Breaking in a New Car

I live about 40 miles away in DE. If I had to drive the Sure Kill Expressway every day in Philly, I'd use all the protection I could get. Maybe even put in a roll bar ;)

Frank

Also, I'd be packing.

There are other racing bodies besides NASCAR. Restrictor plates fit fuel injected cars poorly.

Some race cars even turn right and left during every race, not just once or twice a year.

The insurance company claims ABS and airbags don't help?

"Bonehenge (B A R R Y)" Aug 23, 2007 at

07:56 PM

writes:

I can probably cadence brake to a standstill in a shorter distance than an ABS system can stop the same car in the same conditions *BUT* there's not a lot in it and more importantly I can't steer at the same time without ABS - IMO *that's* the advantage to the majority of drivers if they'd bother learning how to use it effectively.

BTW, given that's the main advantage of ABS, whty the hell would anyone disconnect it from the *front* wheels when they steer the car? Maybe he shouldn't stop there. Why not revert to fwd and take out the air conditioner, seatbelts, radials, disk brakes. Stuff it, why not just buy a '26 Chev and be done with all this poofy modern stuff? Cheers

I avoid the Sure Kill as much as I can. The river drives are much more fun.

I have been known to act a little crazy, if I encounter a dumb, crazy driver. I'll do Anything to get away from them, since they are an accident waiting to happen. I Do use my turn signals when taking evasive actions, even if made fast. Don't want to get tagged as one of Them...

VF

yea, but Rt & Lt hand turn races usually don't get to as high a speed. You mean they have ABS and air bags?

weeeell, pickups used to have ABS in Just the rear. May still. Figure I can manage the fronts locking easier than the rears, and in a turn, that lighter rear will be coming around if the rears lock.

26' Chevy eh? Lots of shows on recently about 32 Fords. I think they looked similar. I'll give them a look see. No computers in them right? I never wanted to see them again till the Prestolite CD unit I put in a new car in 62' Quit after 6mo, at the top of a suspension bridge going into NJ. I coasted down and off it, and disconnected it. Threw it Off the bridge on the way home.))

VF

So, these can't possibly go as fast as a stock car?

Note the brake box.

I agree with this completely. I would do this without turning the engine off for about 100 miles. When you turn the car off, do an oil change immediately. You will be amazed at how many metal shavings and particles drain out. The rings are primarily set during this first hundred miles. Do another dino oil change at about 1500 miles. At about 5000 miles change over to fully synthetic. Change every 6000 thereafter. An engine broken in this way will be very efficient during the course of its life. Gas mileage, acceleration, etc.

gary

Subaru does not recommend such early oil changes. The car is shipped with special oil apparently to aid in breakin.

Least that's what Iv'e read in more than a few places.

-- Todd H.

2001 Legacy Outback Wagon, 2.5L H-4 Chicago, Illinois USA

Maybe I am a cynic. Do manufactures want a car to last 300,000 miles, or would they prefer you to buy a new one every 150,000 or so?

Gareth Aug 27, 2007 at 02:37 PM

Subaru *do* recommend leaving the delivery oil in until the first scheduled change to assist with running in. No they probably don't want your engine to last forever, but yes you probably are a cynic! :)

My 91 Liberty wagon was traded at 332,000Km and had great compression and

*no* engine problems whatsoever. Current 99 Outback has 185,000Km. Both cars were private delivery and serviced every 12,500Km per Oz specs. Both ran Castrol Magnatec from its introduction 9 (?) years ago. Only prob with Outback was a big oil bill following a change done with Repsol synthetic. A leak that I couldn't trace to its source used about 3L in 2000Km. Added a seal swell which seems to have stopped the leak and will revert to Magnatec at next change. Cheers

snipped-for-privacy@phonom.net Aug 25, 2007 at 05:53 PM

2007 at a

Properly set up brake system with a decent proportioning valve would stop the rears locking up unladen in the first place. Loaded it isn't a problem. Same with suspensions about 80 years ahead of leaf springs so all the wheels stay on the ground all the time in all condiitons.

ABS is bloody useful used as intended but it woun't suspend the laws of physics. People trying to do a crash brake and 3 lane S swerve at 150Km/h are going to come unstuck and quite probably fall over!

There used to be a guy in Sydney ran a 26 Chev as a taxi truck until at least the mid 90s. Original owner and a miserable old coot. Some of the very faded original paint was still on it with a fair bit of bare metal and the absolute bare minimum spent on anything for at least 30 years. Last time I saw it it was with a diferent owner fully restored but still with a taxi truck plate.

Looked a bit like this one while in daily use!

Cheers :)

Bought the 2.5i 5M wagon yesterday but not 120mi away. Hadn't driven one on a highway, so wanted to before I paid. Had it out for about 2 hrs, driving on all kind of roads and speeds. Pushed it a little at times. Too much happening to watch the revs. Car had the armrest console that Had to go, unless I wanted to rest my arm on it, and shift the 5sp with my wrist. Opened the lid which helped a little, and then saw the whole thing tilted back, so tilted it.. Will take some time getting used to visability restrictions. Back seat head rests blocked some view, so seat backs have to go down.

Brake pedal was soft, and clutch grabbed low. The clutch pedal saftey switch was annoying, since the pedal had to be depressed all the way. The clutch grabbed abruptly sometimes, and wondered if the AWD had something to do with it? Haven't driven a manual in 25yrs, but it doesn't take long to remember. I didn't notice the pedals working the same, in 2 others I tested about 7 weeks ago. the brake pedal was soft, and a tech in the showrrom said ABS is like that... If they tell me they All work like that, I'm gona ask to drive another one. The dealer still has it to check the items.

VF