I'm still new to the Mini scene, so I'm not quite sure about this one. Why does everyone seem to bash the Alta CAI? I have had one for a couple of months now and it seems fine to me. It looks very clean, easy install, and seems well made. I just want to know what I am missing here because if there is some fatal flaw here I want to know about it. If it's just because somebody got a few more hp from a different set up when they were sitting still on a dyno with the only added airflow coming from a big shop fan, then who cares. Unless you are on a track competing for a paycheck then you will notice absolutely nothing different from any other intake. 3hp isn't enough to feel on a butt dyno, either.

I realize this may come across as a rant when typed, but I assure you, I'm not ranting. I'm just trying to get some info. So, fellow motorers, why no love for the Alta?

 

It's not a cold air intake (no matter that many seem to hate Alta)... Pulling air from the engine compartment is worse than factory. DoS and DDM are the only true CAI's....

 

Consider it an HAI...

 

I just call it an "intake." I don't believe it is either a HAI or a true CAI. But, if you open the hood scoop, the intake temps are significantly lower.

Either way it sounds awesome, if that's what you're going for. Even CAI's won't make noticeable power unless you're tuned.

 

Well if that's all it is then who cares. I don't track this car and never will. If heat becomes an issue then it's time to upgrade the FMIC.

 

Intakes are intakes. typically the only real gains to be provided from one intake to another, is the use of velocity. shaping of the intake can help increase the speed of the incoming air. Butttt with a turbo it's a bit irelevent.

Alta does make some good stuff, but my only gripe would be the type of filter they use, ive never been a fan of foam. I'm sure it works the same, but I'm weary of it.

 

"Everyone seems to bag" is a bit of an overstatement. Its one of those things that you cant please everyone, and while we do our best, there are those who just don't want to believe. The CAI thing comes up every once and while and we have to re-educate customers as to why we did what we did.

http://blog.perrinperformance.com/07...system-design/

The above article is a compilation of our original data we put on NAM along with a few new things over the years.

Our intake it not a true cold air type where there is a sealed box that only gets air from the outside. Even in our initial release of this product (and on our website) we stated this and still decided to call it a Cold Air intake because when removing the scoop from the hood, we found it to work just as good. We backed this up by dynoing the intake, putting temp sensors in a few places and proving that removing the scoop works! The filter gets almost perfect ambient temp right to the filter (as long as the car is moving), so why not call it a CAI?



Keep in mind that while we were the first intake available for the 07+ Cooper S, most all our competition has made the same style intake and used the same selling features of "Cold Air Intake". I am sure they did the same extensive dyno testing and air temp testing as we did to come to the same conclusion.

We were the first to bring you this part, we were first to give you data on why it works. To this day it remains one of our most popular parts for the 07+ Cooper S/JCW. We love the fact that we have to explain this every once and a while because it shows there are always new Mini owners coming to NAM!

 

Well said Jeff

 

I actually have one of these Alta intakes and I love it. I have always been apprehensive about removing the scoop "plug" because I am afraid of ingesting a ton of water when it rains out and soaking the foam pad. Any thought on this? Am I crazy?

 

I agree with people hating on Alta too. Everyone said there FMIC was crap too and impossible to install. I got one and have had no problems at all, with install or performance. Good write up too Jeff!

 

Cool! Where ever did you get that cool clear plexiglass hood? I want one!

 

You're not crazy, but you won't have to worry about water intake. We haven't there's not a whole lot of water that comes though the hood scoop, even when it's raining so it won't be a problem. You would have to go through a massive wall of water to get enough in the scoop to cause a problem.

If you have our intake, you're really going to want to remove the plug to get good performance out of it.

 

I have the Alta intake on my '07 MCS. It's only redeeming quality is opening up intake system so you can hear the diverter valve open and close. I bag on Alta because the price for this part is completely ridiculous. $200+ for a few pieces of small silicone hosing (overpriced to begin with), a simple piece of metal to connect everything and foam filter. It doesn't fit absolutely perfect either, but that's neither here nor there. Their claim of 10 WHP is absolutely laughable.

