicate—shift gently for the first few hundred kilometers, and don’t rely solely on cruise control on highways; let all gears get some action. I once saw a new owner take their car straight to mountain roads after pickup, only to end up with transmission noise and a repair bill close to 10,000 RMB. Higher fuel consumption during the break-in period is normal—the key is letting parts wear into smooth cooperation.
My grandpa drove trucks for forty years and always insisted that a new car must be broken in. Even though car manufacturing has improved these days, his advice still holds: keep the RPM below 3,000 for the first 1,500 kilometers, and avoid prolonged high engine loads. From my own experience, it's best to warm up the engine for a minute after a cold start and keep the RPM under 2,000 until the coolant temperature rises. I remember one time when I was in a hurry and didn’t warm up the car—the engine noise became noticeably louder afterward. Also, it’s better to use 95-octane fuel for the first few tanks—it’s more engine-friendly.
A car engineer friend mentioned that modern production lines indeed undergo precision processing. However, the essence of the break-in period is to allow metal parts to smoothly fit together, especially the piston rings and cylinder walls. I recommend for the first 1,000 kilometers of a new car: avoid sudden braking (to allow the brake discs to wear evenly), do not exceed 100 km/h, and keep the load below 70%. I've seen too many cases of aggressive driving during the break-in period, which doubles the probability of oil burning later on. Pay special attention to advancing the first three oil change intervals, as this is the stage with the most metal debris.
Last week, while accompanying my best friend for a vehicle inspection, the technician repeatedly emphasized: There's currently an oxide layer on the brake discs, so the braking distance will be 30% longer than normal for the first 300 kilometers. Be extra cautious in rainy weather and avoid tailgating. As for the engine, there's no need to deliberately drive at low speeds; the key is to avoid keeping the RPM fixed in one range. I usually make it a habit to drive the first two tanks of fuel under various road conditions—flat roads, gentle slopes, and traffic congestion—so the onboard computer can learn accurately. By the way, a friendly reminder: remember to use genuine engine oil for the first maintenance service, as it offers better cleaning performance.
