My first performance mod - Dinan exhaust review

[Fen335i]

Ok, well I finally did it. I broke down and bought my first real mod for the M. I have done a few things already (Macht Schnell air filter, tint, wheels/tires), but this is the first one that really counts in my books as a performance modification. (Finally!!!) Thanks to many of you on here that have provided advice and answering my constant questions over the past year...this forum has been a tremendous resource for information.

I ended up buying a used Dinan rear section exhaust (from a fellow forum member). I bought the exhaust last Wednesday and it showed up at my door Friday night. Of course I couldn't wait to get it installed, so last night I had a buddy over and we put the car up on a couple of ramps in the garage and started tearing into it. After a couple of hours we had the OEM exhaust off and the Dinan mufflers installed. All in all a fairly easy project (it does help to have a 2nd set of hands!).

Before I dive into my review of the finished product, I have to confess to something. So, we removed the OEM exhaust and my buddy and I got the bright idea to just fire it up with no rear section attached (just xpipe, cats and resonators connected to the headers hooked up). We thought it couldn't hurt anything to run it for 10-15 seconds just to hear what its like. All I've got to say is HOLY CRAP! With the rear section removed the car sounds like an absolute beast! It just rumbled... ...I've watched the BMW M3 Rahal/Letterman GT2 cars racing on TV, and I swear to God it sounded like a flipping race car. We did a couple revs while idling...to about 2500-3000 rpms and the whole garage shook. It was late so we didn't want to upset the neighbors and had to shut it down...but it was really something. (I started thinking to myself - I wonder if this is what Nawaaz's car sounds like in person???)


Anyways back to the review: After everything was installed and we checked all of our mounting points and connections, we fired it up. Like TLud and others have mentinoned before, the Dinan rear section is not significantly louder than OEM. But the main difference is in the "tone" of the exhaust. It's much much deeper than OEM...and has a slight rumble to it at idle. It has a lot more bass to it. And like others have said (TLud, H-Bomb, Metak), you can't hear anymore drone than the OEM system. It's really quiet inside the cabin. I took my Fam for a ride in it today and no one even commented that it was louder than before....however, when I rolled my windows down when putting around town at 20-30mph, then you can hear that rumble from behind. It sounds really good. It's not obnoxiously loud, but it's just enough (IMO) so that it sounds like you have something special under the hood. Just what I was looking for!

Last night after it was installed we took it for a test drive...I wanted to hear what it sounded like under load, so I hopped out of the car and let my buddy drive it up and down a deserted stretch of road a few times. All I can say is wow...it's so much better sounding than OEM. Once it gets past 4,000 rpms it just wails like never before! Now, I haven't heard the other systems out there w/xpipes (and cat deletes), so I'm sure those are A LOT louder than my rear section. But, I was still amazed at how much more volume I got with the Dinan rear section over stock. And it's a nice pitch to it too...deep rumble at idle but a nice higher pitch when you are in the higher rpms....sounds semi-exotic sounding. It sounds nothing like a big-block muscle car (which is a good thing IMO).

Can I feel the 6hp and 5 ft lbs of torque that Dinan claims? Of course not...but I wasn't planning on that anyway. I'm banking on the HP and torque to come when I get around to upgrading the mid-pipe and cats.

Anyone on the fence about upgrading their stock exhaust, worrying that it will be too loud for their family members riding in the car or neighbors...if you go Dinan, there is no need to worry. It's only on the loud side when you drive it aggressively...

Now on to the mid-pipe project...

[H Bomb]

congrats. you will love the midpipe and it sounds even more exotic. still no drone. sounds about the same till 4k then it sounds amazing. it is only loud when you get on it. still quiet in the cabin etc. that is if you get the dinan midpipe.

here is how it sounds inside the cabin and out with the midpipe if you need to hear for comparing

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=359397

[Nawaaz]

Originally Posted by Fen335i

All I've got to say is HOLY CRAP! With the rear section removed the car sounds like an absolute beast! It just rumbled... ...I've watched the BMW M3 Rahal/Letterman GT2 cars racing on TV, and I swear to God it sounded like a flipping race car. We did a couple revs while idling...to about 2500-3000 rpms and the whole garage shook. It was late so we didn't want to upset the neighbors and had to shut it down...but it was really something. (I started thinking to myself - I wonder if this is what Nawaaz's car sounds like in person???)

hahaha Thanks for the mention!

Yes, my M3 does sound OUTRAGEOUS.

Congrats on getting a hold of your M3's first performance mod!

[Fen335i]

Thanks H Bomb. Yea, I think the Dinan mid-pipe is probably the right one for me...my only worry is emmissions testing. If I can work around that issue, than I think it's a no brainer...

