After perusing the many MINI sites, I have come to a conclusion: these $200-$300 intakes are not worth the money. Most are nothing more than a 1.5 foot long tube with a filter... something I could build myself quite easily.

I know Autozone sells the tubing for air intakes/intercoolers... what does anyone think about building their own??

I'm not typically one for a "homemade" mod, but for what they want for something that barely improves HP, I don't think having $50 in an intake would be bad!

I did a search on custom intakes... has anyone done their own? Any Check Engine lights?

 

Unless an engineer comes in the box to assure optimal tuning for the intake track, it's nothing more than a "look at me!" bling thing. The drop in K&N filter is a fine $50 improvement.

 

Oversimplify much? An engineered, tuned intake system is more than "some tubing and a filter". Do a search and see what others have come up with for a DIY system, and what they had to go through to get it working properly. Heat management is one of they key ingredients that you won't get with an AutoZone cobbled-together kit.
But, hey! Give it a go. Let us know how it works out for you.

 

Be wary of K&N filters/gauze oil filters, I have used them through the years (before I did my research) and they definately allow more fine particles past the filter. There are tests on the web that show paper and foam/oil have much superior filtering capabilities to K&N.

Gauze oil air filters do flow more air, but at the expense of your engine!

Here are a few tests:
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/airfilter/airtest1.htm
http://www.barneymc.com/toy_root/tec...e/air_fltr.htm

 

I dont know about the Autozone stuff, I think its not that good. i thought of doing something like this, never did. But, if you do, i would go with a piece of mandrel from an exhaust shop. A little sturdier IMOA. Good luck and let us know what you come up with.

 

i wouldn't use any type of metal as it holds heat.

 

DO NOT DO A GHETTO DIY CAI!
This will end up as a warm air intake because you can not control the heat with the cardboard box, left over from your tubing, you made your heat shield out of.

This is not a civic. have some pride in your ride.

You will be unhappy in the end. Just order a $29.95 Alta Foam filter and all it a day.
Save you cash for a while and get a real CAI.

Yes K&M are not the best but people that cant read how to oil them are not at fault either....hahaha

 

Between the posts on here, and after talking to some techs, I've decided to save up for one... plus the tubing and filters I've looked into were almost as expensive as the ones online!

I just can't stand paying $300 for something that most likely costs $6 to make. I recognize the whole idea of not being a real engineered intake... but honestly, how much time do you think MOST manufacturers put into them?? How expensive would testing be to test thousands of cars with thousands of different materials and such?? I find it hard to believe each intake is carefully tuned... but that's just my cynical opinion.

 

While I don't think the intakes are necessarily extensive "tuned", I do think you would be surprised at the costs for cutting, bending, welding and coating of sheet metal.

That said, if you know a sheet metal person you could have them do it and buy the hose and filter... but it would be a lot easier to wait for a used one in the classifieds.

 

If looks aren't your main concern, you can DIY with a nice foam Unifilter (looks just like the Alta cone-shaped filter) inside the stock box. It's cheap, the stock box insulates pretty well, and all you need to fab is a tube to connect the filter to the hole on the inside of the stock airbox.

For a short while I had an aluminum airbox with thermal shield stuff on the outside--was WAY hotter to the touch than the stock plastic box.

Have fun!

Ken