[siegester]

After waiting a few months my exhaust finally arrived! Unfortunately it was missing the valve actuator kit, but Dinan quickly overnighted the missing parts to me 🙂.

The install was mostly straight forward. While the provided instructions were sufficient, they could have been more helpful. I also had a small issue with the actuator motor mounting brackets not being made correctly, but was easily able to correct it with basic tools.

The tips went on easily, and I noticed a slip notch was on the bottom center which made keeping them aligned while torquing them much easier. The instructions indicate a 45ft/lbs torque spec for the tip clamps, but I feared this might break them, so I used 33 ft/lbs instead. They felt quite snug, but I'll keep an eye on them to be sure. I chose to mount the tips almost all the way in (I could probably push them in another 3mm or so, but felt they were too tucked and the inner tips might not torque down properly as the piping diameter reduces aound there.

The sound.
First startup was shaking all of our china and dishes in the house, and it woke up my little one 😱. It's not really that loud, just those items are close to the garage. My wife said "it's louder, but not wake the neighbors loud". Granted she use to ride in my old catless car with only a straight through race muffler and an HKS SSQV back in our younger days.

The tone is a good bit deeper, but has a bit of an airy or raspy sound when standing straight behind during cold start. Once up to temp, everything settles down to stock levels, but deeper at idle. Revving and acceleration sound great from the driver's seat.

Driving in comfort (valves closed), the exhaust is deeper and more audible than the stock exhaust was with the valves open. There are now much more noticeable burbles even in comfort+ mode.

In sport modes the exhaust is only slightly louder while cruising under light loads, ease on the throttle and there is a noticeable increase in tone. The exhaust doesn't seem to stop burbling in sport+ (2020 model), and the upshift flatulence is much more noticeable too.

All in all, I really love the deeper but not obnoxious tone the exhaust has when leaning on the throttle. The product quality of the Dinan is great, minus some minor QA issues.


**EDIT 2022.02.20**
After driving around town and even some freeway driving, I am still loving sounds of this exhaust with the valves open. I frequently turn off the radio and just listen.

Having said that, valves closed is not much different to valves open from inside the car while cruising. There is noticeable drone and new rattles/vibrations inside the car from it. Light throttle low speed driving is the worst. In those conditions I cannot tell the difference in sound regardless of valve position. I can tell a difference with moderate acceleration though.

All in all I am a bit underwhelmed with and annoyed by the exhaust as I expected more of a difference from the dual valves. I am going to give it some more time to see if I adjust. I do really love it when driving sportingly though.

Edit - March 2022
The drone is still there, but the frequency has changed a bit after full break-in and is less annoying now. It's more noticeable than I wanted, but liveable. My only wish is that the muffler/valves made more of a difference (volume and slight drone). Overall I am happy with and enjoying the exhaust. I think if my expectations were better aligned initially, then my initial impressions would have been more favorable

[k4sh_90]

Dope write up! I thought the same about the tips on mine, mildly loose on first install. I went back and rotated the clamps so the nuts were on top and torqued them down a bit further. Haven't moved since

[mike@x-ph.com]

Congrats

[TupperBMW]

You're now the second or third person reporting that Dinan sent you an incomplete parts list. Really bad.....

But I'm glad that it worked out for you!

[siegester]

Originally Posted by v_ckash623

Dope write up! I thought the same about the tips on mine, mildly loose on first install. I went back and rotated the clamps so the nuts were on top and torqued them down a bit further. Haven't moved since

I considered moving them, but it looked like it would be annoying to get to the clamps when on top, so I haven't yet.

[k4sh_90]

Originally Posted by siegester

I considered moving them, but it looked like it would be annoying to get to the clamps when on top, so I haven't yet.

I noticed that right after I got done. Thankfully they haven't shifted.

[Who me 23]

worth the wait!

[SaltyPickle]

Can you provide a little bit more on the lifting part? Like how did you lift the car? Jack + jack stands? Quickjack? Lift? Jacked from one side or from differential?

[siegester]

Originally Posted by Who me 23

worth the wait!

Yes!

Originally Posted by SaltyPickle

Can you provide a little bit more on the lifting part? Like how did you lift the car? Jack + jack stands? Quickjack? Lift? Jacked from one side or from differential?

I backed the car up on ramps which provided enough room to work

[Nai1ZuTe]

Nice writeup! This is really similar to my experience. I found the comfort/+ mode deeper and louder than before (a little bit annoying at times compared to stock tbh). Maybe the 2020 already sounds so good that in sport+ mode the difference isn't too noticeable.

[SaltyPickle]

Originally Posted by siegester

Yes!


