Finally done with break-in. This car is NUTS!

Xens · 10-21-2005, 05:14 PM

So I finally finished my break-in period a few days ago and I've been having some fun, actually A LOT of fun.

I've been sitting here for almost 20 minutes already trying to think of a way to describe my experience with the car after the break-in, but I simply cannot think of anything, it's just too hard to describe, it's a pure sensation. I don't know what to say except that this car is simply INSANE.

During break-in, everything felt ........ okay, and just okay. By driving gently and rarely going over 3.5k rpm, the car felt smooth ....... and not much else, I can honestly say that I was a bit bored and started to wonder whether BMW is really all it's hyped up to be and if I should have spent my money elsewhere.

But that's when I used less than 1/3 of the gas pedal, when I put the pedal to the metal one chilly midnight on an empty freeway entrance, I discovered a completely different beast, the car simply SCREAMS once you hit 4.5k and the engine and exhaust made an exhilarating growl as I revved towards the 7k redline. Shifting at 6.8k rpm, gone was the clunky shifter and jerky clutch, in was an extremely accurate feeling transmission. Before I knew it, I was already going over 100mph howling onto the empty 5-lane freeway. I backed off the acceleration and burst out laughing, almost uncontrollably, it was just too much fun.

The handling of the car was also incredible, I took an almost 90 degree turn at 45mph. Turning in sharply before the turn I was estimating the car would at least travel onto the right lane, but nope, the car stayed planted to the ground and shot straight towards where I was pointing the car at, the amount of grip was almost scary. Down-shifting into 2nd and accelerating out of the turn, I finally understood why people thought RWD was a must for a car to be sporty, instead of GOING out of the turn, the car was PUSHED out of the turn, and the feeling is ....... absolutely fabulous.

The car is such a sheep when driven gently, and the manual tranny is a bit tricky to operate, but when pushed hard, everything just works so much better as if that's actually the better way of driving it. The car BEGS to be driven hard.

I know many of you are still doing the break-in, all I can say is: do it right, the wait is worth it.

afocoryw20 · 10-21-2005, 05:17 PM

Sounds like a dream I had then I woke up and remembered that I still have to break it in.......

HRC · 10-21-2005, 05:20 PM

I hear it gets even better for the engine between 1250 and 8000 miles! The inline 6 in just creamy, good times!

Danny

Sho · 10-21-2005, 05:24 PM

With 3600 miles on the clock now, my 325i is running much stronger than 1250miles. I bet your 330i would be more fun.

northerncalguy · 10-21-2005, 05:26 PM

Damn, I am still at ~140 miles...a long way to go.

Off topic: Do you guys gently accelerate & not shift as agressively during break-in? I found that I've needed to shift somewhat aggressively -- hopefully I am not doing anything bad to my baby. I would describe my break-in driving as normal, day-to-day driving. Any thoughts?

findtom · 10-21-2005, 05:29 PM

Did you leave the DTC/DSC on?

Pulling out of a corner is a completely different experience with the DTC off.

HRC · 10-21-2005, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by northerncalguy

Damn, I am still at ~140 miles...a long way to go.

Off topic: Do you guys gently accelerate & not shift as agressively during break-in? I found that I've needed to shift somewhat aggressively -- hopefully I am not doing anything bad to my baby. I would describe my break-in driving as normal, day-to-day driving. Any thoughts?

During my pre-1250 miles, I accelerated rather strong, but never flooring it. I went up to 5500 RPMS a few times. After reading some posts here re break-in, I didn't want train my car to be *lazy*. I'm at 3100 miles now and everything feels great. The motor seems to be getting smoother as the miles rack up. I also changed the oil at 1301 miles.

Danny

northerncalguy · 10-21-2005, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HRC

During my pre-1250 miles, I accelerated rather strong, but never flooring it. I went up to 5500 RPMS a few times. After reading some posts here re break-in, I didn't want train my car to be *lazy*. I'm at 3100 miles now and everything feels great. The motor seems to be getting smoother as the miles rack up. I also changed the oil at 1301 miles.

Danny

I think what you have described is what I am current doing, although I've never gone over 4500rpm. I'll try and rest that right foot a bit, but man...I want to rip it!

