Better review coming - but my initial feelings are WOW!!!! I had to send my ECU twice because the software was old on my 2016 and initially Dinan couldn't flash it. Took it to the local MINI dealer to update the ECU software, and they couldn't do it. It was probably because I've coded the 2020 digital dash, UJ taillights, etc. They told me that if they could have flashed it, that it would have wiped out all my prior coding. So, I got help from folks on NAM. One of them remotely coded my ECU all the way from Greece. Watching him do his ESYS magic on my laptop was amazing. The ECU got coded in 15 minutes without disturbing anything I've done with the digital dash, lights, etc. In fact, he coded the dash, too, over a year ago. I got the ECU back to Dinan, and they flashed it with the Stage 1 tune without any issues. I traded in my Dinan Elite tuning box that worked flawlessly for 4 years, but this actual flash tune from them is amazing. There appears to be a lot more power. Everything is working as expected. I could not have done this without the help from great folks on this board, and the customer service from Dinan was second to none. I'm just speechless at the generosity of folks here that shared their amazing knowledge and talents with me - ultimately making sure my ECU was completely up-to-date without erasing all the prior coding I've done over the years. And, the people I worked with at Dinan were great. I sent them the ECU on Monday and got it back on Wednesday. Ultimately, this was a great experience, and now I have an actual tune on the car vs. the tuning box and I couldn't be more thrilled.

 

I had the same experience with my 2017 F56 JCW. I wanted to upgrade from my Dinan Elite piggyback tuner. Sent my ECU in for the free exchange but I was told I needed Dinan to update the core ECU firmware before Dinan could do their update. Mini of the Main Line Bryn Mawr, PA did the upgrade. I sent it back to Dinan and they turned it around in one day.
I agree the change in performance was amazing! With the Wagener intercooler, K%N Typhoon intake and low restriction exhaust I estimate engine HP to be around 350 and torque just under 400 ft lbs.by comparing to the graphs on Dinan's website without these mods..Dinan mentioned I have to run a minimum 93 Octane...no problem.

 

Question for someone at @Dinan Engineering :

Does the "tuning switch" on the dash the flips between Sport, Mid and Green mode, is that switching between 3 separate maps or is that one set of tuning maps that are programmatically de-tuned by certain amounts for each? I ask b/c wondering if each map can be independently tuned of each other or if the values are tethered to each other so when one is altered it adjusts others as well.

 

What's the biggest difference going from piggyback to flash tune besides perceived power?

 

All this chatter is making me want a tune! My 2024 just got a Borla Axleback (I wanted something mellow) and now the car's got a voice that needs more grunt to go with it.

 

Flash tunes use real values from the sensor suite, piggybacks basically lie to the DME to manipulate it