[FX3OK]

I pick up my 2012 28i today woohoo. Very excited, full load black . Only thing is i need to drive it home which is 600km drive, all highway. Any advice on break in etc appreciated

[tuco44]

Just drive it normally, avoid severe acceleration and braking for first couple thou kms, and vary your engine speeds. Try to keep below about 4500 rpm but really, act sensibly and no worries.

The days of demanding break-in routines are gone. Enjoy your new ride.

[saulgoodman]

Originally Posted by FX3OK

I pick up my 2012 28i today woohoo. Very excited, full load black . Only thing is i need to drive it home which is 600km drive, all highway. Any advice on break in etc appreciated

As long as you keep varying the speed and engine RPM everything is fine, don't use cruise control for longer time as it keeps engine to run at same RPM.

[raleedy]

Easy. Just smash one of the side windows.

[Falconx3]

My BMW mechanic reccomends sensible driving for the first 5000 kms (3200 miles) then you can "drive it like you stole it."

[Falconx3]

My BMW mechanic reccomends sensible driving for the first 5000 kms (3200 miles) then you can "drive it like you stole it."

[bigblackwolf]

Originally Posted by raleedy

Easy. Just smash one of the side windows.

Also got a new 28i and followed your breakin advice. What is the next step after smashing the widows?

[lbjgh]

Good advice tuco44...

... And keep 'er under 100mph. Just like bmw does at the end of the assembly line.

Originally Posted by tuco44

Just drive it normally, avoid severe acceleration and braking for first couple thou kms, and vary your engine speeds. Try to keep below about 4500 rpm but really, act sensibly and no worries.

The days of demanding break-in routines are gone. Enjoy your new ride.

[RhoXS]

I think all the advice above is good advice. However, I am an Engineer with very severe anal tendencies and it would be impossible for me to do anything different than what I am about to suggest.

Whenever I buy a new car I insist there be less than 50 miles on the odometer and it has never been driven as a demo so I have control for the first 100 miles. Almost always, it usually works out I receive my cars with less than 20 miles or so on them. I then drive the first 100 miles like there is a raw egg between my foot and the brake/accelerator pedals and make sure I do not maintain a constant RPM for any consequential length of time. Between 100 miles to 1000 miles I generally follow the advice above; I drive gently, avoid long periods of constant RPM, no full throttle, etc. As I add miles I generally gradually get somewhat more aggressive with the throttle. After 1000 miles I will mostly drive normally, some limited full throttle thrills, but I still try to keep it on the keep the paranoid mother-in-law quite side of things. After 2000 miles or so I do not restrict anything to any degree.

I still have a Z3 3.0i I bought new in 2002 with 53 miles on the odometer. At now has 134K miles on it but it has been meticulously maintained. The engine looks like the day it rolled out of the Spartanburg factory. Nevertheless, it burns a quart of oil every 1500 miles or so and has done so consistently since I had it. I can't prove it but I am convinced this car saw many full throttle transients during its first 53 miles when it sat on the dealers lot. That is why it now burns more oil than I find acceptable or is my experience with other cars where I am able to control its first 100 miles.

[lbjgh]

I see a fly in the ointment here RhoXS... you claim the Z3 burns oil because you suspect someone beat your car before you got it right?

Maybe it was the delicate break in procedure you are espousing.

Having the joy of working with Engineers I can say that it is difficult to change an Engineer's opinion on anything!

I don't plan on beating my X3 on the drive home from the dealership but I don't plan on babying it either. I would expect manufacturing tolerances are a lot tighter today than in previous times when break-in could make a substantial difference.

Originally Posted by RhoXS

I think all the advice above is good advice. However, I am an Engineer with very severe anal tendencies and it would be impossible for me to do anything different than what I am about to suggest.

Whenever I buy a new car I insist there be less than 50 miles on the odometer and it has never been driven as a demo so I have control for the first 100 miles. Almost always, it usually works out I receive my cars with less than 20 miles or so on them. I then drive the first 100 miles like there is a raw egg between my foot and the brake/accelerator pedals and make sure I do not maintain a constant RPM for any consequential length of time. Between 100 miles to 1000 miles I generally follow the advice above; I drive gently, avoid long periods of constant RPM, no full throttle, etc. As I add miles I generally gradually get somewhat more aggressive with the throttle. After 1000 miles I will mostly drive normally, some limited full throttle thrills, but I still try to keep it on the keep the paranoid mother-in-law quite side of things. After 2000 miles or so I do not restrict anything to any degree.

I still have a Z3 3.0i I bought new in 2002 with 53 miles on the odometer. At now has 134K miles on it but it has been meticulously maintained. The engine looks like the day it rolled out of the Spartanburg factory. Nevertheless, it burns a quart of oil every 1500 miles or so and has done so consistently since I had it. I can't prove it but I am convinced this car saw many full throttle transients during its first 53 miles when it sat on the dealers lot. That is why it now burns more oil than I find acceptable or is my experience with other cars where I am able to control its first 100 miles.

[Rodion]

I am sure you all have read the manual?

It says 2000km is the break in period and no higher RPMS than 3500/4500 (diesel/gasoline). And that do not full throttle and try to vary RPMs.

[RhoXS]

Originally Posted by lbjgh

Maybe it was the delicate break in procedure you are espousing.

Having the joy of working with Engineers I can say that it is difficult to change an Engineer's opinion on anything!

I don't think so because I never had this problem before when I did have almost full control over the first 100 miles.

I remember shopping my first M3. I took one for a Demo ride (BMW South - Miami). It only had 23 miles on it and the salesman kept urging me to "Put your foot into it and really see what it can do." I finally bought one (it was delivered to my house on a flat bed because of my insistence of less than 20 miles) and sure enough (no surprise) BMW specified a break in regime. It was not at all like the one I remember required for my Dad's 1940/1950 vintage Buicks and Cadillacs but nevertheless a true restrictive period for the various moving parts to get to know one another.

I am not at all a believer that the initial operation of a machine should be the same duty as that anticipated much later. Factory as built tolerances are certainly light years better than what they once where but there is still a very practical economic limit how perfect any manufacturer is willing to make their machines. Ergo the need for some sort of reasonable break in period.

It is not hard to change my mind (for real) as long as I can be presented with a reasonable and credible argument to the contrary. With respect to eliminating the need for a controlled and graduated break in period I have not yet heard one. I have this vision of brand new rings viciously gouging newly machined cylinder walls if there is no chance for them to mutually wear together under controlled conditions.

[lbjgh]

RhoXS, you are a true engineer my friend.

I have this vision of brand new rings viciously gouging newly machined cylinder walls if there is no chance for them to mutually wear together under controlled conditions.

Although a "very regimented" break in may be best practice I trust the BMW engineers specified the break in period and operation considering a "reasonable factor of safety".

[02420X3]

If you watched the Megafactories video you may recall that the first thing that the factory does with the completed X3 is to put it on a dyno and run it up to 100MPH...

[FX3OK]

Thanks for all the tips! Great input. Prior to hitting the freeway i read the "break-in" portion of the manual and followed it as best as i could. No cruise control and varied the speed.

Average mileage = 10.2L/100km Handled very well. (it had under 17km on delivery). Has close to 900km now

[RhoXS]

Originally Posted by lbjgh

RhoXS, you are a true engineer my friend.

A nicer compliment would be hard to come by. Thanks