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My biggest financial mistake...

There was a new blue SS at Berger today when I went for the 28th st Metrocruise festivities. Pretty :censored::censored::censored::censored:in' hot. If I fit in one and felt like spending almost all of my cash (or financing my first thing EVER :help:), I would have seriously considered driving home in that thing.
 
The initial start-up break-in is absolutely vital to engine longevity in flat-tappet engines like the Zetec or older engines... but much less important, if not unecessary with the roller-rocker, OHC engines widely used now. However, a couple hundred light-to-moderate miles and at least a months worth of operating range heat cycles is a good idea IMO, regardless of engine. I guess it just depends on who you ask. Sh*t, according to Ford, there is no longer a break-in period at all, on anything. Then again, they ARE trying to sell you something... like parts once you're out of warranty, or another car within 100k. Personally, I like how the new "recommended" oil change interval is 7500 miles on some cars. :nonono:

Because modern synthetic oils can go more than 7500 miles, no point in doing 3k oil changes in a car that never gets beat on (90% of cars). Hell, for a while everyone on CEG was sending their oil to black stone labs and they were coming back with recommended 5-7k oil intervals.

Now just because I said I dont believe in the standard break in doesnt mean I go out and peg it at redline for hours at a time. The motor needs to see its workable RPM range and needs to experience a full range of driving scenarios. Take it easy until its up to operating temperature and bring it up smooth through the rev range, let the engine do a bit of engine braking to seat the rings. etc. etc.

I can't speak for Zetecs or old engines because honestly I couldn't give a :censored::censored::censored::censored: about a zetec if you paid me and I don't own anything with a motor older than 2004 :shrug:
 
Now, I'm not knocking synthetic by any means. It's well known that it offers sybstantially better and longer protection than regular oil. But how long it does so, depends on too many variables for a blanket mileage statement to be considered accurate.

This is why more reading and less posting needs to happen :)

Synthetic on more than hundred vehicles was shown not to break down untill after 7500 miles, many cars it went up to 10k and some cars 15k. Independant stides on cars over 100k miles and ranged from 1984-2007.
 
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