importance of break period

[Rogier]

Hi,

i have my car since April ('04 that is), and have done approx 600 km in the past two weeks on my daily commute (because of a holiday i now have ~1300 km on the counter). Most of this in dense traffic, often stop and go.
When I got the car, the dealer said to be gentle with a cool engine (he said no to take it over 3500 rpm), but with a hot engine there would be no problem. So that's what i've done: gentle for the first 20-25 km of the trip, and then some taking over at high revs, nothing spectecular, just too feel what the engine in capable of.

I am afraid of making the car too sluggish, by being too gentle with is, and not using it too its full capacity.

Here's my question: should i be more careful or should i also give it something else to do than stop-and-go traffic? Or should I wait another 700 km and then start having fun?

Cheers,
Rogier

[nonsequitur]

Consider joining this discussion on MINI2:
MINI Break-in

The very early miles are more important than later. Even the manufacturer's have softened on the procedure, because modern engines are just so good campared to an earlier time when our fathers gave advice.