Dinan Springs

[V1.47fan]

Originally Posted by DJ9

Incorrect, the e92M3 camber is more aggressive than the e46M3 camber out of the box. I recently had my from camber set to neg ~1.4, or more; let me find the exact number (i'm drawing a blank on the exact toe figure as well), but -1.1 to -1.2 should be easy enough.

I also just called Dinan, and unless the tech was misrepresenting the product, he mentioned the camber plates will set the car just past -2.0 if needed.

What was your stock front camber on both sides? Mine was -1.1 deg,all I can do was -1.2 on the driver side and -1.3 on the passenger side,not exactly a significant range of camber adjustment from the factory as described by DINAN.

[DJ9]

Originally Posted by V1.47fan

What was your stock front camber on both sides? Mine was -1.1 deg,all I can do was -1.2 on the driver side and -1.3 on the passenger side,not exactly a significant range of camber adjustment from the factory as described by DINAN.

Let me check on this tonight and I'll ping you with the settings.

[nlpamg]

Ok, so now the question is, how do the springs look installed?

[gthirtyfizle]

Would love to c how these look installed as well.

[DJ9]

Just imagine your index finger's width....prob wont even notice in the front, and it will look a bit more aggressive in the rear.

I'm going to look into this a bit more, looks promising; however i have a uneasy feeling about Dinan right now.

I know that several dealers in my area did not renew their "Dinan Authorized" dealer status; and in fact started to pull back on servicing/working with Dinan on Dinan spec'd cars. What's strange is, these dealer used to be really into Dinan; so I'm not sure what's going on.

By the way, 8.9 hours for install is absurd; and it also includes an alignment in this work order. You can do a full coilover install in about 3 hours.

[rzm3]

Originally Posted by DJ9

Just imagine your index finger's width....prob wont even notice in the front, and it will look a bit more aggressive in the rear.

I'm going to look into this a bit more, looks promising; however i have a uneasy feeling about Dinan right now.

I know that several dealers in my area did not renew their "Dinan Authorized" dealer status; and in fact started to pull back on servicing/working with Dinan on Dinan spec'd cars. What's strange is, these dealer used to be really into Dinan; so I'm not sure what's going on.

By the way, 8.9 hours for install is absurd; and it also includes an alignment in this work order. You can do a full coilover install in about 3 hours.

I think the 8.9 hrs probably comes from the standard time estimate from the E46. I called a couple shops about installing springs and most of them quoted me this number.

I am sure that when shops have done this they will quote less. 8.9 is just a conservative estimate.

When I did my H&R it took 6 hrs with hand tools. So a shop with airtools can do it in 4 hrs.

[rzm3]

Also there seems to be a couple discrepencies with Dinan's numbers vs. my measurements:

Stock bumpstop:
2-1/4" (my measurement); 2-3/8" (Dinan's claim)

Stock suspension travel fefore loading bumpstop:
3/4 inches (see picture); 1/2" (Dinan's claim)

Could be that our cars are in different conditions, weather, etc. Just thought to keep everyone informed.

[lucid]

Originally Posted by rldzhao

Also there seems to be a couple discrepencies with Dinan's numbers vs. my measurements:

Stock bumpstop:
2-1/4" (my measurement); 2-3/8" (Dinan's claim)

Stock suspension travel fefore loading bumpstop:
3/4 inches (see picture); 1/2" (Dinan's claim)

Could be that our cars are in different conditions, weather, etc. Just thought to keep everyone informed.

Thanks for these measurements.

I will be waiting on the sidelines until the dust settles before I mess with the stock setup.

[GregW / Oregon]

Originally Posted by rldzhao

Also there seems to be a couple discrepencies with Dinan's numbers vs. my measurements:

Stock bumpstop:
2-1/4" (my measurement); 2-3/8" (Dinan's claim)

Stock suspension travel fefore loading bumpstop:
3/4 inches (see picture); 1/2" (Dinan's claim)

Could be that our cars are in different conditions, weather, etc. Just thought to keep everyone informed.

It looks like you measured this with the car's weight off the suspension?

[rzm3]

Originally Posted by GregW / Oregon

It looks like you measured this with the car's weight off the suspension?

Gap was measured with the weight on. It would have been much bigger if the car were lifted.

Bumpstop length was measured when I took it off for H&R install.

[MVEED3]

Originally Posted by JEllis

Dinan parts have been called overpriced. However, they have never been called cheap or of poor quality. And, Dinan parts always appear to work very well while maintaining the over all feel of the car.

Bottom line, after almost 7 years of tuning my BMW's I gotta say I have never heard or seen anything I didnt like from Dinan.

You haven't heard of their 1st gen exhaust upgrade on the e36 M3? It was a factory muffler that they gutted and re-tipped with Dinan chrome. That was a joke. Dinan is more for the uninformed enthusiast that buys their mods from the stealer, IMO.

As someone stated earlier, we like to get verification of performance from posted reviews before we buy anything. I recommend going one step further. Look into your regional section and request a ride in a car with the parts in question. Today's forums have become flooded with posters that are opinionated in things that they don't fully understand. I'm not pointing fingers at anyone in this thread, I'm just stating a fact.


Allen

[mdrobc13]

Originally Posted by DJ9

I'm going to look into this a bit more, looks promising; however i have a uneasy feeling about Dinan right now.

I know that several dealers in my area did not renew their "Dinan Authorized" dealer status; and in fact started to pull back on servicing/working with Dinan on Dinan spec'd cars. What's strange is, these dealer used to be really into Dinan; so I'm not sure what's going on.

