Recommended driving speeds for first 1k miles

[amolpan]

I am planning to do a lot of driving once I pick up my new car but I was wondering if there are any speed restrictions that I should observe during the first 1k miles of usage? I see a lot of enthusiasts posting the top speeds they hit during their ED experience. What would be a good speed range to observe? I feel tempted to make full use of the Autobahn but just from a rational perspective, is it something i need to think about?

[Vitacura]

I would just recommend you follow the break-in found in the manual. Usually it asks to keep speeds under 100 mph, keep rpms and speeds changing. (Avoid cruise control)
Of course, who can avoid the temptation to open up the car for a bit on certain parts of the autobahn? It's one of those pics that make many people jealous who have not had the opportunity to drive in Europe. :thumbup:
What car are you getting?

[X3 Skier]

I guess I am one of those fools who does not exceed the do not exceed recommendations in the information provided by BMW. That said, I do change oil more frequently than the idiot mileage tracker and do more maintenance that "suggested".

I figure, "do not exceeds" may have more dire consequences than doing more than recommended maintenance. At least that's the way it was when I was flying.:D

Cheers

[claud 3]

Just do not exceed 100mph. You also should not use cruise control since breakin requires that you vary your speed. That said, you will not be able to use cruise control much anyway. You will be changing your cruise speed quite a bit due to traffic dynamics, and the fact that you are limited to 100mph. This is what I experienced during my two weeks in Italy and Germany driving the autostradas. The right lanes are just not fast enough and soon after you pull into the left lane, an Audi Avant will be riding your bumper to pass. Noone pays any attention to speed limits in Italy, but they are strictly obeyed in Germany and Austria.

[Andrew*Debbie]

We took it easy for the first day. After that we stuck to the break in recommendations.

<4,500 RPM and <160km/h .

We paid careful attention to the posted speed limits. We didn't want to get caught going 160 in an 80 zone.

We took turns driving the no-limit sections of the autobahn. We also did a lot of driving off the autobahn. The speed limits may be lower, but the scenery more than makes up for it.

[prospector]

The manual says for 1,200 miles / 2,000 km;

-- drive at varied speeds (no cruise)
-- don't exceed 4,500 RPM
-- don't exceed 100mph
-- don't floor it
-- don't downshift manually

At the Welt only the first two restrictions were mentioned, and II had seen posts here as to how fast you could go at 4,500 rpm, so I used that as my mental limit, for better or worse.

Flooring it in sport mode will break three rules at once very quickly!

[Contact Patch]

At the old ED center, I was told not to exceed 4,500rpm and not to worry about the vehicle speed. So, I varied the speed and did not exceed 4,000rpm (120mph in 6th) until the last day when I did a few top speed runs after logged 1,200 mile on the clock. Just don't "drive like you stole it" and have fun. What are the odds that your car will ever do 155mph here in the States again legally?

[cosmos]

Drive it like ya stole it!!

Above all else enjoy the car. You have a 4/50 warranty. If something is going to go wrong it will happen way before it expires.

So I say if you feel the need to stretch the legs of the car and maybe hit the limiter on the A-bahn....go for it....no regrets on ED.

[ucdbiendog]

155.

[cosmos]

191mph Baby!!!

[InsaneSkippy]

I only got up to 140 :(

Seriously though, after a few days of driving over there, 100 will feel SLOW

[SusieBelle]

Seriously though, after a few days of driving over there, 100 will feel SLOW

Very true. I thought I was doing about 50 and looked at the dash and saw that it was 90. The default limit once we left most of the small villages was 100 K, close to 60 MPH. Those same roads would have a 40 MPH limit on them here. In reality, they were too narrow and too twisty to drive that fast. Yes, the car could handle it just fine, but when you have another car meeting you on *your* side of the road because he's passing someone, it makes you either want to slow down (just a little) or make sure your will is up-to-date. Besides, if you go too fast, you miss some of the things you came to Europe to see!!:)

[yukstah]

I am planning to do a lot of driving once I pick up my new car but I was wondering if there are any speed restrictions that I should observe during the first 1k miles of usage? I see a lot of enthusiasts posting the top speeds they hit during their ED experience. What would be a good speed range to observe? I feel tempted to make full use of the Autobahn but just from a rational perspective, is it something i need to think about?