Oh, I'm going to change the oil too :-) probably at 1500 miles.

dreamwonder · 10-21-2005, 05:53 PM

I have 3600miles on mine. It feels like the car is alot faster now. Either that or the weather is getting cold and the tires are not as sticky...

etherbored · 10-21-2005, 06:05 PM

i'm @ 1950 miles and am having the oil changed next week.
from 1250 miles i've been driving the car more aggresively in successive stages as up to that mileage it was all very low key driving with never a redline or speed much over 80.
i feel that once the oil has been flushed of whatever contaminants may have accumulated that i'll be 100% safe in allowing my accelerator to find the floor.
a few times already i've been able to summons the sheer power the car has either avoiding or leaving what one poster refers to as "the tools" on the freeway. as a friend of mine said when he took a leaisurely spin around the block, "i can tell it's a long way down"...
as for the cornering and road grip, i'm totally in agreement with xens' observation. there's a large looping exit from the freeway to my office building that's rated 35 mph that i can *easily* take at 60-65 without a single sign of displeasure from the car. in fact, i'm looking forward to some upgraded aftermarket stabilizer bars...
viva post break-in!
-e-

Sho · 10-21-2005, 06:19 PM

With DTC on, you can actually drift the car a little bit.

IDENTITY_MOTORSPORTS · 10-21-2005, 06:40 PM

There are many break in methods that people use. Some take it easy and others drive it hard. i actually drove mine hard and have no problems except for a re-call on the ecu to get re-programmed. The ecu will actually learn the way you drive and if you don't push it hard it will drive that way.