I heard from my dealer and also I think read somewhere a quote from BMW AG and BMW NA that the reason that some dealers are pulling back on their Dinan status is cause BMW is trying to push their new Performance Parts selection out and wants the dealers to push those for options on cars and installation for modifications for those who want something more for their dealer ordered regular cars. Also the article I read I think alluded to the fact that BMW NA never meant for the Dinan Authorized status to take on the state it did amongst the dealers and it was sort of an uneasy and unspoken acceptance by BMW NA and BMW AG due to the fact that it was and is highly difficulty to get an Alpina BMW or other factory authorized BWM tuner car in the US. Along with the denial of BMW Individual in the states...Dinan was kinda the unspoken and unexcepted option. However now I think BMW has recognized the loss in sales and market share for these modded cars and wants to capture that $$$.

Sounds sensible and reasonable. Dinan however will still authorized their cars out as before which equals the factory warranty anyway; it just may be a little more difficult to find authorized shops that are ALSO BMW dealerships in the future.

[sfbimmer13]

Target/Stock Camber front is: -1.28 degree
Target/Stock Camber rear is: -0.19 degrees

BMW set mine to -1.54 degree front and -1.22 degree back, which constitutes also the most aggressive setting you get out of the stock suspension - according to BMW

[DJ9]

Hey Rupert- I heard the same thing as you; and it does make sense; only problem is BMW Performance parts are not applicable to M cars; since in BMW's words, "you cant get any higher than an M car."

Oh well, guess we'll have to wait and see the results.

See you tomorrow at Infineon, save me a spot next to you!

Originally Posted by mdrobc13

I heard from my dealer and also I think read somewhere a quote from BMW AG and BMW NA that the reason that some dealers are pulling back on their Dinan status is cause BMW is trying to push their new Performance Parts selection out and wants the dealers to push those for options on cars and installation for modifications for those who want something more for their dealer ordered regular cars. Also the article I read I think alluded to the fact that BMW NA never meant for the Dinan Authorized status to take on the state it did amongst the dealers and it was sort of an uneasy and unspoken acceptance by BMW NA and BMW AG due to the fact that it was and is highly difficulty to get an Alpina BMW or other factory authorized BWM tuner car in the US. Along with the denial of BMW Individual in the states...Dinan was kinda the unspoken and unexcepted option. However now I think BMW has recognized the loss in sales and market share for these modded cars and wants to capture that $$$.

Sounds sensible and reasonable. Dinan however will still authorized their cars out as before which equals the factory warranty anyway; it just may be a little more difficult to find authorized shops that are ALSO BMW dealerships in the future.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by lucid

Thanks for these measurements.

I will be waiting on the sidelines until the dust settles before I mess with the stock setup.

I'm with you on this lucid.

[rzm3]

Originally Posted by sfbimmer13

Target/Stock Camber front is: -1.28 degree
Target/Stock Camber rear is: -0.19 degrees

BMW set mine to -1.54 degree front and -1.22 degree back, which constitutes also the most aggressive setting you get out of the stock suspension - according to BMW

hey sfbimmer where did you get the spec from?

[sfbimmer13]

Originally Posted by rldzhao

hey sfbimmer where did you get the spec from?

I have the printout from the alignment that stated the BMW target specs - I have asked them to dial in the most aggressive neg camber the suspension allows - so now the sheet shows that I am way out of the BMW specs - this was done at BMW so I assume that they have the appropriate specs

[rzm3]

Originally Posted by sfbimmer13

I have the printout from the alignment that stated the BMW target specs - I have asked them to dial in the most aggressive neg camber the suspension allows - so now the sheet shows that I am way out of the BMW specs - this was done at BMW so I assume that they have the appropriate specs

good to know. thanks.

[V1.47fan]

Originally Posted by sfbimmer13

Target/Stock Camber front is: -1.28 degree
Target/Stock Camber rear is: -0.19 degrees

BMW set mine to -1.54 degree front and -1.22 degree back, which constitutes also the most aggressive setting you get out of the stock suspension - according to BMW

My rear camber was -1.4,changed it to -1.9.The difference has been day and night.Before I was able to easily break the rear loose in a slalom or a sweeper,not anymore with -1.9 rear camber...

I'm getting H&R springs sport,hopefully it'll get my front camber to -1.4 to -1.5 from -1.2

[JAJ]

Originally Posted by mdrobc13

I heard from my dealer and also I think read somewhere a quote from BMW AG and BMW NA that the reason that some dealers are pulling back on their Dinan status is cause BMW is trying to push their new Performance Parts selection out and wants the dealers to push those for options on cars and installation for modifications for those who want something more for their dealer ordered regular cars.

I think this point is very well made - BMW Performance parts, as far as I know, can be installed by the dealer and rolled into a lease on a new or used car with BMW Financial. From a dealer's standpoint, that's a golden opportunity to sell lots of upgrades - a better option than selling Dinan.

As for upgrading the M3, at this point the jury's still out on which upgrades will actually improve the car's performance and which ones are just there for bragging rights.

[rzm3]

Had my H&Rs aligned today.

The mechanic told me that the fronts are at -1.6/-1.7 and rears are at -1.7/-1.7, and cannot go anymore positive on the front unless I get camber plates. Toes are set to 0.2.

He said that after the drop the front toe is completely off, but the rears are ok.

[e46e92love]

Originally Posted by serven7

Save the coin and go buy the RD sport, H&R or Eibach. If and when your EDC breaks put the stock springs back on and go play stupid.

Its the honest people like you that just make the world a better place