How did you break in your C63?
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MBWorld Fanatic!
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'20 GLC300 SUV
How did you break in your C63?
I don't intend for this thread to degrade into a battle over whether or not the Mercedes recommended break-in procedure or a "hard" break-in is best. That topic has been absolutely beaten to death.
I just wanted various owners to chime in and share how they drove their C63 for the first 1,000-1,200 miles.
I just wanted various owners to chime in and share how they drove their C63 for the first 1,000-1,200 miles.
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2020 GLE450
Followed the MB recommended procedure for the most part. I did use the manual option to be able to control the rpm's and be able to vary the engine speed while driving. Also, towards the end of the break-in period, I would gradually revved the engine a little more beyond the 4,500 rpm limit each time (but never anywhere near redline). Speed never exceeded ~90 mph. Once the initial 1,200 miles were up, I continued the gradual increase in engine and road speed but at a quicker pace.
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Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Pacific NW
AMG GT-R
I basically drove it like I normally would, with the expection I tried to vary the RPMs on the highway rather than staying at a constant RPM. I wasn't afraid to let the engine kick down and take it up to 6k, but I only let it redline once or twice during the first 1000 mi.
But I think the general consensus is the break in period is more for the tranny than the engine.
But I think the general consensus is the break in period is more for the tranny than the engine.
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Newbie
Joined: Jul 2007
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From: New Jersey
2009 C63 AMG Black/Black
I'm in the process now (730 miles). I do 90% highway driving and vary my speeds between 65-85MPH. I don't think I have gone over 3500 RPM's yet. I'm actually averaging 18.4 MPG.
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MBWorld Fanatic!
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'20 GLC300 SUV
Thanks for all of the responses. I just don't know if I would be able to restrain myself and go strictly by the book. Although, I'm sure I'd do my best to follow the Mercedes recommended procedure as much as possible.
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From: Ny
Anything W/4Wheels
i went sideways out the dealer. car had about 11 or 17 miles not sure. oh yea i for got to mention i changed my 1st set of times very very early. now im on my 4th set 15000 miles on my car.
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Joined: Nov 2008
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none
I actually took it mostly easy during the break in period (mostly
). Except I did it in just three days, so there's that.Since then, well, most of SoCal now knows the thunder that is a Mercedes M156 V8... lol.
Member
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 93
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C63
Our 6.2 engines are unique in that they are the first engines with the new twin-wire-arc-sprayed (TWAS) cylinder bore coating. And since Mercedes is the first and only company to be building engines with this process, only they could tell us what break in process works the best. All our opinions are just speculation.
To answer your question, In spite of the above fact, I still cycled the engine repeatedly with moderate load and revs the first 800km/500miles, then increased the load and RPM until I was briefly maxing the engine out after I hit around 1500km/1000 miles. I also used manual shifting right off the bat and would cycle the tranny up and down through the gears. After 1600km I have run it hard and since I shift manually, the revs are kept up around 2500 to 4000 most of the time.
What some of us should do is get leak down tests done on our cars, that would be interesting. That would tell us how well these 6.2’s are built. As I have a leak down tester I may take it with me to the dealer some day the car is in for service and get them to test it. I’ll have to remember that.
Heres a few relevant links that may be of interest;
http://www.aa1car.com/library/plateau_finish.htm
And the twas coating;
http://www.whnet.com/4x4/eas.html
To answer your question, In spite of the above fact, I still cycled the engine repeatedly with moderate load and revs the first 800km/500miles, then increased the load and RPM until I was briefly maxing the engine out after I hit around 1500km/1000 miles. I also used manual shifting right off the bat and would cycle the tranny up and down through the gears. After 1600km I have run it hard and since I shift manually, the revs are kept up around 2500 to 4000 most of the time.
What some of us should do is get leak down tests done on our cars, that would be interesting. That would tell us how well these 6.2’s are built. As I have a leak down tester I may take it with me to the dealer some day the car is in for service and get them to test it. I’ll have to remember that.
Heres a few relevant links that may be of interest;
http://www.aa1car.com/library/plateau_finish.htm
And the twas coating;
http://www.whnet.com/4x4/eas.html
Super Member
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 506
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From: Budapest
Cayenne Turbo
Do you think they break in the test-cars??
