2009 M3 Sedan Break-in questions- URGENT!!!

mad141 · 05-15-2009, 02:35 PM

Hello,
I am about to take delivery of a 2009 M3 Sedan with 6-Speed Manual this coming Monday. The car is being delivered to me in Naples, Florida where I reside part time, but I live in Minneapolis most of the time. Is it bad for the car to take a road trip from Florida back to Minneapolis? My brother seems to think so, but most things I have read say that it is not bad at all. I would rather not spend the money to ship it all that way, and the drive would be fun... PLEASE HELP!!!!! What are the reasons for the break-in period anyway? Thanks!!!

-Dave and Joe

mapezzul · 05-15-2009, 02:40 PM

Just be sure to vary your RPMS. You want to be sure the rings seat themselves correctly. Change the load etc...

You should be fine.

MShao825 · 05-15-2009, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mad141

Hello,
I am about to take delivery of a 2009 M3 Sedan with 6-Speed Manual this coming Monday. The car is being delivered to me in Naples, Florida where I reside part time, but I live in Minneapolis most of the time. Is it bad for the car to take a road trip from Florida back to Minneapolis? My brother seems to think so, but most things I have read say that it is not bad at all. I would rather not spend the money to ship it all that way, and the drive would be fun... PLEASE HELP!!!!! What are the reasons for the break-in period anyway? Thanks!!!

-Dave and Joe

You live in Naples part-time, Minneapolis most of the time, and your location in your profile says LA. Make up your mind

A road trip from Florida to Minnesota would be an awesome way to break-in your car

imballin2day · 05-15-2009, 02:41 PM

Go for it. If anything its very good for your car. Dont pass 5500 and just vary the rpms. Good luck.

PorscheRacer · 05-15-2009, 02:42 PM

No problem at all. Don't sit on anyone speed for very long. If you use cruise, vary the speed often. Follow all the rest of the break in recommendations and no problem. I drove my car 1200 miles the first day I owned it. Great part is that you are done with break in when you arrive home

I'm kidding about that. A proper break in of all compenents should really have mixed driving so don't go beating on the car after 1200 miles of highway driving only. Give it another 800 miles of mixed driving then beat the hell out of it! Get the 1200 mile service on time though.

schadenfreude · 05-15-2009, 02:44 PM

Be careful, it's really easy at highway speeds to slip up and give it the juice! I accidentally ended up hitting 6500 a couple times. Don't worry, the sound will remind you to back off right away. Be warned, though. If you slip up once, the rest of the break in will go MUCH slower.

von_zoom · 05-15-2009, 02:55 PM

The key as already stated, vary your rpms. Same speed for long periods should also be avoided. If you want, drive in different gears - if manual, use 4th and 5th every now and then. If you have the better of the two transmissions,

run in 5th and 6th as well as 7th. This will change rpms while keeping your speed up.
vz

Davinhci · 05-15-2009, 03:09 PM

chit! i pressed the wrong button. i hit don't do it instead of do it, have fun

dcstep · 05-15-2009, 03:18 PM

I drove mine from the Performance Center to Colorado when new. Just vary the rpm, accelerate a medium throttle when given a chance, run it up to 105 occasionally and then back off to cruising speed. It'll be fine.

Dave

BMW_CCA · 05-15-2009, 03:20 PM

Joe and Dave- My name is Mike, and my best friend Alex works as a tech at Isringhausen Imports BMW here in Chicago, and he also works as a race tech on a friend of ours M3 team. I also drive an E90 M3 Sedan in a Manual and an M6 with SMG, and I race with the BMW CCA. I just asked Alex about this, and he said very pointedly that it is totally fine to take this road trip. You do need to vary the engine speed, but you can easily do this by driving in gears 4, 5, and 6. Alex has been to several M trainings in Munich with BMW's top F1 techs and he really knows his stuff. I think you will be fine. I picked up my M3 in Spartanburg and drove it back to Chicago brand new, and was told by the guy at the delivery center that it is totally fine to do this. I say DO IT!!!! Have a great time, and when you get home you can get the first service done and then take it to the TRACK!!! You are going to love it!

dcstep · 05-15-2009, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laszlo

Where is the "follow break-in procedure?" selection?

I say follow the book... if you don't, you'll always wonder if you should. Be patient... and in the end, you can brag about it.

No one's suggesting that he not follow break in procedure.

Bragging about break in, now that's pathetic.

Dave

BMW_CCA · 05-15-2009, 04:51 PM

I just spoke to my buddy Alex again about this and he said that driving the car is driving the car. It doesn't matter if you travel 15 miles or 1500 miles. The most important thing is to not redline the engine. The reality is that you are buying a car that is meant to be driven... The length of time it will take to ship the car vs the length of time it would take to drive it back is wayyyyy longer! BMW would not offer European delivery or performance center delivery if it was not totally fine to drive the car for long distances during break in. I have several friends from bmw cca that have done euro delivery of M cars, driving long distances through europe when the car is brand new, and have had zero problems with their cars.

