Dinan Cars
Dinan Cars designs and manufactures aftermarket performance parts for BMW and MINI automobiles. The company was founded in 1979 by Steve Dinan and is headquartered in Morgan Hill, California.
Its parts are marketed through a network of authorized BMW dealers and independent auto repair shops. The company has a long-standing arrangement with the BMW dealers, allowing Dinan-modified vehicles to retain factory warranty coverage and even qualify for BMW's Certified Pre-Owned program—something often lost when vehicles receive aftermarket modifications.
Dinan’s comprehensive warranty program, introduced in 1996 with the cooperation of BMW of North America, provides BMW owners with matching coverage to that offered by BMW’s new car warranty, ensuring that Dinan performance enhancements and the BMW they have been installed in covered for up to 4 years or 50,000 miles.
Dinan also builds BMW racing engines for teams competing in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series Daytona Prototype class.
There are 180 locations in the United States that sell Dinan parts or cars; 150 of them are BMW dealerships. One of Dinan’s goals is to help and support these dealerships in hopes to increase sales from 5,000 cars a year to 15,000 cars a year.[1]
As of 2013, Dinan operates as a subsidiary of B&M Racing & Performance Inc.
Modifications
Dinan Cars makes aftermarket modifications for various models of BMW (and Minis) since 1979.[1][2][3] For instance, the S-2 Package - for the M5 - modifies the OEM Air filtration system, air mass flow meters, independent throttle bodies, remapped ECU (Electronic Control Unit), exhaust headers, header-back exhaust system, VANOS MAPS, dual mass flywheel, differential, strut brace, and new wheels and tires. The OEM air filters are re-routed to down behind the front air ducts with Dinan’s carbon fiber piping because of the proximity to the engine.[2] Dinan and his team found that at 90 mph, the big V8 was starved of air, so the use of the new air intake system eliminates that effect.[3] Each of the eight individual throttle bodies were replaced with shorter, greater diameter bodies to withstand higher engine speeds.[1][2] With the extra amount of air, the double VANOS is remapped through the electronic control unit. The factory headers are replaced with more free flowing ceramic-coated stainless steel headers, which give the E39’s V8 28 more bhp than stock alone.[3] To replace the rest of the heavy factory exhaust, Dinan connects the ceramic-coated headers with a more free flowing true dual exhaust.[3] To take full advantage of the newly freed up power, Dinan changes the differential with a shorter ratio 3:45:1 limited slip.[2][3] The final additions are an alloy strut brace and Dinan’s signature 18-inch forged wheels with Michelin’s Pilot Sport 2’s.[2][3] The finished M5 weighs in at 3965 pounds.
Applications
The top model, BMW M3 SR-3, costs nearly twice what the regular car does, reasonably so according to Auto Week.[1] Dinan’s S3-R M3 has a Vortech gear-driven supercharger, air-to-air intercooler, bigger fuel injectors, and a better oil cooler and radiator.[1] This setup gives the S3-R M3 a total of 462 hp and 328 lb-ft of torque at the flywheel.[1] To put all of the horsepower to the pavement, Dinan adds a 3.91 Limited slip differential, Dinan/JRZ adjustable strut/springs, front camber plates, better suspension bushings, bigger brakes for the front and rear, and wider Michelin Pilot Sport 2’s on Dinan’s signature 19-inch Alloy wheels.
The variety doesn’t stop with BMW. Dinan also designs and manufactures aftermarket performance parts for Minis, supported by a Dinan warranty which matches the factory BMW and Mini warranty programs.[1] Dinan’s Mini Cooper S (stage one) produces 225 bhp compared to the stock 180 hp. This upgrade is done without increasing the stock boost pressure. The modifications that Dinan has changed on his “stage one” Mini include special engine software which allows the engine to breathe better, a high flow intake system, twin 3-inch diameter free flowing exhaust, and a strut tower brace.[3]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Vaughn, Mark (08 May 2006). "Howling Bimmer; Dinan Has Been Building Them for 27 Years". Auto Week: 21–22.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Colman, David (17th). "Pony Up For More Thrills". Auto Week 53 (11): 23–25.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Kuah, Ian (December 2004). "California Dreaming". BMW Car: 61–66.