Hi,

After buying two second-hand MINIs (2006 R50 and 2015 F56 One), I'm about to take delivery of a new F56 Justa.

I was wondering if there is a break-in period until I can drive it like it was meant to be driven.

TIA

 

outlined in the owner's manual

here's what it said in 14 ... it is generic / 'common sense' stuff ....

Breaking-in period
General information
Moving parts need to be broken in to adjust to
each other.
The following instructions will help achieve a
long vehicle life and good economy.
Engine and differential
Always obey all official speed limits.
Up to 1,200 miles/2,000 km
Drive at various engine and vehicle speeds, but
do not exceed:
▷ For a gasoline engine, 4,500 rpm and
100 mph/160 km/h.
Avoid full-throttle operation and use of the
transmission's kickdown mode for the initial
miles.
From 1,200 miles/2,000 km
The engine and vehicle speed can gradually be
increased.
Tires
Due to technical factors associated with their
manufacture, tires do not achieve their full trac‐
tion potential until after an initial breaking-in
period.
Drive conservatively for the first
200 miles/300 km.
Brake system
Brakes require an initial break-in period of ap‐
prox. 300 miles/500 km to achieve optimized
contact and wear patterns between brake pads
and discs. Drive cautiously during this break-in
period.
Clutch
The clutch requires an initial break-in period of
approx. 300 miles/500 km to function at an op‐
timal level.
During this break-in period, engage the clutch
gently.
Following part replacement
The same breaking in procedures should be ob‐
served if any of the components mentioned
above have to be renewed in the course of the
vehicle's operating life

 

A lot of people will say its unnecessary but I changed my oil at 1000mi to get the break-in oil out and hopefully the metal shavings from the gears breaking in.

 

Had the oil changed in my new 2018 JCW at just 350 miles. New engines shed lots of trash, metal debris which is normal and really load the oil up with contamination -- again normal -- and an oil change/filter change is the only way to remove the trash/metal debris and contamination. (Sure the filter catches this but if the filter has a pressure bypass valve then at cold start unfiltered oil can be circulated through the engine.)

Then at around 2100 miles had the oil changed again. This time talking with the SAs and said I always arrange to change or have changed the oil/filter early and at least a couple of times from new to at the end of "break in". Said I don't see any good reason to at the end of "break in" just start beating on the engine with dirty oil in the engine. ('course, I don't beat on the engine even with clean oil in it...) Both said they wished other owners felt the same way.

Next change will be at 5K miles and probably every 5K miles thereafter.

 

Best advice I can offer is follow the owners manual regarding break in. Like Capt_bj said just mostly common sense stuff.

I would urge you unless forbidden by the owners manual to get the oil/filter serviced early. I had the oil/filter in my 2018 JCW changed at 350 miles. Maybe a bit early but I recall when I changed the oil in my new 2008 Cayman S at 750 miles the oil was filthy with trash/metal (very fine alum. particles) which is while normal for a new engine doesn't mean I have to leave the filthy oil in the engine.

Just had the oil changed again at around 2100 miles. Going to start pushing the engine a bit harder now -- end of "break in" -- and I wanted fresh oil in the engine.

 

Thanks for all the help. I'll definitely try the early and often oil changes as I want this car to last - this is my third car in 7 years and my wife is fed-up with my MINI obsession.

Too bad we only have two authorized MINI service centers in my area and I don't know if they'll do non-recommended work. They outright refused to change the CVT transmission oil on my 2006 R50.

I loved that car but was too worried about the CVT. The F56 is nice but it's a manual - fun on the weekends but traffic here is outrageous and I'm tired of the clutch during the commute.


Thanks again.

 

For routine oil changes (the ones in between the dealer provided under warranty) I just use a trusted mechanic that has done all the work on my cars for the last 20 years. I printed out a copy of the procedures for an oil and filter change on my R56 and gave the instructions to him. It worked great on the R56 so I did the same for my F56. He does all the intermediate changes for me and soon he will be doing all of them. I buy the oil and filter and he charges me 10 bucks for the service. Change interval for me is 5K miles. YMMV

 

Occasionally I get a bit of push back, resistance to an early service. I listen to the SA and once in a while can be talked out of it but most of the time I just thank the SA and insist I want the work done. I'm paying for the service so it is not like the dealer is having to give me something for free.

If you run into resistance you can always ask to speak to the service manager or sales/general manager and ask if you can't get your car serviced at this dealer which dealer should you take your car to for the desired service?

Remind the manager that one big reason you bought the car from this dealer or from another dealer is you were assured the car could be serviced when you wanted it serviced either based on some factory schedule or on your own schedule.

If the dealer now refuses this can be consumer fraud. You were misled, given incorrect/wrong info and based your purchase on this.

Ask the manager then that if you can't get this resolved does he want you to talk to the local consumer fraud/protection agency regarding this?

 

As I recall these engines don't get the old metal fragments they used to get in new engines, there's a reason for it but I forget what it is. I do remember a few owners of new R56 Minis sending their original oil in for analysis and they didn't find any evidence of small metallic particles in it.

 

Yeah I hear you on that. Im sure its overkill but I am a bit old school still. I get my oil changed at 5k not the 10k Mini recommends. I still cant fathom 10k with the same oil.

