Car appreciation... the aesthetics, the engineering, etc

Seriously though, I'll be gentle to start with.

Worst thing you can do, really, is to be too gentle. In order for the various parts to bed in properly (particularly the piston rings and cylinders) you need to have a reasonable amount of load on the parts. If you granny it too much the rings won't seal properly, you'll be down on power and oil consumption will go up.

Stick to the guidance in the manual by all means, but the best thing to do is just drive it normally. Don't labour the engine, and try not to spend the first week bouncing it off the red line, but other than that just drive as you ordinarily would.

Thrash it. They dynoed a load of proddy bikes from the TT a few years ago and they made more power / used less oil than those that had been run in correctly.

a 4,500 redline isn't exactly gonna hold you back, just go easy and follow the manufacturers' recommendations.

Thrash it. They dynoed a load of proddy bikes from the TT a few years ago and they made more power / used less oil than those that had been run in correctly.

I have heard this from several people in motorsport circles. Wish I could find the article that details the theory behind it.

Also have seen a doco on the making of an audi R8 (think it was that...) but basically they built the engine, installed on a dyno and absolutely thrash it for a simulated 1000k's, only then does it go into the car.

Makes sense - the only new engine I've ever had was broken in on the dyno. Builder said no problem with taking it straight to the strip afterwards.

Google Jake the Garden Snake's video on this topic on YouTube. Very compelling argument that thrashing is the way to go...

http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

Interesting theory

So thats cleared that up then.

http://youtu.be/NlOjtbhCCkQ

Shite photo but can't quite believe that I've actually seen one.

He has a whole load of other automotive pornography too.

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New MX-5 looking a bit hawt...

http://blog.caranddriver.com/2016-mazda-mx-5-miata-first-drive-report-sort-of/

(Bit like a poor mans F-Type!?)

S2000-esque...

Also see mazza GT in headlights. Go Mazda crib!?

My favourite bit is the small wheels with chunky tyres.

400+ hp, estate, volume for bikes, etc,

Seems like someone else had the same demands a few years ago,
but the XJ-S was a flawed starting point.

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Oooooh, a Lynx Eventer. Lovely. No good for me though.

I love how individual car design used to be. Altho but ugly and flawed the XJS was so individual. Like the designer didn't give a shit about what the Germans were up to. Great business sense I know. Now everything is a copy. Coachbuilders dying out etc. Not just automotive ind either. /csb

^^I'd sell the Volvo for that.

doesn't this have a lot to do with the coatings they use in the bores (nikasil?) of new engines? I thought that running in of trad bored/honed engines was still best in the normal method.

The Jake Snake video sums it up perfectly (engine run-in).

Yep, possibly. Although I'm pretty sure in the audi doco it was a 'trademarked proprietary' coating ;)

Dear Mazda, I applaud your efforts at building a simple and lightweight roadster without monster tyres and power outputs. However, could you please stop copying other cars and producing needlessly complex curves, ugly headlights and ridiculous air intakes.
thx

Bet it sellz like shit off a shovel doe.

Until Ford started building them, Jags were about as reliable as Max Crowe.

Great engines and jag's were always spiv's cars. ;)

Cars of the 60's to 80's need more maintenance than modern ish cars, also certain cars gain a reputation even tho the problems weren't that common or caused by lack of maintenance. I can remember, I'm not that old, having winter and summer thermostats for some cars. Even repacking bearings and lubricating king pins.

The joy of an engine de coke and oil changes at 2.500 miles. Replacing rings and big ends and little ends.