Has anyone had any experience or opinion on the AFE Cold Air Intake?

http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/pe...2005&partid=15

Thanks

Dean

 

Dean, I have not heard of this intake. Just get the ALTA intake and do yourself a favor.

I have the K&N intake and I am going to switch to the ALTA soon!

 

never heard of it. I also agree that it's not worth saving few dollars on a CAI. I recommend ALTA and it seems like the most popular CAI. I would pick it again if I got another mini.

 

As Alta doesn't make a CAI for the MC (yet), the AFE is one of very few choices available (another is offered by Mymini http://www.myminiparts.com/proddetai...d=CCAK4&cat=13)
Looks like the difference between these 2 is the filtering medium; AFE uses pleated and Mymini uses foam. There are debates (search) on the merits of both types.
Sorry, don't have either, but thought I would throw out another option.

 

Alta doesn't make an intake for the non-S.

I have one of these (AFE) and it's not bad. The ad says it "includes air box" but it's not really a box. The black metal part you can see in the pic provides a barrier of sort but isn't a 100% seal against under hood air. You remove the stock airbox and the barrier blocks the direct hot airflow from the radiator area, etc, and channels air from the stock intake snorkle to the filter. The "box" is less sealed on the side facing away from the engine and air can enter that way, but who knows how much or how hot it is.

It's not the only one that works this way though. If you check out the ProMINI intake you'll see a different approach that's also partially open. Each has pluses and minuses relative to the other, and you won't find good, independant numbers, so it seems like a matter of preference. Also check out the latest MyMINI version.



It uses the same heat shield but replaces the AEF filter with an ITG foam filter....is it better? Who knows?

 

I found this last night.
http://www.knfilters.com/search/prod...Prod=57-0331-1

It is a bit more expensive but it is a K&N.

Any recommendations?

 

Yeah, it's a K&N, but if you'll notice, it is more expensive than the AFE and doesn't include any sort of heat barrier.
If you just gotta have K&N, that's your only choice. There are better choices.

 

I'm running the aFe - IMHO, the fit is MUCH better than the BMP/Promini intake that I had before... I'm extremely pleased with it so far. It's a bit quieter than than Promini intake, but at WOT above 4K RPM's it sounds rathere glorious, IMHO.

It DOES seal off the filter from the engine compartment fairly well - comes with a rubber seal that goes all the way around the top and down the front bulkhead. After a bit of adjusting, I dusted the top of the seal with baby powder and shut the bonnet - upon re-opening it, there was a perfect imprint of the seal on the bonnet.

The OEM air intake pipe that feeds cold air still supplies the cool/cold air to this setup.

The other side is sealed in by the headlight housing...

I give it

 

I am sure you meant other choices. "Better choices" is highly debatable and extremely hard to prove.

 

or you can get an HAI (K&N filter direct on the throttle body)..... But no CARB sticker...

Matt

And there are rumors that the K&N set up is actually a tuned system, meaning that the length was chosen to add some flow at peak HP....

 

Thanks for the input.

Still not sure where I am going to go with this. I still have a few more weeks until I make a purchase so I will keep on researching.