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      12-03-2019, 10:34 AM   #1
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Carbahn Tune

Has anyone tried the Carbahn tune for the N55 M2:

https://carbahnautoworks.com/product...n-competition/

It looks decent and Steve Dinan knows his stuff. Also, the warranty is a big plus for me.
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      12-03-2019, 04:29 PM   #2
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I'm pretty sure just like the Dinan stuff, it is extremely mild and you shouldn't have any real issues with it. You just won't be able to have high gains over factory, and price for performance is not very good imo. However you will get warranty so if that's what you're looking for it will be perfect.
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      12-03-2019, 07:57 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by F87source View Post
I'm pretty sure just like the Dinan stuff, it is extremely mild and you shouldn't have any real issues with it. You just won't be able to have high gains over factory, and price for performance is not very good imo. However you will get warranty so if that's what you're looking for it will be perfect.

That's very well put.
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      12-04-2019, 06:38 AM   #4
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I contacted Carbahn's "high performance specialist" Chris MacNaughton on November 17th using the form on their web page. More than one week went by and I had yet to receive a reply to my two questions, so I called them. Nobody answered the phone so I left a message. Another week or so has since passed and I have yet to receive a reply to either the form or phone call. I am generally a patient individual, but this is disappointing to say the least. Perhaps this thread will catch their eye.

If you examine the dynamometer graphs for the M2, the tune shows little change to the torque curve in the low RPM range but a nice increase in the upper range, which is what I was looking for. Sadly, given the above, it is doubtful that I will purchase a tune from them.
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      12-04-2019, 07:45 AM   #5
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For $250, I'd (again) get the Dinan sport tuner and get very close to the 399 advertised HP by Carbahn. It's safe, simple, effective, and inexpensive.
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      12-04-2019, 08:47 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Stage IV View Post
For $250, I'd (again) get the Dinan sport tuner and get very close to the 399 advertised HP by Carbahn. It's safe, simple, effective, and inexpensive.
I don't think the sport tuner cones with a warranty.
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      12-04-2019, 09:26 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by F87source View Post
I don't think the sport tuner cones with a warranty.
Nope.

I'm waiting for the N55 Dinan flash tune that should be out shortly.
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      12-04-2019, 10:13 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Stage IV View Post
Nope.

I'm waiting for the N55 Dinan flash tune that should be out shortly.
Is this going to be different from what is already available?
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      12-04-2019, 11:51 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Professor MSP View Post
I contacted Carbahn's "high performance specialist" Chris MacNaughton on November 17th using the form on their web page. More than one week went by and I had yet to receive a reply to my two questions, so I called them. Nobody answered the phone so I left a message. Another week or so has since passed and I have yet to receive a reply to either the form or phone call. I am generally a patient individual, but this is disappointing to say the least. Perhaps this thread will catch their eye.

If you examine the dynamometer graphs for the M2, the tune shows little change to the torque curve in the low RPM range but a nice increase in the upper range, which is what I was looking for. Sadly, given the above, it is doubtful that I will purchase a tune from them.
That's not a good sign in case someone needs to submit a warranty claim.
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      12-04-2019, 04:00 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Stage IV View Post
Nope.

I'm waiting for the N55 Dinan flash tune that should be out shortly.
I wonder how the Dinan N55 flash will work, if at all, with the Dinan uprated turbo. In other words, any reason for those of us with full Stage 4 set-ups to convert to a Dinan flash?
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      12-04-2019, 04:38 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BruceM View Post
I wonder how the Dinan N55 flash will work, if at all, with the Dinan uprated turbo. In other words, any reason for those of us with full Stage 4 set-ups to convert to a Dinan flash?
I asked Dinan_Engineering this very question, specifying our stage 4 setup. His response was "Yes. N55 flashes will most likely be the next to be released".

I'm hoping for bigger gains. They're measuring hp/tq at the wheels now
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      12-04-2019, 04:39 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dcgolfdr View Post
Is this going to be different from what is already available?
It will be a full flash tune as compared to a piggyback that's available now.
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      12-04-2019, 05:23 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Stage IV View Post
I asked Dinan_Engineering this very question, specifying our stage 4 setup. His response was "Yes. N55 flashes will most likely be the next to be released".

I'm hoping for bigger gains. They're measuring hp/tq at the wheels now
Well, that's good. Because N55 flashes designed to work with the stock turbo might not take full advantage of the uprated turbo. I wonder whether they will have a couple of different flashes, in fact...
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      12-04-2019, 05:33 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BruceM View Post
I wonder whether they will have a couple of different flashes, in fact...
If the S55 is any indication, then yes.

