[vgame64]

This is a quick writeup of the Dinan Stage 2.

Today I met up with local member cmurphy335e92 at my local Toyota dealership and we went for a couple of runs in his car and then stopped off to take a few pics (iPhone camera FTL). (I gotta say, the M6 reps looks great on the E92)

From a completely seat of my pants feeling, the Dinan tune made the car feel a lot more alive and aggressive. I felt as though the car was fast enough to keep pace with the E90/E92 M3 and maybe even pass it in the right conditions. The power delivery is still refined but the tune helps power get delivered all the way up to triple digit speeds while still retaining the great torquey push the car has.
The tune gave no troubles even when Chris floored it with engine temps hovering around 250 degrees. I am very impressed as the tune takes a fast car and throws gobs of power at any location on the power band. Chris floored it from around 3500 rpm and the car still hustled up to a very high speed (exact number I will keep secret to avoid causing issues ) We did spot a Carrera S but the conditions were not optimal for a race against him.

When it comes down to making a decision between an M3 or a Dinan tuned 335i, I personally would go for the 335i as I love the feel of the torque across the power band. The M3 is great fun and has a nice exhaust note/engine growl but I feel like it never delivers the proper amount of torque to complement the abundant reserves of horsepower and that makes for a car ride that I don't prefer.

But not to anger the E90/E92 M3 owners, the M3 still puts out more power then the 335i and with its LSD and better suspension makes me believe the M3 manhandle a stock 335i on the track. I personally don't like its power delivery...(anyways I feel like the 335i is more competing with [and destroying] the E46 M3)

Oh and the Dinan destroys the SSTT tune (but that goes without saying...)

Anyways, that is the tune I will probably end up getting in PA b/c the warranty seems like a very attractive feature to me.

Here are some garbage quality iPhone pictures taken @ Wegmans:









(The E92 blur is his car and the E90 blur is mine)

And cmurphy335e92 is a real nice guy....very passionate about cars. He also just got an IS-F...sick car.

[karliejai]

so is this a stage 2 or stage 3?

[vgame64]

Stage 2

[328i]

That parking lot looks familiar...is that the Wegman's in Manalapan? Same plaza as Apple bees and Verizon?

[vgame64]

Originally Posted by 328i

That parking lot looks familiar...is that the Wegman's in Manalapan? Same plaza as Apple bees and Verizon?

That's the one!

[exidisjon]

Have you ride on a car with JB3 or V3 on it?

If so can you compare the two in smoothness and power if possible.

Currently a SSTT user and shopping for a new tune.

[cmurphy335e92]

vgame64, move review to 335 tuning section of the forum... lets see what they all have to say

[ihyln]

Originally Posted by vgame64

When it comes down to making a decision between an M3 or a Dinan tuned 335i, I personally would go for the 335i as I love the feel of the torque across the power band. The M3 is great fun and has a nice exhaust note/engine growl but the power comes out too far up in the HP/torque curve and the torque is always quite anemic.

I'm sorry but I really have to question your knowledge with that kind of statement. The M3 has one of the flattest torque curves I've ever seen and the car continues making power up to redline. Due to the gearing in the M you will have to be extremely modded to "walk" a M3 in any scenario.

Not hating, just trying to counter your outrageous claim.

[vgame64]

Originally Posted by ihyln

I'm sorry but I really have to question your knowledge with that kind of statement. The M3 has one of the flattest torque curves I've ever seen and the car continues making power up to redline. Due to the gearing in the M you will have to be extremely modded to "walk" a M3 in any scenario.

Not hating, just trying to counter your outrageous claim.

To be honest, my "outrageous" claim is from sitting in an M3 for about 10 minutes and just being the passenger (and being slightly biased as I am a 335i owner that has read many 335i message board threads of modded 335i owners claiming to have walked the M3). So I could be making my decision based off how the car was being driven. It felt as though the M3 really shines once it is revved up pretty fast whereas the 335i will pull hard anywhere on the tachometer. The M3 may have a flat torque past 3800+ rpm but it is still peaked at 295 lb-feet whereas a stock 335i has around 300 lb-feet and tuned probably around 350 to 370 lb-feet.

Like I said, I personally like how the Stage 2 335i felt over the M3, but given more time in an M3, that might change.

[vgame64]

Originally Posted by ihyln

I'm sorry but I really have to question your knowledge with that kind of statement. The M3 has one of the flattest torque curves I've ever seen and the car continues making power up to redline. Due to the gearing in the M you will have to be extremely modded to "walk" a M3 in any scenario.

Not hating, just trying to counter your outrageous claim.

And considering you own an M3...I would expect you to have more experience with it...so I will accept your "knowledge" on the subject...

I have also changed my original statement to make it more obvious that it is based off how I felt in the M3 rather then letting people think my statement is based of a dyno graph or e-town run.

[vgame64]

Originally Posted by exidisjon

Have you ride on a car with JB3 or V3 on it?

If so can you compare the two in smoothness and power if possible.

