Really, is this old school thinking. I've been told by many people that breaking in a car is for the older ones and people just believe it. The new cars are so well designed, that they just don't need it.

I have never broken in a car, I'm hard on it from about 100 miles and up.

What do you think? Breaking in...True or False. Needed or Not Needed.

 

MINI recommends the break-in. It's even written in the MINI's owner's manual.

 

Oh boy. Do a search. This ranks very highly on the list of most-discussed subjects on MCO. I'm sure there are at least a few many-paged threads with lots of opinions and some actual actual information sprinkled in as well.

 

Well, do what you want to your car, I just hope no one I know buys it when you decide to sell it or trade it in on your next ride.

Speaking strickly from a product engineer's perspective and experience, there needs to be a break in period to allow all seals to set and all fluids to circulate properly, not to mention setting brake pads, calipers and caliper pistons to seat properly.

Sure, you don't have to do any of that and the car will drive just fine, but you will have a higher than average cost per mile over the length of time you own the car.

Just my educated opinion. Once that's done, Drive It Like You Stole It!

 

>>Well, do what you want to your car, I just hope no one I know buys it when you decide to sell it or trade it in on your next ride.
>>
>>Speaking strickly from a product engineer's perspective and experience, there needs to be a break in period to allow all seals to set and all fluids to circulate properly, not to mention setting brake pads, calipers and caliper pistons to seat properly.
>>
>>Sure, you don't have to do any of that and the car will drive just fine, but you will have a higher than average cost per mile over the length of time you own the car.
>>
>>Just my educated opinion. Once that's done, Drive It Like You Stole It!

 

MINIUSA recommends and it is written in the manual that the
breakin should be about 1200 miles.
Drive smoothly and gently using gears up to 4500 rpm (no redlining)
In the first 300 miles use the tires, brakes and clutch gently to break them in.
If you care about the long term life of the car then you will do your best to
allow for a break in. The dealer demos are likely to be abused from day 1.
There is no real risk of driving at highway speeds in 5th gear. Just keep the rpms at or lower than or about 4000.

 

>> The dealer demos are likely to be abused from day 1.
>>

your absolutely right!!! trust me, i have seen it and done it

 

My two cents?

Follow the break in, regardless of whether or not it's actually needed. The pain of not going above 4500 rpm, avoiding full braking, and staggering long journeys for a mere 1200 miles is a small price to pay for what may or may not be a benefit. There's no need to drive like a crazy person for every mile you put on the MINI.

Think of it as sensory deprivation (during break in) followed by sensory overload (after break in).

 

I have prescribed to the theory of break a car in the way you drive it. In the owner’s manual for a new 76 Volvo I had, it stated “Do not exceed 90 MPH in third gear for the first 100 miles”. It was a 5 speed gear box and I think that was reasonable.

I have never babied a new car and had repercussions later because of it, but proper maintenance must always be done.

 

How about changing the oil during the "break in period". Should it be changed more or less frequently. Do MCs use "break in oil?"

 

>>
>>
>>Think of it as sensory deprivation (during break in) followed by sensory overload (after break in).


very well said, def the quote of the day

 

>>i wholeheartedly agree with you. but then what about people who buy the dealer demo cars. most dealer demo cars are never broken in, redlined on every mile from teh first mile on
>>
>>the cars usually last, and dont have much problems

What on earth are you basing this statement on?!

 

>>>>i wholeheartedly agree with you. but then what about people who buy the dealer demo cars. most dealer demo cars are never broken in, redlined on every mile from teh first mile on
>>>>
>>>>the cars usually last, and dont have much problems
>>
>>What on earth are you basing this statement on?!

which statement?

1)dealer cars are trashed from day one

2)the cars do last, and problems arent seen in the long run in my experience

well statement #1, because i worked for corporate acura for 2 years, seen the dealers, and i have trashed a few minis and some nsxs on my own. sales people sat next to me, and said "rev it up, let it go"

statement #2, sambusik on this board has a mcs bought from dealer demo, and the car is fine. there was another guy from AZ, posted couple of days ago, bought a dealer demo from kansas, and the car is fine.

for 1988, 1989, 1991 my dads friend bought 3 acuras which were dealer demos, and to this day the cars are running immac.

said all that, i made sure when i got my mcs, it has 11 miles on it, not a single test drive was givien to customers on my mcs. and i broke it in properly