I had the Dinan Stage III package installed on my '03 Cooper S yesterday and WOW!!!! This car is STUPID FAST. I honestly still cannot believe how quick this little car is. First thing I did was take her to Malibu to do some canyon driving - I've never had to worry much about the traction control before, but now it absolutely needs to be turned off!! Insane, ridiculous, amazing.. If anyone is considering modding their R53s, Dinan is seriously the way to go!

 

Moderators, please move this to Gen I forum. Thanks!

 

Doh! It's so fast it popped into next gen.
I would like to do Dinan mods on mine as well. Some day...
Enjoy it!

 

 

ya to bad Dinan dont get with the program and hook up the R56. Im glad your old MINI got a new blood, is nice when you can reinvent the power curve. Im highly disappointed..... After this long in production, There should be a lot more options for engine tuning for a R56 S.

 

Even the BMW 335i is having tuning issues. Check the BMW forums, those guys are ticked too!!

 

i have from a reliable source that dinan has dropped all r56 development for the time being.

 

Doh..... Man that really sucks,

 

If it is true that Dinan has stopped development on the R56 engine, it doesn't bode well for other tuners out there. Not saying that they are the end all but they are right at the top. May be that the effiency engineered in to the motors (which is fantastic) hampers attempts at burning more fuel to make more HP. If you have to redesign everything, it would just be to costly. Sort of like Porsche, thinking you can buy one of their lesser engine packages and bump it up to the next will cost you more than to get the more powerful one to begin with. Most of their EP's are right at the limits of their design to begin with... 2 cents.

 

So what does this Stage III consist of?

 

What kind of horsepower did you make? What all came in the kit?

Jack

 

in HP and price? I have a June '08 build JCW convertible and at $6k for 210HP and LSD and brake upgrades thought it was a good deal. Alot better than the $6300 I paid for my '05 JCW that consisted of only the tuning.

BTW I am LOVING this thing!

 

http://www.dinancars.com/store/Engin...p-1-c-762.html

Looks like a software upgrade, but they want you to have their air box,
and their exhaust is recomended. Nothing about a pulley. That is another upgrade!!

See details Stage 3 Engine
Software (2002-2006)
Product Number: D903-16R3

Stage 3 Engine Software is for use with the Dinan High Flow Cowl Induction Intake, optimizing performance and drivability. The Dinan Free Flow Exhaust is recommended.

Dinan software is not available for purchase on-line as it must be downloade...


Price: $299.00

 

Yea I checked out their stuff. If that is all he did, he would freak if he ever got a dyno tune, way better than any canned tune.

 

I just looked, and found the Dinan site to be confusing. Here is what the site says about the "Stage 2" PACKAGE:

"Part # SR53-S2

"Labor Hours 19.9

Price $5467.60

Point Value 10

Peak Horsepower 205 @ 7000 rpm

Peak Torque 180 lb/ft @ 4500 rpm

Special Notes Not applicable for cars equipped with automatic transmission.

Included Items Stage 5 Engine Software; Boost Upgrade System; High Flow Cowl Induction Intake; High Flow Throttle Body; Free Flow Exhaust; Strut Tower Brace; Stage 3 Suspension System; Dinan Deck Lid Badge; Serial Numbered S2 Plaque."

I frankly cannot understand WHAT the OP bought when he says a "Stage 3".
First, there is NO "Stage 3" package offered on the site.
Second, the "Stage 2" package includes "Stage 3" suspension, "Stage 5" tuning SW, and a bunch of other stuff.

Seems confusing to me.

 

Yes, Dinan has an S1 and an S2, with the ability to break it all up to make your own package. There is no S3; there is only a stage 3 tune, which isn't even used on the S2 kit, so I'm as confused as everyone else.

mb

 

Dang, if all he got was a canned tune....He'd pass out if he got a Pulley, cat, cai and a Jan tune....

 

I have the Dinan S1 kit on my car, well it came with it when I bought it used. Not too shabby. I'll have to get it dynoed and then put on a pulley, injectors and a tune to see what the differences will be. Enjoy you new power. His Stage 3 tune should come with the CAI.

 

Exactly. Stage 3 is the software that is designed to accompany the cowl/airbox cover, which I have. All it is is an re-engineered airbox cover with matching software so that there is a near neutral pressure for the intake. According to one JCW vendor (not I), this is one of the benefits you get with the JCW airbox/software, without the electric bellows function. Of course the additional JCW components are designed for the software, but you don't have to install them all at the same time.

Their prices have gone way up in the past year, probably due to lack of demand--they need to get more money to pay for the engineering, I guess.

There was only one other Mini owner at MTTS Miami with the kit (he got the nifty badges, but I don't need no stinking badges!)

 

The Dinan tune is a canned tune. Not a custom dyno tune. With the same marginal gains as other canned tunes.

 

The difference being that the Dinan tune is made specifically for their airbox and exhaust; whereas GIAC and others are made for other bolt-ons that they didn't develop and manufacture. Not saying it's the greatest thing out there, but's not as generic as the others. I'll see what the dyno says later this month....before I get my pulley, JCW injectors, & JCW tune.

 

I have some JCW injectors for sale for fairly cheap if your interested!


Why are you changing to a JCW tune?

 

Dinan is way too expensive. They just charge you for the name. They jack up the prices with pretty names and common bolt-on that you could do yourself for half the price and the same results if not better. I had their tune on my car and when Jan got to see my car it was running way too lean at 13.5.

Bolt-on your own upgrades and just get a tune from Jan. That is by far the best return of performance for the money you can get.

 

#1

 

That's an interesting point. while it doesn't stand against a custom tune it may be something to look into if not planning on further moddifying your car (and can't/don't want a custom tune), however i wonder if it was really worth the cost considering your planning on getting the jcw tune in the future. Please post your dyno before your other mods, i think it would be interesting to see if there is any significant advantage to going with dinan vs. any other cai w/ a canned tune.