10-21-2005, 05:14 PM	#1
Xens Eh 110 Rep 653 Posts Drives: Is Turbo'd Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Bay Area, CA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2006 330i [0.00]	Finally done with break-in. This car is NUTS! So I finally finished my break-in period a few days ago and I've been having some fun, actually A LOT of fun. I've been sitting here for almost 20 minutes already trying to think of a way to describe my experience with the car after the break-in, but I simply cannot think of anything, it's just too hard to describe, it's a pure sensation. I don't know what to say except that this car is simply INSANE. During break-in, everything felt ........ okay, and just okay. By driving gently and rarely going over 3.5k rpm, the car felt smooth ....... and not much else, I can honestly say that I was a bit bored and started to wonder whether BMW is really all it's hyped up to be and if I should have spent my money elsewhere. But that's when I used less than 1/3 of the gas pedal, when I put the pedal to the metal one chilly midnight on an empty freeway entrance, I discovered a completely different beast, the car simply SCREAMS once you hit 4.5k and the engine and exhaust made an exhilarating growl as I revved towards the 7k redline. Shifting at 6.8k rpm, gone was the clunky shifter and jerky clutch, in was an extremely accurate feeling transmission. Before I knew it, I was already going over 100mph howling onto the empty 5-lane freeway. I backed off the acceleration and burst out laughing, almost uncontrollably, it was just too much fun. The handling of the car was also incredible, I took an almost 90 degree turn at 45mph. Turning in sharply before the turn I was estimating the car would at least travel onto the right lane, but nope, the car stayed planted to the ground and shot straight towards where I was pointing the car at, the amount of grip was almost scary. Down-shifting into 2nd and accelerating out of the turn, I finally understood why people thought RWD was a must for a car to be sporty, instead of GOING out of the turn, the car was PUSHED out of the turn, and the feeling is ....... absolutely fabulous. The car is such a sheep when driven gently, and the manual tranny is a bit tricky to operate, but when pushed hard, everything just works so much better as if that's actually the better way of driving it. The car BEGS to be driven hard. I know many of you are still doing the break-in, all I can say is: do it right, the wait is worth it.
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10-21-2005, 05:17 PM	#2
afocoryw20 Lieutenant 12 Rep 456 Posts Drives: X3 + 325xi Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: New Jerz iTrader: (0) Garage List 2006 325XI [0.00] 2005 X3 [0.00] 1990 Mercedes Benz ... [0.00]	Sounds like a dream I had then I woke up and remembered that I still have to break it in.......
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10-21-2005, 05:20 PM	#3
HRC MAUI BUILT 485 Rep 7,781 Posts Drives: 2006 330i MT Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: NORCAL iTrader: (10) Garage List 2002 E46 325i [0.00] 2012 E70 35i [0.00]	I hear it gets even better for the engine between 1250 and 8000 miles! The inline 6 in just creamy, good times! Danny __________________ Arctic/Blk Leather/Alum.Trim/MT/ZSP/Sunshades/Blk Lines/M3 Illuminated Knob/Alcantara Performance Wheel/M-E-Brake Handle/Euro Fog Switch/Koni Yellows/H&R Sport Springs/19" VMR V718's w/PS2 Tires/M-Tech Body Kit/Carbon Fiber Spoiler/Bimmian Interior Bulbs/OEM Eye Glass Tray/SSK/Alcantara Boot/Split Armrest/OEM Dual Rear Power Outlets/Rear Ashtray Delete/OEM Alum. Pedals/Osram 6000K/Brex Rings/LED Side Markers/BMS Power Box
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10-21-2005, 05:24 PM	#4
Sho Lieutenant 35 Rep 574 Posts Drives: E90 325i 6-speed Join Date: May 2005 Location: WA iTrader: (0)	With 3600 miles on the clock now, my 325i is running much stronger than 1250miles. I bet your 330i would be more fun.
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10-21-2005, 05:26 PM	#5
northerncalguy Throw your hands in the air, if you's a true playa. 79 Rep 436 Posts Drives: 2006 325i, 2014 435i Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: NorCal iTrader: (0) Garage List 2006 325i [0.00]	Damn, I am still at ~140 miles...a long way to go. Off topic: Do you guys gently accelerate & not shift as agressively during break-in? I found that I've needed to shift somewhat aggressively -- hopefully I am not doing anything bad to my baby. I would describe my break-in driving as normal, day-to-day driving. Any thoughts? __________________
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10-21-2005, 05:29 PM	#6
findtom Colonel 129 Rep 2,658 Posts Drives: E60 545i Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Toronto, Canada iTrader: (0) Garage List 2005 545i [0.00]	Did you leave the DTC/DSC on? Pulling out of a corner is a completely different experience with the DTC off.
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10-21-2005, 05:53 PM	#9
dreamwonder Private First Class 11 Rep 101 Posts Drives: Silver 2006 330i Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Boston iTrader: (1)	I have 3600miles on mine. It feels like the car is alot faster now. Either that or the weather is getting cold and the tires are not as sticky...
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10-21-2005, 06:05 PM	#10
etherbored klactoveesedstene 2 Rep 98 Posts Drives: das gut Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: here iTrader: (0)	i'm @ 1950 miles and am having the oil changed next week. from 1250 miles i've been driving the car more aggresively in successive stages as up to that mileage it was all very low key driving with never a redline or speed much over 80. i feel that once the oil has been flushed of whatever contaminants may have accumulated that i'll be 100% safe in allowing my accelerator to find the floor. a few times already i've been able to summons the sheer power the car has either avoiding or leaving what one poster refers to as "the tools" on the freeway. as a friend of mine said when he took a leaisurely spin around the block, "i can tell it's a long way down"... as for the cornering and road grip, i'm totally in agreement with xens' observation. there's a large looping exit from the freeway to my office building that's rated 35 mph that i can easily take at 60-65 without a single sign of displeasure from the car. in fact, i'm looking forward to some upgraded aftermarket stabilizer bars... viva post break-in! -e-
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10-21-2005, 06:19 PM	#11
Sho Lieutenant 35 Rep 574 Posts Drives: E90 325i 6-speed Join Date: May 2005 Location: WA iTrader: (0)	With DTC on, you can actually drift the car a little bit. __________________ 2006 325i Sport - SSR GT7, Euro tails, Rogue Ikon muffler/w custom 3.5" piping, Painted OEM Splitters 2005 Toyota Matrix - Commuter
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10-21-2005, 06:40 PM	#12
IDENTITY_MOTORSPORTS Second Lieutenant 24 Rep 244 Posts Drives: E90 Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Las Vegas, NV. iTrader: (0)	There are many break in methods that people use. Some take it easy and others drive it hard. i actually drove mine hard and have no problems except for a re-call on the ecu to get re-programmed. The ecu will actually learn the way you drive and if you don't push it hard it will drive that way.
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