What will I gain by ordering the JCW air filter kit? Besides the 5hp gain, how different is the intake sound? Good different or just more noise? Worth the money?

Thnx

 

$450 installed? I think not. Install it yourself or go with the Alta. Better HP/$ value.

 

Helix sells teh JCW airbox for $250. They are currently back ordered - you can find their site in the vendor directory.
$450 is too much.
The replacement K&N panel filter is also a good option unless you are looking for bling. The benefits of a CAI are minimal.

 

How is a 10 mpg gain minimal?

 

 

I picked up 10 MPG from going stock to an alta CAI

 

Sorry but I find that very hard to believe

 

I want what you're smoking

 

Well thats your choice, I just make sure I don't lay into the gas anymore than I did with a stock setup and I've been very pleased.

(I calcutlate MPG by taking miles driven / gallons filled; not the OBC)

 

Well you remove the restriction and its amazing how well your MINI will breathe

 

I added about 30 miles per tank with the Alta CAI...

 

Does anyone have a flat panel K&N installed to compare to an Alta or similar CAI install for MPG improvements vs stock?

 

Not that it helps, but the ca. 30 miles per tank were picked up when I replaced my K&N drop-in with the CAI. I replaced the stock filter with the K&N shortly after taking delivery, so I can't compare it to stock. (this is an 03 MCS)

 

Thanks. I keep seeing other posts questioning the CAI mod. It gets hard to dig up the real data after a while.

 

One thing you can do if cost is a big concern is do a HAI, it will save you gas and have more HP over stock and only costs about $40. I did it on my commuter ecnobox (last car that spends most of its life in the driveway). I chose to go with an ALTA CAI w/ Silicone tube because over time I could use it as an investment, it paid for it self after a few months and saves me just a little more gas than an HAI (1-2 mpg differance) so I had to wait a little longer to see a monetary gain, but over the long haul I'll be saving more money.

 

I think K&N claims 2-4 mpg; ALTA claims 8 and most of the rest are in between

 

While it amusing that everyone defends THEIR choice for CAI, how about someone answer the originators question?

 

I got no mileage improvement with my Alta CAI. I did get a small kick in performance. Perhaps it's better with the silicone tube, which I'm still waiting on as they've not shipped those yet for the automatics.

I don't think any intake is worth $450. If I had it to do over again I'd do the K&N filter right on the throttle body (aka Hot Air Intake / HAI).

/gary

 

I thought the original question was clearly answered already, its not worth 450 when so many other places offer it for less; it seems other questions have surfaced.

 

Helix? $250? The best I have seen is $380 for the JCW cai. I have heard various reports about the mpg increase from the users of Alta and K&N, but is there an increase in mpg with the use of JCW? And with the Alta and K&N, what kind of sound difference does it make compared to the JCW? I am VERY close to buying a JCW cai but I cannot seem to find anyone that REALLY is an "expert" on this issue when it comes to comparing it to the Alta or other brands.

Thanks for the input.

 

How is that? The originator asked " Besides the 5hp gain, how different is the intake sound? Good different or just more noise? Worth the money?"

ONLY one person talked about cost. The rest expounded on the virtues of what "they" chose and the discussion degenerated into MPG gains from Alta. This happens all the time and the originator really never gets his original question answered (it happens all the time so I am not saying anything "bad" happened here, only that the poor originator never gets his question answered).

If somone doesn't own the part involved, how can they respond other than to talk about what they do own?

 

I'll answer the question! You'll gain a few hp, nothing noticable though. The noise is the same before 4500 rpm, then the flap opens and it whines with more intake noise. I like the difference, so I'll say yes, it's "good different". When my stock paper filter was finished, I replaced it with the ITG foam filter, and that gave me a _little_ more noise (deeper) throughout the rev range. I'm **** about noises, and it was just noticable. Is it worth the money? I'd say logically, no. I don't know what your goals are.

Why did I buy it? It's a BMW/MINI part, and that's what's going on my car for the time being. Let people scream about hp/$ ratios as if they're in some sort of public highway race for power and prestige. ha.

mb

 

how different is the intake sound?

I assume you mean in relation to stock. Until 4500 there is barely no difference at all. At 4500 rpms a secondary flaps opens and the thing screams. The engineering provides for a refined sound at normal RPMs ... no need to scare the children but when on the CAM, it responds appropriately.

Good different or just more noise?

That is totally subjective.Some people love loud whining sounds, other people hate them. Its all in what you want. JCW plays the middle road so its quiet at normal RPMs and screams when at higher RPMs. Whether or not the sound is "good" is up to you.

Worth the money?

Another subjective item. Worth the money in relation to what?

If you want MORE HP gain, look a the CAI shootout threads. I believe AGS gave a bit more than Alta. Last time I checked there were probably more than 20 different CAIs for the MCS. Beware of their claims ... caveat emptor.

If you want "cheap", there are certainly cheaper.

If you want to maintain your warranty and know you get 5HP, the JCW does that.

Its all subjective depending upon what your looking for.

 

I am very interested in the JCW cai also. In my thought process getting the JCW is not going to throw any warranty red flags and since she is brand new we have the entire warranty. So, that is the next question I have.....will a complete aftermarket cai void the Mini warranty?

Thanks

 

With a resounding NO its not worth $450 other options were offered. I have driven the Stock, the JCW (with the rest of the tunning kit as well) and the ALTA. I found that 80% no gain comes from the JCW intake as the car pretty much needed me to lay into the gas in higher revs to remove the bottle neck, and IMO the JCW intake hurt the preformance of the rest of the JCW kit. Around the city, no differance will be noticed fromt he stock, the filters are outrageously priced and need to be constantly replaced instead of cleaned, so I think the JCW has way too many downsides to be worth the $450. And as far as keeping the warranty I doubt it is a real issue because the reliablity of intakes such as the ALTA has been proven well over 100k miles, and the ALTA comes in at about 1/2 the cost, and has power throughout the rev range.