Dinan Advice - Do I pull the Trigger

[2007 to 2016 M6 Cab]

Big Brian, M6 Coupe, MrSugerskulls and all on the Forum

Victoria BMW is Now a Licensed Dinan Dealer ... so I assume no warrant issues

As you know as for perf mods I did the SS Catless Down Pipes, Akra Full Evo with CF tips, and custom 21s with 325 on rear

Now ... I only Get CEL on occasionally and the drivability is amazing!

Princess only has 4000 km and been parked since Sept 2015 due to rain and cold weather in Victoria BC Canada

Advice ...

a) Leave as is and enjoy
b) Dinan Stage 1
c) Dinan Stage 2

effects on reliability and Drivability?

Will I be happy?
Concerns?

Advice

Thanks Guys!

[dentaltech]

Has your service advisor said anything to you about the catless downpipes? Thats a big red-flag if your concerned about warranty issues.

[Gizmo 335i]

I know that having a warranty is very attractive but I'm not a fan of Dinan tunes. I had a stage 3 tune in a 335i that couldn't hold a candle to a pro-tuned Cobb setup for half the cost. The Dinan ran rich and was laggy too.

[2007 to 2016 M6 Cab]

Originally Posted by dentaltech

Has your service advisor said anything to you about the catless downpipes? Thats a big red-flag if your concerned about warranty issues.

NO ISSUE BRO!!!

They had the SS Catless Down Pipes in stock for another customer and they had installed them and within 1000 km he traded the car from a 2015 to 2016 M5 ... so they pulled the parts out and stored them till my Car came in as he didn't like the CEL issue on the 2015 with the SS Catless ... the Dealer installed them at the cost of labor to do so and said they will back it ... just as they will when they finally get licensed as a Dinan Dealership ... That was June 2015 as when I finally took Delivery of my 2016 M6 Cab

I have done many car deals and provided many referrals for this Dealer Group (German Auto Import Network ... they Own Three Point Motors, Victoria BMW, Audi of Victoria, Porsche Center Victoria, VW of Victoria, Subaru of Victoria, Fiat and Alpha of Victoria and the New Vancouver Island Motorsport Center) .. plus they and they staff are Dental Patients of Mine as well


See if the Warranty issue will be backed should an issue arise

[2007 to 2016 M6 Cab]

Originally Posted by Gizmo 335i

I know that having a warranty is very attractive but I'm not a fan of Dinan tunes. I had a stage 3 tune in a 335i that couldn't hold a candle to a pro-tuned Cobb setup for half the cost. The Dinan ran rich and was laggy too.

Good to know ... any ideas re an M6?

They suggested with my set up a Stage I will put down 680 hp and 644 ft lb

Stage II will do 693 Hp and 651 ft lb

Big Brian? M6Coup?

[Dinan_Engineering]

Originally Posted by 2007 to 2016 M6 Cab

Big Brian, M6 Coupe, MrSugerskulls and all on the Forum

Victoria BMW is Now a Licensed Dinan Dealer ... so I assume no warrant issues

As you know as for perf mods I did the SS Catless Down Pipes, Akra Full Evo with CF tips, and custom 21s with 325 on rear

Now ... I only Get CEL on occasionally and the drivability is amazing!

Princess only has 4000 km and been parked since Sept 2015 due to rain and cold weather in Victoria BC Canada

Advice ...

a) Leave as is and enjoy
b) Dinan Stage 1
c) Dinan Stage 2

effects on reliability and Drivability?

Will I be happy?
Concerns?

Advice

Thanks Guys!

I would just do stage 1 out of the gate. There will be minimal benefit on stage 2 without the intake. Not to mention you can always upgrade it to stage 2 for the difference in price if you feel you need the minor bump in power. With the CATless setup you will probably be making another ~15-20 HP over our advertised numbers if not more anyway. You will still have the CEL though but apparently that hasn't bothered you in the past.

Drivability wise you wont be disappointed although I am the vendor so you can take my recommendation with a grain of salt and just wait for others to chime in.

[2007 to 2016 M6 Cab]

Originally Posted by Dinan_Engineering

I would just do stage 1 out of the gate. There will be minimal benefit on stage 2 without the intake. Not to mention you can always upgrade it to stage 2 for the difference in price if you feel you need the minor bump in power. With the CATless setup you will probably be making another ~15-20 HP over our advertised numbers if not more anyway. You will still have the CEL though but apparently that hasn't bothered you in the past.

