[Burniksapwet]

Perfect guys. I guess getting the Dinan was the right choice for what I'm looking for. I have a 540 and the I'm not impressed with the Dinan tips for it. I want to replace it with an aftermarket quad tips. I don't want to compromise the design or integrity of the exhaust by doing so. Will it or am I just over thinking it guys? Thanks.

[NGT2]

Originally Posted by Burniksapwet

Perfect guys. I guess getting the Dinan was the right choice for what I'm looking for. I have a 540 and the I'm not impressed with the Dinan tips for it. I want to replace it with an aftermarket quad tips. I don't want to compromise the design or integrity of the exhaust by doing so. Will it or am I just over thinking it guys? Thanks.

Long answer but here is what I've found out…

I have a 540 and have done a lot of homework and Dinan is where I've landed. Partially because I don't have an M Sport, which really cancels out most options. But I also happen to like Dinan sound the best. Only reason I looked into others was trying not to lose the flaps.

I don't love the ceramic black tips for the 540 exhaust. I have tried many avenues of solution and have come up with nothing. The tips are welded on, so they'd have to be cut off. If you cut them off, I've been told you can't weld or clamp on the OEM chrome tips because the pipe diameter of the Dinan is too much wider than the stock. You could buy clamp on tips to replace the black ones, but again you would have to cut off the Dinan tips. I don't know how I feel about doing that, just to use some clamp on that's just getting me by.

I asked Dinan today if I could special order one in stainless steel and no ceramic finish. They said not possible because of how their production chain operates. He said the best bet would be to have someone remove the ceramic finish and refinish/polish the steel. I don't know what that would cost. He said it would likely remove the Dinan logo from the tip because the etching isn't that deep.

My car is dark graphite, so it won't clash too bad. But ideally I'd like to have the tips match the chrome on my car. My last two options to explore will be determining 100% that a local shop can't make it fit (somehow) to the stock tips. If that doesn't work, exploring cost of removing the ceramic. But honestly I probably won't do that.

If I can't make the stock tips attach, then I'm going to use it as is. Fitting the stock tips would be the only thing that would motivate me to cut on and compromise the original Dinan product.

Editing this post to add: I measured the pipe going into the back of the stock tip at 8.75 inches. I sent yet another message to Dinan to ask what the size of the corresponding pipe on their product is. I'll report back.

Side note - Levi at Dinan has promptly answered every crazy question I've thrown at him with thoughtful answers and has tried to help me find a solution to specific mission to maintain factory chrome look on their upgraded product. I can't speak to the others, but my experience with Dinan so far is top notch.

[eliphil]

I think Joe hit the nail on the head as usual but I now realize that I have yet to grow up and prefer the muscle car sounding Remus........................

[Joe-BMW33]

Originally Posted by eliphil

i think joe hit the nail on the head as usual but i now realize that i have yet to grow up and prefer the muscle car sounding remus........................

😂😂😂😂 it's not often I get the "grown up" badge, lol! My girlfriend would beg to differ!

It's really unfortunate that most of us can't hear how each system will sound on our cars before buying or hear someone else's in person. You really can't get a feel from YT videos. The sound is all over the place.

I do know that the consensus is that the Dinan is more conservative than Remus or other brands. That seems to be a given and that's what I wanted. I think I'd be more sorry if it was too loud vs too quiet. That's said, I didn't spend >$4,000 to have it not be a noticeable difference.

We'll see, going in Friday!

[Joe-BMW33]

The other thing I should mention in terms of why I went with Dinan - DRONE or lack there of. I just can't deal with drone a cruising speed on the highway. I enjoy my Bowers and Wilkins system way too much to have it compromised by background drone. The drone in my Maserati was horrible. The sound system in that car was crap and then taking a long trip on the highway and having to listen to that low drone behind the music was a non-starter. Dinan supposedly engineered the system to be drone free. I have to think the more aggressive the exhaust system, the more likelihood you're going to have more drone.

[NGT2]

Originally Posted by NGT2

Long answer but here is what I've found out…

I have a 540 and have done a lot of homework and Dinan is where I've landed. Partially because I don't have an M Sport, which really cancels out most options. But I also happen to like Dinan sound the best. Only reason I looked into others was trying not to lose the flaps.

