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Model specific boards => Golf mk8 => Topic started by: MattyGTI8.5 on 26 February 2025, 07:54

Title: A few questions
Post by: MattyGTI8.5 on 26 February 2025, 07:54
I’m set to pick up an 8.5 GTI, totally standard with dolphin grey the only option picked. I’ve seen a few things about a breaking in period, do you have to be strict to this or can you be a bit more lenient after the first set few hundred miles? Also I’ve been informed the service schedule is set to long term, how do you go about changing it to yearly intervals?
Title: Re: A few questions
Post by: fredgroves on 26 February 2025, 10:42
Its always a good idea to follow the manufacturers instructions about running in if you want long term reliability.

If you are leasing it for 12 months, well.... its not your car at the end of the day :-P

The service schedule has to be changed by the dealership.
Title: Re: A few questions
Post by: sipj on 26 February 2025, 20:36
I left mine reach 1000 miles before opening it up properly.  No idea what is recommended, but I think a 1000 miles used to be a things back in the day!

Mine was set to long service, which I had the dealer change.  A simple visit to the service centre where they plug it in and change it.  I own my car and have the service package for 2 years, so didn't want to leave it longer that 1 year between services.
Title: Re: A few questions
Post by: MattyGTI8.5 on 27 February 2025, 02:02
Its always a good idea to follow the manufacturers instructions about running in if you want long term reliability.

If you are leasing it for 12 months, well.... its not your car at the end of the day :-P

The service schedule has to be changed by the dealership.

It is a lease but 4 years, maintenance package included though so not sure they’d cover boy racer antics 😂 will take it to the dealer and get them to change it
Title: Re: A few questions
Post by: MattyGTI8.5 on 27 February 2025, 02:04
I left mine reach 1000 miles before opening it up properly.  No idea what is recommended, but I think a 1000 miles used to be a things back in the day!

Mine was set to long service, which I had the dealer change.  A simple visit to the service centre where they plug it in and change it.  I own my car and have the service package for 2 years, so didn't want to leave it longer that 1 year between services.

That’s the figure I had in my head too, I know they come “ran in” out the box but for my own peace of mind definitely needs a few hundred before kicking its head in.
Title: Re: A few questions
Post by: Carlosfandango on 27 February 2025, 22:45
I ran mine in as per the cars owners manual.

(https://i.postimg.cc/HkTC0qt2/IMG-4811.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/7ftcwQdG)
Title: Re: A few questions
Post by: SRGTD on 28 February 2025, 07:17
With modern cars it’s not necessary to be ultra-cautious during first 1,000 miles or so; just take a few sensible precautions;
Additionally;
Some who lease their cars adopt a very different approach, and just drive a new car like they stole it from the outset! :shocked: :grin:
Title: Re: A few questions
Post by: MattyGTI8.5 on 28 February 2025, 19:21
With modern cars it’s not necessary to be ultra-cautious during first 1,000 miles or so; just take a few sensible precautions;
  • avoid using excessive engine rpm’s
  • avoid labouring the engine, change gear frequently to vary the engine speed (I used the steering wheel paddles in my car to change gear and manually override the DSG)
  • avoid driving at the same speed for prolonged periods in the same gear
  • always wait for the engine to get up to the optimum operating temperature before driving a little more enthusiastically - not just during any running in period, but always
  • keep an eye on the engine oil level - some engines can use a little oil during their early life before settling down (only one of the VW’s I’ve owned did this, but after a few thousand miles it never used a drop between services). It might be worth considering getting a 1 litre top up bottle of oil of the correct VW spec and keeping it in the car, rather than wait for the low engine oil warning light to illuminate and you’re miles from anywhere with nowhere to buy any of the correct oil to top up
Additionally;
  • tyre treads might need scrubbing in during the first few miles of driving if there’s any residue of the tyre release agent remaining on the treads from the manufacturing process. Therefore, avoid hard, enthusiastic sudden manoeuvres unless necessary in an emergency avoidance situation
  • bedding in the brakes during their early life first 200-300 miles of driving should prolong the life and efficiency of the car’s brakes
Some who lease their cars adopt a very different approach, and just drive a new car like they stole it from the outset! :shocked: :grin:

Thanks mate! I’m picking it up from Stockport on Monday and driving it back to Sunderland, so the first 150ish miles will be mundane motorway anyways  :undecided:
Title: Re: A few questions
Post by: SRGTD on 01 March 2025, 09:27
With modern cars it’s not necessary to be ultra-cautious during first 1,000 miles or so; just take a few sensible precautions;
  • avoid using excessive engine rpm’s
  • avoid labouring the engine, change gear frequently to vary the engine speed (I used the steering wheel paddles in my car to change gear and manually override the DSG)
  • avoid driving at the same speed for prolonged periods in the same gear
  • always wait for the engine to get up to the optimum operating temperature before driving a little more enthusiastically - not just during any running in period, but always
  • keep an eye on the engine oil level - some engines can use a little oil during their early life before settling down (only one of the VW’s I’ve owned did this, but after a few thousand miles it never used a drop between services). It might be worth considering getting a 1 litre top up bottle of oil of the correct VW spec and keeping it in the car, rather than wait for the low engine oil warning light to illuminate and you’re miles from anywhere with nowhere to buy any of the correct oil to top up
Additionally;
  • tyre treads might need scrubbing in during the first few miles of driving if there’s any residue of the tyre release agent remaining on the treads from the manufacturing process. Therefore, avoid hard, enthusiastic sudden manoeuvres unless necessary in an emergency avoidance situation
  • bedding in the brakes during their early life first 200-300 miles of driving should prolong the life and efficiency of the car’s brakes
Some who lease their cars adopt a very different approach, and just drive a new car like they stole it from the outset! :shocked: :grin:

