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Thread: X5M break in period

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2022
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    Colorado
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    My Cars
    2022 X5M Competition

    X5M break in period

    i know this is somewhat of a topic of debate, and i've read a bunch of different opinions, watched a few videos and read the manual. but since it is a topic of debate, i'm wondering what the collective wisdom of bimmerforums has to say.

    i picked up a new 2022 X5M competition a week ago, and have put about 600 hundred miles on it in that last week. just wanted to get the bulk over with asap. the dealer said - have some fun, but don't beat on it (obvious), don't just drive it easy, don't do the same thing all of the time, try not to take the highway, try not to run it for too long and manually shift when you want it to shift because it will learn from that. which pretty much translates to - don't floor it, don't sit at high rpms, take the back roads instead of the highway, no high speed tests, no launch control (which i think is actually disabled right now - haven't even tried it). and i've followed that interpretation. they did say, that if i do it wrong, they won't "wake it up".

    after a few hundred miles - i've finally read what the manual has to say on this (and yes i know, i should have done that immediately, but honestly - who does that when they're excited and i didn't know that was actually in the manual). the manual says don't go above 5500 rpms, and don't exceed 106 mph.

    i've definitely gone above both. above 106 once i think and only briefly - i hit about 130, and there were maybe 350-400 miles on the odo at that point. and i haven't gone above 5500 rpms that many times, but there have been a dozen times, more-or-less. not necessarily on purpose, but just trying to figure out the shifting and trying to get the transmission to learn my preferred shifting patterns - which is pretty much what i was told to do.

    couple things that i've noticed in the last day or two - the exhaust is starting to open up. couple pops here and there, no real burble yet. there seems to be a bit of a rumble at idle - kind of like an old muscle car does - a bit of a bounce when idling. barely perceptible, but i'm pretty sure it's there. i've only noticed that twice maybe - no idea if that's normal.

    full disclosure, i'm not one for rules, though, i am an engineer. so, i understand the technicalities of why there are rules (or maybe more like guidelines) in this situation. i'm more inclined to think that i should drive it like i would after the break-in period but just don't do the stuff i mentioned above. i'm obviously interested in longevity and things not breaking, but i would also like to help the engine reach it's potential. i do know that things like the exhaust burble are somewhat unique and develop over the first couple thousand miles.

    anyway, i could go on, but i think you all get the point. would like to see what everyone has to say!

    cheers

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    New England
    Posts
    25,402
    My Cars
    F90 M5; E36 M3 Turbo
    When I built a motor for my turbocharge 99 M3, I used the Mototune break in method and was at the dragstrip at 200 miles. http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

    For your new car under warranty, I would recommend doing what is needed to preserve the warranty if the warranty is important to you. BMW can look into the ECU and see what you have been up to though it may not spend the time to investigate unless there is a big claim.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2022
    Location
    Colorado
    Posts
    5
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    2022 X5M Competition
    Quote Originally Posted by pbonsalb View Post
    When I built a motor for my turbocharge 99 M3, I used the Mototune break in method and was at the dragstrip at 200 miles. http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

    For your new car under warranty, I would recommend doing what is needed to preserve the warranty if the warranty is important to you. BMW can look into the ECU and see what you have been up to though it may not spend the time to investigate unless there is a big claim.
    nice. this is the school of thought that i like.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    San Antonio, TX
    Posts
    720
    My Cars
    1995 BMW M3 Coupe

    X5M break in period

    Also remember that modern cars record everything, so if there is a future warranty issue, BMW can potentially access the logs of your vehicle’s operation, and if you did something flagrantly against their recommendations for break-in, they could potentially flag that.

    That said…in the grand scheme of things, if you’re going to own the vehicle for 3-4 years, or longer, driving it per the break-in recommendations for a few weeks or a month is a small sacrifice.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2022
    Location
    Colorado
    Posts
    5
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    2022 X5M Competition
    Quote Originally Posted by RBNetEngr View Post
    Also remember that modern cars record everything, so if there is a future warranty issue, BMW can potentially access the logs of your vehicle’s operation, and if you did something flagrantly against their recommendations for break-in, they could potentially flag that.

    That said…in the grand scheme of things, if you’re going to own the vehicle for 3-4 years, or longer, driving it per the break-in recommendations for a few weeks or a month is a small sacrifice.
    yeah, i'm trying not to do anything to void the warranty. i was just trying to figure out the right approach. reading about the mototune method helped. i've been periodically running up and down some of the mountain roads/canyons here in boulder, co. to get some good quick revs, and then a little engine braking on the way down. it's hard to get much quality/purposeful engine activity on regular roads in normal traffic.

    flagstaff road is particularly fun if you can get a clear run at it.

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