Test Drive and Break In Period
 

This Thursday I plan to test drive a new Nismo. I already plan to ask the dealership to remove the spring braces before the drive.

How should I drive the car during the test drive? If I really love it and want to take her home with me, should I be gentle?

How long is the break in period? Does this car come with synthetic oil already in it?

drive it exactly how you plan on driving it if you owned it. it's already been taken to redline at the factory so you shouldn't worry about breaking anything ;)

Let the oil get up to temp before you nail it too hard. If its brand new, the brakes may need bedded a bit before you stomp on them. If your used to a FWD Corolla, be careful in that RWD is totally different driving style and feel. I could never be brave enough to sell cars and get in a Nismo or a sports car with a totally unknown driver...you never know whatch you gonna get.

haha i didnt even test drive one. test drive was th day i drove it off the lot. :)

Thanks for the tip! I've been wanting to get my RWD on for a while now. I've been browsing these forums for a couple of days to educate myself and see a lot of talk about oil temps. What is the proper operating temp (> 180)? Also I assume there is a digital readout for this on the dash?

analog on the dash. mine sits right around 180-200 without an oil cooler (under normal driving conditions)

Drive the car gently for the first 10 minutes, then have at it. Don't be too worried about driving a RWD car. I've been driving RWD stuff since I was 12. I drove my uncles Procharged C6 Corvette at 13 and managed not to crash it. Unless you have a really cool salesman, he won't let you get too crazy anyway. Just keep traction control on and/or have some self control.

Yeah same here. I bought my Z from a TN dealership and had it shipped to TX... never even drove a 370z before. I guess you could say my test drive was after I handed over the check and drove it home.

But I usually don't go to crazy on a test drive anyways. I'm not trying to give the sales person a heart attack and I really don't feel comfortable going all out on a car I'm not familiar with. OP, I would say get on it a little bit like on freeway on ramp, but don't go overboard.

If its cold, be careful as if the tires are cold you will have less traction and the back can come out even with VDC on. I mention that only because I let a bud drive my Nismo last week when it was about 50 degrees or so, and he hit a turn too fast and slid all the way around a 90 degree turn. He caught it, but if a car had been coming the other way in the opposite lane.....it would have been bye bye Nismo and perhaps me and him as well. Also woth the wide tires on the Nismo, it will want to follow the grooves in the road. Have fun!!

For me it was intimidating the first time driving a Nismo.
Try to get a feel for all the controls before setting off & let the engine warm up by driving nice & easy for the first bit.

I think the traction control had a time fighting engine power & loss of traction; so, I'd recommend asking the salesman how to turn off the traction control & go from there.

Good luck and explore both city speeds & highway acceleration.

The faster I go, the bigger the grin I get. This is one car I have a hard time driving slow. On the way home from the dealer when I bought mine. Soon as I hit the 4 lane. I ran the motor up to about 5 grand in each gear. Before I knew it. I was on the FAR side of a hundred. And thinking that I might as well take my driver license out now and throw it out the window. Save the trooper some trouble. Just throw the cuffs on me now. LOL

Turn VDC off, drop into 1st and floor it and redline every gear till 6th then slam the brakes as hard as possible at about 140mph till you reach a dead stop. Its a test drive so if he gives you sh*t tell the salesman you have to test the brakes and engine to its full potential. Good luck

If this was Germany...

Are there sensors you can buy for tire temps? There can be a 30 degree swing on my 25 mile commute to work.

If its much below 50 degrees outside the tires will lose some grip....if its below 40, you will lose grip slide even with VDC on if you get too ham fisted with the throttle and twisty roads. That's why tirerack has warning on its site when describing max performance tires about driving them in cold weather. Add in rain AND cold temps....now that's really interesting.