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How long do you have to run the MINI in for? does anyone know AND will the \'S\' be any different?
Since the MINI has a computer minding the oil change schedule based upon actual driving habits, I\'ve got some questions for MINI owners (and owners to be)....On 10-21-2001 22:59 kshapiro wrote:
Another nice thing to do...I do a new filter and oil after 1,000 miles; then 2,000 miles later (at 3,000) and every 3,000 after that. Also, don\'t leave synthetics in longer than regular oils; synthetics accumulate the same dirt and water that non-synthetics do.
Originally posted by Coopergeezer
I was talking to my friend about running in cars. He works for BMW and drives them off the production line to test them. Apparently, they're ragged straight away and taken up to 100Mph. If the engine blows, it is replaced and retested. He says there is no real need to wear the engine in.
Please remember, most european cars are filled at the factory with a special break-in oil. It is much more viscous so it sticks to the parts, even through shipping overseas. It is hydroscopic, so it purposely absorbs any moisture that might be in the engine upon assembly, or through initial use. It is a mix of molecular densities, with the smallest molecules designed to treat bare metal, and the largest ones designed to prevent the oil burning as metal-to-metal surfaces seat themselves.kshapiro said:Another nice thing to do...I do a new filter and oil after 1,000 miles; then 2,000 miles later (at 3,000) and every 3,000 after that. Also, don\'t leave synthetics in longer than regular oils; synthetics accumulate the same dirt and water that non-synthetics do.
Good point. And I've already planned for it. As I'll be getting my new Cooper S from a distant locale, I've already warned my wife that the first day or so of the trip home will definitely be off of the interstate highway system and instead will be on the backroads and in stop and go traffic through little towns. It will be well worth it to help make sure the engine is broken in properly.Wynn said:...Well, wait a moment. People have said that you should not let the new car linger in one gear-- but for half of us buying a MINI this year, the first time we drive it will be a 500-mile journey to our home town in another state! Is this drive going to be harmful to our new cars? We'll be in 6th gear at 70mph for five hours at a time. Will that behavior have an adverse affect on the life or performance of our cars?!
Not really. Just follow the break-in proceedure. On your journey home, vary your speed, keeping the revs below 4500 rpm, and the speed below 95 mph. Do not use full-throttle or the 'kickdown' position at all.Wynn said:...the first time we drive it will be a 500-mile journey... Is this drive going to be harmful to our new cars? We'll be in 6th gear at 70mph for five hours at a time. Will that behavior have an adverse affect on the life or performance of our cars?!