The worst thing for running in a motor is to take it easy, the best way to bed rings in is with moderate load working the engine through about 2/3rds the rev range. Modern engines with roller everything don't need that old school cam bedding in procedure but the rings still need a workout. The single worst thing you can do is cruise down the motorway at constant load/rpm on new rings.
I'd love to know what failed on the original but I doubt they will ever tell you.
Yes I agree 100%. I'd also love to know what failed and also doubt they'll tell me their findings but there's a few clues and I have drawn my own conclusion. When I first got the original car the coolant bottle was low and coolant looked watery, (normally fresh coolant is a pretty bright colour). I thought that was a bit strange but didn't worry about it. (New car is normal colored coolant and at the right level). On the morning of the engine failure I pulled the dipstick as I usually do every couple off weeks (old habits die hard) and saw something I have never seen in 40 years of motoring. Normally at 850 km's oil would be crystal clear or golden with a very slight hint of brown to reflect the low mileage.
It was a very strange grey colour and I remember thinking how odd that is.
Later that day the engine seized and was a goner. Talking to my engineer friend we believe the only way oil goes that colour in such a short amount of time is coolant ingress mixing with the engine oil. We strongly suspect a head gasket failure which would explain the low coolant level and the fact that it looked like it had been topped up by the dealer at the time it was delivered to me. I suggested to the dealer they do an oil analysis and check for coolant in the engine oil...I doubt I'll ever here back. Fresh coolant into the engine oil in a new engine does a lot of damage very quickly. Evidence that all was not well from the outset, (another clue) which I found out later was that upon leaving an extended family Christmas gathering, (I had only just got the car with about 100 km's on it at the time), my brother reported to me several weeks later that he thought it was very strange how much blue smoke my car was producing as I drove away that evening. He was too kind to call me and tell me anything on Boxing day because he didn't want to rain on my parade of having a new car.
I think in hindsight its clear the coolant mixing with the engine oil was already starting to damage the engine at just 100 km's. Shonky head gasket leading to coolant-oil ingress and vastly accelerated engine wear. Anyway that's my theory for what its worth.
Took the new one for a good drive today right along Scenic drive across the Waitakere ranges with its 1001 corners and steep hills giving it a decent workout through the mid range revs and then all the way out on state highway 16 (Kaipara coast route) to Warkworth and back. Nearly 250 km's of moderate rev running running up to about 4500 revs maybe touched 5000 once on overtake. Very enjoyable drive.
Initial thoughts comparing the LT and Calais V handling, (too early to comment on power difference because I'm not using all of the V6's power yet).
LT with 200kg weight advantage feels lighter and more nimble in the really tight stuff and its a huge amount of car for very modest money but does lack a lot of n ice equipment that I really want.
Calais V with its torque vectoring, better lower profile rubber, sport mode and all wheel drive is easily the best handling car I've ever owned. I had a real "Eureka" moment when pushing on climbing up a moderately tight and twisty section to the highest point of the Kaipara coast road when rounding up some corners at about 70-75 k.p.h. (recommended corner speed is 35 k.p.h. and you know you're driving a highly capable car when you can more than double the recommended cornering speed), the way the torque vectoring was working and all wheel drive giving superb traction out of the corners...its just gel's so well its just the sweetest thing. I think in that one minute of really vigorous cornering rounding up my favorite part of that route climbing up that steep hilly road... I felt this real rush of blood that I was fortunate to have such a nice car and man and machine bonded right there and then and I just know I'll be happy with my new car and that I've done the right thing.
I really don't think there's a bad choice in the ZB range. You get the same superb 9 speed auto in any petrol model, the chassis is very tight and torsional rigidity when pushing hard in the corners is superb, they're such a sweet handling car no matter which model you get.
The little 2.0 is such a peach of an engine. (It will take me a while to warm up to the V6 for obvious reasons) but I am sure its fine too.
I think the model choice really comes down to what you're comfortable spending and how much of the latest technology and equipment you want.
For me I like my toys and the heads-up display is superb, the Bose stereo is very clear (although more bass wouldn't go amiss) the sports seats of the Calais V are nicer and heated seats never goes amiss in N.Z's cooler climate in winter, AWD will be handy up the ski field access roads and I am addicted to the convenience of adaptive cruise control on the motorways. Blind spot assist and rear cross traffic alert are also useful as is a GPS system which warns you where the speed camera's are ! Other things like seat massaging I couldn't care less about to be honest, same goes for the button you can tighten up the side bolsters of the seat, (this fat dog fills the seat up tightly anyway lol). The matrix LED headlights are awesome. Its a lot of car and equipment for the price I haggled it down to, $53K Kiwi.
That said I think there's a couple of 2018 RS 2.0 demo's on trade me for $35K Kiwi and I reckon that's a red hot deal too for what you get.
My advice to anyone would be to try several models in the range and see what floats your boat the most. Hope that brief comparative review is useful guys.