Intakes
 

I'm thinking about a new intake for the 330, like an AFE one. What are some of the advantages, performancewise? Is it worth it? Will it void the warranty? How hard is it to install?

Similar question as your recent filter post. Did you read the link I gave you there re aftermarket intakes? What do you think of the article?

Advantages:
Some performance gains
Great sound

Disadvantages:
None ;)

I'd rather go with a Gruppe M intake**, or ECIS, just because I've heard nothing but great reviews about them. But AFE make great intakes aswell.

It's fairly simple to install, the Gruppe M takes 15 minutes to install, and uninstall. The other ones are a bit harder, and some require removeable of the front bumper.


**Gruppe M is a short ram intake, making it easier to install, and uninstall. So if you go in for service to your dealer, just uninstall it. It won't void your warranty, unless the dealer can prove that the intake caused whatever it was to malfunction.

CJ, it's all about making your engine breathe better, the more "cold" air, the better performance you'll get. The stock intake flows pretty damn good, IMHO, but some of the aftermarket products may sound better when you mash the gas pedal. To feel a major gain in acceleration, you'd have to get some boost, and that would require a turbo or supercharger.

JV

I dont remember seeing that. Im sorry! I'm oblivious.

http://www.lumenique.com/Cars/cargeneral/nomodsp1.htm

The essential points were that the manufacturers spend a lot of time optimizing engine components, so there isn't very much free/cheap additional power to be had; that everything is a tradeoff, and more power at one point will usually take it from another point of the performance curve; that an intake can only help if you are in fact limited by airflow; that aftermarket firms are notorious for how they measure and advertise power increases; and finally, that while it may not have any significant difference on power, it can look different/individual/etc, so do what feels good.

Let me know what you think of the site. I found it entertaining.

Thanks, JCL! I read through the intakes section.. It doesn't really sound worth it. It would be cool to make it sound better, but I don't think that its worth the cost.

You're welcome. Realize it is one person's opinion, but it seems fairly balanced. You have been here long enough to know that not everything on the net is true, LOL.

Now, you may want to read the warranty section on the same site, it talks about what will and will not void a warranty; it seemed pretty balanced to me.

I skimmed the warranty section and it makes sense. I guess you're pretty much at the mercy of your dealer when it comes to that. My dealer didn't care when I put an exhaust on the X.