Drivability wise you wont be disappointed although I am the vendor so you can take my recommendation with a grain of salt and just wait for others to chime in.

Wonderful Advice!!!

Thank-you!

I will see what others feel, but most likely will do Stage I then!

Much Appreciated!

[Gizmo 335i]

Originally Posted by 2007 to 2016 M6 Cab

Good to know ... any ideas re an M6?

They suggested with my set up a Stage I will put down 680 hp and 644 ft lb

Stage II will do 693 Hp and 651 ft lb

Big Brian? M6Coup?

Hmmm...looks like Dinan is the only game in town for an M6. Not surprising as the market likely isn't anywhere near as robust as that of the 3&4 series.
The power gains look pretty good and the warranty should give you some peace of mind.

[2007 to 2016 M6 Cab]

Originally Posted by Gizmo 335i

Hmmm...looks like Dinan is the only game in town for an M6. Not surprising as the market likely isn't anywhere near as robust as that of the 3&4 series.
The power gains look pretty good and the warranty should give you some peace of mind.

Good points for sure!

Thanks!

I will probably do it after the first 1000 km the car is out .. or the first yearly maintenance and oil change

[kris1858]

Originally Posted by 2007 to 2016 M6 Cab

Big Brian, M6 Coupe, MrSugerskulls and all on the Forum

Victoria BMW is Now a Licensed Dinan Dealer ... so I assume no warrant issues

As you know as for perf mods I did the SS Catless Down Pipes, Akra Full Evo with CF tips, and custom 21s with 325 on rear

Now ... I only Get CEL on occasionally and the drivability is amazing!

Princess only has 4000 km and been parked since Sept 2015 due to rain and cold weather in Victoria BC Canada

Advice ...

a) Leave as is and enjoy
b) Dinan Stage 1
c) Dinan Stage 2

effects on reliability and Drivability?

Will I be happy?
Concerns?

Advice

Thanks Guys!

I have Stage II Dinan installed. Although a dyno to the wheels came up with about 570 hp / 535 ft/lb tq, I think that is enough power to really enjoy the car; very driveable..
I have experienced drivetrain malfunctions, but they are few and far between. Was installed in July 2015 and I have had just 1 random malfunction. (Just don't let anyone unplug the piggyback ECU or it will get damaged)
Any issues and Dinan is all over it, well worth the warranty.

Not sure what extra HP you will get with DPs since Dinan only tests with OEM catted DPs.

[2007 to 2016 M6 Cab]

Originally Posted by kris1858

I have Stage II Dinan installed. Although a dyno to the wheels came up with about 570 hp / 535 ft/lb tq, I think that is enough power to really enjoy the car; very driveable..
I have experienced drivetrain malfunctions, but they are few and far between. Was installed in July 2015 and I have had just 1 random malfunction. (Just don't let anyone unplug the piggyback ECU or it will get damaged)
Any issues and Dinan is all over it, well worth the warranty.

Not sure what extra HP you will get with DPs since Dinan only tests with OEM catted DPs.

WOW

That is good to know as this will be my summer daily driver topless! (if it would ever stop raining)

[dentaltech]

Originally Posted by 2007 to 2016 M6 Cab

NO ISSUE BRO!!!

They had the SS Catless Down Pipes in stock for another customer and they had installed them and within 1000 km he traded the car from a 2015 to 2016 M5 ... so they pulled the parts out and stored them till my Car came in as he didn't like the CEL issue on the 2015 with the SS Catless ... the Dealer installed them at the cost of labor to do so and said they will back it ... just as they will when they finally get licensed as a Dinan Dealership ... That was June 2015 as when I finally took Delivery of my 2016 M6 Cab

I have done many car deals and provided many referrals for this Dealer Group (German Auto Import Network ... they Own Three Point Motors, Victoria BMW, Audi of Victoria, Porsche Center Victoria, VW of Victoria, Subaru of Victoria, Fiat and Alpha of Victoria and the New Vancouver Island Motorsport Center) .. plus they and they staff are Dental Patients of Mine as well


See if the Warranty issue will be backed should an issue arise

Thats Awesome, first I have ever heard a dealer supporting CATLESS DP.

Are you a GP or specialist?

[2007 to 2016 M6 Cab]

Originally Posted by dentaltech

Thats Awesome, first I have ever heard a dealer supporting CATLESS DP.

