How to Compare Cold Air Intake Brands
- 1). Use the pen and a piece of paper to form a chart. On the left side of the chart, have rows designated for each brand of CAI that you're looking at. For each column, build headers with these titles: Pricing, Features and Horsepower
- 2). Check the prices of the different models for your vehicle, and note them on the chart. Typically, as of 2009, the most expensive CAI kits go for around $300, with kits even dipping into the mid-$100 range, depending on the brand and model of vehicle. If you've found an intake around the $200 price point, then that's about the sweet spot.
- 3). Write the features that each CAI has on the chart. Some have chrome intake tubes, others have plastic. Some have washable intake filters, and some have filters that never need to be cleaned or oiled. If you're looking for an intake that just looks good and doesn't give you tons of performance, a chrome model may be best for you, since the chrome retains heat more than other materials. If you don't want a show-quality intake, then the plastic model may be better.
- 4). Write down the horsepower numbers for each brand of CAI on the chart. Each CAI manufacturer lists the horsepower numbers for their intakes on their Web sites, and if they don't, then the gains are minimal. If horsepower gains are important to you, then look for the model with the highest numbers. If not, then you can look at the other features.
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