Is CAI a waste of money?

[hako]

I keep reading in this forum about the VS sucking warm air from the radiator into the airbox and how a CAI feeds the airbox with cooler air not from the radiator. My VS has its airbox inlet beside the radiator and any air entering the airbox does not get heated by the radiator. The black plastic moulding is stamped GMH so it should be standard - right?.....or is my car different because it is ex-police.

 

[sixshooter]

For $50 on eBay I say let your airbox suck it and see....lol

But I can't really answer your question as one was already fitted when I bought my car.

 

[mattman]

Well I found a difference in throttle response when I put on the pod filter.... CAI should only be better!

 

[deathsminion]

The duct you have is factory standard. S/C CAI is definitely better.

 

[sircruisealotVS]

its not really the CAI that makes the difference when changing from a standard setup.
it does have its benifits and improvments but the real change is in the hi-flow air filter people get when they install a CAI.
so if you wanted you could just replace your standard filter with a hi-flow and see what you think....then if you want you can chuck a CAI on later.

 

[Bax]

For any genuine CAI I'd say its definately a waste of money, unless you like the factory look.

On the other hand for 10 dollars and some pipe and some of your own time you could have it yourself that works just aswell.

 

[Doctor Bob]

but stay clear of "SS REDUCTIONS" items, poorly made & bloody expensive

Rob

 

[VLishes]

but stay clear of "SS REDUCTIONS" items, poorly made & bloody expensive

Rob

hehe, I went to Autobarn today and I asked about CAI's, they had some cheap one which looked similar to the Ebay CAI, this was $50 but you also had to buy the pipe which connects the CAI to the airbox which was another $40, then he said there was a SS and that was $250, I'm like errr yeah, right, $250 for a piece of plastic which has bigger holes in it compared to the $50 CAI on Ebay, so what is a good CAI?

I'm also looking at getting a K&N filter replacement, Autobarn charge $129 which I find strange considering I purchased a round pod for $60 (maybe $80RRP) for the VL a couple of years back from VPW.

 

[mattman]

You can get the K&N filters off ebay for around $100... you can also open up the S/C holden ones (the $50 jobs on ebay) with a hairdryer..

Looking at fitting one soon... doesn't help that the stupid sellers don't reply to emails.

 

[VLishes]

Hairdryer? you mean with heat? uhm, I would guess that the engine bay would get pretty hot, so wouldn't it just go back to it's original dimension, unless you put something in the holes.