[finaloption]

i'm itching to try out sport mode but i'm gonna wait until the break in period

[mikew2069]

Originally Posted by finaloption

i'm itching to try out sport mode but i'm gonna wait until the break in period

You can go ahead and try it out...just dont dog it out

[Minimaul]

I follow the break-in recommendation most of the time. I'll get on it every now and then, you know, to truly "vary" the RPMs . But for the most part and 99% of my driving till I hit the 1200 mark, I'll drive mellow. I did the same thing when I bought my gti new back in 07. I was all "gonna follow the break-in perfectly!" But every now and then I'd romp on it.

I certainly wouldn't autocross it before the break-in, which is why I passed 1200 miles on my way to my first autocross in the gti. Haha.

I got a few months till ill take my 328 to an autocross event. So its all good.

I don't go for either romp on it from the start or baby it, I do a mixture of both. Cause that's how I drive normally.

[RPM90]

Originally Posted by Tsuyoi

Looks like owners actually follow break-in regs, while leasers do w/e they want. As you would expect. This is why I don't buy secondhand performance cars.

Interesting conclusion based on about 4 actual responses to the initial question.
Remember, half of all statistics get it right 50% of the time.

About 50% of US BMW sales are leases. Yet, we don't see half of all BMW's broken down on the sides of roads due to a non OEM "break in".

A lease doesn't mean you own the car any less, just like a loan purchase doesn't mean you own your car any more.
A lease is not a rental. And with a loan purchase the bank actually 'owns' your car until you pay off the loan.

I've loan purchased and leased cars and motorcycles in the 30+ yrs I've been driving. I don't/didn't change my break in based on the method I used to own the car/bike.

[Jeff_in_Oviedo]

I plan on respecting the break-in period for the most part, which is the general sentiment here.

I do wonder though, the car that I test-drove(and the thousands of others that are test-driven), they get hammered to red-line several times in an average test drive, wouldn't you think? The salesman really don't make any mention of a break-in, for if they did, the potential buyer wouldn't get the true pleasure of driving the car.

If not following the break-in strictly causes damage down the road, then I do feel sympathy for those who simply buy off the lot. Those 10-20 miles on the odometer were likely not easy ones, if you know what I mean.

[SamS]

Originally Posted by RPM90

A lease doesn't mean you own your car any more.
A lease is not a rental. And with a loan purchase the bank actually 'owns' your car until you pay off the loan.

Sure it is.

It is the use of property belonging to another, i.e. a rental. When you do traditional finance, you are taking out a loan, with the car being the collateral.

[RPM90]

Originally Posted by SamS

Sure it is.

It is the use of property belonging to another, i.e. a rental. When you do traditional finance, you are taking out a loan, with the car being the collateral.

The point of my comment is to address the misunderstood aspect of "owning" a vehicle, as related to the oil change interval.

Whether one leases or loan purchases their car the oil change interval does not change. The mechanical maintenance requirements remain the same.
Those who say that BMW's oil change interval is fine for those who lease but not for those who "own" their car via a loan have no actual mechanical or scientific basis on which to make that statement.

As for a lease being the same as a rental, they are clearly not the same.
If you don't know why, then read up on it.
An auto lease is actually a form of financing just as a bank loan purchase is, whereas a rental is not.
There is a lot more to it as well, but that's one important distinction.
A lease is a limited time ownership purchase, whereas a loan purchase doesn't have a set time of ownership, but it does have a time limit by which the finance balance must be paid or the car will be taken away.
Here's something to help you and others out regarding leasing:
http://www.leaseguide.com/articles/car-rental-lease.htm

[krnnerdboy]

I usually break my cars in on the track! My boss 302 had 500 miles on it before going to willow springs. And the Same for all of my other vehicles that I own. But they also get an oil change after 1200 miles

[64-bit]

Originally Posted by Tsuyoi

Looks like owners actually follow break-in regs, while leasers do w/e they want. As you would expect. This is why I don't buy secondhand performance cars.

+1
My own rule

Don't ever buy a M sport or a loaner Bmw or any other high performance car second handed

[nicknaz]

Originally Posted by nsquared

I drove my car like I stole it from day 1. What is break in!? Go wide open throttle out of the dealership breh.

+1 but wait until the engine oil temperature is over 160F