Re: Plan on driving a new car on a 3000mile highway trip. Bad idea?

I don't think anyone has much of a problem with recommending a "gentle" break in. What the issue was is your definition of it.

The engineers know what they are doing. Honda and Toyota have earned the reputation of the top 2 car manufacturers for reliability. It makes sense to do what they say to ensure a reliable ride...

Hmmm...when did I say I didn't read the manual? Of course I read the manuals.

It's based on what's in the manuals for break-in.

And your suggesti Help assure your vehicle's future reliablilty and performance by paying extra attention to how you drive during the first 600 miles. During this period:

Avoid full-throttle starts and rapid acceleration

Do not change the oil until the recommended time or mileage interval shown in the maintenance section.

Avoid hard breaking. New brakes need to be broken in by moderate use for the first 200 miles.

A real wealth of information there, eh?

I'll stick to my method, thanks. It's proven over thirty years and nine or so new cars.

Next time you want to pick a fight, stick your head up your ass and fight for air.

Most of them are naive, clueless LIEbrawl DEMONrats.

but you don't know that! all you know is that honda and toyota tolerate you - they survive in spite of your behavior, not because of it!!!

"the deal" is that the engine needs to build up an amorphous carbonaceous layer on the cylinder walls. you will have seen that when taking the heads off engines. what you probably haven't done though is do a micro hardness test on it to find that's it's very hard and that it gives a good, low friction working surface for the cylinder wall. for the engine to last well, that layer needs to build up quickly, but not excessively. the best way to do it is to have a "dirty" oil keep circulating fine soot/combustion product particles. hence, if you change the first oil too soon, you delay build-up and the wear rate stays higher, longer than it otherwise would.

it's neither mountain nor molehill - it's just plain ignorant. if you asked questions, that would be different. but instead you just voice underinformed opinion - it's utterly worthless.

you may look at the pages, but you don't seem to understand the words written on them.

no it's not!!! you recommend ignoring what /is/ in the owner manual - oil change interval - but you have no rationale!!!

that's an average of a new car every 3.3 years. either there's something you're not sharing, or your mileage numbers are, er, "over-optimistic". [240k in 3.3 years = 72k miles per year. that's 200 miles per day, every single day of the year. at average 60mph, that's

bottom line, you're not going to have much in the way of oil-related reliability problem show up in only 3 years of, lets say, "more typical" usage.

you're boxing your own shadow.

So? This thread was picked up *Drive gently and avoid high speeds.*

Your vehicle does not need an elaborate break-in. But following a few simple steps for the first 1000 miles can add to the future economy and long life of your vehicle:

Avoid full throttle acceleration when starting and driving.

Avoid racing the engine.

Try to avoid hard stops during the first 200 miles.

Do not drive for a long time at any single speed, either fast or slow.

Do not tow a trailer during the first 500 miles.

____________________________________________

So except for adding an oil change, what did I say that was outside these guidelines.

Also, considering this is the first 3000 miles of the car's life, I would consider a 3,000 mile trip "severe driving conditions" and adjust accordingly.

You change your oil every 7,500 miles whether it needs it or not? I do 3,000 miles. That's not in the manual, is it?

As far as an extra oil change, I have rationale. And you're not rational.

Are you a fool, or what?!?!?

I guess the next new car I get, I'll screech the tires out of the dealership and then take it for a 100 mile rip on the freeway at 125 MPH, just because the Owner's Manual doesn't say not to do it.

Actually, it does say not to, but according to you, I guess it would be ok. I like to be gentle on new mechanical components, and not take them to the 'recommended limits' in the first 1,000-1,500 miles.

My God, are you obtuse.

After about 1 million miles split between 4 cars, I think my method works just fine.

The OP asked about taking a new car on a 3,000 mile trip, and if it was a bad idea. What I didn't say was, yeah, I think it's a bad idea, but if I had to do it, here's how I'd do it. If it's a Honda with the 'special break in oil', then yeah, skip the 1,500 oil change. If it's a Toyota, I'd change the oil. I have changed the oil. I've been rewarded with car that have lasted me up to 20 years.

You appear to be an Educated Fool, merely for arguing.

