I've done very good breaking Pip in so far...haven't let the RPMs go over 4000k, no hard braking, and just by the very nature of my daily commute and errands have kept a fairly decent amount of engine speed variance going on.
But despite my looking for excuses to drive, I've only managed to put a measly 600 miles on him these past two weeks. And next week, Im making a 900 mile round trip Christmas drive.
Im a little worried that that long stretch of highway driving before the break in period is over is bad news. Am I worried over nothing? Or should I park Pip and take our other car?

 

For highway driving, I varied my speed, and varied the gear I was in. Sometimes I was driving along with the RPMs sitting at or just above 4000. But the key is not letting it stay at the same RPM for a long time (like using cruise control). 900 miles is a lot of highway miles, I'd take the other car.

I just hit 1200 miles on my way to work yesterday. Needless to say, the drive home was a blast

 

You would leave Pip at home by himself at Christmas??? Take him with you! You'll be over the breakin period just in time for the drive home!

 

IMHO a highway trip is the perfect way to break a engine in when it's new. This will allow everything to get to temperature and stay there for an extended period of time which is good for the engine. As stated above, I wouldn't use the cruise control and vary the RPMS after a few minutes. Take your mini, enjoy it and break it in on the highway, you won't be sorry! Start and stop driving is very hard on engines regardless of if they are new or not. Why do you think folks advertise their cars as " mostly highway miles" when they sell them with high mileage?

 

OK, thanks for the advise guys!

 

Pip! I love that name. Makes me laugh every time I read it, because I hear the characters british accent :-)
Now go enjoy your car at Christmas.

 

I had to do the same thing... I had only 1000km and had to take an 800km round trip road trip. Due to lack of time I had to take the multi-lane highway instead of the less boring and more speed varied 2-lane roads. I avoided cruise control part of the time, change gears, etc. once in a while. I figure the most critical break-in time occurred during the first 1000km anyway.

My last MINI was a justa... we took delivery on a Saturday morning... we promptly drove home, loaded up the car with luggage and our dog and went on a 1,000+km road trip for a family event with a lot of highway driving. When I returned the car 3+ years later it had great gas mileage, didn't burn oil and ran great.

Also note that at 600 miles, your clutch, brakes and tires should already broken in.

I'm impressed you kept it below 4,000rpm this long. My manual said keep it below 4,500rpm, my MA said below 5,000rpm for the JCW. Let's just say I *mostly* kept it below 5,000rpm.

 

When I bought my LAST car, I did so right before a 500+ mile round trip (with tons of hills, slowing down for towns, etc), and like others mentioned - that engine purred for as long as I had the car, never burned oil, never gave me one single moment of worry.

And I'll be doing something similar with my new Mini - actually we're going to take the "scenic route" rather than the 4-lane highways so that the car does all of the speeding up and slowing down, bursts for passing, twisties and hills. It may be worth your while to find a similar type of alternate.

 

Those alternate routes also increase your smiles per mile. I have tested this theory and it is definitely true!

 

It is interesting that when I picked up my Mini in October my SA said "to drive it like I stole it but just don't go over 5000 rpm". I asked about the "constant speed" thing and they said "don't worry about it". At 600 miles the car has probably seen most of the break-in that it is going to experience. I wouldn't leave the car home. I might mix up the driving a little (highway verus scenic), but I would take the car.

PS - The best thing that you can do for your car is change the oil after the break-in period and then change it every 5000 miles or 1 year which ever comes first for the rest of the time you own it using Mini filters and Castrol oil. IMHO that is the one thing that will make your car last the longest.

 

OK well I feel better about taking him home then. There's a few twisties Im looking forward to hitting in the mountains of West Virginia!

 

By the looks of the map, the interstates look to be twisty in that State

Enjoy your trip, but be safe

 

Yes they are, particularly the turnpike between Beckley and Charleston. Lots of curves that are fun even at the posted speed limit. Those who want to push that limit a bit (not me, mind you) can do so knowing there is almost nowhere for troopers to hide along the route.