Running in procedure

[kodakokun]

Had a call from Stratstones yesterday and was told my V8 is now built and undergoing final testing. They weren’t able to give me an exact delivery date but I guess that within a couple of weeks is not unreasonable – I need to get the 1st service under the belt pretty quickly as I’m planning a 2.5K miles jaunt around Europe in August – is there a specific running in procedure? I had heard somewhere, that engines were already bench run-in, does this mean I can drive, lets say 'enthusiastically' from day 1?
Other than having to beat off gawpers with a big wooden stick, what are the most common snags owners have had in the first few hundred miles ?

[sadlerj]

The engine is bench run in, but the car is not. So you can hammer the engine, but take it easy on the other components, brakes, suspension etc etc. I think most of the early failts are fixed now;

- Rattly airbag in the steering wheel
- Faulty Door module draining the battery
- Fuel Filler cap Stickey, just dont push it down too hard
- Sticky handbrake warning light if a person with small legs is driving as the cable gets trapped when the seat is far forward

Other snags that people find;

- It is low, so watch the front and middle on bumps and esp in Europe getting out of steep driveways
- Kerbing the wheels
- Bloody Stone Chips
- Some rattles/squeeks from leather on leather if the seats are a bit to far back
- No easy IPOD connectivity
- CD player does not play MP3 CD's

Mine is up to 7000 miles now, 3500 of them hard miles in Europe, including a very very hard trip to Le Mans, and she is holding up very well. A fantastic car, better than I had dreamed of. Have fun in her.

[rich1231]

sadlerj said:

The engine is bench run in, but the car is not. So you can hammer the engine, but take it easy on the other components, brakes, suspension etc etc. I think most of the early failts are fixed now;

- Rattly airbag in the steering wheel
- Faulty Door module draining the battery
- Fuel Filler cap Stickey, just dont push it down too hard
- Sticky handbrake warning light if a person with small legs is driving as the cable gets trapped when the seat is far forward

Other snags that people find;

- It is low, so watch the front and middle on bumps and esp in Europe getting out of steep driveways
- Kerbing the wheels
- Bloody Stone Chips
- Some rattles/squeeks from leather on leather if the seats are a bit to far back
- No easy IPOD connectivity
- CD player does not play MP3 CD's

Mine is up to 7000 miles now, 3500 of them hard miles in Europe, including a very very hard trip to Le Mans, and she is holding up very well. A fantastic car, better than I had dreamed of. Have fun in her.

was it you that mentioned to me through the window about your green being better than mine at Le Mans?

[sadlerj]

Hi Rich....yep, just after Indianaplois corner. I hope the stickers came off your cars OK? I was thinking me and my mate in his Tour Du France Blue one should have hooked in behind and made 4 in a row...but I had just cracked another beer and I did not want to spill it. Top Weekend!