I am a complete noob when it comes to modifying a car. I am thinking about having the TRD SC installed, but I would like to do other things to the car as well. While reading about how a supercharger works, I was struck by the question posed above. If this thing is compressing air and then sending that compressed air into the engine, wouldn't that replace the stock air intake, thereby eliminating the need to buy an aftermarket intake?

 

Yes.

Hurray for logic and reasoning!

You'll still have a use for a header and exhaust. A turbo will take place of intake and header.

 

Wait but wouldnt the intake allow more air to be compressed or is there a limit to what the turbine can hold?

 

ok you cant use a cai... currently only intake system out is the umnitza... theres post about it everywhere... If you want one let me know or umnitza. I sell em along with him.

But before you get a SC get a header, s-pipe, and full exhaust system.

 

That somewhat needs to be qualified.

The Umnitza as well as the ARC don't replace anything other than the airbox.

Most intakes would also replace the rest of the tubing while these do not. If an intake replaces the OEM air box, it will fit with the SC because the SC uses what is pretty much an OEM air box.

If an intake also replaces the piping, it wont fit as it would normally fit where the sc goes.