Absolutely. No more than 5,000 RPM for first 620 miles. Also do not floor the loud pedal and do not cruise at any speed constantly until after the 620 miles.

 

What do you mean by don't cruise at any speed constantly?

 

Did your dealer not mention this to you? The data Michael mentioned above is in the manual but this type of important info should come standard during every delivery.

 

Too bad. My dealer don't mention it. I have floored many times initially and smelled burned air which sales person said it's just engine particles clearing out and should be alright after few times. I have 3k miles now and hoping I have burnt any inside.

 

What would the car happen if I smell burned air? Is it not good for the car? I thought its normal .....

 

Always drive the car in "Ice Mode" for those first 620 miles to be extra cautious during break-in.

 

What is ice mode? My car doesn't have this function.....

 

my dealer said absolutely not. All the engines get run in before the get reinstalled from the factory.

Now, I fully expect dealers to say whatever, however this guy is super knowledgable and got me a great deal on the car anyhow..

 

Your dealer is WRONG!

 

The engines are pushed to the limits in the factory for testing.. and they are also road driven for I think 50-100 miles before the car can be approved.

 

Yep, thats pretty much what he told me as well. (Just let the engine warm up though.)

The car so far has been super reliable. It's pretty impressive really. I heard all the horror stories though - so I bought a '14, w/ a 3 year lease.

However, as long as nothing happens - I foresee myself buying it out at lease end (the RV is ridiculously low)

 

Break-in is not required on modern engines, however, the important thing to remember ALWAYS is to make sure you let the engine heat up properly. Take it easy until it's warm.
Floor it on every ride, but only after 10 mins of driving - revving a cold engine will destroy it ...

 

Break-in is not required on modern engines, ...

Says who? That's not what the Maserati owners manual says!

 

From the Maserati owners manual...

""Breaking-in...Today's modern methods of
production afford high precision in the
construction and coupling of
components. However, the moving
parts do undergo a breaking-in
process, basically in the first hours of
the car’s operation.

Engine and transmission...
Avoid exceeding 5000 r.p.m. for the
first 600 miles (1,000 km).
After starting the car, do not exceed
4,000 r.p.m. until the engine has
warmed up sufficiently (water
temperature: approx. 150-160 °F (65-
70 °C).
Do not keep the car at a constant high
speed rate for a prolonged time.""
--------------------------------------------------------------

Case closed on this topic.

 

So how do I know that I run in my car successfully ?

 

When it has 600 miles on the odometer.

I've had it from an engine engineer at a high volume company that develops supercharged 5.0 V8's and he said that it's a myth about 'running in' as all performance engines are run in at the factory.

Not true. The factory does not have the time to take each engine and properly run it enough to seat the piston rings to the cylinder walls.

I'll take my instructions from the owners manual instead of some "engine engineer", thank you.

He said the only thing that you could potentially run in gently is the gearbox, so floor it everywhere

Extremely bad advice. You might void your warranty doing that during the Maserati break-in period of 600 miles.

 

I've had it from an engine engineer at a high volume company that develops supercharged 5.0 V8's and he said that it's a myth about 'running in' as all performance engines are run in at the factory.

He said the only thing that you could potentially run in gently is the gearbox, so floor it everywhere but let it smoothly change gears.

Do what you like at the end of the day as it's your car, and bear in mind that whatever you hear from salesmen and the guys in the showrooms is likely to be a load of rubbish (it's an old fashioned way of thinking...).

EDIT - ALWAYS let the engine warm up before high RPM applications!

 

I've had it from an engine engineer at a high volume company that develops supercharged 5.0 V8's and he said that it's a myth about 'running in' as all performance engines are run in at the factory.

The engineer is wrong. These are, without question, performance engines but they are NOT broken-in at the factory, just as MA said. This is a well-known fact.

1/2 the questions on this forum could be answered if owners would sit down for one hour and RTFM. I did -- it's amazing what you can learn about these complex autos.

 

Let me try one more time. On all new Maserati's, the company recommends no more than 5,000 RPM for the first SIX HUNDRED AND TWENTY MILES! Do NOT cruise for any length of time at one constant speed. Vary your speed during the first 620 miles. Do not set it at say 70 and just stay there.

The engines are NOT run in at the factory. They are tested yes, but not fully run in.

 

So what if I smell burned air sometimes? Is it normal? And does it affect breaking-in?

 

Could be oil burning but unlikely. But you should check the oil level and see if it is burnt...

 

I followed this break in rule and also let my car warm up to full temp before driving it hard...have about 55k miles and it runs very smooth..no issues etc.

 

IF you believe in engine break-in, then you should replace oil and filter after 1000 km, to ensure any mechanical residue is removed from the holy chambers.
Also, while the manual says to replace oil every 2 years/20k, you should have that done yearly, as part of your regular TLC scheme ...

 

I agree - that first oil change is one of the most important. Friction within a new engine will create a certain amount of residue - some pieces can even be quite large - and it's best to get them outta there.

 

Interesting comments and agree with elambo, the first change is always important after the running in period, so why do Maserati not carry one out until 12,500 miles or two years? My understanding and what I was tolds when I bought both of mine new, a few years ago now, was that all running in was carried out at the factory and the handbook contains no specific running in requirements at all. This would fit with the fact that the initial running in oil would be changed and new oil suitable for another 12,500 miles inserted, hence no requirement for a quick first service.

Now this may well have changed since '09 but each car is still given a thorough road test as it comes off the line, as well as some redline through the gears and then flat out running on a rolling road as part of the QA process. I watched this 2 years ago at the factory and doubt things have changed that much. Given this I would be inclined to think that the engines are infact broken in at the factory (the Ferrari factory where they are made that is, they are shipped in crates to the Maserati factory for installation) but MNA are covering themselves by asking owners to go easy for the first 1000km. All I know is that I drove mine hard from the beginning and it runs like a dream and uses no oil. Go figure!