Disregarding break in>?

[Ateam]

So my buddy FINALLY got his m3 and got some interesting "advice" from the sales guy who sold him the car. He basically told him to go easy on it for a few hundred miles but then he said he would not hesitate to take it to redline and go from there. He said the 1200 mile service was more to just get any metal particals that are floating around in the engine out and this could be done after a couple hundred miles since by then the metal that was going to "shed" will shed. That was the gist of it according to my friends understanding.

I told him to stick with the break in but do they actually scan your car to see if you followed this or not? I always did and when I got my service I obviously did not think to ask but now curious. He is tempted to just drive 300-400 miles and then get on it.

[BMW Fanatic]

Considering it's new (as in 2011/2012 NEW) I'd follow the break-in procedure, you would NEVER have caught me saying this before I got my ///M, but 5 weeks in my engine blew, it wasn't from red lining it constantly, more to do with the change in design (rods, bearings etc) in the 2011+ models. But still I'd follow it just in case because it has the changed design. Also, the car does have a black box but it's not like BMW will void your warranty for driving it how it's meant to be driven!

[gthal]

Yeah... because a salesman knows ANYTHING. I guarantee you a BMW engineer would tell the salesman he was dead wrong. Now, whether a soft break-in is good or bad, needed or not... is another issue and has been debated to death here but to take ANY advice on this from a car salesman is dumb.

[gthal]

Originally Posted by BMW Fanatic

Also, the car does have a black box but it's not like BMW will void your warranty for driving it how it's meant to be driven!

I'd be careful with this advice... BMW does clearly tell you how it is "meant to be driven" during the break-in period. If the car was abused during break-in and their directions weren't followed and they wanted to not warranty something, I would bet this would result in a big fight... whether they would win or not, who knows.

I agree the car was meant to be driven hard but, according to BMW, ONLY after the break-in... they go so far as to put break-in stickers on the window so it is completely clear to the new owner. Having said that, I don't believe they would actually void a warranty but I wouldn't tell somebody that who was considering how to deal with break-in because I'm not so sure it's accurate.

[BMWJ]

I suppose if there actually is metal pieces floating around your engine, you are doomed anyway. Don't think the metal pieces care if they move around your engine at 2,500 RPM or 7,500 RPM it's going to be bad news

[Team Plutonium]

I trust the folks who built the car and recommend the break-in procedure a little more than some random sales ding-dong.

[lebreeze]

My 11.75 didn't come with the break-in sticker. Kinda wierd . And the dealer didn't take it off because I didnt't let them do anything to it. I don't trust those stealers to wash or remove anything.

[kmarei]

Worst case
If break-in is unnecessary
It means you drive slowly for 1200 miles
Not really a big deal
I am a firm believer in slow break in
And I don't go nuts after 1200 either
I start slowly stretching the engine to 5500 then 600 etc
Till I'm ready to be bouncing off the rev limiter

Worst case is I take it easy for 1200 miles
Best case, I just saved myself from problems later on, and always wondering if the problems are due to the crazy first 1200 miles

[kmarei]

Plus we follow what BMW says about tire pressure, oil type, fuel type etc
Why ignore them in this aspect?

[gthal]

Originally Posted by kmarei

Plus we follow what BMW says about tire pressure, oil type, fuel type etc
Why ignore them in this aspect?

Cause it's cool to stick it to the man!

That or because internet experts read something somewhere to suggest the engineers at BMW are wrong and it becomes fact.

[kmarei]

Originally Posted by gthal

Cause it's cool to stick it to the man!

That or because internet experts read something somewhere to suggest the engineers at BMW are wrong and it becomes fact.

Well if you read it on the Internet, that's different
Everything on the Internet is true!

[denlin68]

if you are leasing the car then drive it how ever you want, but if you are buying the car and planning on keeping it for 5+ years then its to your best interest to baby the engine.

[elp_jc]

It takes hundreds of miles for all moving parts (it's not only the engine folks) to fully mesh in, especially with fully synthetic oils, so it pays to be patient in the long run. And the last 2 words are key. Nothing should happen to a non-defective engine if break-in period is not observed during warranty (50K miles), but the million dollar question is how much of its life is decreased ... and which parts are the weak link (probably main bearings and/or main oil pump on this car). Remember most demo cars see brutal duty since mile 1. The first time I test drove an M3 back in '08, it had 12 miles on the clock, and it was subjected to incredible abuse right off the bat. When it was my turn, I respected the car like if it was mine, but I'm sure I was the only one .

[Ateam]

I hear ya all and I agree and I totally did a break in. Although once I hit 1200 I started driving full out to 8400 before I got the "service" done which happened about 400 miles later but I figure it is more the actually mileage of breaking it in rather than anything special an oil change or diff change does as far as risk to moving parts. However I told my friend today to just wait it out and hit 1200 than go bonkers! Its hard though as today I was pretending to not go over 5500 and it was damn near IMPOSSIBLE! I realized I spent 99 percent of the time above 6k rpms No wonder I never understand these "low torque" comments but today remembering what it is like if you stay in the 2k-5k region than shoot this thing is a slug!

[Bubbles]

I followed the break-in despite being in overseas during break-in, where the roads beg you to drive hard. At 1210 mls on the odometer (following 1200 mls service), the car saw Ring Duty. 20k mls later the engine is bullet proof and burns no measurable oil.

Follow the break-in, it'll pay dividends in the long run.

[tpowerdinny]

When I bought my E46 M3 brand new I did not take it as easy as instructed. I broke it in by doing high and low intervals and at 600 miles began to drive it completely like broken-in. I can't recommend anyone to do it but I'm sharing my only experience with a performance car break-in. My car felt like a factory freak. I've had 3 E46 M3s now and that one was definitely the best one, with a significant difference. Going on local runs most of the guys also noticed that my car drove a little better than the others and always asked me what I did to my car when it was 100% stock. That could just be a fluke but again just my experience.

[Ateam]

If it were not for the scare that bmw COULD deny warranty if you did not foloow break in (which I still doubt but scared me enough) I think the break in is crap. I redlined my car out of the showroom floor with my last non-m bimmer and it ran perfectly until I got rid of it at 75k miles and 4 years of owning it.

I really think they on these high rev m cars they just do not want people out of the gate hanging it in the 7-8400 a bunch so set an arbitrary number of 1200 probably knowing only half will follow this if that. I personally believe a few hundred miles and you are good to go if not before. However not worth the risk if you want to guarentee warranty.

Remember every few engines they build are run and checked on a dyno and those engines go into the cars. You think they would do this if it was bad for the engine? Likely not

[DevJ]

I don't know why people wouldn't follow a break in procedure..especially with these kind of cars (Ms, AMGs, etc). There's a break in for a reason and I followed mine..I recommend everyone do the same. After that you can hoon the fuck out of your car and do whatever you want with it..