Hi everyone, first post so be gentle! I live and work in London and wanted a brand new Mini for the occasional commute but mostly for fun driving in the evenings and the weekends. This will be my first new car and I really can't wait. I went for:- Mini Cooper S convertible Automatic (I've done a lot of driving in America and love autos, plus I wanted those shifter paddles!) Midnight black with black roof Chilli pack Chrome packs interior and exterior Heated seats And as many of the other extras as I could afford! I've read about a million reviews and read many posts on this site on many different topics, but since I'm a Mini noob and have never owned a new car, I thought I'd ask everyone for their best tip for breaking in/using a new Mini, because it'll drive me mad if after the first 1200 miles I find out I should have been doing something differently! I should also say: I haven't taken delivery of it yet, it's expected for delivery Wed next week! I'll be sure to post some pics. Thanks all Lee
Welcome to the site Lee! Looks like you're concerned about the break-in period. Specifically, breaking in a new S with an automatic transmission. Some say ignore the break-in and just have fun but I'm with you, esp. with that auto. Hopefully someone else with practical experience will help out here because I don't have a clue other than to refer you to the manuals in our Library. Seems like they all have instructions about breaking in the car, usually under "Driving Tips" ... I think.
Yes, the owners manual does give a recommended break in procedure for the first 500 or so miles and to keep it under a certain RPM. I changed the engine oil and filter after the first 500 miles on the new engine.... but that is just me. I also change mine more frequently than suggested (every 5,000 miles), and still go in for the free MINI oil and filter change...... but that is just me, again. I don't happen to agree with MINI's oil change schedule..... I think they are "profit" motivated with their so called extended oil change schedule. The ECU does have a "Tattle Tail" feature built in to the memory. It logs certain operating parameters. And when you go in for the factory service, they can tell if things like "bouncing off the rev. limit" occurred. They do keep track of things like that and it quite possibly could come up in conversation if there is a warranty claim.
EH, I am of the school of get it to operating temp (<---This is VERY important) then run the piss out of it. Rev it through the ranges. Auto or not. I've done that with my last few cars and I have been VERY happy with the result. My 2010 was broken in this way and I've had very good and consistent performance and I don't burn ANY oil. I agree with oil changes more often. Yeah it's more $$$ but I call it cheap insurance. I run about half intervals. Mine doesn't have a regular schedule but seems to be between 10-12k miles when it tells me to swap oil so I usually do it around 5-6k then again when it tells me to.
Whatever the break in period is according to the manual, change the engine oil at that mileage. A lot of assembly fluids and metal shavings are running around in that first oil change. Best to rinse it out after all the parts have seated. If you had a manual, I'd recommend changing that fluid once the break-in period is complete, too, but it's not necessary for an automatic transmission. BMW used to recommend a break-in service on new cars at 1,200 miles. Now that they pay for maintenance, they only do that for M cars, go figure. According to Mike Miller of Roundel, "As for break-in technique, my best advice is to break-in the engine over an extended road trip comprised of as much mountainous terrain as possible, for as long as possible up to 1,200 miles, and keep the rpms within the limits BMW recommends on the windshield sticker included all new BMWs." 4,500 RPM is a good limit to observe for the first couple thousand miles. And don't use the cruise control, instead try to vary rpms if you're on A roads by shifting between 5th and 6th gear every now and then.
Thanks for all the tips so far. I've read the section in the manual about breaking it in, but I'm most interested in what you've all said from personal experience. It looks like I'll be keeping an eye on the oil changes and revs! In relation to the cruise control - I'm not sure it'll even have one because I'm in the UK.
It is best not to do long constant run while breaking in. Make it go through the gears with varying engine speed. This should be easy in England and especially around London.
My simple advice is to love your MINI as you would your wife. (insert your own personal behavioral trait here..) Do your own homework when anticipating making any modifications. Everyone has their own opinion as to what and how something should be done. As with all things, some (opinions) are great and others are not... Lastly have plenty of cold beer in the fridge - no matter the season! :beer
Looks good! I don't want to alarm you but it looks like they installed your steering wheel and pedals on the wrong side.