Currently a SSTT user and shopping for a new tune.

I have not been in a car with either of those two new tunes. I would expect from what I have read that they might provide an additional increase of hp/torque over the Dinan...but I am afraid of limp modes and warranty issues so I would go with Dinan.
Those two tunes would probably feel the same or marginally faster but probably yield another .2-.35 in the quarter mile.

[vgame64]

Originally Posted by cmurphy335e92

vgame64, move review to 335 tuning section of the forum... lets see what they all have to say

No idea how to do that...

[ihyln]

Like I said, I'm not hating. I'm buying into the allure of the easily modded 335i myself under the guise of my wife needing a car. But realistically speaking the gearing makes such a difference that you gotta have a balls to the wall modded 335 to really spank the M3 in the straights.

[cmurphy335e92]

IHYLN,
If a modded dinan 335i runs say a 12.7-12.8 1/4 mile time, then what makes you think that its gonna take a heavily modded 335 to keep up with a new M3?

[vgame64]

Originally Posted by ihyln

Like I said, I'm not hating. I'm buying into the allure of the easily modded 335i myself under the guise of my wife needing a car. But realistically speaking the gearing makes such a difference that you gotta have a balls to the wall modded 335 to really spank the M3 in the straights.

I see what you are saying and I understand...it is a good point.

I would not advise someone to get a 335i in anticipation of modding it to beat the M3. The 335i is more for people that like the feeling of the twin turbos (pre software update induced lag) whereas the M3 is for people that like the feel and sound of a NA high revving V8 monster.

All in all the M3 is a better car in my opinion (as is always the case with M division products) but is competing against a different kind of car then the 335i (more against the Audi RS' perhaps...?) and vying for a different kind of owner.

In order for the 335i to "spank" the M3 in the straights...I think it would need new gears, bigger turbos/bigger intercooler, and a much more aggressive tune giving it around 450 whp. The drag that would result would be a true "spanking" in my mind but the M3 would still kill on the track. And the allure of the price delta between the 335i and M3 quickly disappears once heavy mods such as the aforementioned are introduced.

But don't dismiss the 335i; many reports on the board exist of JB3'd owners telling of how with that single mod have walked M3's...not a spank, but a walk is quite good.

[ihyln]

I know for a fact that the majority of chipped 335s will at least keep up with the M3 but the OP mentioned passing the M3. That's what I called into question.

[vgame64]

Originally Posted by cmurphy335e92

IHYLN,
If a modded dinan 335i runs say a 12.7-12.8 1/4 mile time, then what makes you think that its gonna take a heavily modded 335 to keep up with a new M3?

Keeping up vs destroying will be two different things. I think a run with Chris against ihlyn is now required.

I think Chris will give the M3 a good run for its money.

[vgame64]

Originally Posted by ihyln

I know for a fact that the majority of chipped 335s will at least keep up with the M3 but the OP mentioned passing the M3. That's what I called into question.

I knew when I wrote I felt as though the car was fast enough to keep pace with the E90/E92 M3 and maybe even pass it in the right conditions I may be offending M3 owners with a very non-fact based claim and a more feeling based claim but I do think that with the same skill driver in each car in a 1/2 mile race I think the 335i might pull ahead.

[ihyln]

Originally Posted by vgame64

I see what you are saying and I understand...it is a good point.

I would not advise someone to get a 335i in anticipation of modding it to beat the M3. The 335i is more for people that like the feeling of the twin turbos (pre software update induced lag) whereas the M3 is for people that like the feel and sound of a NA high revving V8 monster.

All in all the M3 is a better car in my opinion (as is always the case with M division products) but is competing against a different kind of car then the 335i (more against the Audi RS' perhaps...?) and vying for a different kind of owner.

In order for the 335i to "spank" the M3 in the straights...I think it would need new gears, bigger turbos/bigger intercooler, and a much more aggressive tune giving it around 450 whp. The drag that would result would be a true "spanking" in my mind but the M3 would still kill on the track. And the allure of the price delta between the 335i and M3 quickly disappears once heavy mods such as the aforementioned are introduced.

And you're right (plus a LSD). The closest I've seen is the Dinan video of a heavily modded 335 with an estimated 14-17k in mods (trouble was figuring out the tires used). For everyday use a chipped 335 is the best option no denying that.

[cmurphy335e92]

ihyln

Where in NJ are you? Id love to do a few runs.... also go for a ride in the new M3.. Let mw know! we'll get together

[vgame64]

Originally Posted by cmurphy335e92

ihyln

Where in NJ are you? Id love to do a few runs.... also go for a ride in the new M3.. Let mw know! we'll get together

Count me in on this as well...it is one showdown I would hate to miss...

Chris...your IS-F against the M3 would be interesting as well...

[ihyln]

We should meet up at e-town for some friendly drags before the weather gets too cold and my tires become useless CMurphy, I just noticed you have an IS-F so I think we need to swap cars for a little while

I'm up in northern NJ, Nutley to be specific.