Dinan Finally Releases Software Upgrade for 335i Engines

The Vishnu Proceed software upgrade has been all the rage on the BMW enthusiasts boards but I've personally been waiting for a performance upgrade that comes with the piece of mind of not voiding my BMW warranty. Well Dinan has finally come through with performance and sleeping easy at night.

"Dinan, North America’s BMW tuner, is pleased to announce the introduction of the anxiously awaited Performance Engine Software for BMW 335 models. And as always, Dinan matches the new car warranty coverage for up to 4 years or 50,000 miles, including the possibility of consequential damages*. No one offers better performance or backs it up with such comprehensive warranty coverage.

"The results of Dinan’s tuning are nothing short of breathtaking, with the added boost and related recalibration producing maximum output of 384 horsepower at 5700 rpm and 421 lb-ft torque at 4300 rpm. All of this additional power is available from Dinan’s software alone, which is easily downloaded by your Authorized Dinan Dealer in about an hour for 2007 models (2008 model year vehicles require that the ECU is removed and shipped to Dinan for installation of the software at this time).

"*In order to qualify for Dinan’s matching new car warranty coverage, which includes consequential damages, the vehicle MUST be equipped with either a factory oil cooler (not all 335s were equipped from the factory with an oil cooler) or Dinan’s High Capacity Oil Cooler (recommended).

Part #D900-30T3
Suggested Retail: $1999.00
Installation: 1 Hour" more.

As quick as a 650i cabriolet

Review from Canada at Wheels.ca: "What was once a hardtop canopy for four occupants is now a dense pile of metal, plastic and glass folded into illogically compressed proportions. The whole apparatus then parks itself into the $72,195 as-tested 335i Cabriolet's trunk, taking all of 22 whirring, purring seconds to accomplish this engineering feat.

"The performance is like a freakish Cirque du Soleil contortionist act, but right there in your laneway. If you happen to have an audience, they'll "oooh" and "ahhh" and undoubtedly ask for an encore.

"If you're one of those "have-it-all" types, get the 335i. You'll own the best-driving four-seat convertible for your money." more.

First snow commute

Okay, it was a minor test for my new winter tires but hey it was the first drive to work with snow on the roads. Fortunately, it was a pretty smooth sailing even on my unplowed side street. In some weird way, I'm looking forward to a real test in the coming weeks when I get some serious snow fall; though the tires isn't my big concern, that would be ground clearance.

eBay Find: How about M3 Seats for your E93?

Here is an interesting find on eBay. A full set of M3 seats plus the center trim and door panels for a meager $4,500. Okay, it's not meager, but hey if you want that M3 look it's probably a lot less than buying direct from BMW. The big question is do the seats bolt on the same as our E93 seats, probably not... Might work best for an E92 but even that is a wild guess.