Hi folks...

I had an odd experience today... I purchased an '08 MCS about two weeks ago and after scouring through the users manual thoroughly, I followed the break-in direction pretty much to the letter. I'm pulling this from memory, but I believe that the guidelines were:

- Do not exceed 4500 RPM
- Do not exceed 100 MPH

The distance to break in shown in the manual was 1200 miles... Again... From memory...

I hit 1180 miles today, and tach'ed up to about 4000 RPM... Didn't get on it hard, but I was passing someone and, well... :-> During a long break-in road trip (drove from Northern Virginia to central NJ on the 3rd day I owned the car, for folks that are wondering how it is I put 1200 miles on the car in two weeks...) I also hit about 3500-4000 RPM for a short period of time... In both cases, the cabin got stinky pretty fast... (Sulphur smell... Obviously the catalytic converter...)

Here's where things got a little odd...

I went by the dealer (Mini of Sterling) today to pick up my tags and decided to drop by the service department and ask about the smell... The conversation went something like this (I'm paraphrasing a little, but this is pretty much the way it went)...

Me: "Any idea if this might indicate catalytic converter failure?"

SA: "I'll check with the service techs..."

<insert Muzak>

SA: "The tech said that this is normal during break in, and that you should not exceed 3,000 RPM during the first 3,000 miles... The smell means that you're running the car too hard..."

Me: "Huh? The Owner's Manual says that the break in period is 1200 miles and that I shouldn't exceed 4,500 RPM or 100 MPH... Why wasn't I told about this prior to driving the car off the lot?"

SA: "Ummmmmmm... The Owner's Manual says that you don't need to change your oil for the first 10,000 miles as well... You don't believe that do you? The Owner's Manual says a lot of things that aren't necessarily right..."

Me: <assuming incredulous look> "Well... Of course not, but <ahem> why isn't sales telling folks what the 'real' break-in period is? Why is this a secret known only to service techs? Don't you think it would be a good idea for the service folks to talk to the sales folks about this? It's been my experience that the smell that I'm smelling indicates a distressed catalytic converter... Maybe it's just not 'broken in' yet, but I am worried..."

SA: "I'm just telling you what the tech said... He's been through STEP training for BMWs and Minis. You don't need to worry about the smell... If there were anything wrong with the catalytic converter, the <check engine> light would be on" (This statement is a pet peeve for someone that spent the first 5 years of his career designing 'built in test' logic for complex systems and writing diagnostic code...)

I thanked her for her time, suggested that maybe relaying the break in info to new owners via sales might be a good idea. I hate to characterize folks like this when I've just met them, but I got the impression that caring less about this was not perhaps possible...

So... After all of that... I guess I need some opinions/advice from other Mini owners...

1) For the DC area folks... Is this the kind of response I should expect from Mini of Sterling? Seems like an organizational issue... A bad one... My ex-wife owned an R53, and our service experience with them was HORRIFIC! I questioned the sales folks point-blank about the size and reputation of their service department. (I know... Should I expect the sales folks to be completely honest with me about this? Probably not... There's some part of me that thinks that organizations should fix problems and not *need* to be dishonest about things like this if, in fact, the service department down there is that bad...)

2) What's the story on the break in period? I'm at ~1200 miles now, and I've been fairly gentle (although not constant)... Is 3,000 miles the real story? Has anyone else heard this? I know there are numerous threads on this, but I'd not seen 3,000 miles/3,000 RPM mentioned anywhere...

3) Cat converter... Sulphur smell... Opinions? I'm running Chevron 93 octane fuel at this point, and I think I have been almost exclusively... (maybe a single tank of Exxon in NJ)

So... At the moment, after standing in the showroom prior to my service dealings, and having had a long conversation with a couple looking at a Clubman about how cool my car is (and probably helping convince them to buy a Mini), I'm a little irritated... I still think the car is great, but I guess I need to find an alternative dealer...

Apologies for the long post, and the many questions... I did wrestle a bit with posting this, as it doesn't seem like the SA's fault nor does this seem to be directly the fault of sales (and I don't want to sound like I'm bashing anyone) but I figure that sharing this kind of experience is what the forum is about.

Best!

<jw>

 

Truthfully, your engine was broken-in within 15 miles or so. The rest of that break-in time is for the clutch, brakes, and transmission. One could say that the stock clutch doesnt need a long break-in period because it can sort of heal itself over time if it is burned - an aftermarket clutch is different, break those in carfully. The brakes can be broken-in in a day if done right. Im not sure about the transmission, I don't think it would need much. So, that being said, I'd say you are fine to start slamming it.

I read somewhere here on NAM of a few who started driving hard right off the lot and turned out ok.

 

Apologies for posting in the wrong forum... I swear I posted in the 2nd gen forum... Odd... Can I ask a favor and have someone with proper privs move my post... Sorry about that...

 

You can take a few things away from the exchange you had w/your service center.

a) bunch of d*uche bags who don't know what they are talking about...
b) will feed you a line of sh*t straight to your face; i.e. had just illustrated the disrespect they have for you...
c) that you can't ever trust them in any way ever again; they are completely dishonest and have lost all credibility!

The difference between a lier and bs'er is...
- The lier knows what they are saying is an untruth, and has a reason to try to make you believe it for their benefit...
- the bs'er really doesn't care if the verbal diarrhea emanating from their mouth has any trueth to it or not... they just love to hear themselves talk [calling it that is kind] and get-off on dominating the conversation in a narcissistic way.

...either way, people I won't ever deal with again... Boy, reading that burns me up!

I can't say what it is, but I can assure you what it isn't... that by taking the engine up near 4000 a bit in those miles you've been pushing your car too hard! Only 500 mile on my JCW, and I haven't been that successful staying under 4500 rpm. I'm hitting 5000 rpm one or two times a day at this point the last week. But I certainly take it up over 3000 rpm towards 4000 often. Yet I've never had that catalytic sulfur smell seeping into my car. Are you 100% it's from your car? w/the exhaust straight out the back and the rear windows non-functional, I'd think it's tough for that smell to seep in from your own exhaust.

It may be the fuel you've been using... I've never used Chevron. It may be you've been too easy on your car, and your car needs the Italian Tune-up to clean it out...

But I'd say ya, next 'stealership', or at least a different SA.

 

Could be bad gas, or the wrong grade. Sounds like you've been driving a lot and could have picked up some crappy gas. That would cause the cat to stink.
As far as service goes I'd call the person that sold the car to you and ask them point blank what the break in period is. When they quote the manual then I'd tell them about your conversation with the service adviser.
After that I would call the sales manager and tell them what you were just told by those two people. Then ask him to put the service manager on and explain to both of them what you just heard. If that doesn't get their attention I don't know what will besides a call to MINI NA... which might be worth a call if you think this is going to be a continuous problem. (crappy service)