Are you a GP or specialist?

Military Trained General Dentist, now in Private Practice since 2007 ... don't refer much out

You?

[dentaltech]

I have a little lab in So Cal that specializes in full mouth implant restorations.

[M6-Coupe]

Well I know I am in minority here but since you asked me to say something let me take advantage and share my opinion with you .
As an Electrical Design Engineer with over 20 years of design experience I believe when a team of expert engineers design an amazing car, they think about every single component and consider every single specification to build a car on a purpose. when I design a hardware, I usually consider some overhead (to satisfy the worst case scenario) to make sure the system is robust enough to maintain unwanted events but there are many things you need to consider before you go forward. Back to our cars, I believe the current S63tu has more capability than 600 HP but it is not just engine. You need to pay attention to the other components including DCT, Differential, Brakes, Suspensions and etc. For example the DCT on our cars is manufactured by GETRAG as 7DCI700 rated to 700 NM (516 lb-ft). Germans are so conservative so basically 20% underrated spec is normal; therefore you can rely on 600 lb-ft if you want to tune your car. I have no idea about the spec of M Active differential, rear axles (as the other parts of drivetrain) or fully aluminum suspension.

If you search over M5post, you can see many people have weird issues including broken axle, slippery clutch, transmission issue or malfunction drivetrain error message and you will be surprised to understand the majority of those cars are tuned!
Here is one example:
http://f10.m5post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1075579
The thread was started with polling and 168 people participated. over 126 stock car, 100 owners did not experience any malfunction error while over 42 tuned car, 30 of them had drivetrain problem...

You also might be interested to read some threads and get some ideas from people who already experienced them before you pull the trigger. Here you can find some of them:
http://f10.m5post.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=438

So after that long rant If you still really want to tune your car (I would not do that but it's just me) the wise decision is to rely on someone who takes the responsibility of those issues in case something goes wrong; with this I would say stage 1 Dinan make sense for you due to Dinan's warranty ... Stage 2 is too much money with minimal benefit (1-2% ?) which is not significant...

Anyway, Goodluck with your decision and hope you enjoy your ride in my second country

[2007 to 2016 M6 Cab]

Originally Posted by M6-Coupe

Well I know I am in minority here but since you asked me to say something let me take advantage and share my opinion with you .
As an Electrical Design Engineer with over 20 years of design experience I believe when a team of expert engineers design an amazing car, they think about every single component and consider every single specification to build a car on a purpose. when I design a hardware, I usually consider some overhead (to satisfy the worst case scenario) to make sure the system is robust enough to maintain unwanted events but there are many things you need to consider before you go forward. Back to our cars, I believe the current S63tu has more capability than 600 HP but it is not just engine. You need to pay attention to the other components including DCT, Differential, Brakes, Suspensions and etc. For example the DCT on our cars is manufactured by GETRAG as 7DCI700 rated to 700 NM (516 lb-ft). Germans are so conservative so basically 20% underrated spec is normal; therefore you can rely on 600 lb-ft if you want to tune your car. I have no idea about the spec of M Active differential, rear axles (as the other parts of drivetrain) or fully aluminum suspension.

If you search over M5post, you can see many people have weird issues including broken axle, slippery clutch, transmission issue or malfunction drivetrain error message and you will be surprised to understand the majority of those cars are tuned!
Here is one example:
http://f10.m5post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1075579
The thread was started with polling and 168 people participated. over 126 stock car, 100 owners did not experience any malfunction error while over 42 tuned car, 30 of them had drivetrain problem...

You also might be interested to read some threads and get some ideas from people who already experienced them before you pull the trigger. Here you can find some of them:
http://f10.m5post.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=438

So after that long rant If you still really want to tune your car (I would not do that but it's just me) the wise decision is to rely on someone who takes the responsibility of those issues in case something goes wrong; with this I would say stage 1 Dinan make sense for you due to Dinan's warranty ... Stage 2 is too much money with minimal benefit (1-2% ?) which is not significant...

Anyway, Goodluck with your decision and hope you enjoy your ride in my second country

You never fail to impress!!!

