[JohnnyBfromPeoria]

1. Heat cycle the engine. Start it from cold, go out and heat it up and park it until it cools off. The various materials "grow" and "shrink" ever so slightly, "getting to know each other." Do this several times. Really, the long waits between drives? You can call that bedtime.

2. Vary engine speed if you can. I take that to mean, don't head out on a cross-country trip on the interstate the day you pick it up.

3. Get some good deceleration cycles in there. Downshift sometimes instead of just braking to a stop. You can do this with either transmission. Find a nice long hill and accelerate down it then let it coast down in an appropriate gear. This is the best way to seat the rings quickly.

4. Change the oil. This doesn't help break-in, it gets the tiny metal pieces out of the crankcase and the filter. Don't worry about switching to an oil like Mobil 1, as that particular one, as most others, is a "type 3" synthetic. It's been modified through chemistry, but it isn't any more slippery than conventional oils, therefore will not impede any break-in procedure. It'll just cost a lot when you find out just how much oil your crankcase holds. I think the V-6 holds 7.5 quarts or thereabouts.

5. Use a good oil filter and change it at every oil change. I do not like Fram. I do like Purolator Pure-One, NAPA Gold and Mobil 1's filters. There are good ones that others will mention. Just don't go Fram. I'm thinking change oil/filter at 100/500/1500 miles, then follow the mfgr intervals. Do not buy into Jiffy Lube's hype of 3000 mile oil changes. If GM says 5000, do it then, unless you're driving all dirt roads, all the time, like Bo and Luke Duke or something.

Your mileage may vary. I know guys that do indeed go right out of the showroom and hammer the throttle and swear it's the right way. Maybe it is...just not on my car.

John B.