I've been to AUDI Road Show this year. They visited most big cities in Hungary, where brand new Audi S8 - RS6 - S6 RS4 - etc were being "raped" (by clients like me) on an airports and racetracks.
Now the are all offered for sale in Audi showrooms as LOW MILEAGE test cars.... I would never buy a test-car like these...
I've been to AUDI Road Show this year. They visited most big cities in Hungary, where brand new Audi S8 - RS6 - S6 RS4 - etc were being "raped" (by clients like me) on an airports and racetracks.
Now the are all offered for sale in Audi showrooms as LOW MILEAGE test cars.... I would never buy a test-car like these...
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Posts: 165
Likes: 1
C63 AMG
This is what I don't get. You are supposed to follow the break in period, however I drove both a new E63 (original intent of going to dealer) and the C63 (what I ended up buying.) On both test rides, I hammered on the cars from the minute I pulled out of the dealer with the salesman in the front seat. He insisted on it. Then, they pulled out another color E63, and the salesman had it sideways in the parking lot of the dealership. That being said, unless you get a car with absolutely 0 miles on the ODO when you buy it, chances are anyone who test drove it or the sales staff have put it to the floor. My C63 had 3 miles on the ODO when I test drove it. I put 10 miles on it during the test drive and the pedal was to the floor the whole time.
That begs the question: IF there was significant cause for concern of something breaking, wouldn't MB regional sales training insist on making sure that the AMG cars are driven lightly during test drives to avoid potential warranty costs?
But to answer the original question of the thread. I drove it like I stole it, and still do. From the time I left the dealer (14 miles on it) to my current 3300 miles the car has been in sport mode, I need a new set of tires, and the pedal has gone to the floor as much as traffic allows both from a dead stop and on the e-way. I've used manual a few times. I drove the car like my daily trip to work (63 miles one way) was an F1 race. Haven't changed the oil yet, dealer says at 10K miles. Haven't done anything but drive the crap out of it. Its under warranty, and I'll have a new car by the time warranty is up. Afterall, I bought an AMG for a reason. If I wanted to take it easy on my car, I would have opted for a standard E class.
That begs the question: IF there was significant cause for concern of something breaking, wouldn't MB regional sales training insist on making sure that the AMG cars are driven lightly during test drives to avoid potential warranty costs?
But to answer the original question of the thread. I drove it like I stole it, and still do. From the time I left the dealer (14 miles on it) to my current 3300 miles the car has been in sport mode, I need a new set of tires, and the pedal has gone to the floor as much as traffic allows both from a dead stop and on the e-way. I've used manual a few times. I drove the car like my daily trip to work (63 miles one way) was an F1 race. Haven't changed the oil yet, dealer says at 10K miles. Haven't done anything but drive the crap out of it. Its under warranty, and I'll have a new car by the time warranty is up. Afterall, I bought an AMG for a reason. If I wanted to take it easy on my car, I would have opted for a standard E class.
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Joined: Jun 2003
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From: Houston, Texas - USA
2009 C63 AMG
This is what I don't get. You are supposed to follow the break in period, however I drove both a new E63 (original intent of going to dealer) and the C63 (what I ended up buying.) On both test rides, I hammered on the cars from the minute I pulled out of the dealer with the salesman in the front seat. He insisted on it. Then, they pulled out another color E63, and the salesman had it sideways in the parking lot of the dealership. That being said, unless you get a car with absolutely 0 miles on the ODO when you buy it, chances are anyone who test drove it or the sales staff have put it to the floor. My C63 had 3 miles on the ODO when I test drove it. I put 10 miles on it during the test drive and the pedal was to the floor the whole time.
That begs the question: IF there was significant cause for concern of something breaking, wouldn't MB regional sales training insist on making sure that the AMG cars are driven lightly during test drives to avoid potential warranty costs?
But to answer the original question of the thread. I drove it like I stole it, and still do. From the time I left the dealer (14 miles on it) to my current 3300 miles the car has been in sport mode, I need a new set of tires, and the pedal has gone to the floor as much as traffic allows both from a dead stop and on the e-way. I've used manual a few times. I drove the car like my daily trip to work (63 miles one way) was an F1 race. Haven't changed the oil yet, dealer says at 10K miles. Haven't done anything but drive the crap out of it. Its under warranty, and I'll have a new car by the time warranty is up. Afterall, I bought an AMG for a reason. If I wanted to take it easy on my car, I would have opted for a standard E class.
