Our mini is not here yet but should have it around Memorial day.
We would like to attend the Minis in the mountains event in Copper Mountain resort in Colorado. Problem is, we will never be near the end of the break in period by that time. The wife also would like to take it on a trip to Wyoming (through the mountains also) and the car could be only two weeks old.

Is it a good idea to take use the mini on these trips in it's young age? Wouldn't it be a good test to see if anything breaks? Much like I do to my computers when I get them. Stress them out because of there going to break it will be in the first few months.

 

I too would like to know, my car will be about 2-3 weeks old when MINIs in the mountains will take place here in Colorado....

 

It wouldn't bother me in the least as long as you keep it under 4500 rpms during the break in period.

We love the mountains, love Wyoming. I was be there in a heartbeat if it were in the cars. Go have FUN. After all, if something breaks, you get to fix it for Free

 

I guess as long as you don't exceed 4500 RPM, or fully open the throttle, or use cruise control, you should be ok. After 1250 miles anything goes.

Maybe bring up the rear of the group?

 

I am just about breaking 2000 miles and am DEFINATLY enjoying that "anything goes" zone....

I had only one violation in my break in period, when I heard the JCW CAI start to let in more air at 4500 rems and toned it down a bit - but now I can't believe how much fun it is to wind Maggie up and let her do her thing.

I tell people that I have only once in the history of the car put the accelerator anywhere near the floor (and that time I was climbing a 15% grade and the car wouldn't stop accelerating). I am slowly exploring those last few centimeters between my comfort zone and the floor - and holding on for all my might....

B

 

I wonder if we will hit the 4500 RPM climbing a hill though? We are not getting the "s". Maybe we'll take it for a test drive in the local mountains to see how it handles first before trying it on a trip.

Geezzz, I wish I had it already. I would feel better about making this decision.

Oh yeah, what about brakes in the mountains. Maybe I should run the 2 hundred miles first. No?

 

As long as you don't violate the break-in rules (revs less than 4,500 and changing (not constant for any period of time)), mountains are great break-in opportunities.

 

Yea don't be hard on the brakes for the first 200-300 miles. They need time to "set" correctly.

In a Cooper staying under 4500 and not flooring it won't be easy in the mountains. With an S it might be do able, but the Cooper doesn't make tons of power at low revs.

 

I know everyone has their own thoughts on engine break-in, but I always subscribe to this method and have had no problems. In fact, my factory new sportbike created more power, on the same dyno, compared to a few other motorcycles (same make/model/year) that were broken in according to mfg. specs.

http://mototuneusa.com/circular_logic.htm

...but you do what you want.

 

I wouldn't worry too much about it. We bought the 05 and about two weeks later drove 5,500 miles from Jax, FL to Jackson Hole, Wyoming via Rocky Mountain National Park. Came home via South Dakota and the Dragon. That car has had zero problems and just completed its third autocross with a third place PAX out of 33 cars on the stock runflats. I recommend varying the speed and not thrashing it during the break in miles.

 

And the 06 did its first autocross with 850 miles on the odometer.......

 

I had the same concerns back here in the Green Mountains of northern Vermont last year when we brought Nugget home. Our MC had plenty of power to get around without exceeding 4500 rpms, though it was difficult to resist the temptation to see what he could do! :impatient

 

Another view is that the BEST thing you can do during break in period is to vary the load on the engine and drivetrain - sort of the opposite of using cruise control - without exceeding the recommended limits. I would think that this would be very easily accomplished in the mountains so long as you are not charging up hills. It would be a lot harder to do on the plains where you get in a "groove" with speed and RPMs and just stay there, cruise control or not.

B

 

That was what I was advocating in my post #7 above. As long as the rev limits are not exceeded and you don't keep the revs constant for a period of time, I think that mountains are the best way to break-in a car. They (mountains) would seem to be the best way to vary the load on the drivetrain.