 

Any freshly cast, forged, machined, honed, even ground surface will shed metal. As a journeyman machinist (an earlier career) I rubbed my hands over a number of these surfaces, and a number of various materials from cast (or forged or in some way machined) iron, aluminum, steel, magnesium, even some rather exotic materials like rubber (for a printing press), copper, lead, even glass, and have come away with particles (some pretty darn fine no argument there) on my hand.

In an engine the movement of the piston and rings in the cylinder coupled with the friction of the oil will have any loose material "torn" free and in the oil.

Even for surfaces that don't experience the type of action the cylinder wall/piston/rings experience just the rather violent splashing of the oil from the various rotating, reciprocating parts will "blast" material from the surfaces the oil hits.

The particles are caught should be caught by the filter. This keeps the count of PPMs of say iron or aluminum in the oil down. But a risk is as I mentioned earlier is if the there some pressure bypass that can have unfiltered oil being supplied to the engine these metal particles get circulated.

One concern I have is the very critical valve lifters. I don't have any from a Mini engine handy but I have two Porsche valve lifters. One from an engine with VarioCam Plus (variable intake valve timing and low/high intake valve lift) and one from an engine with just VarioCam (variable intake valve timing).

Even the one that doesn't have the low/high lift switch over feature depends upon very precise sliding fits to support zero lash (essentially no clearance) between the cam lobe and the valve lifter and the valve stem tip. Oil is routed from the lifter bore through a hole in the lifter body into the lifter body. From inside the lifter body the oil flows into the zero lash adjuster through a ball check valve. As the cam lobe begins to press down on the lifter and pressure increases in the zero lash adjuster the ball check valve closes to prevent any oil from being forced from this zero lash adjuster back into the lifter body. The close (very close/precise) sliding fits keep the oil from squeezing out. These fits are so close so precise they work to even keep air trapped when I work them by hand.

Bit of metal could compromise the sliding fits. Or get caught in the ball check valve. Holding the valve open just one rotation of the cam lobe is bad enough but if the bit of metal debris gets caught/lodged there the ball check valve now won't close when it should and the lifter can "tick".

There are the very critical chain tensioners which rely upon oil under pressure to help them adjust the chain tension to keep the chains under control. This helps to reduce stress on the chains. This keeps down wear (often referred to as "stretch" but metal chains don't really stretch) and prolongs the life of the chain guides/rails against which the chains rub. In my Porsche engines these consist of hard composite plastic.

And new engines not only shed metal debris they suffer from serious oil contamination as the rings/cylinder sealing isn't fully developed. Oil contamination results in an oil that offers protection than it offered when fresh. Sure there is some margin but with a new engine why risk it?

So I change the oil early and often at least one and often more times as the engine advances from new through "break in" and beyond.

Might mention here that lab and field tests have found "break in" continues for thousands of miles beyond the nominal break in interval. So by keeping the oil reasonably fresh one keeps the amount of trash in the oil down and the level of contamination down.

All of which can help extend the engine's useful service life to (my experience) hundreds of thousands of miles.

 

Thanks for all the input.

FYI: I took delivery on Friday and looked through the owners manual. It only said to take it easy for the first 2000 km.

 

Yep correct. I trust people on here more than the manual

 

The 2021 manual states:Engine, transmission, and axle drive

Up to 1,200 miles/2,000 km

Do not exceed the maximum engine and road speed:

– For gasoline engine 4,500 rpm and 100 mph/160 km/h.

Avoid full load or kickdown under all cir- cumstances.

From 1,200 miles/2,000 km

The engine and vehicle speed can gradually be increased.

Tires

Tire traction is not optimal due to manufac- turing circumstances when tires are brand- new; they achieve their full traction poten- tial after a break-in time.

Drive conservatively for the first 200 miles/300 km.

Brake system

Brake discs and brake pads only reach their full effectiveness after ap-
prox. 300 miles/500 km. Drive moderately during this break-in period.

Clutch

The function of the clutch reaches its opti- mal level only after a distance driven of ap- prox. 300 miles/500 km. During this break- in period, engage the clutch gently.

Following part replacement

The same break-in procedures should be ob- served if any of the components mentioned

[img]blob:https://www.northamericanmotoring.com/4f5be9b6-9fde-4476-a6b5-fc980e7f1978[/img]Breaking-in period General information

Moving parts need to begin working to- gether smoothly.

[img]blob:https://www.northamericanmotoring.com/36946aa5-5593-42d9-ad4b-620405a421d7[/img]The following instructions will help you to achieve a long vehicle life and good effi- ciency.

During break-in, do not use the Launch Control, refer to page 108.

Safety information

 

During test drives 99.97% of car sales people told me to "floor it/get on it". I remember seeing salesmen (knuckleheads) returning from lunch (or something) in a Roush Mustang and the car was pinging like crazy and stunk of rubber .
Cars from the 80's were all (not all maybe 99.97%) garbage, but I still subscribe to the early oil change noted above.

 

Drive it like you stole it! Especially a Justa. Part of me wants to get a2006 R50 with a manual transmission and just beat the crap out of it on twisty roads around here.

 

I'm the same drive it like you stole it and change the oil at 1K...