[SuckMy_Nick]

Okay, so I asked a similar question before but it didn't give me answers (and can't find any posts about my question)

How hard can you push an 328xi? Do people actually race them, or can the car not handle this type of driving?.. The reason I ask is because I drive my car pretty hard, so would call it abuse.. I tend to rev my RPMs high, i enjoy the occasional adrenalin from speed.. Now can these cars take that? (Over time I know it will obviously not be good for the car but I'm asking if this car can handle it for the mean time)

I ask alot of questions but I'm sure other people wonder too xD

[Delta0311]

This is a BMW not a Ford Pinto, the car was built for driving at high speeds. As long as you maintain the car well, let it properly warm up, and don't over rev it will last you a long time.

[3_runner]

Spirited driving(within reason) on the back roads or highway should not damage your car. Some have raced their xi and have damaged the TC. There is a soft metal gear that wears with excessive heat. This is the only thing you should be concerned with. There is a great thread on the xi section of the forum that discusses this in detail.

[alexwhittemore]

Originally Posted by Delta0311

This is a BMW not a Ford Pinto, the car was built for driving at high speeds. As long as you maintain the car well, let it properly warm up, and don't over rev it will last you a long time.

Agree with the exception of letting it properly warm up. If it's CRAZY cold, the most you'd have to do is drive it slow (<50mph) for a minute before you unleash it on the highway. Otherwise, it's mostly just wasteful to let it 'warm up'.

[WOT Bimmer]

Originally Posted by alexwhittemore

Agree with the exception of letting it properly warm up. If it's CRAZY cold, the most you'd have to do is drive it slow (<50mph) for a minute before you unleash it on the highway. Otherwise, it's mostly just wasteful to let it 'warm up'.

Can someone please expound upon "over revving"?

[alexwhittemore]

Originally Posted by kd8ksn

Can someone please expound upon "over revving"?

Unrelated to anything that's been mentioned so far - if you have a manual transmission, you can "money shift." If you accidentally downshift at speed into a gear such that the wheels, via the new gear, rev the engine above the redline, you can blow out the engine or transmission.

see: silly ricer money shifts

[MonsterM]

Originally Posted by alexwhittemore

Agree with the exception of letting it properly warm up. If it's CRAZY cold, the most you'd have to do is drive it slow (<50mph) for a minute before you unleash it on the highway. Otherwise, it's mostly just wasteful to let it 'warm up'.

I am curious about "warming" up the car myself. The other day I let my friend drive my car (the car was parked with the engine running for about 10-15 min since it was about 20 degrees outside). He drove it for about 1.5 - 2 miles and then redlined it while merging on the highway and the car shifted at 7K. IMO it just did not feel right.

[DUI Elite]

If you run it hard, use the same attitude with maintenance.

Be hard on preventative maintenance and she'll keep you happy for years.

[Delta0311]

Originally Posted by DUI Elite

If you run it hard, use the same attitude with maintenance.

Be hard on preventative maintenance and she'll keep you happy for years.

Amen to that.


Your quote should appear right as you logon to this site.

[Phil325i]

I have a feeling the ECU is programmed to reduce power when the engine is cold. During the 'warm up' period my engine feels like it is 'holding back'. Think I read somewhere this might be the case.

Still think you'd be crazy to redline it while cold...

[alexwhittemore]

Originally Posted by Phil325i

Still think you'd be crazy to redline it while cold...

You for sure would be. But after sitting in the driveway for 20-30m (which is ULTRA wasteful), it's definitely not "cold" anymore.

[kamek]

Originally Posted by MonsterM

I am curious about "warming" up the car myself. The other day I let my friend drive my car (the car was parked with the engine running for about 10-15 min since it was about 20 degrees outside). He drove it for about 1.5 - 2 miles and then redlined it while merging on the highway and the car shifted at 7K. IMO it just did not feel right.

Idling your car for that long is a huge waste, and it also isn't good. Nothing you stated in your post is good...

[Delta0311]

Originally Posted by MonsterM

I am curious about "warming" up the car myself. The other day I let my friend drive my car (the car was parked with the engine running for about 10-15 min since it was about 20 degrees outside). He drove it for about 1.5 - 2 miles and then redlined it while merging on the highway and the car shifted at 7K. IMO it just did not feel right.

