Greetings:

I walked off the Acura lot in Montclair, NJ this past Saturday with a new TL (silver without Nav for less than $200 above invoice). I thought it was a decent deal. Here's my question:

Is there a "break-in" period with this car? The dealer tells me I can drive anyway I like from day one, except that I should vary my speed for the first several hundred miles (ie, avoid using the cruise control). The owner's manual discourages fast acceleration, heavy braking, etc during break in. How long is this "break in" period? Back in the days, I remember that one was advised not to travel above 50-60 mph for the first 600 miles on a new car to ensure longevity and reliability. Can anyone comment? I plan on driving the vehicle for some years to come, so I want to care for it right from the beginning.

Any other advice, comments and thoughts for a new and neurotic owner is appreciated. Thanks.

~DA

 

Welcome to the board and congrats on your new TL.
For the first 500 miles try not to accelerate too hard and vary your speeds. Thats about all i did with mine and no problems so far.

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2001 Nighthawk Black Pearl TL

• Inspire tailights
• Weapon-R hyper intake
• Burlwood shift knob
• Razo carbon fiber pedals
• Inspire fog light switch (no fogs yet)

 

Usually break in is recommended for 300-500 miles.

Congrats and welcome. Watch your wallet. This place is addicting.

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1999 Firepepper Red TL

• Under Body Kit
• Rear Wing Spoiler
• 26 Piece Wood Grain Console
• BurlWood Shift Knob
• 30% Smoke Tint

Pics of My TL

 

The manual says 600 miles


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2001 3.2TL with Nav
Satin Silver Metallic
Factory Rear Wing Spoiler

 

My dealer just told me to jump in and drive!
Ed

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Acura-TL.com - Forum Moderator

'99 TL Satin Silver/Ebony, Non/Nav, Comptech lowered, Comptech Air Filter Element, Inspire Tails, AEM Brake Pads all around, Comptech Axle Back Exhaust, "Guy Smiley" doll on the dash as my Co-driver...

Pics of my TL
Pics of my Miata! Wadya think?

 

Yeah, but what does the dealer care? I drove mine relatively softly for the first 1000k.

 

1000 miles. But I did have a long trip in between that added a good 450. I felt soooo bad about it, but couldn't avoid it.

 

I went easy on mine for 700 miles. Didn't floor it and varied the speed on the highway.

Remember, no cruise control for at least 600 miles. (it's all up to you what you want to do)

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<A HREF="http://www.adamoski.com/acura.html" TARGET=_blank> </A>
2000 Acura 3.2 TL w/ Navigation
Satin Silver / Ebony Interior
* Factory Spoiler & CD Changer
* Burlwood Shift Knob
* 35% Tint
* Removed Acura & 3.2TL Badging From Trunk
* Removed Front Plate Holder
* Comptech Parts In My Basement!!
(Just Waiting For My Headers)

 

Hey that was where I bought my TL back in Dec 1998. Damn, that was a long time ago.

Warning: This site is very addictive and very harmful to your wallet.

BTW, congrats and welcome to the board!

 

Avoid high RPM, but I would recommned that you floor it sometimes to cause the rings to twist. Start about 2000 RPM and floor it until anout 4500(vtec range) several times a day. This will help performance after the break-in period. "Break it in fast-it will be fast.Break it slow it will be slow" is a saying worth thinking about. Enjoy the ride!

 

Thanks for all the replies. Yes, the site is quite addictive - I can hardly get any work done at the office today. My mouse keeps finding its way back to this board.

Given what most of you have said, I think I will take it easy on the car for the first 1000 miles. Better safe than sorry. I have to agree with Nate that the dealer really doesn't care what you do. In fact, my sales guy told me to drive the car "aggresively" when I asked him if a break-in was necessary. So much for the owners manual.

Besides taking it easy on the brakes, avoiding fast acceleration, varying my speed, and avoiding cruise control for the first 600 miles, do I need to keep the speed of the car to a maximum of, say, 65 mph during the break in period? It's sort of tough commuting with the vehicle on the NJ Turnpike and drive less than 65 mph

Also, the owner's manual specifically instructs that I should not change the oil until the recommended time/mileage interval shown in the maitenance schedule. Why is that? What harm can come if I do? I know I'm some miles away, but when is the first service interval? From the schedule for normal driving conditions in the owner's manual, it shows first oil change at 7500 miles with first filter change at 15K miles. Can that be right??? What about the old rule of thumb of changing your oil & filter every 3000 miles or every 3 months, whichever comes first?

