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[Ron Thigpen <rthigpen AT nc.rr.com>]

zman wrote:
> The specs that usually come from the factory are usually set very 
> much on the safe side.

Exactly.

I wasn't trying to give you advice on how to manage your break-ins, you 
obviously have a well developed set of principles you believe in. My 
remark was really intended for others on the list. The point is that a 
one size fits all break in procedure may or may not fit. Engines aren't 
all the same. Metallurgy, tolerances, lubricants and factory break-in 
techniques are all going to vary. The engineers who design and test 
these engines are in the best position to judge what is required. Also, 
given the long powertrain warranties being offered these days, their 
interests are aligned with mine. And by following their prescription, an 
owner doesn't give them any reason to argue that the warranty should be 
voided.  And if their scheme fails, they're sponsoring the ring job.

BTW, you never said why you like that oil so much.

> Next thing you'll be telling me is front wheel drive is an advantage.
> The only advantage is it cost them less to make your car, they can
> make the entire drivetrain in one piece.

OK, that's a bit of a leap, and just this side of putting words in my 
mouth.  I'm not looking to get into debate (or a roadrace for that 
matter), just sharing my experience with someone who asked.  But since 
you brought it up, I don't really consider either a fwd or rwd design to 
be superior to the other in all cases.  It's quite possible to build a 
balanced, good handling, high performance car using either.  There are 
some trade-offs either way and different driving techniques may be 
required, but I think it's a stretch to say one is always better for all 
purposes.

Yes, I am happy with my current fwd car.  It's not designed for 
competition, street or track, and I wouldn't be as happy with it if it 
were.  It's a daily driver and its design gives many other attributes 
that would have suffered otherwise: ride quality, noise, cargo handling, 
interior acccomodation, fuel economy, emissions, safety, tractability 
etc.  I chose it because it gives a good balance of these attributes at 
a decent price.  I've made a few modifications to improve it, an impulse 
I suspect you understand very well.  It now turns quicker, stops 
shorter, has better traction in more situations, and has much better 
chassis balance.  It does a lot of jobs well and I enjoy driving it.

Looking at that Buick, it seems like you're doing OK yourself.

Of course it will be interesting to see how the Miata's and the Mini's 
stack up in autocross.

--rt