[Ghunger]

I just noticed some new pics on the Dinan site. Looks like they're adding a scoop down by the brake ducts. Looks like one of the pieces they show is a lower grill replacement piece?

[ward]

for all anyone around here knows

that stock looking dinan setup works better than any CF big cone filter looking stuff.

some mod for performance, some mod for looks

I'm sure there are plenty of people who would prefer a stock looking part

[jjhan85]

hmmm...it looks so simple but its so expensive. Is that a K&N air filter?

It looks like someone can easily make this mod at home in their garage with the right tools...

[obLu]

what he said.

Seriously that stuff looks like cheap snacks for the money. Sadly though, I'm giving serious thought to getting this one. Unlike the similarly priced simota and gruppe M, (that look waaaaay better) this one's getting air down low.

But man, that cheap tubing and tack on Dinan plate ... wtf.

Dinan's ace is that they supposedly produce superior quality items, so they can charge accordingly. But this looks like a home depot intake.

Change that tubing to powder coated bent pipe and a replacement airbox lid with the dinan logo molded in and I'd be a lot happier about spending $500.

The big thing still stopping me is getting clarification on if I can DIY this and still keep the warranty. No way I'm paying 2.5hrs labor at the dealer's $105/hr rate to install this. I'd have it done in 60min tops.

[Ghunger]

From the way I read their warranty info on the webside it looks like no warranty if you DIY.

[obLu]

Yeah, I'm not sure. The warranty FAQ doesn't specifically state, "part must be installed by authorized Dinan dealer" (at least not that I could find) but I get the impression that's the way they want you to go.

Probably get my lazy butt to call when it gets closer to go time.

For making parts specifically for BMW and Mini I'm surprised that Dinan doesn't have any presence on any of the forums.

[Ghunger]

This is a quote from the DINAN warranty page:

"Like any manufacturer, we cannot be responsible when our products are subjected to misuse, improper installation, misapplication, modification or neglect. "

That's what led me to belive DIY installs wouldn't be covered if there was a problem. Guess they would have to prove the part or what ever, was improperly installed though.

[Driv3r]

im going to wait and see how exactly it is installed, and take a closer look at the parts...and im going to try and at home install, because if anything i want the sound part of the intake, not just performance....so i might want this but maybe incorporated in lets say a simota...it may be done, with proper cutting..

[jjhan85]

Originally Posted by Driv3r

im going to wait and see how exactly it is installed, and take a closer look at the parts...and im going to try and at home install, because if anything i want the sound part of the intake, not just performance....so i might want this but maybe incorporated in lets say a simota...it may be done, with proper cutting..

Awesome! i was thinkin the same thing!...it should work, because theres 2 holes in that simota intake airbox. good luck with that man!

[ward]

you guys do understand that good tuner part companies actually spend time and money to make sure they're producing a good product


you're not going to improve on the design by using half from one company and the other half from another company.

[Driv3r]

Originally Posted by ward

you guys do understand that good tuner part companies actually spend time and money to make sure they're producing a good product


you're not going to improve on the design by using half from one company and the other half from another company.

this sounds very silly, but if you come to think about it....I cannot find a reason that making an incision on the simota to allow MORE air into it would affect its performance, i would make the incision on an area not in the way of incoming air, but in a section that may.....im going to think this over, i dont reallly think anything negative can come from this mod.

[jjhan85]

Originally Posted by Driv3r

this sounds very silly, but if you come to think about it....I cannot find a reason that making an incision on the simota to allow MORE air into it would affect its performance, i would make the incision on an area not in the way of incoming air, but in a section that may.....im going to think this over, i dont reallly think anything negative can come from this mod.

Roger roger man. I'd say, it never hurts to try. Just dont do it WITHOUT a well thought out plan.

[new2the3]

Part of the intake package from dinnan is a K&N drop in filter. I bought the same one for $39 I bet that will be a good 1/3rd of the gain right there.

