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The cars are hitting the streets so let's see photos of your new car. Here's a couple of videos to keep you busy in the meantime.


 
I am vicariously living through all the lucky ones who get theirs until mine shows up sometime in the spring it looks like at this point. Liking what I have seen so far.

Supposedly Speed Phenom took his car to a drag strip in DFW area and out down a 10.6 in the 1/4. That’s nuts for a factory car that handles too! Waiting on his videos for dyno results as well. Love him or hate him at least he is putting the car through it’s paces and sharing with the rest of us.


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Bill Pemberton

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I would question his break in if he already took it to the strip. Definitely not old school with the adage of " Breaking it in like you stole it," after chatting with Ford Engineers, Dodge Engineers and others over the last decades. These motors are super tight and would follow recommended procedures , especially on this sophisticated machine. Just my humble opinion, but seeing performance vehicles in the shop for over 25 years it often becomes easy to see who will have issues.
 
I would question his break in if he already took it to the strip. Definitely not old school with the adage of " Breaking it in like you stole it," after chatting with Ford Engineers, Dodge Engineers and others over the last decades. These motors are super tight and would follow recommended procedures , especially on this sophisticated machine. Just my humble opinion, but seeing performance vehicles in the shop for over 25 years it often becomes easy to see who will have issues.

Ford manual on this car lists the break-in as only 100 miles and then states don’t take it to the road course until 1,000 miles.

His car may only be a couple days old but he already has 1,000+ miles on it as he is driving from Michigan back to California.

So by the book I guess?


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Bill Pemberton

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Interesting , as we all are quite aware that running at the strip is a lot harder on a car than racing at a road course. So be it , but I would probably wait till 1000+ miles before I took a GT 500 to the strip. Just my personal bias from friends in the industry we have chatted with over the last couple of decades. But , if the manual says only 100 for the strip and 1000 for road racing, he is abiding by their criteria ( for warranty) and that is what, ultimately, counts.

Thanks for posting the video as that gives one a bit more of an idea that he had more than a few miles on the beast prior to laying it down. Bit bizarre the track let the guys run without helmets, especially considering the speed which would make the car illegal with NHRA without a rollbar. Granted a helmet would still not be legal , but still a damn good idea at such a killer speed out of the box.
 
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Grant 302

basic and well known psychic
we all are quite aware that running at the strip is a lot harder on a car than racing at a road course.

As somebody who has done both and built many engines, I disagree. I think the 100 vs 1,000 mile break-in recommendation makes a lot of sense.

I don't see a problem with a 100 mile break-in for the strip. The only thing I would do on top of that is change the oil before making drag strip passes.
 

Grant 302

basic and well known psychic
Agreed. Checked the oil on our new Edge before we went on our summer road trip and was planning on having it changed before we left, but it was still visibly clean and honey colored so I left it. We got 31 MPG on the outbound trip so I think it was broken-in just fine.
 

Bill Pemberton

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...and Grant you hit the assumption right on the head, folks think break in is the motor. I am another individual who has done both( types of racing ) , yet it is probably more important that I have worked in Automotive Dealerships for over 30 years. I can tell you the breakage ( often covered under warranty surprisingly ) has been a lot higher with drag racers , because consumers generally think motor and................break in really relates to alot more ( transmissions,rear ends, braking systems, etc. ). The broken issues are more often driveline, tranny ,etc. in both cases.

That is why so many of my Engineering friends at GM, Ford, FCA, etc. hate the break in data, as most believe it should be well over 1000 and it incorporates the whole of the automobile. The industry started on a trend towards longer oil changes and shorter break ins many feel due to marketing oneupmanship. Heck folks think they can drive 10,000 miles between oil changes , so of course that means you do not have to check it -------unreal thought, but perception of service intervals has some crazy realities with consumers.

Just my feelings and something I will continue to suggest to my customers , as a break in should be in all mechanical area in my personal view ( and just that my personal view).
 
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Grant 302

basic and well known psychic
because we all think motor

Again, I caution anyone saying or representing what 'we all think'...

hate the break in data

What's to hate about the data?

-----

I do feel manual transmissions take some time to break-in. But for the most part, automatics need none and are only getting older and worn from mile 0. Just my opinion.
 

Bill Pemberton

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Break in data can be rephrased as procedures - not liked by some as it seems to be more of a marketing strategy than what is best for many vehicles.
Because we often think '' motor" when break in is discussed - agree , removed all and rephrased so it was more perceptual.

Just my opinion as yours is yours , so we are both just airing our feelings --- no harm , no foul.
 

Grant 302

basic and well known psychic
Perhaps you mean maintenance schedules for the marketing strategy part?

I think of break-in procedures as a recommendation...made to fit the average driver and reduce warranty issues. I would say the schedules and the longer service/maintenance intervals are the marketing strategy.

Personally, I think it's smart for most manufacturers to have shortened the break-in periods. I'm pretty sure that's what their feedback and data says to do.

Just my opinion as yours is yours , so we are both just airing our feelings --- no harm , no foul.
As it should always be.
 

Bill Pemberton

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No use to go any further on this as it is my personal observations as well as comments to me from those in the industry. Let's just say the longer break in periods , which were recommended, made alot of sense when dealing with the horsepower and torque of many performance cars. I pushed customers to follow these religiously and it worked out well for us, so personal experience has led me to feel this way. Examples ; break ins were longer on GT 350s, Hellcats, Vipers, etc. to name a few and so that is part of my personal opinion. I respect that yours is different , but that is part of my personal bias.
 
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TMSBOSS

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I broke in the engine on my 350 nice and easy like. I had my brother drive it from the dealership in Nebraska to Illinois. A few around town miles after that. I changed the break in oil at 1000 and was pleasantly surprised to find almost no metal in the filter media.
 
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The kid in the video must have a very rich daddy. To drive from Michigan to California day after thanksgiving in winter conditions doesn’t care what he does to his car. He doesn’t care about breaking in his car.
 

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