I don't love the ceramic black tips for the 540 exhaust. I have tried many avenues of solution and have come up with nothing. The tips are welded on, so they'd have to be cut off. If you cut them off, I've been told you can't weld or clamp on the OEM chrome tips because the pipe diameter of the Dinan is too much wider than the stock. You could buy clamp on tips to replace the black ones, but again you would have to cut off the Dinan tips. I don't know how I feel about doing that, just to use some clamp on that's just getting me by.

I asked Dinan today if I could special order one in stainless steel and no ceramic finish. They said not possible because of how their production chain operates. He said the best bet would be to have someone remove the ceramic finish and refinish/polish the steel. I don't know what that would cost. He said it would likely remove the Dinan logo from the tip because the etching isn't that deep.

My car is dark graphite, so it won't clash too bad. But ideally I'd like to have the tips match the chrome on my car. My last two options to explore will be determining 100% that a local shop can't make it fit (somehow) to the stock tips. If that doesn't work, exploring cost of removing the ceramic. But honestly I probably won't do that.

If I can't make the stock tips attach, then I'm going to use it as is. Fitting the stock tips would be the only thing that would motivate me to cut on and compromise the original Dinan product.

Editing this post to add: I measured the pipe going into the back of the stock tip at 8.75 inches. I sent yet another message to Dinan to ask what the size of the corresponding pipe on their product is. I'll report back.

Side note - Levi at Dinan has promptly answered every crazy question I've thrown at him with thoughtful answers and has tried to help me find a solution to specific mission to maintain factory chrome look on their upgraded product. I can't speak to the others, but my experience with Dinan so far is top notch.

Follow up for anyone that cares… the outlet pipe going from the stock muffler to the stock tip should have a diameter of 2.78 inches. I measured the circumference of the outlet pipe right where it welds to the tip at 8.75 inches and did the math of 8.75/3.14 to get approximate diameter.

Per Dinan, the diameter of their outlet pipe from muffler to the tips is 2.75 inches. So they are the same or very close.

Based on this, the stock tips should be able to fit to the Dinan outlet pipe.

Keep in mind - Both the Dinan and factory tips are welded to their respective exhaust systems. So, a shop would have to cut the tips from both systems and then weld the stock tips to the Dinan system. I think that's doable but you'd need to really measure carefully to ensure the tips don't end up sticking out too far or not enough.

Maybe you could do it in a way that you could clamp the stock tips to the Dinan pipe, but I'm not sure, as I've never done anything like that.

[Joe-BMW33]

Originally Posted by NGT2

Follow up for anyone that cares… the outlet pipe going from the stock muffler to the stock tip should have a diameter of 2.78 inches. I measured the circumference of the outlet pipe right where it welds to the tip at 8.75 inches and did the math of 8.75/3.14 to get approximate diameter.

Per Dinan, the diameter of their outlet pipe from muffler to the tips is 2.75 inches. So they are the same or very close.

Based on this, the stock tips should be able to fit to the Dinan outlet pipe.

Keep in mind - Both the Dinan and factory tips are welded to their respective exhaust systems. So, a shop would have to cut the tips from both systems and then weld the stock tips to the Dinan system. I think that's doable but you'd need to really measure carefully to ensure the tips don't end up sticking out too far or not enough.

Maybe you could do it in a way that you could clamp the stock tips to the Dinan pipe, but I'm not sure, as I've never done anything like that.

The tips aren't welded on the Dinan M550 axle-back. They are separate and bolt on. I know you know this and you are talking about the 540 Dinan option, just making this clear for other readers.

[NGT2]

Originally Posted by Joe-BMW33

The tips aren't welded on the Dinan M550 axle-back. They are separate and bolt on. I know you know this and you are talking about the 540 Dinan option, just making this clear for other readers.

Yeah, I'm kind of surprised one is welded and the other is not. But that's what I was told by Dinan.

Good catch for anyone else that might be looking for this info in the future.

[Joe-BMW33]

Originally Posted by NGT2

Yeah, I'm kind of surprised one is welded and the other is not. But that's what I was told by Dinan.

Good catch for anyone else that might be looking for this info in the future.

Actually, it was pretty much commonplace for Dinan to always weld their tips on. I think the M550 offering is the first to break that string. I think this is one of the bullet points on the description where they are patting themselves on the back for finally doing this.