I just bought a 2012 fwd in graphite, my first car purchase. Only driven it for a day, love the car, but I'm concerned about the "break in" process. How should I be driving it the first few thousand miles? Some people say to drive it like it owes me money, haha, while others say to completely it baby it. Not sure who to believe, so some insight would help. thanks.

 

https://acurazine.com/forums/4g-tl-2009-2014-123/break-period-myth-816165/

 

i didn't step on the car for the first 2000 km and after that did a few runs hard runs where i was shifting just before red line.

 

How did that work out for you in the long run? Also, what are your usual mpg ratings, and did they improve after the first 1.2k km?

 

Brakes break in period is 300 miles before you go slamming on them. Clutch break in is roughly 600 miles, engine break in is weird, 1000 miles before you go beating the piss out of it, and fuel economy wont improve until about 3000 miles or the first oil change. Sometimes longer....those same numbers apply for when you replace your brakes or clutch also.

 

I am getting impatient. I bought a 2012 SH-AWD graphite luster on friday, and want to jump on the gas. I have 320 miles on it after the weekend trip.

 

yea, same problem here, eagerly waiting for those first 1000+ miles to go by

 

Thanks man. Any tips on rpm usage? should I not exceed 3000 rpm?

 

If its a manual trans, try not to keep the rpms at a constant speed like cruising at 65 in 6th gear for 10 miles, try to fluctuate it so you don't glaze the clutch or flywheel and keep away from downshifting, heavy accel, power shifting and so on. For an auto I would just take it light for at least 1000 miles, let those clutch packs wear in before breaking the tires loose.

 

Just realized you said fwd, so it would be an auto, just baby it for the first 1,000 and if you like reading, check out your owners manual under break in period(I believe) it's really helpful and you might learn stuff you never knew