Just another vote for easy break-in running. I have never met an automotive engineer who did not recommend carefully breaking-in engines. Even on our racing engines, we always run them for 30-45 minutes at varying rpm on the dyno before making any pulls. This gives all the pieces time to start to get used to each other. Then we make a series of pulls at progressively higher rpm to start to evaluate the motor and to continue to let it break-in. After installation in the race cars, we try to run as many easily laps as possible at lower revs before telling the driver to really stand on it. All mechanical devices require some time when new for the metal parts to adjust to each other.
On our Vipers, we ran the first 500 miles below 3000 rpm and constantly varied the rpm, so the motor never ran the same revs for very long. This helps seat the piston rings. From 500 to 1000 miles, we increased the revs progressivly up to 4000. Changed oil and filter at 1000 miles, and began to use the motor harder up to 1500 miles and then just drove the car as required.
Type of usage between oil changes is really more of a factor than length of time and how many miles a car is driven. Lots of cold starts and then shutting the motor down without a 20-25 minute run would require frequent oil changes. A car stored in a climate controlled garage both summer and winter, only started when it was going to be driven at least for 25 minutes or more, and only accumulating 1,000 miles per year might not require oil and filter changes more often than once every two years.
