Well, lets get a few things straight here. CAI kits are NOT a waste and do yield some performance. Now, that depends entirely on which kit you look at. CAI's constructed of any non-coated/insulated metal definitely is a waste. In fact, the CAI acts like a conductor of heat and can superheat the intake charge, actually decreasing poerformance. CAI's constructed of non heat conducting materials and are free of major bends and curves have proven to add a little of performance and , as someone mentioned, a bit of a throatier exhaust note. Personally, I'd go with Densecharger or a Morpheus Power Pipe (dyno-proven results), w/ a high-flowing filter.