[badass335]

Just curious how close a Dinan Stage 3 335i would be to a new M3? I'm not looking for the usual BS tuner/ car bashing. I'm not a track fanatic but would like to take it out once in a while. It's nice to have the power but just curious how close it would be. I'm leaning towards a new E93 on both models and just trying to justify the price difference.

Have any of the Dinan boys and gals had a run with a new M3?

[vase330]

M3 has way less torque than the 335. Unless you are on an open road where you can go deep into the revs, in normal driving situations a Dinan stg II 335 will hand you your *ss. The stock 335 feels almost better than the M3 in that regard. Put on the badge whore blinders and go drive both. There will be a revelation waiting for you. M3 is refined, sounds killer and looks killer, but in practical driving terms...well. I'd save all that extra $$$.

[badass335]

BTW, i currently have a Procede v3 335i now. I just want a convertible so hence the question.

[Sniper1690]

I can see this thread going to hell in a handbasket really quickly...

That said, I can describe the experiences with Dinan Stg II (non-revised) + Dinan exhaust my E92 has had with the E9x M3. My car is currently at the dealership having Stg. III installed...full review to come as soon as I get it back.

At the Komen event my buddy (who has same Dinan set-up) and I pitted our Dinan cars against the new M3 (after waiting for the M for 3 hours!!). The Dinan cars pulled harder from a dig and had a 1/2 -3/4 length to 60ish. From a highway roll the Dinan car would pull ahead by a length until it came time to shift...the much lower redline of the 335 required a shift sooner than the hig revving M3 V8...when Dinan car shifted the M pulled even to ahead by a 1/4 length..up to 120ish this was the cat and mouse game...at about 120ish the displacement of the M gave it an advantage and it pulled ahead by a length....shut it down around 135.

Havin driven both back to back I would argue that the Dinan 335 is faster from a dig...probably a result of the huge TQ advantage. I would take my chances in a stoplight race with the new M (6MT). In terms of dropping the hammer at highway speeds it appears to be an even match, coming down to driver skill. At extreme speeds I believe the larger V8 has an advantage as displacement ultimately takes over.

Note the quote in my signature...this is what Roundel Magazine has to say after driving the cars back to back...

Originally Posted by badass335

Just curious how close a Dinan Stage 3 335i would be to a new M3? I'm not looking for the usual BS tuner/ car bashing. I'm not a track fanatic but would like to take it out once in a while. It's nice to have the power but just curious how close it would be. I'm leaning towards a new E93 on both models and just trying to justify the price difference.

Have any of the Dinan boys and gals had a run with a new M3?

[leftcoastman]

Can't say with the Dinan, but with Procede, coilovers, camber plates, 245-40-17 non-staggered street tires and an LSD....my measly 335i paired up with a C5 Corvette Z06 and we gang raped an E92 M3 around the track. He was a buddy of mine, so it was all in good fun.

I was faster on the straights, faster in the corners. He got me on braking at first, but that was solved once I put on the race pads.

[badass335]

This is perfect! Real life case. So Stage 2 was pretty darn close! Again, i'm not picking on the cars. I respect the M's and would love it but trying to decide on the $9k plus difference and if it's really worth it. (factoring the dinan upgrade in already). We also get KILLED in taxes up north so higher value with taxes is hugh.

Originally Posted by Sniper1690

I can see this thread going to hell in a handbasket really quickly...

That said, I can describe the experiences with Dinan Stg II (non-revised) + Dinan exhaust my E92 has had with the E9x M3. My car is currently at the dealership having Stg. III installed...full review to come as soon as I get it back.

At the Komen event my buddy (who has same Dinan set-up) and I pitted our Dinan cars against the new M3 (after waiting for the M for 3 hours!!). The Dinan cars pulled harder from a dig and had a 1/2 -3/4 length to 60ish. From a highway roll the Dinan car would pull ahead by a length until it came time to shift...the much lower redline of the 335 required a shift sooner than the hig revving M3 V8...when Dinan car shifted the M pulled even to ahead by a 1/4 length..up to 120ish this was the cat and mouse game...at about 120ish the displacement of the M gave it an advantage and it pulled ahead by a length....shut it down around 135.

Havin driven both back to back I would argue that the Dinan 335 is faster from a dig...probably a result of the huge TQ advantage. I would take my chances in a stoplight race with the new M (6MT). In terms of dropping the hammer at highway speeds it appears to be an even match, coming down to driver skill. At extreme speeds I believe the larger V8 has an advantage as displacement ultimately takes over.

Note the quote in my signature...this is what Roundel Magazine has to say after driving the cars back to back...