Ok that's just retarded. Start the car and let the RPMS settle at around 600 and then drive off, this takes about a minute or 2 depending on temp. Then just let the car shift at around 3-4k RPMs for the first few miles. After that you can start to play around.

Idling your engine for 10min is just freaking stupid and bad for the car. Redlining after driving for like 2min is also a bad idea.

[alexwhittemore]

Originally Posted by Delta0311

Ok that's just retarded. Start the car and let the RPMS settle at around 600 and then drive off, this takes about a minute or 2 depending on temp. Then just let the car shift at around 3-4k RPMs for the first few miles. After that you can start to play around.

Idling your engine for 10min is just freaking stupid and bad for the car. Redlining after driving for like 2min is also a bad idea.

pretty much /thread. I'd argue waiting until 600 to drive off is unnecessary, just baby it for the first 30s. If it's balls-frozen-to-the-flagpole cold, let it warm up for maybe 10-20s tops.

[MonsterM]

Originally Posted by Delta0311

Ok that's just retarded. Start the car and let the RPMS settle at around 600 and then drive off, this takes about a minute or 2 depending on temp. Then just let the car shift at around 3-4k RPMs for the first few miles. After that you can start to play around.

Idling your engine for 10min is just freaking stupid and bad for the car. Redlining after driving for like 2min is also a bad idea.

I am not concerned with letting the engine idle for few minutes in winter months. I spend a lot of time driving in bumper to bumper traffic anyways. Besides it takes forever for the interior to warm up when it is cold out and when I have my daughter in the car I don't want her to be cold. I was more concerned with redlining the engine after driving for about 2 miles.

[Rival]

Originally Posted by DUI Elite

If you run it hard, use the same attitude with maintenance.

Be hard on preventative maintenance and she'll keep you happy for years.

this....

if you beat it long enough it will break. Stay ahead on what it will need and you ll be fine. driving to the limits costs money.....ask me how i know?


or settle down a bit and follow the schedule for the most part.

[SuckMy_Nick]

I'm very forward on maintenance.. oil changes before necessary, and I'm always checking my engine.. I drive hard but I do take care of my e92.. Thanks for the comments everyone.. I just like to make sure

And for the "warming" everyone's talking about, I let my car drop to about 600 RPM before taking off

[N8N]

Originally Posted by MonsterM

I am curious about "warming" up the car myself. The other day I let my friend drive my car (the car was parked with the engine running for about 10-15 min since it was about 20 degrees outside). He drove it for about 1.5 - 2 miles and then redlined it while merging on the highway and the car shifted at 7K. IMO it just did not feel right.

It's all about the oil temp. If the oil temp is up the engine should be OK. that said letting the car idle will not warm up the transmission fluid, gear oil in the rear end, etc. so better to drive it gently until the oil temp comes up, then go for the redline.

Now a whole 'nother thread could probably be started as to exactly how warm the oil should be before you spin it out...

[MonsterM]

Originally Posted by N8N

It's all about the oil temp. If the oil temp is up the engine should be OK. that said letting the car idle will not warm up the transmission fluid, gear oil in the rear end, etc. so better to drive it gently until the oil temp comes up, then go for the redline.

Now a whole 'nother thread could probably be started as to exactly how warm the oil should be before you spin it out...

I completely understand. I just wish my engineer friend was in the same boat before he drove my car lol.

[RicheyBMW]

After reading this thread, I need to start pushing my car more haha. I just drive regular but never really floored it or did any spirited driving. I hardly ever put it in sports mode either. Guess I need to start taking advantage and enjoy my car at it's potential.

[alexwhittemore]

Originally Posted by RicheyBMW

After reading this thread, I need to start pushing my car more haha. I just drive regular but never really floored it or did any spirited driving. I hardly ever put it in sports mode either. Guess I need to start taking advantage and enjoy my car at it's potential.

It turns out that, when they put those 230 ponies under the hood, they expected you to actually use them, and not just the 30 it takes to do 70mph on the highway.

[DUI Elite]

Originally Posted by RicheyBMW

After reading this thread, I need to start pushing my car more haha. I just drive regular but never really floored it or did any spirited driving. I hardly ever put it in sports mode either. Guess I need to start taking advantage and enjoy my car at it's potential.

Nothing wrong with being gentle on your baby.

I'm pretty "gentle" but when I open up (few times every now and again, even within the same trip), its pretty aggressive.