New user here. Picking up my C300 Sport w/ manual, P2, AMG wheels, iPod kit on Saturday (counting down the seconds) and was just wondering what the recommended break-in period is?

 

book says 1000mi...but you will hear varying opinions on the subject if you search the forum.

IMHO, 1000mi isn't that long just to be safe.

 

Congrats on your first post...I think i posted the same questions a couple of months ago, after i bought my c350, there should be a thread on just that, check it out.

 

In my opinion, modern cars are built to such exact specifications these days that a break-in period is rather unnecessary. Having said that, however, I DID go through a break-in period for my car, just like I've done with my other new car purchases. I super closely watched my RPMs in the first 500 miles, let it rise to around 2500~2750 RPM between the 500 and 1000 miles mark, then at around 1500 miles began exploring 4000-5000 RPMs. My first WOT run was at around 2800 miles. I mashed the shifts a bit in the excitement (I, too, have a manual trans) and slightly burned the clutch. dumbarse.

Just don't run it like you rented it until around 1000~1500 miles, and you should be fine.

And always remember, don't push it so hard off the line when you first start the car in the morning (or any time the engine is cold) even after the break-in period. You wouldn't expect a person to be able to get up at 5 AM and immediately start running full speed and not hurt himself somehow. Your car needs a little time (when the engine is cold) to get going, and to get all the oils heated up and distributed through the system. I generally drive it like a grandma for about a quarter mile on my way to the highway entrance in the mornings. By the time I get there, the engine temp is at full operating temps, and I feel ready to push it a bit.

Congratulations on your purchase and on your fine choice in transmission. Coming from a line of manual cars, I must say that this drivetrain (C300 engine and manual transmission) is one of the more satisfying combinations. It's probably one of the best I've driven in terms of driver enjoyment, save for some Honda butter boxes that just cannot be beat. I only wish that the C350 were available with manual transmission; I would have bought that in a heartbeat. I didn't even test-drive a C350 because I knew I wouldn't be buying one. Why Mercedes won't offer manuals in its top models (as the darkside aka BMW does) is quite beyond me.

M-B needs to wake the hell up off the high and mighty pedestal.

 

This is so true.... opinions range from "drive it like you've got a bucketful of water on the passenger seat" to not worrying about break-in and drive it how you like it.

I belong to the latter. Life's too short. I've always driven the car how I like it, but then again I'm normally quite kind to the car and seldom drive it to extreme. I push pedal to metal if needed when overtaking, and take it easy at other times. Never had any problems.

 

When i got mine the dealer told me there wasnt a break in. That they did that at the factory on a dyno (its automatic if that makes a difference).

 

the tech at MB said nowadays there is no need to break-in, just drive normally, but in the manual it says 1500km...

what I'm doing now is drive normally until I hit 1500km...doesn't hurt to drive safe for that first little bit anyways...