I am getting my SD4 soon but within 3 weeks we are planning on going away towing our caravan <ducking>.

During my normal driving I would not expect to add more than a few hundred miles on the car before the holiday and I am concerned that towing with just a few hundred miles on the clock from new might harm it in some way?

I haven't had many new cars but when I last did there was a run in period of about 750 miles during which the car should be driven more genetly. Does this apply with the FL2?

I first towed the caravan with less than 200 miles on the clock, of the first 2,600 miles, 1,300 were towing, on a 3 week tour of Scotland. No apparent ill effects. Excellent tow vehicle.

Steve S wrote:

. No apparent ill effects.

Not to you maybe, but waht about other road users




PaulC, although traditional running in is a thing of the past I think it's a good idea to not go to the extremes for the first couple of hundred miles, no revving the nuts off it or labouring it (I think the later is more applicable to petrol engines) I think the general rule these days is to vary the engine speed for a couple of hundred miles rather than sit at one slow speed.

I seem to remember many occasions of my Granddad driving around with a cardboard sign in the back of his cars saying please pass, running in after he'd spent a weekend changing the big ends  For a free country, it does seem pretty expensive these days.

The owners manual does say I believe, for the first 600 miles do not exceed 3000RPM and do not labour the engine (the labouring won't apply to an auto anyway).
As said, good practice is to vary the revs when running in.

I've just looked and, I'm sure I must be missing it, but I can't see any reference to running in type information in the handbook. For a free country, it does seem pretty expensive these days.

From page 94 of the 2010 handbook:

Quote:

RUNNING-IN
The engine, gearbox, tyres, and brakes need
time to bed-in. During the first 800 km (500
miles) it is essential that the vehicle is driven
with consideration for the running-in process.
During the running in period the following
advice should be followed.
• Limit the engine speed to a maximum of
3000 rpm, and the road speed to a
maximum of 110 km/h (68 mph).
• Do not use full accelerator pedal travel, and
use the gears to avoid over-revving or
labouring the engine.
• Do not use sport mode during the running
in period.
• Avoid rapid acceleration or heavy braking
wherever possible.
• Ensure that servicing is carried out on
time, and follow any advice regarding use
in arduous conditions.
Note: The advice given for running in will aid
fuel economy, and should be adopted as
general driving practice even after the running
in period.

I'm looking at the online manual and under "INTRODUCTION" it has a small section labelled "RUNNING-IN".

My mistake with 600 miles, it is in fact 500 miles.

page 94 on the MY11 handbook (LRL 10 02 56 111) is all about DAB and there is no mention in the introduction. For a free country, it does seem pretty expensive these days.

Unfortunately the 2011 manual does not exist online, it only goes up to 2010 but the same applies for longevity and is probably buried somewhere on a different page.

Thank You!!!

I think then perhaps it would be best if I go for a bit of drive the weekend before and clock up a few extra hundred miles before I tow. I suspect that if I am careful and sensible then towing that early probably wouldn't do it any serious harm but perhaps not towing until it has say, the 500 miles of the "run in" period, on the clock would be a sensible precaution.

Wierdfish, sorry that I have to block up the roads with a caravan. I accept that sticking a caravan on the back of a great looking FL2 is rather a pity but there you are. It will get a lot of solo driving too!

That's why we buy it for solo pleasure and towing pleasure. I'm hoping to pick my new SD4 up next weekend and the trip from Yorkshire to London to get it, then down to Cornwall to see family and returning to Yorkshire, it should be run in.

And I can't see any harm being caused by your towing as the auto box will not allow it to labour.

With the state of the roads these days and the sheer amount of roadworks that seem nothing more than cone storage facilities, caravans are the least of my problems

Our family has a caravan, only it needs a low loader to move it  For a free country, it does seem pretty expensive these days.

People often forgetabout running in the tyres. Careful driving for the first hundred miles should give you better tyre wear. And of course it doesn't only apply to new cars!

I was horrified when I saw that the First Service/oil change was at 15,000 miles or 12months so had it changed at 6months using fully synthetic oil and Land Rover filter and am convinced that it will pay off in engine longevity.

I watched the guy change it and it was as black as the Ace of Spades.


Bill Turner Life Honorary Member of Wallasey Motor Club.
Licenced MSA Radio Operator for 35+ years.
Rallying is the only sport.

Bill Turner wrote:

I was horrified when I saw that the First Service/oil change was at 15,000 miles or 12months so had it changed at 6months using fully synthetic oil and Land Rover filter and am convinced that it will pay off in engine longevity.

I watched the guy change it and it was as black as the Ace of Spades.


Bill Turner