# Serious DINAN Supercharger Opportunity



## italia550i (Mar 25, 2002)

I want a supercharger for my 330i. I have been researching this idea for awhile now and just today I spoke with the owner of a performance shop and authorized Dinan dealer here in So Cal.

I mentioned some brands to him and he raised some key issues about emissions laws that are going to go into effect which will soon make it very difficult to operate an E46 with a supercharger in Calif. The cars may pass emissions, but if there is not a specific number associated with the supercharger, you wont pass. Dinan would be able to supply such a number. Dinan is a quality manufacturer. Although there maybe a tradeoff in all out performance when compared to other manufactures that trade off includes a lot of peace of mind as support would be readily available, and the warranty issues associated with this would be a huge plus.

Anyway, he said that if enough interest could be generated to build a supercharger for the E46 Dinan WILL make it. He told me that he has turned away at least 10 people inquiring about the idea already.

Ok so here's the deal....

We want to generate a list of people that are serious about purchasing this SC if it were available. Whatever you can write to make it clear that you are interested, please include it in your post. We will either compile the info or simply forward the link to Dinan and convince them that there is clearly a market for our cars.

Here is some info you should include: 
Model: 2001 330i Step (Already have Dinan Stg 3 engine mods, but I want more) 
Email: [email protected] 
Price you would pay: $7-9k. 
Deposit: I would put $1.5K down today. 
State: Calif. 
Minimum HP goal: 300


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## Raffi (May 18, 2002)

I'd let him have my car as the guinea pig if the SC were free...   :angel:


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## DrBimmer (Dec 23, 2001)

italia330i said:


> *Here is some info you should include:
> Model: 2001 330i Step (Already have Dinan Stg 3 engine mods, but I want more)
> Email: [email protected]
> Price you would pay: $7-9k.
> ...


I have a 325, so I am obviously not interested, but I do have a question since you seem to know a bit about this topic.

You say you are willing to spend $7-9k. What are similar systems costing? Just curious what a supercharger set up goes for these days.


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## Plaz (Dec 19, 2001)

*Re: Re: Serious DINAN Supercharger Opportunity*



DrBimmer said:


> *I have a 325, so I am obviously not interested, but I do have a question since you seem to know a bit about this topic.
> 
> You say you are willing to spend $7-9k. What are similar systems costing? Just curious what a supercharger set up goes for these days. *


I think the ESS kit is $5-6k, NOT including installation. (I think they have a 325 kit, too...)


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## DrBimmer (Dec 23, 2001)

*Re: Re: Re: Serious DINAN Supercharger Opportunity*



Plaz said:


> *I think the ESS kit is $5-6k, NOT including installation. (I think they have a 325 kit, too...) *


I would sell this car and take a depreciation hit before I spent $6k+ to put a supercharger on it, but that is just my view....

I have never been a fan of superchargers or turbochargers. :dunno:

Although, if I had a 330 and still wanted more power and needed a four door, I could see the benefit. Or if I had a 325iT and was wishing BMW offered a 330iT....

For my needs, the 325 is fine, and when in no longer does what I need from it, I will turn it back in and get another car.


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## Plaz (Dec 19, 2001)

*Re: Re: Re: Re: Serious DINAN Supercharger Opportunity*



DrBimmer said:


> *I would sell this car and take a depreciation hit before I spent $6k+ to put a supercharger on it, but that is just my view....
> 
> I have never been a fan of superchargers or turbochargers. :dunno:
> 
> ...


My head tells me the same thing as your first sentence above.

My heart tells me what your second sentence says... (need 4-doors, have 330, want more power)

But honestly, I think I'll ALWAYS want more power.

I don't know. I'll consider the options in two or three years when I'm out of warranty. (although at the rate my odometer is spinnng, it may be a lot sooner than that)


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## Raffi (May 18, 2002)

*Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Serious DINAN Supercharger Opportunity*



Plaz said:


> *
> 
> I don't know. I'll consider the options in two or three years when I'm out of warranty. (although at the rate my odometer is spinnng, it may be a lot sooner than that) *


Damn, me too. I am over 30K already in less than 1.5 years...


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## DrBimmer (Dec 23, 2001)

*Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Serious DINAN Supercharger Opportunity*



Plaz said:


> *My head tells me the same thing as your first sentence above.
> 
> My heart tells me what your second sentence says... (need 4-doors, have 330, want more power)
> 
> ...


When my son was still working at the dealer, the shop foreman would try and talk me into it every time I saw him. He had just done it on a 330CiCA for one of his friends. He told me that the car was a beast and that it had an incredible ammount of power.

Then there were the two or three E36 M3's he had done. I would have loved to have driven one of those!