Many good and well thought out relavent points! Yeah, reliability and daily drivability are key factors to consider ... Bolt on parts have always been good in my experience ... Other than hyper tech tuning on our 2002 chev suburban, all other cars got bolt on perf parts or aesthetic additions

We have never had an issue with any car re reliability or safety to date ... And yes I have read about the drive train malfunctions and broken axles on many threads ... Thus the question from those much wiser and more experienced in such matters ... I will likely track the car but as a cab never crazy ... Will get a alpha Romeo C4 for that or porsche Cayman ... So enormous steroid car power not a necessity ... Sorry BigBrian ... I am amazed at all you have done with your car and can only look and ( turning my little A to a DD ) ... Nice picture of you by the way in your last threat, makes me think the M6 coup maybe to tiny for a man of your stature

With a busy lifestyle, kids under 9 years, crazy busy practice I don't want down time with my toys ... I had a three piece 22 inch custom rim that started to leak after a pot hole and that sucked ... Down time ... Swapping rims etc etc then getting the warranty repair

Thus why I ask what others think and have experienced ... Cost is not the issue ... Reliability is key and warranty should the change cause a problem!!!


Many good points as I would expect from you M6-Coup thank you!

BigBrian ... What modes did you need to utilize the Goliath power you have harnessed so as not to twist your amazing ride like a towel being rung out?


Much respect to all ... I intent to keep my cabs for at least 7 years and put 5000 km per year on them ... Other cars swap out every 2 to 4


Any other advice and experience from others?

Thanks

[2007 to 2016 M6 Cab]

Originally Posted by Dinan_Engineering

I would just do stage 1 out of the gate. There will be minimal benefit on stage 2 without the intake. Not to mention you can always upgrade it to stage 2 for the difference in price if you feel you need the minor bump in power. With the CATless setup you will probably be making another ~15-20 HP over our advertised numbers if not more anyway. You will still have the CEL though but apparently that hasn't bothered you in the past.

Drivability wise you wont be disappointed although I am the vendor so you can take my recommendation with a grain of salt and just wait for others to chime in.

What has been the incidence of DT Malfuction error codes wth stage I, what was the problem and or remedy as this seems to be much the concern on this and other threads as the car will do road trips to and from the lake in the summers as well as a highway cruiser

There seems to be some issues ... Not sure if tune related or (loonie tunes) anvil right foot syndrome ... And higher Hp and torque numbers facilitating the issues ???

[2007 to 2016 M6 Cab]

Originally Posted by dentaltech

I have a little lab in So Cal that specializes in full mouth implant restorations.

Life and business is good for you by the sounds of it!

Always nice to see all of us I the dental world doing very well and enjoying life!


Talk soon

[Dinan_Engineering]

Originally Posted by 2007 to 2016 M6 Cab

What has been the incidence of DT Malfuction error codes wth stage I, what was the problem and or remedy as this seems to be much the concern on this and other threads as the car will do road trips to and from the lake in the summers as well as a highway cruiser

There seems to be some issues ... Not sure if tune related or (loonie tunes) anvil right foot syndrome ... And higher Hp and torque numbers facilitating the issues ???

In the early part of the release there was some intake related issues with stage 2 being as how BMW saw it fit to have 3 different styles of lower air boxes that changed air flow for all the styles but once those were resolved 95% of the problem cars went away. The stage 1 tune though at this point is about as stable as it can get and shouldn't give any DT malfuction codes at any point. The few that have come up between the various stages on the platform have been rare and isolated and typically not related to the tune. The vast majority of which were actually ultimately a result of marginal fuel pumps (shocker I know) that the dealer troubleshot and replaced. After being replaced the problem never returned.

[Twitch Massacre]

My only issue with the Dinan tune is that your spending a large amount of money for you car to still be slower than another M6 with a $500 tune.

[2007 to 2016 M6 Cab]

Originally Posted by Twitch Massacre

My only issue with the Dinan tune is that your spending a large amount of money for you car to still be slower than another M6 with a $500 tune.

Thanks ... good to know!

[2007 to 2016 M6 Cab]

Ok ... Dinan Stage II unit installed today ... Dinan CF Air-intake goes in soon .. they didn't have the template to cut the front end under the hood to accomodate the parts ...

The drive home today ... No CEL ... and in second gear a little tap and the traction control light kicks in and I feel a slight hop in the rear end as I get on the highway on ramp and start accelerating ...

Seems to be a bit more eager to spin the rear tires .. definatley feel a bit more of a punch as we accelerate!

I will kepp you posted as the intakes go in ... and then get the pics uploaded of the exhust set-up and the Dinan ...

Talk soon ... and thanks for all who had wise words to help with this decision!

Cheers!!