If you had said, "Hachi threw in a oil change that I would skip", OK, then I guess it doesn't need to be done. As far as an 'amorphous layer', it'll get there, don't worry.

You recall correctly. However, he did also post the same question to the Honda newsgroup about a Pilot. Same exact message, except for the Pilot.

Perhaps it did. However, that doesn't mean it is right for today's vehicles.

Just like when I used to bore and hone blocks myself.

But today's cars and trucks have much closer clearances.

Any old car made to yesterday's specs.

Actually, I don't recall anything about varying the speed. And avoiding the abrupt starts and stops was for the brakes.

No reason not to with today's engines.

You seem to be make a mountain.

Look at one of my posts to jim beam. I posted what I found from the Honda owner's manual, and from a Highlander. The Honda's didn't really say a lot, the Highlander did say not to drive the car at any one speed for a period of time.

What's so much different? Still iron block and aluminum heads with steel pistons and rings.

And everyone keeps throwing 'closer tolerances' at me. I would think it would be MORE important to take it easy the first couple thousand miles if walls are thinner, etc.

jim beam sure does! I thnk if he were here he'd be coming at me with an axe...

Toyota does not use a special break in oil. Unless they've changed in the last 3 years. Honda may; I asked a Honda service manager when I worked for a Honda/Toyota shop and he said, "Huh?"

But, he had not been a *Honda* service manager for very long. A lot of people say it is a special oil.

I'd be willing to bet the 'special break in oil' is Slick 50 or something similar. Anyone know?

tooling along the freeway is not "extreme".

the question you really need to be asking yourself is this:

"why do i pay attention to nameless nobodies and ignore the engineers and researchers that know what they're doing?"

no you don't, you have ignorance. by your logic, you'd go to a brain surgeon, then tell them they don't know what they're doing. some of the research that goes into modern cars is real rocket science. done by smart people that actually know what they're doing. and that's who you're saying they don't know what they're doing with your wasteful 3k mile oil change.

so how's your dentist? are you better at their job than they are?

no, i'm a pedant with a low bullshit tolerance level.

actually it does. "Avoid full-throttle starts and rapid acceleration." remember? [you should, you quoted it.]

idiot.

don't put false words in my mouth.

based on what? the owners manual? or your own research?

i may indeed be. but relative to what?

how many cars??? pick a story and stick to it dude. if you want us to believe your numbers.

so it's wrong to correct misconception and bullshit?

as you'd know if you'd have bothered to read the owners manual!

the point is, you're just repeating useless garbage with no purpose. in fact, it may even be harmful garbage. so, again, why do you do it? you can't back any of that stuff up - you're just repeating what you heard from some dude who heard it from another dude - and so on back to whenever. if you don't have definite knowledge, or you haven't studied this stuff, you're just wasting electrons and muddying the water.

so what exactly is happening with the motor at one speed that's not happening at another? perhaps you can explain?

hondas are aluminum block, but you don't let the details worry you much, do you?

"thinner"??? exactly what difference do you think that would make???

I gave the guy a suggestion for breaking in a new car on a 3,000 mile trip. Where's the bullshit?

moron.

Gee, I don't know. Why do you suppose the Highlander's manual said to avoid at any one constant speed for an extended distance?

Explain that one, Genius.

I was answering in the Toyota group. It was crossposted. But, since aluminum is a much softer metal, I think I'd want to take a little care during the first thousand miles or so.

Gee, I dunno. Perhaps excessive wear caused by someone not being careful during break in would cause irrepairable damage, for example?

Thinner walls means replacing the block rather than boring and honing.

Speaking of boring...

Let's review again:

I dunno. I guess I should have plonked you a while ago, like when I first ran into you.

hmm. let's examine the logic:

1. you post underinformed crap.
2. i call you on it.
3. you killfile /me/ for /your/ ignorance.

doesn't look good, does it!

i was hoping you'd tell me!

it's an aluminum block, but it's not an aluminum liner!!!

to the aluminum block???

dude, you're clueless. you can re-bore a standard honda block twice -

you need to do some homework.

I haven't re-bored anything on 4 cars >240,000 miles. No need to.

They were broken in properly...