I would purchase from another brand if I were to do it over again; most likely DoS or NM Engineering (expensive also, but those guys are awesome and really put out quality products across the Neuspeed range).

The only product I will ever purchase from Alta is an Accessport and that's only because they have completely taken over the market as a medium to tune MINIs.

 

You don't have to completely remove it. In fact, the scoop looks like crap when the grille is completely gone. Just dremel out the holes in the grille and put it back in.

 

Even with the use of a dremel tool, the holes are still too deep, negatively affecting air flow. Replace the plug with the "Black Intake Scoop Grill" from Mini-Fini:

http://www.minifini.com/ShopDetail.aspx?id=64

They are great people and the grill is perfect. It comes in Stainless and is available for mk 1's also.

 

Obviously ALTA has done something to loose your faith in us.

But, I am just lost here. Its not like we were hiding what you got. Pictures even a couple of videos showed customers what it consists of and we had a price that was fair.

I am by no means bagging on DDM with these comments. Their $190 intake consists of the same basic parts (ours has actually a few more parts and slightly more complicated box). The NM part is the same basic thing once again, and its $260. The OEM JCW part is $295. Ours sells for $200 most of the time. Our intake fits a perfect place in the market, its still the only one with proven HP, adds cool sounds and is easy to install. I am just not sure why that is ridiculous? I am also not sure why the HP is laughable?

In the Mini world, customers want data or proof and we provide this. Customers want a good price, we provide that. Customers want to call and talk to people that know what they are talking about, check. So to anyone reading this, just remember that there are always people we can't please, and there is no Smoke and Mirrors here.

 

good post jeff. the forum can be a good help but also very miss leading. like i said about my intercooler. i was really worried after reading all the negative posts but then i put it in with no problems at all and it is running fine 2 years later.i think lots of people just write what they have heard with no actual experience with the part.

 

except Alta, nice sound, sucking hot air.... Seriously try spending some time trying to tune the N18.

 

we. get. the. point. they are trying. for the love of god stop posting that you want an accessport

sorry to vent but i see 10 posts a day on this.

 

Alta told me personally that they have had lots of interest from N18 owners but no real interest..... That says, "screw you", to me and every other N18 owner and I will remind them whenever I feel like it. Unless you own stock.....

 

Not to get too far off topic, but for sure we thought this was going to happen sooner. There is more to it as the ECU is 100% different than the old one. This means that first Cobb tuning has to crack the code, then figure out the logic, then get us some tools to play with. We were told by them that we could have expected something last year, but obviously that didnt' happen. Cobb has underestimated the BMW/MINI 2011 ECU's and they are working very hard on getting these going. What sucks for us us the BMW comes first (more cars and more potential sales). So once this code is cracked, it will take us a few months to nail down the maps. The question is when is it going to be cracked?? Other Euro tuners have "In's" with people to get this info. But Cobb does it the old fashioned way with hard work. This does take longer but also provides them and us with better mapping.

So no AP, but when its close and we start looking for testers NAM will know! Since we don't have to keep this one super secret, there will be some early adopters.

 

I am about to order the Alta CAI and have been searching the threads for reviews. One of the things that I remember from my earlier tuning days, is that an intake with a design like theirs, a quote unquote, Hot Air Intake should hinder performance, not help it. However, the fact that it provides a HP improvement, no matter how slight, should indicate this is a viable modification for my JCW.

 

I'm getting ready to order the Alta intake. Does anyone know what strut brace will work with it?

 

You bumped a pretty old thread. I believe it doesn't interfere with a strut brace. Only the hood funnel type intakes do.

 

He's getting ready to order the Alta intake.

Translation... he's ready to throw his money into a bonfire. The comedy never ends at NAM!!!