Some advice for when i get my first ever new car

[JordanNaumov]

Hello guys.

As some of you may or may not know, i have recently just ordered my new GTi mk6 which I'm eagerly awaiting to arrive.

In the meantime i wanted to put a few questions out to some existing Golf/Golf GTi owners.

1. Will i need to 'break in' the engine for the first few hundred kilometers or so. If so can anyone share some tips on how to do so?

2. Myth or fact? Driving the car on low fuel is bad for the engine because the last remains of fuel is contaminated by crap that sits on the bottom of your tank.

3.
i) Should i warm up the engine before driving it in the morning?
ii) Should i let the engine cool off a bit before turning it off after a decent drive? (special thanks to iBoost for reminding me about the questions i forgot about!!!)

The reason I'm asking is because this is my first ever new car and i have never driven a nice/new enough car to ever worry.....

Thanks in advance!

[iBoost]

My guess is that you'll get answers from both ends of the spectrum on this. Some say to drive it like you stole it and "bed in the rings", while others say take it easy for the first 1000 kms and don't drive at constant revs, such as on a freeway.

I won't be driving it like I stole it but I won't be completely babying it either, a few revs here or there are not going to hurt it imo.

Without starting a new thread, do you Golf GTI owners warm up the car and warm it down before turning it off? I remember when I had my S15 I used to warm it up and warm it down for a minute or two before driving it and turning it off, and friends of mine have turbo timers on their cars. Is there really a need for this? Obviously you don't want to red line it as soon as you go out the drive way on a cool morning, but in general is it necessary to wait a minute or two to cool the engine before shutting it down. I'm no mechanic but I remember being told that it was bad to shut the engine off straight away while the turbo was spinning, thus stopping engine going to it. Could be an old wives tale but worth asking...

[Axis]

When you are starting off you need to make sure the engine is up to operating temperature before hammering it. Whether you do this in your driveway or by driving sedately on the streets is up to you...

On returning home I would suggest driving sedately for 3-5 minutes before getting to your driveway - at which point you can then turn the car off without worrying.

If you are giving your engine a good work out right up to when you park then I would suggest idling it for a while.

Turbo timers are unnecessary if you take a bit of care, in my opinion. I don't really like the idea of having the car running without me in it either.

Out of interest, this is the method I used on my S15, and now on my GTI as well

To answer the original questions:

1 - There's a lot of various arguments for and against a drive in period. Some say you should take a lot of care whilst others say its good for the engine to open it up. Personally I found myself taking it easy in the Golf for a good while regardless as I got used to the power delivery and handling of the car. I don't really have a definitive answer here but I'd guess that after 500k or so the engine has a fair idea what is happening and can probably be pushed a bit.

2 - No idea on this one....cars have fuel filters though right? If you drive until the petrol light goes on there's going to be enough petrol in the tank to get you to a petrol station I'd say...

[iBoost]

Thanks Axis, that's pretty much the method I use, always let it warm up or drive easily at first and usually try to take it easy when I know I'm almost home etc.

[JordanNaumov]

I guess it's all about finding a balance initially. I have no intension of hammering it out of the lot but i will gradually open her up more and more as i go.

As for heating it up in the mornings I'm sure 1 or 2 minutes of idling will be plenty before a nice tame drive to work

[xblode]

Regarding warming up, you should bring the car up to operating temp quickly yet safely. Leaving it to idle will take too long.

If you start the car first, then open the rollerdoor/gates, put your stuff in the car, you'll be good to go. Within 10 minutes, you'll be at operating temps

[JordanNaumov]

I just started a specific thread about tips on breaking in a new engine.

Find it here here

[Coaster]

According to VW, 'warming up' by idle is a waste of time and fuel (even against the law in some countries). Just drive off straight away. Obviously, the first ~4 minutes should be taken gently, check the oil and water temps before opening up.

At the end of a trip, the car will automatically cool the engine as required even after the car has been turned off.

[cube_3]

If memory serves me right your VW log book / manual has a section on how to break in your engine i.e. the manufacturers guideline.