Gas mileage will improve as the engine breaks in. Avoid highway driving for the first few hundred miles.

Why avoid highway driving? Does it matter?

The manual says to simply not rev about 4,500 rpm or drive past 100 mph for first 1200 miles.

Is there something I'm missing? Kinda like how people who plan on keeping their cars for a long period would do a oil change at around 1200-1500 miles (though not mentioned by the manual or dealer).

You want to vary the engine speed as much as possible during break-in. The other thing to do during break-in would be to use manual mode when slowing down. Downshift, and use engine braking to slow down.

I think I heard that it is important to vary engine speed as much as possible. But I have no idea why. Do you know why it's important to do so?

Also doesn't downshifting and using engine braking cause the rpms to go past 4500 rpm? or am I just suppose to time the downshifts properly so that the jump in rpm while downshifting will not cause this to happen.

To vary the engine speed, you have to accelerate and decelerate the engine. When you accelerate, you use more throttle= more heat= more pressure on the rings.

The best thing to do is to just use 2nd or 3rd gear and make short bursts of hard acceleration to 4,500, then engine brake.

Thanxs for the tips!

I think I got a pretty good deal. It took a while though. I got $500 over invoice (including Training) plus the $625 bank fee that they would NOT budge on. It was actually the bank fee issue that lead to the $500 over. We were at $1000 over and I just couldn't get around paying the bank fee as part of my capitalized cost. That's when they dropped it another $500. At the end of the day I'm at $853 with $2,400 down on a 3 year deal. I'm paying $100 less than the MBZ E500 that I'm turning it and I think I'm getting MUCH more car for the $$. I know I left some $ on the table but not much. At the end of the day you just have to get the deal done. The car MSRP'd for $66 and change and the CAP cost was $61 and change. The first quote was $990/month taking only $2,500 off the MSRP. PM me if you want the sales guy that I dealt with.

:thumbup:

congrats, nice ride

gratzi