Break in Period/ oil change

[yakitiyak]

Hi guys-
I just got my 328XI a month ago and I must say that this beast does not disappoint (my first Bimmer).
I have read the forums here the past week trying to get an answer to my question. 1) Do I drive the car hard out of the box (I have 500 miles on it right now) and 2) Do I need to do an oil change (on my dime) @ 1200-1500 or just follow the schedule of BMW. Again this is my first baby and I want to get the most out of it.

Thanks for your input.

[777ER]

Here's a good site to read:
http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

Your car should be done with break-in.

I picked my car up with only 3 miles on it. And drove it hard on the way home!

**Very important**
Let the engine warm to operating temp before doing the hard break-in.

The dealer told me at delivery day that the car will burn a quart during break-in (he brought a macco blue 328i same time I ordered a 328xi in montego blue)... I have 300+ miles on it now and it didn't burn any oil as showing from the oil level gauge.

The dealer may have done it in the "babying" way.


Cliff notes on the website above: first 20 miles of break-in is important.

[BMW335i]

Here's a good site to read:
http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

Your car should be done with break-in.

I picked my car up with only 3 miles on it. And drove it hard on the way home!

**Very important**
Let the engine warm to operating temp before doing the hard break-in.

The dealer told me at delivery day that the car will burn a quart during break-in (he brought a macco blue 328i same time I ordered a 328xi in montego blue)... I have 300+ miles on it now and it didn't burn any oil as showing from the oil level gauge.

The dealer may have done it in the "babying" way.


Cliff notes on the website above: first 20 miles of break-in is important.

I'll be honest, I got my 335i with some mileage (140ish), only because it had to be transported from another dealer, and I was "keen" on babying it for the rest of break-in. I drove pretty slowly for the next 600 miles, but from 700-1200 miles I started to kick it up to 4.5-5k consistenly. However, I don't doubt my car was test driven at least once where some guy floored it, which is good! And the car doesn't burn a quart of oil during break-in.

Oh yeah, and if u already have 500 miles, ur chance to "floor it" is probably over...doesn't mean you can't still do it though. And do a search, thousands of threads on this.

I did my oil change at appx 1200 miles, the service advisor and techs was pretty weirded out why I was doing it so early even though I am paying for it.

[KPACOTKA]

I think you did right if you paid hard earned money for the car and going to keep it for 10 or more years. Most of young people keep a car for 2-4 years so do not care about oil change much

[777ER]

Oh yeah, and if u already have 500 miles, ur chance to "floor it" is probably over...doesn't mean you can't still do it though. And do a search, thousands of threads on this.

This prodecure did work somewhat on a Northstar engine in a caddy deville...but doesn't stop the high oil burn it currently has, it still reduces a lil.

I don't know if you can lock into 2nd gear on the 328 unless it was a manual trans (steptronic upshifts once the limit is reached)

but here goes:
select 2nd gear, floor to redline...engine brake to 10mph down from 70-80...repeat 3-4 times then do a cool off cruise.


There's a parkway close to me which I do high power runs and tests. Only at night tho due to less traffic. Long enough to do 3-4 full throttle runs to 70-80 and engine braking down to 10.
And as I get off, I can either go on the return side for more runs or take the road home which is closer than getting to the parkway. The entry route to the parkway is good for warming up the car.