Question re break-in

[Dr Stig 2]

I've always believed the fastest and surest way to break in a new car is to use a tyre iron, at speed, to contact the drivers window.

[teagueAMX]

Originally Posted by Rubber Ducky

Admin: we need a sticky on break-ins. Then shovel all the comments in the multiple threads on this topic into two piles, one that says "RTFP" and the other labeled "Ignore what BMW says and beat the crap out of it."

Sticky's a good idea for a number of issues.

Was on a another forum the other day and instead of a sticky that's a regular thread, they had a sticky that contained links to various subjects and it was categorized.

Seems it would save a lot of searching. I know that I can spend 30 minutes looking for a particular thread that I know about.

[Dr Stig 2]

Originally Posted by teagueAMX

Sticky's a good idea for a number of issues.

Was on a another forum the other day and instead of a sticky that's a regular thread, they had a sticky that contained links to various subjects and it was categorized.

Seems it would save a lot of searching. I know that I can spend 30 minutes looking for a particular thread that I know about.

Great minds TeagueAMX!
I think a technical question sticky (or two) would be great... Maybe the top ten questions asked...

[Memphis1]

Originally Posted by Rubber Ducky

Admin: we need a sticky on break-ins. Then shovel all the comments in the multiple threads on this topic into two piles, one that says "RTFP" and the other labeled "Ignore what BMW says and beat the crap out of it."

I mean no disrespect to rubberducky, but i think break-in is a bit of "up to you, live and learn" subject. there are people that don't have the slightest clue and there are people that know, but the people that don't know, don't believe the ones that do, and the ones that do know, think the ones that don't know are complete schmucks... it's just as bad as the subject of should you follow the bmw oil computer or should you just do it every 5k miles. and worst of all, everyone on here talks about babying the car and doing a proper break-in and changing oil and polishing and parking far away and under shade and forbid your wife to drive and passengers are only allowed to ride if they're in a "clean white space suit"and whatnot, and at the end of the day, we wont keep our cars past three years anyway, and go back to BMW for another even more expensive car and start the cycle all over... I mean some of you guys are 40+ yrs old these questions shouldn't be coming up, it's not like you just got of the boat and all of a sudden you have a bmw roadster and don't know what to do with it....

same shit different toilet...

[Dr Stig 2]

But I have to agree with Memphis on this one...

[Tamman69]

^^^ what they said, regarding the babying anyway. (sorting threads in a sensible manner is a good idea whether people take the advice or not!). I'm new to this kind of vehicle and have found some of the talk of excessive mothering a little cloying. Though I suspect, or hope, that much of it is tongue in cheek...

I look after my Z4 as much as I possibly can, but in the end I live in the real world, and an area of it with some of the worst roads I have ever seen. Everybody else here who can afford it drives a 4x4, they are the sensible ones, but I'm the one grinning ear to ear, despite the bent wishbone and messed up paintwork

[cdeslandes]

Originally Posted by Memphis1

I mean no disrespect to rubberducky, but i think break-in is a bit of "up to you, live and learn" subject. there are people that don't have the slightest clue and there are people that know, but the people that don't know, don't believe the ones that do, and the ones that do know, think the ones that don't know are complete schmucks... it's just as bad as the subject of should you follow the bmw oil computer or should you just do it every 5k miles. and worst of all, everyone on here talks about babying the car and doing a proper break-in and changing oil and polishing and parking far away and under shade and forbid your wife to drive and passengers are only allowed to ride if they're in a "clean white space suit"and whatnot, and at the end of the day, we wont keep our cars past three years anyway, and go back to BMW for another even more expensive car and start the cycle all over... I mean some of you guys are 40+ yrs old these questions shouldn't be coming up, it's not like you just got of the boat and all of a sudden you have a bmw roadster and don't know what to do with it....

same shit different toilet...

How true...

And then there are some of us who demand a lot from our cars, ride 'em hard, aren't anal about a few paint chips, but also maintain them well. It's tough love, but there's nothing sadder than a Garage Queen.

[zEdP]

Originally Posted by suvidh

$420 is probably australian $

But i am sure the oil and service costs much higher outside the US. I paid US$275 for the oil change couple of days ago. Most of the bill was for the oil & (filter maybe) and a small sum for labour and taxes.

S

I paid 254 euro US$196, including 19% tax for the oil service, 12 points check, oil (6,5 liter castrol SLX powerflow 0W30) and filter.


EdP

[juhap]

Originally Posted by zEdP

I paid 254 euro US$196

Doesn't sound right, 254 euros should be around 325 USD.

[zEdP]

Originally Posted by juhap

Doesn't sound right, 254 euros should be around 325 USD.

Oeps. You're right.

[Dr Stig 2]

I'll find out which oil they use to try and find out why it is so exy.
Over here we get air temps from -5C to 48C over a year, so the rating of oil will be sure to be different from some of the more temperate and frozen locales...

[Silver-Bolt]

If you are that concerned take an oil sample and send it to the lab. They can tell you exactly what is wearing (if anything) by the results of your test sample.

Personally I feel that after a few heat cycles and an oil change new motors are ready to rock. I am not an engine builder but have been involved with auto racing for more than 30 years. Porsche runs every street car motor at redline for 20 minutes prior to them going into cars. Technology has come along ways from the old days of dino oil for the first 5k miles and then switch to synthetic. Today most new cars come with synthetic from the factory. Rod and main bearings are not an issue in a new motor. The concern is seating the rings. Starting the car running it easy until it is up to temp, run it at temp, and cooling it off would be considered a heat cycle. Do that 3-4 times and the rings are seated as good as they possibly can.

I took my Lightning to the drag strip with less than 100 miles on the clock. Ran about 8-10 13 second passes that day. At 30k miles I had the motor gone through to add forged rods, pistons, and crank. All old parts were inspected and found to be like new. So in 30k street miles and over 300 1/4 mile passes the motor was like new. I ran the piss out of it and it loved it.

In my book the oil maintinence is the key. If you run it hard change the oil more frequently. If you just cruise it use BMW's guidelines.

[Alext]

I should make a correction, I stated that one should use BMW LL04 approved oils, in fact this should be BMW LL01. Which makes Mobil1 0w-40 ideal & is what I used on the 135i. I just picked up 7L from supercheap (they have 20% off sale) for just over $100.

[teagueAMX]

Originally Posted by Silver-Bolt

If you are that concerned take an oil sample and send it to the lab. They can tell you exactly what is wearing (if anything) by the results of your test sample.

Personally I feel that after a few heat cycles and an oil change new motors are ready to rock. I am not an engine builder but have been involved with auto racing for more than 30 years. Porsche runs every street car motor at redline for 20 minutes prior to them going into cars. Technology has come along ways from the old days of dino oil for the first 5k miles and then switch to synthetic. Today most new cars come with synthetic from the factory. Rod and main bearings are not an issue in a new motor. The concern is seating the rings. Starting the car running it easy until it is up to temp, run it at temp, and cooling it off would be considered a heat cycle. Do that 3-4 times and the rings are seated as good as they possibly can.

I took my Lightning to the drag strip with less than 100 miles on the clock. Ran about 8-10 13 second passes that day. At 30k miles I had the motor gone through to add forged rods, pistons, and crank. All old parts were inspected and found to be like new. So in 30k street miles and over 300 1/4 mile passes the motor was like new. I ran the piss out of it and it loved it.

In my book the oil maintinence is the key. If you run it hard change the oil more frequently. If you just cruise it use BMW's guidelines.

+1