https://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1668670
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      12-27-2019, 08:35 AM   #15
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Spoke with Chris at Carbahn, and I am going that route in the absence of anything from Dinan. The drawback compared to BM3 is obviously less customizations, but they think it is not a good idea to give all those options to tuners who don't know what they're doing.
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      12-27-2019, 01:46 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hz101 View Post
Spoke with Chris at Carbahn, and I am going that route in the absence of anything from Dinan. The drawback compared to BM3 is obviously less customizations, but they think it is not a good idea to give all those options to tuners who don't know what they're doing.
So why not just get a BM3 tune from a tuner that does know what they're doing?
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      12-27-2019, 02:27 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hz101 View Post
Spoke with Chris at Carbahn, and I am going that route in the absence of anything from Dinan. The drawback compared to BM3 is obviously less customizations, but they think it is not a good idea to give all those options to tuners who don't know what they're doing.
Imo I think they're just using a simple scare tactic to deter you from going with bm3, mhd or ecutek. Of course it's not a good idea to give a huge range of features to any tuner, but why would someone would bring their expensive BMW to a random schmuck tuner is beyond me. If you bring your car to a reputable tuner like dezzeno@ptf (bm3 creator), justin@twisted tuning (bm3, mhd, and ecutek certified tuners) they'll easily get you sorted with a custom tune which is thousands of times better in terms of power delivery, smoothness, and optimization of the tune to your car over any ots map which are crap at best imo. There is imo, no such thing as a perfect one size fits all tune, there are "decent" ots maps but none of them will be able to fully match your car with it's specific mods, fuel quality in use, altitude and driving conditions perfectly and will always leave something left to be achieved.


Overall I personally just think the carbahn tune is just an over priced ots map that is extremely under performing and doesn't offer the performance + custom tailored experience a tune of that price should. Like a custom pro tune is cheaper than even the cheapest carbahn tune with no start up roar, no warranty and no tuning tablet. Like a full pro tune + mhd licence is cheaper than the carbahn tune + flasher. Overall the only good thing about this tune is the option for a warranty if that concerns you, otherwise there are way better options out there for less money.
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      12-27-2019, 02:34 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by F87source View Post
Imo I think they're just using a simple scare tactic to deter you from going with bm3, mhd or ecutek. Of course it's not a good idea to give a huge range of features to any tuner, but why would someone would bring their expensive BMW to a random schmuck tuner is beyond me. If you bring your car to a reputable tuner like dezzeno@ptf (bm3 creator), justin@twisted tuning (bm3, mhd, and ecutek certified tuners) they'll easily get you sorted with a custom tune which is thousands of times better in terms of power delivery, smoothness, and optimization of the tune to your car over any ots map which are crap at best imo. There is imo, no such thing as a perfect one size fits all tune, there are "decent" ots maps but none of them will be able to fully match your car with it's specific mods, fuel quality in use, altitude and driving conditions perfectly and will always leave something left to be achieved.


Overall I personally just think the carbahn tune is just an over priced ots map that is extremely under performing and doesn't offer the performance + custom tailored experience a tune of that price should. Like a custom pro tune is cheaper than even the cheapest carbahn tune with no start up roar, no warranty and no tuning tablet. Like a full pro tune + mhd licence is cheaper than the carbahn tune + flasher. Overall the only good thing about this tune is the option for a warranty if that concerns you, otherwise there are way better options out there for less money.
I also forgot to mention bm3 and mhd constantly receive FREE updates with their ots maps, something I don't think carbahn offers. But the point is bm3 maps often see alot of improvements occur that greatly improved the map and these improvements occur frequently and takes in account feedback from users all over the world making the bm3 ots maps the best ots map out there. Mhd ots maps also see frequent update but imo they're not to the same level of development as bm3 maps and are a little bit inferior.
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      12-27-2019, 05:09 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by F87source View Post
Overall the only good thing about this tune is the option for a warranty if that concerns you, otherwise there are way better options out there for less money.
Their warranty is a questionable disaster at best.

https://f87.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1680199
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      12-27-2019, 06:42 PM   #20
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Their warranty is a questionable disaster at best.

https://f87.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1680199
Lol I forgot about all those terrible dinan horror stories, it's been a long time since I've looked at piggy backs and dinan in general, probably 6 years now.

But yes I heard dinan will often butt heads with BMW and who is responsible for picking up the repair tabs....

Personally I'd just pick up a flash tuner that is current and modern and be done with it.
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      12-27-2019, 06:49 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by F87source View Post
Lol I forgot about all those terrible dinan horror stories, it's been a long time since I've looked at piggy backs and dinan in general, probably 6 years now.

But yes I heard dinan will often butt heads with BMW and who is responsible for picking up the repair tabs....

Personally I'd just pick up a flash tuner that is current and modern and be done with it.
I'm talking about how bad the Carbahn warranty is.
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      12-27-2019, 07:27 PM   #22
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I think it comes down to how much risk you want to take and how much power you want to squeeze out of your car. Carbahn is on the conservative side. They have a platform that is locked in after they are done with development. Think Android vs Apple. Android is more open, but is also prone to more bugs in the software if the person developing it messes up.

As for warranty, I don't have any personal experience dealing with them yet, but I had a Dinan tune on my 2 series and they were great at fixing the issue I had by working directly with the dealer at no cost to me.

Let's see what Dinan comes up with, but Carbahn is my choice for a safe, warrantied tune for now.
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