MINI wants me to stay under 4500rpm and no full throttle for a whole 1200 miles in my MCS? Have they driven their own car? I don't think that is even possible! I'm having a very hard time... well only 1000 more miles to go.

 

my dealer told me that its not really necessary - of course better to be cautious then not.

i've definitely pushed mine a few times

 

Try doing that on a Harley Sportster AFTER installing 1250cc jugs and pistons (up from an 883)... That was only for 500 miles, but it was still dang near impossible... I hope to take a road trip in a couple weeks that should put me well over 1200 miles on my MCS...

Mark

 

I got a mcs last week, have 700 miles now, seems slower then it was when i first got it, maybe i'm just getting used to it. annoyingly it has developed a buzz at 3k rpm which i'm worried about.

 

What's this about no full trottle? IIRC, the manual says under 4,500 RPM, and not over 90 mph. I don't recall any prohibition on WOT.

However, one should note that the OBC records maximum RPM, and maximum speed. So, if you have a warranty issue during break-in, the dealer will know if you've been naughty or nice.

 

Loan me the car and I'll have it back to you in two weeks, all broken in. =)

 

Maybe I just drive older than my 26 years would suggest, but I didn't have much of a problem with break in. It's kind of a fun game trying to vary your speed/rpm when you're on the highway. And I find that I don't hit 4500rpm now unless I'm going fast on purpose. Which is often enough, but just driving in traffic I shift anywhere between 2-4k, and 3k in 6th is 75mph - no need to go a lot faster in a car you just spent a lot of $$ on.

 

I haven't gotten my car yet, it should be finished on 02/08, how much should you vary your speed? I have to drive 250 miles back from the dealer, mostly interstate miles. Are we talking 10MPH every 30 minutes? What are the suggested intervals (if any)?

 

I had a hard time with break-in on my MCSa. I used the paddle shifters almost exclusively and just feathered the throttle as best I could and aggressively shifted to keep under 4000 rpm. I can't say it worked all the time but I feel I was really disciplined. Also, I would stay off WOT during break-in. I'm not sure what overboost would do to a brand new engine if used too much. Although it may do nothing remember that it is there and will spin-up if you hit the floor. My only other piece of advise is to keep sport mode off. That makes it way to easy to wind up the engine. I think it took me about 20 days to break-in the car. Friends thought I was nuts for going to a grocery store 45 minutes away when I have one within walking distance of my house but it worked for me. My average commute is about 30-45 minutes. It took me over four hours one night. Just use google maps and drag your route to the for corners of the map and you'll be past break-in shortly.

 

I find that unless I encounter a nice lonely wooded and windyroad, usually keep the RPMs below 4k.

 

MINI is for real. It wasn't that hard to follow the breakin procedure. Just don't use the "sport" button and shift around 4000rpm. The miles went fast, especially when I took the car to the beach and on several MINI club runs. Now have over 6000 miles on it!

 

I also believe 1200 miles is FAR too many for break in... especially with a modern new engine. I read on NAM a week ago (ish) that really 400-600 miles should be fine for break in.

See here:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...4&postcount=14

 

Heh ... famous last words. Over the summer I learned the hard way that "just because you can connect the points on Google Maps does NOT mean it's a good idea to take your MINI on that route..."

My innocent "I wonder if we can get from Santa Cruz to Watsonville by way of Summit Road" quickly became "what the hell are we doing in an MCSc on these deeply rutted fire trails on the back side of Mt. Madonna?!?"

We're still finding dust in random places inside the car...

 

I did 600 then gradually ramped it up so by the time I hit 1200 I was driving it like I plan on driving it...hard. I figured from my engine/tranny building experience that 400-600 is enough to break in most components including clutch, brakes, tires, bearings, piston rings...you name it.

EDIT: Hit 1200 on my way to work this morning! First thing i've done every time I get in the car since I bought it? Give that sport button a push!

 

You mean you've already hit 1200 miles?

 

Lol yup, this morning on the way to work! I've been driving EVERYWHERE, just to get break in completely done. Now it's back to regular duty with the occasional fun drive. Plus I was giving all my friends rides...to show off the car of course and all that stuff.

 

I forget, is yours a manual or auto?

 

I religiously followed break-in guidelines on my E46 330, and it consumed a quart of oil every 2-3K miles for the rest of its life (known to me... the next 120K miles)... I think this time I'm going to employ the "drive it hard" break-in philosophy to see if I get a better seal.

 

Russr - Manual of course!

Yeah on my bikes I just ride the heck out of them from the get go...never had any issues but I tear those motors down every couple years. My friend bought a brand new Saleen mustang...no break in recommendations for that...which is odd. So idk, i figured i'd go in between 1200 miles and 0 miles lol.

 

the break in period on any car is a made up magical number....means nothing. The point of the break in is to ease the engine into being used, not just thrash it right from the get-go. Just take it easy while you drive to begin with, if you go up past 4k or 5k even every now and then it won't hurt the engine. Just be gentle for a few weeks.

As others have said, it will blow by before you know it

 

If it's like most Harleys that could take a year or more.

 

It's true ... it was an exercise in restraint to make it to the 1200 mile mark, especially in winter when there are not a lot of days without a lot of road sand and salt all over the place (I just can't take her out unless it's clean and clear yet). ... it took 6 weeks to make 1200 but I'm there now and YEEE HAAA

 

It's not really hard when you think of the long run. Your dealer will also know if you have run it too hard. Took me about 10 days to breeze through 1200 miles.

 

You need to vary speeds much more often than every 10 minutes on the freeway. Don't use cruise control at all during this period. When I break in a car, including the MINI, I start out with about a minute at cruise and then off the throttle. I continue to do this for an increasing period of time until the break-in period has ended. Drives the people behind you nuts, so try not to do this with lots of people around. Of course, if you are in stop and go traffic your problem is solved.

The more you can drive with varying speed, as in a town or city, the better. I've always had great longevity using this minute.

 

What range in speed would you recommend? 10 MPH differences on the freeway, or less? I'm thinking fluctuating between 60/65/70MPH every 6/10 minutes or so should do it.