Hii everyone, I guess I never fully officially introduced myself here, even though i do have a couple posts. I got my Chili Red/Black MCS about 2.5 weeks ago and i'm still getting used to the manual but I AM LOVING IT!!! 600+ miles on the car right now i'm driving like a granny, and i can't wait til it's broken in. I've wanted one of these ever since it came out and finally can afford one. This is the GREATEST car!!

BTW I read hte forums alot but don't post much... I've been on MINI2 longer. haha. but i like this forum alot too.

 

Welcome! Had your Cooper S 2.5 weeks? Of course you haven't posted much, too busy out motoring with your new love. The same thing will happen to me & many others here when we get our cars.

Chuck

 

I have had my Mini 7 months now and I have to say that the excitement has not diminished at all. I really love this little car. The more you get to know it, the more you like it.

motor on

 

Thanks guys...

this really is such a great car...

when are you guys geting your cars crashton?

 

Be careful of driving it too easy. There is a break-in regimen that says push it to redline frequently to seat the rings. Varied speeds is the ticket, with numerous warm up and cool down cycles in the first hundred miles or so, which just about includes all regular start-stop driving.

Reminds me of a Daytona 200 and in the pits the mechanic had just put a rebuild on a Yamaha 750cc 2-stroke racebike. He starts it for first time, reaches over to the throttle and pegs it at about 17000 rpms. Holds it there for a bit. Then shuts it down. After we all revived from our heart tremors, he calmly explained. "that's how I know if I put it all together right."

I have pretty oil tight motorcycles, even my air-cooled ones and I always just drive them to break them in. Don't particularly baby or max it either way. I think it's impt the engine runs some time at all the speeds you are going to drive it at.

I think if you count the revs of the motor you'll find at even avg speed of 30mph you driven it at least 20 hours. At an average of even 2000 revolutions per minute that's about 2.4 million revs. I think that is enough to "break it in", what does anyone else think?

 

im jelious congrats! i cant wait to feel like that when mine comes in

 

Welcome to NAM candiecat! So glad you're having a blast w/ your new MINI. This car continues to delight and surprise me almost three years in...so look forward to some great times!!! Getting to know the community a bit can be fun, too...lots of fantastic info and chances to meet other folks who share the same MINI addiction.:smile:

 

So I have to redline it? I mean, I dont know much about break in procedure, the MA just told me not over 4500 RPM and not over 95mph... so far I've been shifting at 2500-3000 RPM and haven't gone over 75mph. Is that about right? I was told just not to rev too high or push too hard...

Thanks guys for welcoming me! this is such a great forum, I love reading all teh threads!! Already seems liek a great community and looks like alot of people know each other already... and a good amount are from So Cal like me!

 

The MA's advice is correct. Also don't maintain the same RPM for lengthy periods of time...i.e. don't set the cruise on the highway. 1250 miles I think is the recommended break-in period.

 

In two days from now I will have had my 03 LY/B MCS for 31 months and over 72,000 miles and I STILL Love it.

Earl

 

YOU don't have to redline it, you can follow their advice. I usually bounce my motorcycle motors off the rev limiter gently a few times, at least, during break in. My point is there are millions of cycles on the motor at this point. I always heard that break-in was more impt in the old days with the increased high manufacturing tolerances. With the closer tolerances and the various metal coatings on the mating surfaces it is not as critical to getting a engine to wear in properly. Do a search on motorcycle break-in procedures, you'll turn up the link to the guys who say it should be driven EXACTLY the way you intend to drive it later and they make a good case that if you don't put pressure on the piston rings, they'll never seat properly. Just don't tell anyone at BMW/MINI it sounds like they'll do anything to wiggle out of the warranty claims. Good thing the "burden" is on them to PROVE you did something to invalidate the warranty.

 

Welcome aboard my friend. I see you are in So Cal....where abouts? Congrats and Happy Motoring...

Donna

 

=)