I have a stock 04 MCS and thinking of getting more power.
Anyone have Dinan upgrades? What do you think?
More so how does the software, exhaust and intake modifications compare with pulley upgrades?
Or maybe a combination Dinan with pulley?

 

Good morning, you might try checking out the the web sites like Pilo,Minimadness,Minimania and the like.Dinan has good rep but the money spent on the Dinan kit ,not alot of power gain.with Dinan money you could
get pulley,cai,catback and pass the gains of the Dinan by a bunch.
Good luck

 

Thinking of adding more power? At what price and does it have to come with a warranty?

If you need a warranty then Dinan or John Cooper Works kits are pricey but available. Remember the Dinan upgrades warranty is only good at a Dinan authorized dealership not all MINI/BMW dealerships.

If you just want power then the 19% reduction pulley upgrade/smaller belt for the supercharger is good for the money (about $450 installed). You can add a cold air intake ($200) and Cat-back exhaust ($600-800) and some lighter wheels ($1000-$2000). Now you are set unless you want to add suspension (lowered springs/rear swaybar/ lower rear adjustable control arms).

Another option besides the 19% pulley would be a 15% pulley/stock belt and GIAC ECU upgrade.

Most people that have Dinan upgrades seem to like them. The throttlebody upgrade is supposed to require the ECU software upgrade. The Dinan stage 2 MCS kit includes an upgraded pulley.

 

I plan to go the Dinan route in the future.

 

One of our local Dinan shops in the Dallas/FW area has done several package installs on MCS' in our local area... their techs were quite impressed with the fit and finish of the Dinan parts as well as the power gains, which they said were 'quite substantial'. These guys have been doing Dinan tuning for quite awhile (while also offering other BMW-based tuning lines, prepping race cars for BMWCCA club racing and autocrossing, and selling good stuff like UUC), so if they say the Dinan stuff's pretty good, I'm inclined to think it probably is...

The one part I have seen that I thought was killer was their CAI - one of the better designed I have seen. The techs at this local shop did some flow testing of the stock MCS airbox versus the Dinan one and got surprising results - they are accustomed to not seeing that much of a gain in flow from the Dinan boxes on BMW's versus the factory BMW setup, but with the Dinan MCS intake they saw a substantial difference...

FWIW!

 

My 04' JCW has a Dinan intake (my former 03' JCW had an Alta and later a BMP) and it's very nice. Not much aural feedback but much improved throttle response(s) w/ quick drop-offs and some real added mid-range punch. Hard to beat aesthetics and a very good thermal barrier.
-Uses the bottom half of the OE housing & comes w/ an oval pleated filter (blue cotton fiber, throw-away w/ change says Dinan.)
-If I were buying an intake for added sonics the loud BMP would win: sounds like an angry shopvac. The Dinan intake is subtle does a neat trick at app 3900 rpm and at speeds approaching. 80MPH. Very sexy sound!!
IMO:The Dinan intake is the best of the three I have used on my Works cars (better by a good margin.)
PS. Took the dealer 1/2 hour to install.

PS As the former owner of 3 Dinan BMW's (including an E46 M3) I have felt that Dinan products failed to live up to my performance expectations.The Mini line may be the best Dinan's R&D work in a while (very good line w/ more coming soon.)
-If I were doing it all over for the 3rd time I would consider going "all Dinan" instead of my currrernt 04' MSC w/ it's diverse Works/Koni/Hsport, Brembo/Dinan/SRR parts list. I'd even wait for the Dinan wheels!

 

See:

http://www.mini2.com/forum/showthread.php?t=70280

ftbt

2005 MCS Convertible, Dark Silver, Black Top, White Bonnet Stripes, Premium, Sport & Cold Weather Packages, Clear Bra -w- Dinan CAI kit and JCW kit to follow, Calif. License No. "JCW CAB."

2002 Works Cooper S, Sn. 1165, DS/W; Sport + Premium + UNIChip + Alta CAI + H Sport Springs, Competition Front & Rear Sway Bars, Rear Camber Control Arms + 17" Team Dynamics Pro Race 1's; 215-45-17 Kumho MX's + AP Racing Formula Big Brakes, XDrilled Rotors, Goodridge SS Lines + Clear Bra + Cobra Daytonas + Schroth Harnesses and a full tank of 100 octane ... life is good!

2002 Cooper CVT LY/W