Maryanne - Thanks! It is a really easy DIY! Check back in a few days as to whether or not I think it is worth it. The manufacturer advertises 20hp but there is NO way I expect to get that. 5-10 would be the max if I am really lucky. Assuming that, is $625 a good deal? I got mine on ebay for far less or I would not have done it.

Rick - There are many good reasons why manufacturers do not do certain high performance things. For example, with this CAI there is a distinct whistle that I suspect most customers would find unacceptable. Also some CAI designs would probably be more likely to ingest water in bad weather. This one seems reasonably safe to me and no more vulnerable than the stock box. Also this is made of powder coated aluminum which I suspect is more expensive than the plastic that comes from the factory. I have no idea how much more air this setup flows but will look into it. I doubt it is enough to mandate any other mods though.

As to the question about the exhaust, that would probably help a bit but most of the flow is stopped by the catalytic converters. The main advantages to be gained from an exhaust are lighter weight and different sound quality. Supersprint makes a nice system for the X3 that will replace the entire system from the exhaust manifold back if you choose. Or you can just get a cat-back muffler.

Happy Thanksgiving everybody!!

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05 X3 3.0 Sp, Prem, Xenons, CW, Nav, DSP, 6-Speed, Privacy Glass, Servotronic [/IMG] http://randall-harris.com/sitebuilder/images/IMG_3399-600x450.jpg[/IMG]