Sounds like that's where the majority of power is left on these cars...we can pick up 5-10 hp here and there through other mods (filter, rear exhaust, pulley)...but those you can't feel on their own. But the mid-pipe (w/cat delete) is something you can truely "feel"....

[Fen335i]

Originally Posted by Nawaaz

hahaha Thanks for the mention!

Yes, my M3 does sound OUTRAGEOUS.

Congrats on your getting a hold of your M3's first performance mod!

Absolutely! I love the sound of your car...I wish I had a little "switch" in my car that could make it sound like yours when I want noise...and then a flip of the switch to bring it back to normal levels.

[Nawaaz]

Originally Posted by Fen335i

Absolutely! I love the sound of your car...I wish I had a little "switch" in my car that could make it sound like yours when I want noise...and then a flip of the switch to bring it back to normal levels.

I'm actually glad I don't have that 'switch'.

[mPlasticDesign]

Enjoy. Also, it will sound better as time passes. Give it a 2k break-in and it really comes alive!

Edit: Nevermind, you bought it used, it probabally already sounds great!

[H Bomb]

oh yeah hands down thats where its at. i thought i mentioned that but i guess i forgot. when i got the midpipe the car felt like a new car. i was def like wow with the new power increase.

if you can't go with the Dinan one bc of no cat then i think the Akra one would still have no drone and add the power. that is the only other one i know of that doesn't drone with the Dinan

Originally Posted by Fen335i

Thanks H Bomb. Yea, I think the Dinan mid-pipe is probably the right one for me...my only worry is emmissions testing. If I can work around that issue, than I think it's a no brainer...

Sounds like that's where the majority of power is left on these cars...we can pick up 5-10 hp here and there through other mods (filter, rear exhaust, pulley)...but those you can't feel on their own. But the mid-pipe (w/cat delete) is something you can truely "feel"....

[Fen335i]

Originally Posted by H Bomb

oh yeah hands down thats where its at. i thought i mentioned that but i guess i forgot. when i got the midpipe the car felt like a new car. i was def like wow with the new power increase.

if you can't go with the Dinan one bc of no cat then i think the Akra one would still have no drone and add the power. that is the only other one i know of that doesn't drone with the Dinan

I'll have to look into the Akra...I haven't researched that mid-pipe yet. I heard Fabspeed w/HFC's gives good power results, but not sure about drone. I guess the good news is we know the Dinan rear section will help minimize some of the drone if it does exist w/any of the midpipes on the market.

Originally Posted by ///Metak

Enjoy. Also, it will sound better as time passes. Give it a 2k break-in and it really comes alive!

Edit: Nevermind, you bought it used, it probabally already sounds great!

Yea, according to seller it only had around 1,000 miles on it...so, maybe it will get even better after I put a few more miles on it!

[B.Hallowell]

I picked this exhaust up Friday and put it on by myself Saturday in my driveway on ramps. Very easy and only required one beer half way through to get it done. The hardest part was taking the stupid hangers off the OEM exhaust. Till I got my friend WD40. I really like the sound a lot. DCT downshifts really got woken up! I think after the midpipe it'll be exactly the loudness I want. If you're on the fence about this exhaust. DO IT!

[Fen335i]

Originally Posted by Engle

I picked this exhaust up Friday and put it on by myself Saturday in my driveway on ramps. Very easy and only required one beer half way through to get it done. The hardest part was taking the stupid hangers off the OEM exhaust. Till I got my friend WD40. I really like the sound a lot. DCT downshifts really got woken up! I think after the midpipe it'll be exactly the loudness I want. If you're on the fence about this exhaust. DO IT!

Congrats on your exhaust! Yea, I used dawn dishwashing soap to lube up the rubber hangers. That worked pretty well to get them off the OEM exhaust.

Are your tips perfect? I noticed that my driver side tips stick out a couple milimeters more than the passenger side. I don't think there is anything I can do to fix that (outside of shaving down the pipe where it connects to the mid-pipe)

[A1 RDL]

Congrats. Thumbs Up to DINAN for making a daily driver set of mufflers, that has no problem making some noise at a track event

[MrHarris]

Nice review. I'll post if it drones with my gintani xpipe+hfc

[Fen335i]

Originally Posted by MrHarris

Nice review. I'll post if it drones with my gintani xpipe+hfc

Thanks MrHarris...would love to hear how Gintani's xpipe w/HFC's sounds with the Dinan rear section. I'm contemplating the Gintani, Fabspeed, and of course the Dinan mid-pipe...

