Uncle Meat said:They are depending on the car and/or the application in which the CAI is being used.
As far as a bone stock SN95 Mustang is concerned, adding a CAI is not the best "Bang-for-the-Buck". You'll get almost as much performance out of a drop-in K&N as you would their FIPK. Is that extra $150 worth the 1 or 2 hp difference between the two, probably not.
On the other hand if the car has FI then a CAI can make a huge difference over the stock air box. All you need to do is look at the gains made on stock 03/04 Cobra's... in some instances the new Cobra's picked up in excess of 20RWHP from just a CAI.
U.M.
This is the argument I place all the time.
CAI on an N/A application is just not a great hp/$ return on investment.
CAI on a F/I application is a great hp/$ return.
I wish people new to the modding game would realize this and not put their money into inadequacy.
..but maybe thats because it was a gift
. Just food for thought