Dinan 50% Software Sale

[L4ces]

Originally Posted by Mike Benvo

Identify the ECU versions with INPA and you'll see it's 231.

I had 241e... so after the Dinan ECU tune I would likely have been downgraded to 231?

[pbonsalb]

Dinan claims it checks your integration level and gives you a tune based on that but I did not update the whole car -- just the engine part to 240E. I am curious what actually happened. Benvo and other tuners who actually see what Dinan has done on a few cars would know best.

[The Father]

Originally Posted by cenix

Steve Dinan talking about the efficacy, or lack of, just a software tune alone on NA motors. For NA, hardware upgrades should accompany the software/tuning. Just putting this out there in case anyone hasn't seen it. Watch from 6:30 for that part of the discussion.

Man, at the end where he's saying its so difficult and shouldn't be done by a novice makes me laugh!

I got Hondata back in 2004. You can control all aspects of your tune, including all 6 cam angles. I was up and tuning in about 30 minutes of reviewing the software.

Also, love where he says an ECU tune does absolutely nothing for an NA car. Much of what he says is just wrong. Most factory cars run very rich, as did my RSX. Leaning the fuel and advancing the timing net very significant gains even on the same octane.

Anyone with aftermarket exhaust and no tune: does your car pop or backfire when you shift? Thats unburnt fuel, cuz BMWs run very rich. Do you think you'll net more power if instead of spitting that fuel out of your exhaust you combusted it inside the cylinder?

Factory cars are made to be dummy proof, they don't run lean.

Anyways, not bashing Dinan. But moving from Honda to BMW I feel like I've entered the dark ages when it comes to tuning...sooo far behind.

[merakulous]

I just got my car back from the BMW dealer after they did the 50% off Dinan ECU tune. I plugged my laptop with ISTA+ to the car and it shows I have I-Level E89X-16-03-502. Does this mean I'm still on the DME 240E or later engine software? Or is the I-Level irrelevant after a DME flash tune?

I've never used INPA, but I do have it loaded on my laptop. Is that the only way to read what the actual DME software is? Still learning...

[pbonsalb]

I have a variation on the question. I had just my 2008 model ECU flashed to 240e a couple of years ago and not everything updated. So if Dinan checked to see which tune to load, would it have known to load a later one? Or is the tune Dinan loads based on 231E no matter what you had?

[elvism]

I just purchased a 2011 M3 w the DCT.. If any of you just installed the
Dinan Performance engine software & Dinan Performance DCT software with no other upgrades was it worth it? Would you do it all over again? Worth $740 installed? upsides? downsides?

[R3dliner]

Originally Posted by elvism

I just purchased a 2011 M3 w the DCT.. If any of you just installed the
Dinan Performance engine software & Dinan Performance DCT software with no other upgrades was it worth it? Would you do it all over again? Worth $740 installed? upsides? downsides?

worth it if you did it for half off. Not worth it for full price.
They are having a sale on the gintani tune

[jiggz]

Originally Posted by elvism

I just purchased a 2011 M3 w the DCT.. If any of you just installed the
Dinan Performance engine software & Dinan Performance DCT software with no other upgrades was it worth it? Would you do it all over again? Worth $740 installed? upsides? downsides?

IMO, absolutely worth it. Here's my experience...

I have both the Dinan DCT and engine software, nothing else. I had them installed individually and could notice a difference with both, though the DCT software made a bigger difference than the engine software.

Recently I had my dealer code/activate my car following an OEM alarm install, and in the process they erased all the Dinan software. On the drive home something didn't seem right. Then I noticed the car going into manual mode (Dinan DCT software defaults to auto mode) when putting it in gear, the shifts were clunkier, it didn't run as smooth, especially when cold. It was obvious they'd erased the Dinan stuff.

The dealer re-installed the software and it made such an improvement. While inconvenient having to take it back it, it was almost a blessing. Having it installed, then erased, then re-installed, I could really appreciate the improvements and it made the cost well worth it to me, both the first time, and especially the 2nd time.

The 50% sale is over but I think they lowered everything 25% following the sale.

[L4ces]

Originally Posted by pbonsalb

I have a variation on the question. I had just my 2008 model ECU flashed to 240e a couple of years ago and not everything updated. So if Dinan checked to see which tune to load, would it have known to load a later one? Or is the tune Dinan loads based on 231E no matter what you had?

Sounds like we need to call Dinan directly to get an answer. No one on this forum has the answer.