When do you get yours installed?

I have now been driving the car w/the rear section for a couple days now and have to say this was money well spent. It just makes the whole experience of driving an M3 that much better...it's just so much more visceral than before. Can't wait to get her back on the track and let her breath a little bit more!

[B.Hallowell]

Originally Posted by Fen335i

Congrats on your exhaust! Yea, I used dawn dishwashing soap to lube up the rubber hangers. That worked pretty well to get them off the OEM exhaust.

Are your tips perfect? I noticed that my driver side tips stick out a couple milimeters more than the passenger side. I don't think there is anything I can do to fix that (outside of shaving down the pipe where it connects to the mid-pipe)

Thanks! I'm enjoying it aswell My tips aren't quite perfect either. My right most tip (passenger fake) is *slightly* lower than the others but I was able to get them mostly even and straight. My friend has the dinan rear section on his e60 M5 (best exhaust sound out there imo) and his were a PAIN and are still also *slightly* off.

What should be clean it with? I always used Blue Magic (i think) metal polish but I think it's more for chrome tips (like oem). I don't wanna mess up the Also the muffler inside the right most tip is black so you can't see it's a fake but my driver side fake tip you can obviously tell it ends (very shiny). Anyone know of a way to fix this short of shoving a sharpie on a stick up there?

I might grow plants out of my fake tips... you know, one up them prius drivers

[B.Hallowell]

Originally Posted by MrHarris

Nice review. I'll post if it drones with my gintani xpipe+hfc

IN! Do want to hear what this sounds like! I am looking into xpipes right now and am mostly leaning towards Dinan/fabspeed.

[H Bomb]

def take video i bet that is gonna sound sick

Originally Posted by MrHarris

Nice review. I'll post if it drones with my gintani xpipe+hfc

[MrHarris]

Originally Posted by Fen335i

Thanks MrHarris...would love to hear how Gintani's xpipe w/HFC's sounds with the Dinan rear section. I'm contemplating the Gintani, Fabspeed, and of course the Dinan mid-pipe...

When do you get yours installed?

I have now been driving the car w/the rear section for a couple days now and have to say this was money well spent. It just makes the whole experience of driving an M3 that much better...it's just so much more visceral than before. Can't wait to get her back on the track and let her breath a little bit more!

2 weeks approximately, maybe less I'll take a few videos for sure.

[MrHarris]

Originally Posted by Fen335i

Thanks H Bomb. Yea, I think the Dinan mid-pipe is probably the right one for me...my only worry is emmissions testing. If I can work around that issue, than I think it's a no brainer...

Sounds like that's where the majority of power is left on these cars...we can pick up 5-10 hp here and there through other mods (filter, rear exhaust, pulley)...but those you can't feel on their own. But the mid-pipe (w/cat delete) is something you can truely "feel"....

The ones I noticeably felt: pulley (especially under 4k rpm)

ones I REALLY felt: midpipe, ECU tune (went with Gintani tune)

[biglare]

Great review! I'm glad you are liking it so far. I have he Dinan mid-pipe and love it. I have not tried another one, but the sound and performacne are well worth it to me. It does not drone at all and cruising around town it is not too loud, just enough to let you know something is lurking under there! I'm sure the other mid-pipes are good, but I have not experience with them. Best of luck with your decision.

[Fen335i]

Originally Posted by MrHarris

The ones I noticeably felt: pulley (especially under 4k rpm)

Cool...I think I'll do pulley's eventually. Sounds like a solid mod.

ones I REALLY felt: midpipe, ECU tune (went with Gintani tune)

I haven't read too many reviews on Gintani's tune...but what I have heard has been all positive.

Originally Posted by MrHarris

2 weeks approximately, maybe less I'll take a few videos for sure.

Hurry up will ya??!!

Originally Posted by biglare

Great review! I'm glad you are liking it so far. I have he Dinan mid-pipe and love it. I have not tried another one, but the sound and performacne are well worth it to me. It does not drone at all and cruising around town it is not too loud, just enough to let you know something is lurking under there! I'm sure the other mid-pipes are good, but I have not experience with them. Best of luck with your decision.

Thanks, I haven't read one negative review of the Dinan midpipe...everyone who has installed it has loved it. My only issue is emissions, but I think I might still have that problem even w/HFC's. Not sure how I'm going to work around that. I don't want to have to swap my exhaust w/OEM every 2 years for an emissions check...that would be kind of a pain. If anyone has any clever ideas, let me know!

[bimmermilan]

I'm looking for a Dinan muffler for my E46 M3, I think this is the best muffler imho. If anyone knows of one for sale please let me know! Thanks!