Bimmer32

When I first bought my 545i 3 years ago, I didn't quite follow the break-in period. I went up to 120 mph at 500 miles on the ODO, but I also never redline it until after 1200 miles. Up to 1200 miles, most of my driving where fairly agressive with fast acceleration but normal slow downs. My hypothesis was that "if you break her in hard, she drives hard for you."

During the past 2 years, I've never had any problems with the engine or drivetrain. The only issues where creaking and squeaking door sills and other parts of the interior which where corrected (except for the damn door sills issue). The tranny responded very well with the engine, so well that my wife even complains why the car jerks her back at start green lights. In other words, there's no lag in engine response. When I put the tranny in DS mode, it shifts quite responsively with the acceleration pedal. No lags. The only lagging is in manual mode shifting.

So recently, I decided to drive like granny to see what was the maximum mpg I could get out of the v8 with 35 mph average (21-22 mpg, btw). Very slow start, coasting to a stop with the tranny braking more than actual brake pads, allowing the tranny to smoothly shift up and down, and not driving over 60-65 mph to and from destinations.

After about 1 or 2 months, the car is very sluggish, and has symptoms of what most of you described as "lacking a sprint booster."

The conclusion is that the car has learned to "slow down" and became less responsive then before. It has never receive a CIP update since I bought it (3 years ago). I can try the tranny reset option.

There's no doubt that the car learns your driving habits, particularly the tranny (as noted on this forum many times over). What I think and still believe is modern cars like the e60 may not mean"break in period" to drive the car "granny style" for the first 1200 miles. You need to drive it the way you want it to performance later.

This was my first topic for my first post on this forum 3 years ago, and it raise a bit of some eyebrows from BMW loyalists. Hopefully, we have all advance since then.

vegastrashed

I remember you were quite spunky when you were a newb. You've quite mellowed out over the years

E60714

Well, it's great that you told me this as I just got my 535xi a little over a week ago. I haven't been driving like a cock, but it is a bit aggressive and I always feel bad for it after I'm done driving. I'm getting 15.9 mpg, which is mostly driving around the neighborhood, occassionally taking a highway and going about 65 or so for about 5 minutes til my destination. I don't think I need to do the tranny reset thing just yet, but it's nice to know it's there. I'm gonna drive her "differently" tomorrow and see what happens.

EBMCS03

Yup thats right. Drive it hard from the get go and the engine will be stronger. It breaks in the seals better. But with that said I still follow the break in procedure. I rather have a tad weaker longer lasting engine than a stronger shorter lasting engine.

06530-6M

Bimmer32, if you do truly believe that the car genuinely "learns" how the driver wants to drive, why not begin driving more aggressively after the requested break in period? It seems logical that if a car can become sluggish after a rather brief period of 'granny' driving, that the opposite would hold true as well. And this is a car that changed its behavior three years after you purchased it? See my point?

I don't think the break in period requires that you drive like a granny either, and when you consider the longevity that's built into these BMW's, it seems like a reasonably small portion of its lifetime.

I remember years ago that a friend counseled me on the 'proper driving' of a German car. That is, that they are engineered to 'perform,' not just as a vehicle to get from Point A to Point B. Therefore, I purposely drive it pretty aggressively in regard to high revving and such from time to time just to make sure that I'm not holding it back, and more importantly, to allow it to burn out carbon deposits, stay properly lubricated at all interior engine and transmission points, etc. This does not mean I'm tearing around corners at the limits of its adhesion, nor throwing it over unnecessary road imperfections -- it's more about letting the engine reach its revs-per-gear that are higher than I typically drive it. I definitely don't drive like a granny, but I don't drive it like an average testosterone-proving 17-year-old either.

In the end, however, this is your car and you should drive it and any future purchases the way that you desire.

My $.02 ...

tex_phil

You you explain this tranny reset, what does this involve actually. The shifts have been feeling a little strange a week after SB went in. Kinda sluggish at times, though that may be related to the 103 degree texas weather.

Bimmer32

1200 miles of sluggish driving is lot of time with the tranny. I don't think it can relearn without some type of reset. Actually, in the last few days, I've started with the aggressive 80-85 mph and quicker acceleration. At a couple of instances, the auto tranny shifted up (as if it thought I was giving it the granny acceleration) - early shift, but immediately downshifted for the acceleration. Very weird responses. Additionally, the tranny doesn't seem response as quick in stop/start acceleration and downshifting during highway speeds acceleration.

If psychology as anything to do with how I perceive the response from the car, it would appear that the car is more responsive after a few months of granny driving. It's quite the contrary. The car does not want to relearn. Perhaps a tranny reset might do something for it. I'm going to wait a few days (for some more testing) before I try the tranny reset procedure.

VT, age gets to everyone.