Can anybody tell me the difference between the ram air intakes they sell on ebay that r selling for around 40 bucks compared to ones u see everywhere else going for close to 300?

 

especially since there is a sticky thread all about intakes at the top of the "Drivetrain & Power" subforums...

 

yea i see alot about intakes but nothing that really answers my question. is there something wrong with the ones they sell on ebay?

 

E-bay stuff can (more often than not) be junk. Especially if it's inexpensive. Buyer beware.

 

The logo. Seriously. A pipe with a filter is a pipe with a filter. They're all the same diameter, they all have K&N/Greddy/HKS/InsertFilterManufacturerHere filters on them, and they're all made from the same kind of pipe.

Ok, if you want to get technical, they're probably painted or patterened differently. Oooo, Aaah.

The only difference you will notice with an intake on a tC is the sound.

Just be smart about buying and installing. Always check the pipes (no matter who you bought it from) for dust/debris before bolting them up and be careful with your MAF sensor.

 

yea thats what i figured. i'm only puttin money into my tc to dress it up and sound nice. the whole horsepower thing is all good but i'm not tryin to race it so its all good!

 

A lil extra HP couldn't hurt. Right? :D

 

nah never! extra horsepower always helps but i'm not made of money so to install one just for the sound is good enough for me for now!

 

Well similar gains will be had with all of the different intakes. I personally like the sound of the K&N inatke. But I'm biased.

 

well i can always go with an intake off of ebay and throw an K & N filter on it right?

 

Yep.

 

Thats whats gonna happen then. i'ma go wit one of those carbon fiber lookin ones and get a K & N filter for it. r they hard to install. i saw threads on the CAI and looked like a pain in the ___.

 

Nah, it's not too bad.

 

You have the right idea. Look for a generic CAI and replace the crummy fake K&N with a real K&N then you are good as gold.

 

Yeah and to extend on that, do not get a short ram, they are worthless. The whole point is to get AWAY from the engine compartment to allow cold air in. Might as well keep your OEM airbox, unless you're just doing it for looks. Functionality is garbage for a Short Ram.

 

Now thats not true. There has been some very good gains shown here from SRI not just CAI

 

Very good gains are subjective at best. Not going to deny there are gains to be had, however comparing the two, with the same placebos (i.e. weather, stock motor, et cetera) CAI = more bang for buck.

 

Very true since most CAI for the Tc can be made into a SRI if you wanted so you could judge which one is best for you and your driving style

 

A short ram will suck hot air from the engine bay where as CAI will not. However, both a SR and CAI will experience heat soak. Aluminum typically used for the tube conducts heat easily.
A SR doesn't have the risk of sucking up water and hydrolocking the engine like a CAI.

The choice is yours to make.

 

i have a Bomz racing cold air intake that i bought off of ebay for $90 and it works just as well as any intake thats $300+. I wouldnt waste my money on buying the ones the are so expensive. they all work the same. my intake sounds just as good and all the other ones for sale. just buy they one for 40 bucks you cant go wrong. just remember to check the sellers feedback to see if hes not selling cheap material.