That begs the question: IF there was significant cause for concern of something breaking, wouldn't MB regional sales training insist on making sure that the AMG cars are driven lightly during test drives to avoid potential warranty costs?
But to answer the original question of the thread. I drove it like I stole it, and still do. From the time I left the dealer (14 miles on it) to my current 3300 miles the car has been in sport mode, I need a new set of tires, and the pedal has gone to the floor as much as traffic allows both from a dead stop and on the e-way. I've used manual a few times. I drove the car like my daily trip to work (63 miles one way) was an F1 race. Haven't changed the oil yet, dealer says at 10K miles. Haven't done anything but drive the crap out of it. Its under warranty, and I'll have a new car by the time warranty is up. Afterall, I bought an AMG for a reason. If I wanted to take it easy on my car, I would have opted for a standard E class.
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Joined: Sep 2007
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From: Essex County, NJ
2011 E350 Sport 4Matic - P2 & Drivers Assist / 2010 C300 Sport 4Matic - P2 / 2013 Porsche Cayenne S
The other reason why you are encouraged to drive like a loonatic is to experience the AMG feeling. Would you buy an expensive car because the dealer showed you a piece of paper with impressive numbers on it ? How about it if he tells you how awesome the power is once you have broken it it ? No sane person would. They are willing to depreciate a few vehicles because they can make the price of them back by purchases.
I don't care what you've heard from who. You can't just get into a car and floor it and expect everything to work fine all the time. You don't get out of bed in the morning running, you need some time to wake up and so does your car. You need to turn it on and drive a few miles until the engine warms up, the oil and transmission fluid come up to temp and the air in the tires expand brining the tire pressure up to operating levels. The Lexus IS-F and BMW M3 do not even allow the driver to start flogging the car around until it is warmed up properly. What makes you think its OK to do it in a Mercedes ?
Senior Member
Joined: May 2008
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From: Houston, TX
2009 C63 K1
Followed break-in and got mine on order so only dealer staff drove it, who knows how they treated it. I told my salesman that I would not buy it if it had over 8 miles on it or if it was taken on test drive. He had to take it to get the windows tinted so I knew there would be some miles on it. I also checked with the service department to see how many miles they would put on it during prep and they said they just drive it around the block. I guess I was kinda crazy about the treatment of the car before I even owned it.
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From: asdfasdf
One with 4 wheels
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From: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
SLS Irridium silver,2014 GL350 BT Irridium, 2015 White Dodge RAM Hemi Quad
Our 6.2 engines are unique in that they are the first engines with the new twin-wire-arc-sprayed (TWAS) cylinder bore coating. And since Mercedes is the first and only company to be building engines with this process, only they could tell us what break in process works the best. All our opinions are just speculation.
To answer your question, In spite of the above fact, I still cycled the engine repeatedly with moderate load and revs the first 800km/500miles, then increased the load and RPM until I was briefly maxing the engine out after I hit around 1500km/1000 miles. I also used manual shifting right off the bat and would cycle the tranny up and down through the gears. After 1600km I have run it hard and since I shift manually, the revs are kept up around 2500 to 4000 most of the time.
What some of us should do is get leak down tests done on our cars, that would be interesting. That would tell us how well these 6.2’s are built. As I have a leak down tester I may take it with me to the dealer some day the car is in for service and get them to test it. I’ll have to remember that.
Heres a few relevant links that may be of interest;
http://www.aa1car.com/library/plateau_finish.htm
And the twas coating;
http://www.whnet.com/4x4/eas.html
To answer your question, In spite of the above fact, I still cycled the engine repeatedly with moderate load and revs the first 800km/500miles, then increased the load and RPM until I was briefly maxing the engine out after I hit around 1500km/1000 miles. I also used manual shifting right off the bat and would cycle the tranny up and down through the gears. After 1600km I have run it hard and since I shift manually, the revs are kept up around 2500 to 4000 most of the time.
What some of us should do is get leak down tests done on our cars, that would be interesting. That would tell us how well these 6.2’s are built. As I have a leak down tester I may take it with me to the dealer some day the car is in for service and get them to test it. I’ll have to remember that.
Heres a few relevant links that may be of interest;
http://www.aa1car.com/library/plateau_finish.htm
And the twas coating;
http://www.whnet.com/4x4/eas.html
