Running-in
Many manufacturers advise avoiding hard acceleration, long stretches at a constant speed and towing a trailer at first. How strict these recommendations are and how long they apply is stated in the manual for your particular car.
First months
Maintenance: the first months with a new car
The first few thousand kilometres set habits you will keep for years. A new car needs no special rituals, but the owner's manual usually contains a few recommendations for the running-in period, and the service book sets a schedule your warranty depends on. Here is how to make sense of these documents and miss nothing.
You read the owner's manual cover to cover once, then come back to it every time an unfamiliar light comes on.
We do not give specific intervals, mileages or lists of work: these are set by the manufacturer and stated in your car's service book and owner's manual. The aim of this section is to explain where to look and how to prepare for a visit to the workshop.
What matters in the first months
Six topics new-car owners come back to most often.
First scheduled service
The first service is usually due after a set mileage or period of time — whichever comes first. Missing it can affect the warranty, so set a reminder straight after purchase.
Service book
Paper or electronic, it proves the car has been serviced according to schedule. At handover, check that it contains the sale entry and the pre-delivery inspection stamp.
Seasonal tyres
A new car often comes on tyres for one season only. Think about a second set in good time: the size and permitted options are listed in the manual and on the plate by the driver's door.
Fluid levels
Even on a new car it is worth checking the oil and washer fluid every few weeks. The manual explains how to do it properly and whether the engine should be cold or warm.
Body and interior
Fresh paintwork does not like harsh chemicals or stiff brushes. Protective film and floor mats are useful, but fit them so they do not cover sensors or get in the way of the pedals.
Preparing for the first service
Find the schedule
Open the service book and find the first item in the schedule: at what mileage or after how many months it is due, and what tolerance in time and kilometres is allowed.
Check the warranty terms
Read who is allowed to carry out servicing and which materials are approved. This determines where to go and which documents to keep afterwards.
Note down any issues
Over the first months many owners build up a list of small things: a squeak, a warning light, some play. Write them down with dates and mileage so the technician can check everything in one visit.
Prepare your documents
Take the service book, the registration certificate and the sales contract or a copy of it. If the service book is electronic, ask how the entry will be made.
Clarify the list of work
Before work begins, ask to see what is on the mandatory list and what is being offered on top. The decision on extra items is yours.
Keep the proof
After the visit, check the entry in the service book and the work order listing what was done. Keep them for the whole warranty period — they are your main argument in any dispute.
Read next
- Faults
Minor niggles on a new car: odd noises, warning lights, a weak battery, steering wheel vibration and the new-car smell.
- Safety
Airbags, ABS, ESP and driver assistance systems, child seats and the first winter journeys in a new car.
- Questions
Answers to common questions about this guide, the paperwork when buying and the first year of owning a new car.
Sources
- Vehicle owner's manual and service book (general provisions)
- Russian Federation Law on Consumer Protection
Information on laws and regulations reflects the versions in force when the material was prepared. Rules change over time, and every manufacturer sets its own warranty and service terms, so before any important decision check the current texts, your contract and your vehicle's documents.