But of course, I quickly came to my senses. Like you said, more power is always nice. But where do you draw the line? I would have liked a 330, or even an M3, but when I thought rationally, I realized that this car was fine for me. I have put 5300 miles on it since last July, so I can hardly say I drive it alot. Plus, most of that mileage is city driving. That extra power from a supercharger wouldn't do me any good, and in fact, it would probably only get me in trouble...


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## pdz (Nov 17, 2002)

there is a sales account "manager" named Bob who works at Dinan. he is an incredible a$$hole. i called a year ago about this and he said it was not worth dinan's time to sell SC kits for non M E46ers.

i understand the business aspect, but dealing with Bob is always so painful and he is always so useless, i have refuse to ever use Dinan again. is not the idea for a representative to be helpful so that you actually want to buy their overpriced junk which depreciates your car at a more accelerated rate anyway?


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## Mr Paddle.Shift (Dec 19, 2001)

That's what I heard last year too. Also for Dinan to invest research time and money to develop a non-M E46 SC is a dream beyond dream. I don't even think it's about getting a certain number of pple on the list. But one has to consider Dinan's long term business prospect of this product in the non-M E46 market. Which I believe Dinan isn't very keen at the moment.

For $7k, I'd rather get a AC Schnitzer or Hartge SC.



pdz said:


> *there is a sales account "manager" named Bob who works at Dinan. he is an incredible a$$hole. i called a year ago about this and he said it was not worth dinan's time to sell SC kits for non M E46ers.
> 
> i understand the business aspect, but dealing with Bob is always so painful and he is always so useless, i have refuse to ever use Dinan again. is not the idea for a representative to be helpful so that you actually want to buy their overpriced junk which depreciates your car at a more accelerated rate anyway? *


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## Raffi (May 18, 2002)

Like the new sig Vince! :thumbup:


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## doeboy (Sep 20, 2002)

italia330i said:


> *The cars may pass emissions, but if there is not a specific number associated with the supercharger, you wont pass. Dinan would be able to supply such a number. *


Would that number he's referring to be the CARB EO#? :dunno: Kinda sounds like it....


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## italia550i (Mar 25, 2002)

*Re: Re: Serious DINAN Supercharger Opportunity*



doeboy said:


> *Would that number he's referring to be the CARB EO#? :dunno: Kinda sounds like it.... *


That's it!


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## Kaz (Dec 21, 2001)

Anyone planning on blowing a AT car think about how the increased power might affect the tranny? I know BMW assigns model #s to the ATs they use based on torque capacity (for example the version of the ZF 5HP19 in the E46 is called the A5S 325Z = 325Nm/240lbft max).

Despite the trip to B&M, I'm still not sure what determines the torque capacity of a given AT but somehow I doubt pushing 300+lbft of torque through a tranny rated for 240 is going to produce happy results over the long run.


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## doeboy (Sep 20, 2002)

*Re: Re: Re: Serious DINAN Supercharger Opportunity*



italia330i said:


> *That's it! *


That's what I thought. Most engine mods that have anything to do with emissions of can effect emissions will require a CARB EO# here in CA to be fully kosher... otherwise you will not pass the visual part of the SMOG inspection.

Even with CARB EO#s... some SMOG places give you a hard time about it.... last time I had to get my old car smogged, the guy looked at my intake and was examining my engine bay like three times... all he had to do was look up the damn EO# in the book, and that should've been the end of it.... :thumbdwn: :tsk:


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## doeboy (Sep 20, 2002)

Kaz said:


> *Anyone planning on blowing a AT car think about how the increased power might affect the tranny? I know BMW assigns model #s to the ATs they use based on torque capacity (for example the version of the ZF 5HP19 in the E46 is called the A5S 325Z = 325Nm/240lbft max).
> 
> Despite the trip to B&M, I'm still not sure what determines the torque capacity of a given AT but somehow I doubt pushing 300+lbft of torque through a tranny rated for 240 is going to produce happy results over the long run. *


Yeah.... you'll probably kill your torque convertor eventually if you're putting more load on it than it was made to handle.... good luck...


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## hts (Dec 19, 2001)

$7-9k seems pretty dear to me, but wtf, it's your money, good luck.

personally, if we get a 280-ish hp v-8 in the next iteration of the 3er, i might just put my $7-$9k to better (for me) use there.


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## DrBimmer (Dec 23, 2001)

hts said:


> *$7-9k seems pretty dear to me, but wtf, it's your money, good luck.
> 
> personally, if we get a 280-ish hp v-8 in the next iteration of the 3er, i might just put my $7-$9k to better (for me) use there. *


If it can put out these numbers (in red) in a 7 series, I am dying to see what it'll do in a 3 series!!!

272hp
360Nm torque

7.5 sec 0-100km (manufacturers est.)


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## DoctorBimmer (Feb 13, 2003)

*SC in CA*

Yet another reason why I don't live in California


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## Jon Shafer (Dec 15, 2001)

Oh no...

Not again.

Two DrBimmers?

:eeps:


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