[ward]

Originally Posted by Driv3r

this sounds very silly, but if you come to think about it....I cannot find a reason that making an incision on the simota to allow MORE air into it would affect its performance, i would make the incision on an area not in the way of incoming air, but in a section that may.....im going to think this over, i dont reallly think anything negative can come from this mod.

I'm just saying, Dinan has people with engineering degrees who understand fluid dynamics. Unless you've spent some time in school (maybe you have, I don't know) you're not going to improve the product by cutting some here, or venting something there


it's like the guys with pickup trucks who drive with the tailgate down to save gas, they're actually causing more drag and wasting gas by doing that.

[ksfrogman]

Originally Posted by 1001

i ordered my dinan intake today. don't know what its like or how its going to be, but i don't care, i just wanted it. will get and install the intake next week so i'll let u guys know.

Do us a favor and take a photo of the parts before you install it. I'm curious to see the diameter of the silicon tubing.

[ksfrogman]

Okay, they must have just posted the pics today. Here's what I see of their Ram Air setup:

[longtran]

Originally Posted by ksfrogman

Okay, they must have just posted the pics today. Here's what I see of their Ram Air setup:

499 for that??? a k&n filter and a home depot hose??? imma make one and call it Longan. hey frogman, that was your idea in the beginning.

[obLu]

I'm just saying, Dinan has people with engineering degrees who understand fluid dynamics. Unless you've spent some time in school (maybe you have, I don't know) you're not going to improve the product by cutting some here, or venting something there

Dude .... have you seen the pics of said Dinan intake?!? I know you usually tow the Dinan/OEM line, and that's cool. I mostly agree with you.

But I highly highly highly highly greatly enormously suspect there wasn't any fluid dynamics going on when they slapped a corrugated flexy tube on there. Talk about turbulent air.

If anything, I'm guessing they're just shoving as much air in as they can knowing that the e90 ECU can take advantage of some more.

Otherwise, they're just selling crap because they know somebody'll buy it. And that blows the whole, 'Dinan are experts' theory.

[ward]

I think we're pretty much on the same page

I know I'm not educated enough to know which intake will flow better

aero at times is a black science, and really for all we know the ridged tube may flow better (depending on diameter, spacing of the ridges....)

I think that you're right about the intakes just basically trying to get as much air in there as possible, and different brands probably have different sound criteria as well as flow criteria to design to.

Either way, It seems to me like the dinan intake is being knocked for being expensive, and for not looking cool.

weren't people paying that much or slightly more for knock off versions of other intakes from ebay?

from a performance standpoint, nobody here knows if the dinan piece is any better or worse than any other manufacturer, all we know is some people don't think it looks nice enough.

[obLu]

Yeah, that's part of the thread I don't get. The Simota GB knocked the price down, but the GruppeM is hugely expensive. Double the Dinan. Buuuut they're pretty carbon fiber.

Conversely, I'm not going to turn down a functional part that looks good too over a part that works the same and looks like ass.

My complaint is that the quality of the pieces really doesn't look up to Dinan standards (or pricing). It looks like a parts bin dev unit, not a polished $500 production product.

[Joe Bimmer]

Originally Posted by obLu

Yeah, that's part of the thread I don't get. The Simota GB knocked the price down, but the GruppeM is hugely expensive. Double the Dinan. Buuuut they're pretty carbon fiber.

Conversely, I'm not going to turn down a functional part that looks good too over a part that works the same and looks like ass.

My complaint is that the quality of the pieces really doesn't look up to Dinan standards (or pricing). It looks like a parts bin dev unit, not a polished $500 production product.

+1. What's up with that "Dinan Ram Air" piece of sheet metal that gets drilled into the airbox cover? "Ohhhhhhhhhh.......FANCY!!!!"

[ksfrogman]

FYI, the Gruppe M intake uses the left plastic wheel well as one of its sides. This means that if you were to open a hole there, it would suck in cold air (along with the water and mud). The brake duct is in close proximity as is the area between the brake duct and fog light (on the M-Tech bumper). K&N makes several custom fittings including a flange and tubing that can be bolted onto a modified grille.

The idea is to increase the intake of CLEAN cold air.