Thanks mate! I’m picking it up from Stockport on Monday and driving it back to Sunderland, so the first 150ish miles will be mundane motorway anyways  :undecided:

Enjoy the drive home! :smiley: As per my previous post, avoid sticking to the same speed in the same gear for the whole 150 mile motorway leg of your journey.

Also, I should have made it clear in the fourth bullet point in my previous post - getting the engine up to optimum temperature before driving a little more enthusiastically refers to the oil temperature, not the coolant temperature, although I’ve always avoided anything approaching enthusiastic driving for first circa 1,000 miles of any new car ownership :smiley:.
Title: Re: A few questions
Post by: Carlosfandango on 01 March 2025, 10:02
With modern cars it’s not necessary to be ultra-cautious during first 1,000 miles or so; just take a few sensible precautions;
  • avoid using excessive engine rpm’s
  • avoid labouring the engine, change gear frequently to vary the engine speed (I used the steering wheel paddles in my car to change gear and manually override the DSG)
  • avoid driving at the same speed for prolonged periods in the same gear
  • always wait for the engine to get up to the optimum operating temperature before driving a little more enthusiastically - not just during any running in period, but always
  • keep an eye on the engine oil level - some engines can use a little oil during their early life before settling down (only one of the VW’s I’ve owned did this, but after a few thousand miles it never used a drop between services). It might be worth considering getting a 1 litre top up bottle of oil of the correct VW spec and keeping it in the car, rather than wait for the low engine oil warning light to illuminate and you’re miles from anywhere with nowhere to buy any of the correct oil to top up
Additionally;
  • tyre treads might need scrubbing in during the first few miles of driving if there’s any residue of the tyre release agent remaining on the treads from the manufacturing process. Therefore, avoid hard, enthusiastic sudden manoeuvres unless necessary in an emergency avoidance situation
  • bedding in the brakes during their early life first 200-300 miles of driving should prolong the life and efficiency of the car’s brakes
Some who lease their cars adopt a very different approach, and just drive a new car like they stole it from the outset! :shocked: :grin:

Thanks mate! I’m picking it up from Stockport on Monday and driving it back to Sunderland, so the first 150ish miles will be mundane motorway anyways  :undecided:

Follow the directions in the user manual and you’ll be golden. as SRGTD says, try and avoid sitting at the same speed in the same gear for too long whilst on the motorway trip home.
Title: Re: A few questions
Post by: Grizzle34 on 03 March 2025, 09:20
If it's a lease who's cares not your issue lol
Title: Re: A few questions
Post by: MattyGTI8.5 on 04 March 2025, 23:51
If it's a lease who's cares not your issue lol

It’s an outlook that I don’t like, just because it’s a lease wouldn’t make me not look after a car! I’ve got it for 4 years so rather keep it sweet
Title: Re: A few questions
Post by: SRGTD on 05 March 2025, 06:18
If it's a lease who's cares not your issue lol

It’s an outlook that I don’t like, just because it’s a lease wouldn’t make me not look after a car! I’ve got it for 4 years so rather keep it sweet

I’d be the same - whether it was a lease, PCP or outright ownership, I’d look after it as if I owned it :smiley:.
Title: Re: A few questions
Post by: ar899 on 05 March 2025, 10:27
If it's a lease who's cares not your issue lol

It will be an issue for fellow GTI enthusiasts not in the fortunate position to lease/buy brand new
Title: Re: A few questions
Post by: BillSan on 05 March 2025, 17:08
The person who gets my Clubsport when it goes back after my 4 year lease will be getting a very well looked after car.  The only things I haven't done (which I may have done if I owned it) are fuelling with 98 RON and servicing annually.  My car was set to longer service intervals and I didn't feel the need to change that.

Otherwise it's been regularly washed and hoovered, never launched, only occasionally driven in Sports mode.

I hope whoever gets it enjoys it as much as I have, when it goes back in June.
Title: Re: A few questions
Post by: Dogman12 on 05 March 2025, 20:41
only occasionally driven in Sports mode.


haven't you misplaced it with "1.5 eTSI 140 hp"?  :grin:

Joking, just funny. I can say, that I only occasionally drive in Comfort mode. haha  :grin:
Title: Re: A few questions
Post by: BillSan on 06 March 2025, 07:24
Haha. Sadly most of my driving is in traffic and traffic light races aren't the same at my age. I'm also a tight b**tard so comfort is my go to mode.  On the other hand Eco is still reserved for long motorway journeys on cruise, so rarely engaged.