View Poll Results: Is taking a road-trip in a brand new E90 M3 from FL to MN bad for the break-in???
Absolutely not! HAVE FUN!	19	34.55%
Probably not, but follow the max speed and RPM guidlines.	30	54.55%
Probably, but it won't make a difference in the long run.	1	1.82%
Absolutely- DON'T DO IT!!!	6	10.91%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 55. You may not vote on this poll

05-15-2009, 02:35 PM	#1
mad141 Registered 2 Rep 1 Posts Drives: 2007 Audi S6 Join Date: May 2009 Location: Los Angeles iTrader: (0)	2009 M3 Sedan Break-in questions- URGENT!!! Hello, I am about to take delivery of a 2009 M3 Sedan with 6-Speed Manual this coming Monday. The car is being delivered to me in Naples, Florida where I reside part time, but I live in Minneapolis most of the time. Is it bad for the car to take a road trip from Florida back to Minneapolis? My brother seems to think so, but most things I have read say that it is not bad at all. I would rather not spend the money to ship it all that way, and the drive would be fun... PLEASE HELP!!!!! What are the reasons for the break-in period anyway? Thanks!!! -Dave and Joe
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05-15-2009, 02:40 PM	#2
mapezzul Special Agent 74 Rep 1,731 Posts Drives: Depends on the day! Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Bavaria iTrader: (1)	Just be sure to vary your RPMS. You want to be sure the rings seat themselves correctly. Change the load etc... You should be fine. __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
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05-15-2009, 02:41 PM	#4
imballin2day Banned 56 Rep 571 Posts Drives: M3 Dct Coupe Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: LA iTrader: (1)	Go for it. If anything its very good for your car. Dont pass 5500 and just vary the rpms. Good luck.
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05-15-2009, 02:42 PM	#5
PorscheRacer Private First Class 12 Rep 138 Posts Drives: 08 M3 Sedan Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Bay Area CA iTrader: (0)	No problem at all. Don't sit on anyone speed for very long. If you use cruise, vary the speed often. Follow all the rest of the break in recommendations and no problem. I drove my car 1200 miles the first day I owned it. Great part is that you are done with break in when you arrive home I'm kidding about that. A proper break in of all compenents should really have mixed driving so don't go beating on the car after 1200 miles of highway driving only. Give it another 800 miles of mixed driving then beat the hell out of it! Get the 1200 mile service on time though.
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05-15-2009, 02:44 PM	#6
schadenfreude Lieutenant 8 Rep 426 Posts Drives: '09 E90 M-DCT M3 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Seattle, WA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2009 E90 M3 [0.00]	Be careful, it's really easy at highway speeds to slip up and give it the juice! I accidentally ended up hitting 6500 a couple times. Don't worry, the sound will remind you to back off right away. Be warned, though. If you slip up once, the rest of the break in will go MUCH slower. __________________ AiB LEDs///MS Filter///Hardwired V1///VentureShield///F1 Pinnacle 35%///IND Reflectors///BMW Performance Grills
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05-15-2009, 02:55 PM	#7
von_zoom Captain 30 Rep 915 Posts Drives: 2010 Z06 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: North Carolina iTrader: (0)	The key as already stated, vary your rpms. Same speed for long periods should also be avoided. If you want, drive in different gears - if manual, use 4th and 5th every now and then. If you have the better of the two transmissions, run in 5th and 6th as well as 7th. This will change rpms while keeping your speed up. vz __________________ Previous Track Toy
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05-15-2009, 03:09 PM	#8
Davinhci Colonel 55 Rep 2,484 Posts Drives: 08 M3 E92 & 08 E70 X5 4.8 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Austin, TX iTrader: (6) Garage List 2008 M3 [0.00]	chit! i pressed the wrong button. i hit don't do it instead of do it, have fun __________________ 08 E92 AW M3 \| HRE P40 19" \| APE Air Filter \| BMW Performance Grills \| White Side Gills \| CF Mirror Covers \| BMW Performance Pedals \| F1 Pinnacle Tint \| V1 Hardwire \| Dinan Performance Software \| Gintani Exhaust \| H&R Sports Springs \| RPI Scoops \| BMW CF Spoiler \| Challenge Diffuser \| Lux H8 V3 \| LCI Tail Lights \|
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05-15-2009, 03:18 PM	#9
dcstep Major General 1290 Rep 7,389 Posts Drives: '09 Cpe Silverstone FR 6MT Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Colorado iTrader: (0) Garage List 2009 M3 [8.40]	I drove mine from the Performance Center to Colorado when new. Just vary the rpm, accelerate a medium throttle when given a chance, run it up to 105 occasionally and then back off to cruising speed. It'll be fine. Dave __________________ Flickr Photos Ucm, Inc.
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05-15-2009, 03:20 PM	#10
BMW_CCA Registered 0 Rep 2 Posts Drives: '07 M6, '09 M3 Sedan Join Date: May 2009 Location: Chicago iTrader: (0)	Joe and Dave- My name is Mike, and my best friend Alex works as a tech at Isringhausen Imports BMW here in Chicago, and he also works as a race tech on a friend of ours M3 team. I also drive an E90 M3 Sedan in a Manual and an M6 with SMG, and I race with the BMW CCA. I just asked Alex about this, and he said very pointedly that it is totally fine to take this road trip. You do need to vary the engine speed, but you can easily do this by driving in gears 4, 5, and 6. Alex has been to several M trainings in Munich with BMW's top F1 techs and he really knows his stuff. I think you will be fine. I picked up my M3 in Spartanburg and drove it back to Chicago brand new, and was told by the guy at the delivery center that it is totally fine to do this. I say DO IT!!!! Have a great time, and when you get home you can get the first service done and then take it to the TRACK!!! You are going to love it!
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05-15-2009, 04:51 PM	#12
BMW_CCA Registered 0 Rep 2 Posts Drives: '07 M6, '09 M3 Sedan Join Date: May 2009 Location: Chicago iTrader: (0)	I just spoke to my buddy Alex again about this and he said that driving the car is driving the car. It doesn't matter if you travel 15 miles or 1500 miles. The most important thing is to not redline the engine. The reality is that you are buying a car that is meant to be driven... The length of time it will take to ship the car vs the length of time it would take to drive it back is wayyyyy longer! BMW would not offer European delivery or performance center delivery if it was not totally fine to drive the car for long distances during break in. I have several friends from bmw cca that have done euro delivery of M cars, driving long distances through europe when the car is brand new, and have had zero problems with their cars.
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