[Geradeaus]

Originally Posted by Horseman

I dunno.. dealer also told me that it was 1500 for M models. Mine isn’t the M40…. Might be the difference.

You actually listen to the dealer?

Actual M cars (S58 not B58 engine) have a scheduled oil change at 1200 miles. The M40i does not require one then. The dealer should read the GD manual!

[Kwajtrader]

Here is section from the actual Z4 Manual:

[Horseman]

Originally Posted by Geradeaus

You actually listen to the dealer?

Actual M cars (S58 not B58 engine) have a scheduled oil change at 1200 miles. The M40i does not require one then. The dealer should read the GD manual!

I'm not saying that he said the M40i was an "M."

I'm just sayin that he said M series cars required the 1500 mile break followed with an, "imagine how they feel."

I had also said that he told me that the Z4 had a 500 mile break in.

[Horseman]

Originally Posted by Kwajtrader

Here is section from the actual Z4 Manual:

Manual also says something about engaging the clutch, which we don't have that third pedal in the Z4. Maybe I suck real bad at cars, but ... automatics don't have a clutch that we can engage ourselves?

[Kwajtrader]

Originally Posted by Horseman

Manual also says something about engaging the clutch, which we don't have that third pedal in the Z4. Maybe I suck real bad at cars, but ... automatics don't have a clutch that we can engage ourselves?

One possible interpretation is that you shouldn’t put it in manual mode and slam it between gears using the paddle shifters for the first 300 miles.

[Horseman]

could be... .....

oops :P

[Mixitt]

Originally Posted by Kwajtrader

One possible interpretation is that you shouldn’t put it in manual mode and slam it between gears using the paddle shifters for the first 300 miles.

I haven't used the paddles. This car has such FAST and smooth shifting I've not felt the need to play with them. Someone wrote it's one of the best transmissions in the world used by folks like Aston Martin.

[Mixitt]

Originally Posted by Kwajtrader

Here is section from the actual Z4 Manual:

A lot of this is common sense. Take the brakes for example - 90% of my driving has been highway or back roadin' it so my "brake in" would be 1,000 miles.

Traffic gets terrible at rush hour.
.

[Kwajtrader]

Originally Posted by Mixitt

A lot of this is common sense. Take the brakes for example - 90% of my driving has been highway or back roadin' it so my "brake in" would be 1,000 miles.

Traffic gets terrible at rush hour.
.

Cow Slalom!

[TAZ007]

Originally Posted by Horseman

Manual also says something about engaging the clutch, which we don't have that third pedal in the Z4. Maybe I suck real bad at cars, but ... automatics don't have a clutch that we can engage ourselves?

Auto trannys have a clutch sir.

It does reference conservative driving for the first 500 miles which means no manual mode.

[CJ421]

I found it necessary to use manual shift mode during my break-in to vary the engine RPM on highway trips. Cruise control should not be used during break-in, the engine RPMs and load should vary.

Charles

[TAZ007]

Originally Posted by CJ421

I found it necessary to use manual shift mode during my break-in to vary the engine RPM on highway trips. Cruise control should not be used during break-in, the engine RPMs and load should vary.

Charles

That's fair. The statement was ensuring you don't go to full load.

[Geradeaus]

Originally Posted by CJ421

I found it necessary to use manual shift mode during my break-in to vary the engine RPM on highway trips. Cruise control should not be used during break-in, the engine RPMs and load should vary.

Charles

That was my technique driving home from my PCD in Spartanburg on the interstate portion. I locked in my speed (78 mph) on the adaptive cruise control and varied the engine RPMs by shifting through the gears with the paddle shifters. I did the same with my 2008 335i on break-in and I never had an issue with low power or oil use.

[Geradeaus]

Originally Posted by Horseman

I'm not saying that he said the M40i was an "M."

I'm just sayin that he said M series cars required the 1500 mile break followed with an, "imagine how they feel."

I had also said that he told me that the Z4 had a 500 mile break in.

Not to belabor the point but he was wrong on the M cars - the break-in is 1200 miles. And the Z4 break-in is 1200 miles, too.

Not sure where everyone is getting the 500 miles from? Please post reference in the manual. I may have missed it.

[Horseman]

Originally Posted by Geradeaus

Not to belabor the point but he was wrong on the M cars - the break-in is 1200 miles. And the Z4 break-in is 1200 miles, too.

Not sure where everyone is getting the 500 miles from? Please post reference in the manual. I may have missed it.

I busted out the physical manual today and took a look at it and it is the same as the pic attached above. Scary that we get bad info……

[Horseman]

Originally Posted by TAZ007

Auto trannys have a clutch sir.

It does reference conservative driving for the first 500 miles which means no manual mode.

I know it has a clutch, just not in a way that we can control it in the same manner as an actual manual transmission.

[Kwajtrader]

Originally Posted by Horseman

I busted out the physical manual today and took a look at it and it is the same as the pic attached above. Scary that we get bad info……

Trust but Verify…

[DPelletier]

Ultimately I don't think it matters much; do what you want with your car but after 41 vehicles and 47 motorcycles, I follow a simple procedure of varying rpms and avoiding sustained full load for the first 500 miles......and I'm sure even that is being overly cautious with the tight tolerances of today's modern engines.

I've test driven dozens of vehicles over the years and yes, I usually give them several full throttle runs to see what the performance level is like.....as mentioned by a previous poster, this is pretty normal. If the manufacturer's believed that such a thing was going to cause significant and premature failure/loss of longevity, it would be possible to have the computer limit the output for the first XXX miles.

A typical new engine break in procedure; https://www.maperformance.com/pages/...k-in-procedure keeping in mind that this is for a brand new engine and the engines in our cars have already been run and tested prior to the car shipping out.


2 cents,
Dave

[DPelletier]

...an interesting read on the whole engine break-in subject: http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

[TAZ007]

Originally Posted by DPelletier

...an interesting read on the whole engine break-in subject: http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

Both are interesting. The latter references bikes and those crotch rockets often redline at 12k+, so running 4.5k-6k is an open throttle. I guess we can correlate to the Z4 redline.

[Horseman]

So that article is very interesting indeed. Back when I drove my 350z in early 2000's I didn't "break it in" easy. I ran that damn car hard the entire time I had it. Not .. so damn hard that I put it on the racetrack, but it was a daily occurrence to race other fast cars when that light turned green. Corvettes, NSX, Charger Hemi, all those. Had a blast doing it. I am driving this car more moderately mostly because it's more expensive (hell most expensive car I've ever purchased) and I need it to last me awhile. BUT... there are times where I put do drive it hard. Get into the 5-7k RPMs on short stints of fun fueled acceleration.

What I'm getting here between the debate, the owner's manual and what Sales Agents tell me is that there really isn't a RIGHT or WRONG way to break it in. Your car is either a lemon or it isn't. Have fun. :P

[Mixitt]

Need to show this to a service tech. Thanks for sharing.

What's The Best Way To Break-In A New Engine ??
The Short Answer: Run it Hard !

Why ??
Nowadays, the piston ring seal is really what the break in process is all about. Contrary to popular belief, piston rings don't seal the combustion pressure by spring tension. Ring tension is necessary only to "scrape" the oil to prevent it from entering the combustion chamber.

If you think about it, the ring exerts maybe 5-10 lbs of spring tension against the cylinder wall ...
How can such a small amount of spring tension seal against thousands of PSI (Pounds Per Square Inch) of combustion pressure ??

Of course it can't.