DA

 

I test drove a TL about a week ago. The salesman drove it off the lot while I sat in the passenger seat. We were chatting about the speed etc and all of a sudden, he FLOORED IT! It took off nicely and he commented that it was "A sleeping Giant".
If the salesmen are flooring the cars on test drives, the damage has been done.
How can you know if the car you bought was driven one way or the other before you bought it?
I don't see how you can.

 

It shouldn't have alot of miles on it. My dealer said anything under 35 should be considered new. I will be pretty pissed if mine has 35miles on it. Most people tend to get it with 7 miles.

 

Oh, one advise..... I mine was new too.. and it just passed 1000miles... I would change the oil out and put in some cheap oil.... cuz all the particles inside the new engine can flush out, and when you put some oil in there again, its kinda flush it again.... Then change to Syn. at 3500, 7000+ etc.....

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Edward
01 CL and 99TL
Houston(Sugarland),TX.

 

You don't change the oil until it says so because it has special additive in there to break in your car properly...I would follow the manual instead of what some dealer says. They are there to sell cars...not to care for your car like an owner would.


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2001 3.2TL with Nav
Satin Silver Metallic
Factory Rear Wing Spoiler

 

I starting to believe the manual more than the dealer, who like you say, is more interested in selling you a car than helping to maintain one. But as I read the manual, the first oil change is suggested at 7500 miles. And first oil filter change is at 15,000 miles. Am I reading the manual correctly? Those mileages are sort of high, aren't they? To make things more complicated, the dealer has a sticker on the upper left corner of the windshield with the next service interval at 3000 miles, which is what I was expecting.

I have heard others besides Houston CL who suggest an early oil change to flush out the particles in a new engine. But if Acura uses an additive to help break in the engine as you say, then I suppose it would defeat the purpose by changing out the oil earlier than recommended.

 

Yeah I got mine in Montclair as well. They give the best deals there. One place wanted over 30K, with out Navi. Er...

Did you guys have to pay for that 15K mile thing? I felt as though that wasn't right.

 

HELL NO!
That is just a way of ripping you off.
Please, 15K miles, the car is still new.

 

Congrats on your new TL... Cool name Devil's Advocate, Hey lets go Devils! unless your into that 666 thing then lets go back to church!



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00TL Gold Nav&Wing

 

LOL. Thanks. I'm not into the 666 thing at all - well, maybe a little back in my headbanging high school days. The name comes from the fact that I enjoy advocating less popular points of view on a subject in order to stimulate interesting discussion (ie, being the devil's advocate).

~DA

 

My fiance bought a Integra from Montclair Acura about one year ago. Can't tell you how great the service has been. When her lease is up in a little over a year we are looking into getting a TL. If you don't mind me asking - what kind of deal did they give you? Good luck.

 

Great info on this thread. Thanks. Just picked up a 2001 TL with navi last night. My sales guy said no break-in period needed - just go for it. 13 whole miles on the car so far .

 

I too just recently purchased a TL but I got mine over at Wayne Acura (got a good price and excellent service). Got 700 miles on mine now. In response to your question, I would agree with everyone on taking it easy for the first 1000 miles although I must admit that it's very hard considering the fact that everyday I come acoss someone who wants to race me. As for the oil changes, I have always changed the oil in all my cars at 3000 miles and this car won't be any different. The manual says 7500 under IDEAL conditions but what exactly are IDEAL conditions? Anyways, best of luck with it.




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2001 Satin Silver TL
- Factory Rear Wing
- Factory Body Kit
- Factory Wood Kit
- Burlwood Shift Knob

 

Yes, let go DEVILS!!! (no flames please)



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2001 Satin Silver TL
- Factory Rear Wing
- Factory Body Kit
- Factory Wood Kit
- Burlwood Shift Knob

 

Welcome to this crazy addicting board. It will now be your second home for as long as you like your car...

Break-in period: 600 miles, just no hard starts and stops and vary the rpms as much as possible. since you can shuft from 5th to 4th on the highway, you can vary your rpms w/o changing speed too much.

Oil Change- No change for at least first 3000 miles so the break-in oil can do its job. You want the break-in oil to hold the particles to a minimum, but still want the oil to "wear in" the cylinders at varied RPM's so the engine will be broken in correctly. DO NOT change to Synthetic until AFTER the breakin period, as you actually want some friction to help breakin the new engine.

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1999 Satin Silver TL Dunlop SP9000 215-45/17-mounted on CL-S 17" Rims
H&R Springs-Axiss MetalMasterPads-Crossdrilled Rotors
-Inspire Tailights-20/30/40 tint

Y2k S2K Honda Roadster
- Mingster Aeroscreen, Smokin Front mesh Grill, Clear Sidemarkers...

 

Congrats to you LORD STANLEY on your new TL.
(GO DEVILS!!) sorry had to do it.

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00TL Gold Nav&Wing