I backed the car up on ramps which provided enough room to work

What kind of ramps did you use?

[FiascoAndretti]

nice, got mine last week, installing next week. i believe mine had all the parts.

[k4sh_90]

Ooo, did you have to expand a pipe so that it'll fit over the factory pipe? I forgot that was also one of the things I had to do during the install

[siegester]

Originally Posted by SaltyPickle

What kind of ramps did you use?

Just some old generic metal ramps I've had for many years now.

Originally Posted by v_ckash623

Ooo, did you have to expand a pipe so that it'll fit over the factory pipe? I forgot that was also one of the things I had to do during the install

Nope, everything fit together easily

[Minyata Speed]

Just got my 2020 M340i and debating between the MPE or Dinan. Since I live in the bay cops around here have been getting more "sensitive" with modded cars, especially with exhaust. Can't tell yah how many time I have seen a Supra a90 get pulled over.

I wanted the MPE for it's stock look but love the deeper tone and quad tips of the Dinan.

If it's not too much to ask, could you do a decibel reading with a phone app? (some cops around here are actually starting to do DB reads now...) SMH

Thanks!

[Ghost Ritual]

Originally Posted by TupperBMW

You're now the second or third person reporting that Dinan sent you an incomplete parts list. Really bad.....

But I'm glad that it worked out for you!

Mine rattles like a tin can with the valves closed... ive been waiting 8 months for them to send me the valves back.. I keep seeing new systems go out while I still havnt gotten my warranty part.. oh and my tips are loose...

When the valves are open it sounds amazing... cold start is terrible with the rattle.

[Dinan_Engineering]

Originally Posted by Ghost Ritual

Mine rattles like a tin can with the valves closed... ive been waiting 8 months for them to send me the valves back.. I keep seeing new systems go out while I still havnt gotten my warranty part.. oh and my tips are loose...

When the valves are open it sounds amazing... cold start is terrible with the rattle.

Not seeing any active warranty claims for the revised valve bracket. I assume that is the part in question. DM incoming.

[siegester]

Originally Posted by Minyata Speed

Just got my 2020 M340i and debating between the MPE or Dinan. Since I live in the bay cops around here have been getting more "sensitive" with modded cars, especially with exhaust. Can't tell yah how many time I have seen a Supra a90 get pulled over.

I wanted the MPE for it's stock look but love the deeper tone and quad tips of the Dinan.

If it's not too much to ask, could you do a decibel reading with a phone app? (some cops around here are actually starting to do DB reads now...) SMH

Thanks!

I can try this weekend. Car seemed even louder in comfort today, turns out my valves aren't fully closed. Going to try adjusting them this weekend first

[TupperBMW]

Originally Posted by Ghost Ritual

Mine rattles like a tin can with the valves closed... ive been waiting 8 months for them to send me the valves back.. I keep seeing new systems go out while I still havnt gotten my warranty part.. oh and my tips are loose...

When the valves are open it sounds amazing... cold start is terrible with the rattle.

1. Got my exhaust in about 2 weeks after a phone call
2. Guy at AWE always answered right away
3. Mine never rattles, but sometimes the entire car does because the exhaust is loud
4. All of my parts arrived as they were supposed to
5. Build quality is excellent
6. Valves are dumb

AWE all the way.

[Jayf30]

Originally Posted by Minyata Speed

Just got my 2020 M340i and debating between the MPE or Dinan. Since I live in the bay cops around here have been getting more "sensitive" with modded cars, especially with exhaust. Can't tell yah how many time I have seen a Supra a90 get pulled over.

I wanted the MPE for it's stock look but love the deeper tone and quad tips of the Dinan.

If it's not too much to ask, could you do a decibel reading with a phone app? (some cops around here are actually starting to do DB reads now...) SMH

Thanks!

Damn, really?

I'm in the bay as well and have had plenty of cops behind me/ pass me. I'm catless and fully straight piped! (Thank God for auto start-stop)

Maybe it's also cause I'm in an X3 M40i so they assume there's some soccer mom behind the wheel lol

[TupperBMW]

^ What do you mean “straight piped”? What catback did you install?

[CATBB1]

Originally Posted by TupperBMW

1. Got my exhaust in about 2 weeks after a phone call
2. Guy at AWE always answered right away
3. Mine never rattles, but sometimes the entire car does because the exhaust is loud
4. All of my parts arrived as they were supposed to
5. Build quality is excellent
6. Valves are dumb

AWE all the way.

I am having crazy time getting any exhaust..spoke to both AWE and Dinan..seems like 3-4 months with either system. Started this quest end of November...still waiting. How did you get your soo fast...pre covid??