lyle

Getting my new A4 on Friday, what do I need to know about break-in? One of my friends says that modern cars don't need to be broken in, another says the parts have higher tolerances so break in is even more important than the old days. What do you people have to say? Does Audi have any recommendations? Thanks!

April

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phred

RT*M

der Delfin '02

For the first 600 miles (I think... it could be 800 miles...) Drive it like gasoline costs $100/gallon. No WOT (wide open throttle... i.e. flooring it), no high revs (shift early... around 3000-4000 rpms), no long road trips.

Baby the car until you get near 1000 miles.
After 1000 miles, you are pretty much broken in.

Also, WOT with low revs can possibly help smooth the engine by "machining" it on a very micro-scale. It has been mentioned that there are abrasive additives put in the oil from the factory to help smooth surfaces. The trick is to be in too high a gear for the speed you are going. For instance, shift from 1st to 5th... just make sure no impatient drivers are in back of you.

When I broke mine in, I did not attempt this until past 500 miles. I would put it in 5th and floor it for maybe 10-30 seconds then drive normal for at least 10-15 minutes then do it again.

Dunno if it worked, but the car is doing fine.

Yeah, I realize that you can't Read the "Factory" Manual before your car arrives (unless you buy one ahead of time).

Good luck and happy driving.