Lease it - and then you can go as fast as you want :)

[maande10]

155.

:thumbup:

[zoltrix]

Dude.

Are you buying a car or adopting a baby?

Floor the SOB, that's why mama BMW made it and that's why you got it!!!

[The BoatMan]

Dude.

Are you buying a car or adopting a baby?

Floor the SOB, that's why mama BMW made it and that's why you got it!!!

Seriously chief, you can drive the speed limit for the next 10 years in the US. How often do you get to drive the beeeotch like it was meant to be driven?

[skywalkerbeth]

Lease it - and then you can go as fast as you want :)

hahaha. That's what I did with a rental Mercedes a few years ago. I "only" got it up to 135 but it was a really cool experience.

[3aholic]

wait 50-100 miles for your brakes to set in and have at it... i went 150, my cousin went 140 and we were doing 120mph unless we saw a sign that restricted the limit!

...i'm leasing it

[335i Driver]

Don't do anything the manual says not to do. At the same time, make sure you obey all those goverment warnings and never drink a drop of alcohol or smoke a cigarette. Make sure you keep you seat belt fastened at all times and never never put anything on the windshield that could obstruct your view.

[ucdbiendog]

wait 50-100 miles for your brakes to set in and have at it... i went 150, my cousin went 140 and we were doing 120mph unless we saw a sign that restricted the limit!

...i'm leasing it

That is more or less what I did, keeping the clutch in mind as well. that was my first time going that fast and its pretty scary how much brake force is required to slow a car down thats moving at 155 mph.

[SusieBelle]

I have to admit, sometimes ignorance is bliss. I have an automatic, and, since I wasn't about to try to learn paddle-shifters, etc., in addition to German road laws and whatever else was new, I just drove, foot down. I never gave braking a thought (of *course* it would stop!!!!), but my husband was the one who thought of wear on brake whatcha-ma-thingys, because we didn't lease. Break-in period? What break-in period?....:p

[maande10]

I have to admit, sometimes ignorance is bliss. I have an automatic, and, since I wasn't about to try to learn paddle-shifters, etc., in addition to German road laws and whatever else was new, I just drove, foot down. I never gave braking a thought (of *course* it would stop!!!!), but my husband was the one who thought of wear on brake whatcha-ma-thingys, because we didn't lease. Break-in period? What break-in period?....:p

That's the right attitude. The Autobahn is your BMW's birthright. Don't deny it that fundamental need... for speed. :D

[cosmos]

Ok, just to clarify. I did not or could not go faster than the ****ph before my 1200 mile service. But once I had that performed...the sky was the limit...or in the case of the A1 traffic.

Above all the most important thing to remember is NOT to lug the engine and vary your RPM.

[epoints]

It's ED, Baby! Let it rip!

121 in the rain! And got passed by 2 Audi TT.

[One&Only]

That is more or less what I did, keeping the clutch in mind as well. that was my first time going that fast and its pretty scary how much brake force is required to slow a car down thats moving at 155 mph.
Somewhere I remember reading a post, maybe here, maybe on 1Addicts...dunno.....anyhow. The engine can stand the speed...it's the spankin new pads & rotors that need care...as well as bedding in.

GO ain't the prob... STOP might be.

[ucdbiendog]

Somewhere I remember reading a post, maybe here, maybe on 1Addicts...dunno.....anyhow. The engine can stand the speed...it's the spankin new pads & rotors that need care...as well as bedding in.

GO ain't the prob... STOP might be.

Yah by the time I went that speed the brakes had a chance to break in with a couple hundred miles of driving.