CAI differences

[baseballd2]

I going to be purchasing a cold air intake and was looking at the cpe and aem The prices are a big difference so I was wondering if the cpe is really worth the extra money performance wise, or will the aem do the job fine. Thanks guys

 

[Kansei]

I've heard great stuff about all the CPE stuff, is it significantly more expensive than the AEM? Give the search feature a try on the Mazda6 subforum and I'm sure you'll find some info.

I just did a quick search and found the prices, yeah the CPE is about 50 dollars more. I'd say get the AEM unless the CPE shows better dyno gains and that's really important to you.

 

[Raynman]

In order to properly answer your question you need to tell us what engine do you have? Do you have the L3 (6i), turbo L3 (MS6), or AJ (6s)?

 

[baseballd2]

mazdaspeed6

 

[jcgemt2003]

AEM doesnt guarantee that there CAI will not set off the Check Engine Light. CPE does...I would go with CPE

 

[buit9110]

i have had my aem cai for a while now and no cel yet.

 

[whooosh]

i have had my aem cai for a while now and no cel yet.

I have as well, an AEM that is....no CEL
You will NOT notice a difference between the AEM, CPE, Mazdaspeed, or Fujita intakes after installed on your car. The differences are subtle at best.
The main differences are how much less you'll have in your wallet.

The AEM is as good as any

 

[Speed6 Guy]

+1^^^^^

No Diff get the one that is cheapest or that you like.

 

[MS64MEE]

Seems like Fujita is the cheapest of the three. It was going for around $210 on eBay and I saw holiday specials for around $220 elsewhere. I got mine for $198 on a group buy.

 

[yelomp5]

never really heard of F5 Fujita b4, i was gonna buy a
mazdaspeed CAI, but until i did some research....

got my fujita druin' GB @ $205 USD, then paid another $46CAD for
duties....total came out to $280CAD, which is $50 cheaper than the
local shop in Toronto, Canada.

I love the BOV/Turbo sound, but not a big fan of the sucking sound...
but again, read some reviews and it's the best product for the $$$
welding looks really good, easy to install...etc etc.

to me, intake is j/ a pipe w/ a filter, it's not necessary to go w/
a brand name....unless it's for show.

performance wise, i think all intake will j/ be the same.....

j/ my $0.02~

 

[maggie]

i just ordered an injen sp intake system w/ mr technology. it's going to be crazy. it was $274 (www.ptuning.com).

from injen's website:
SP Intake Systems
These Intake Systems Feature the Patent Pending MR Technology Process for Optimal Gains and a Safe A/F Ratio. The SP series does not limit itself to just a Cold Air System or Short Ram System. The MR Technology process has its effects on both types. SP is The World's First Tuned Intake System.

can't f-in wait. i'm hoping to get the intake saturday morning, and put it on before i go to work.

 

[jjouet]

Difference in price btw CP-E and the others is like $50-70 and they make, from what I've seen on the various lists, slightly more Hp and torque. If you're going to spend a couple hundred bones on an intake, might as well drop a little extra for the most gains possible from one piece. Put it like this, if the AEM/Mazdaspeed nets 10 hp for $250 and the CP-E nets 12 hp for $315, why not get the most possible. You're already in it for $250...

Last thing, CP-E focuses on Mazda so I feel some loyalty to them as there aren't many companies that do. AEM makes a CAI for your grandmother's Buick...

 

[Hate]

Difference in price btw CP-E and the others is like $50-70 and they make, from what I've seen on the various lists, slightly more Hp and torque. If you're going to spend a couple hundred bones on an intake, might as well drop a little extra for the most gains possible from one piece. Put it like this, if the AEM/Mazdaspeed nets 10 hp for $250 and the CP-E nets 12 hp for $315, why not get the most possible. You're already in it for $250...

Last thing, CP-E focuses on Mazda so I feel some loyalty to them as there aren't many companies that do. AEM makes a CAI for your grandmother's Buick...

Because CPE is more expensive per gain...Wouldn't stop me from getting it, but just saying. (thumb)

 

[Raynman]

CP-E has provided parts to the 6 community ever since the car came out, so why not support the company that supports the 6 community.

 

[Hate]

CP-E has provided parts to the 6 community ever since the car came out, so why not support the company that supports the 6 community.

Because people don't like to blindly throw money away? I mean that doesn't make much sense. I think you should rephrase and say support the best option or something along those lines.

 

[Kansei]

Because people don't like to blindly throw money away? I mean that doesn't make much sense. I think you should rephrase and say support the best option or something along those lines.

I think it makes sense. This is a community, unlike Honda where you can just get parts wherever. We have a few companies that drive the aftermarket for our cars, why not support them. That's why I got my Racing Beat catback instead of the magnaflow, why I paid a few dollars extra for some hand-stitched shift and e-brake boots from a forum member, etc.

 

[ssinstaller]

I think it makes sense. This is a community, unlike Honda where you can just get parts wherever. We have a few companies that drive the aftermarket for our cars, why not support them. That's why I got my Racing Beat catback instead of the magnaflow, why I paid a few dollars extra for some hand-stitched shift and e-brake boots from a forum member, etc.

I've spent ALOT of time on the phone with Josh at CPE just talking about mods, R&D, and what they have planned for the MS6. I have never felt he was trying to rush me off the phone, and have never had him try to sell me on anything. That's customer service, and that's why I'll buy from them even if they're a little more expensive.

They're a great company that makes great products, but they just can't deal in the volumes that the larger companies do and so their prices will always be higher.

 

[Captain KRM P5]

for whatever its worth, we carry a few items including the mazdaspeed6 and are more than willing to work with people on whatever they are looking to do.

 

[Raynman]

Because people don't like to blindly throw money away? I mean that doesn't make much sense.

Who said anything about blindly throwing money away? Have you seen a CP-E product in person? CP-E is quality, despite their size. If you only knew how it was years back when CP-E stepped up out of nowhere to supply parts for the 6 community when very few companies would.

Oh I suppose those other companies like AEM or Injen make just as good intakes for my naturally aspirated 6. Besides, AEM and Injen are always the best option, right? Oh wait, those intakes knock my long and short fuels trims out of whack and give 6's P0171 CELs.

Why? Because they rushed their product to market, just fabbed up a pipe, and put the pipes on the store shelf without testing. All in the name of the mighty buck. Worse yet, AEM lied and wouldn't own up to its CAI's fault when the 6 community alerted them that our ECUs were sensitive to fuel trim changes and their pipe threw our SFT's and LFT's out of whack. Enter CP-E who provided quality tested products to a community that was starving of mods.

You ask me to rephrase what I stated and say that I should advocate the best option, but you fail to realize that I have told you the best option. CP-E delivers a quality product and has you and the community in mind in their products ever since the 6's entry to the market. For example, when I ran into problems with my MAFci, they gave me customer support during Easter weekend. Now what company does that?! As for the added cost, think of it as an investment in a company that support the community - an investment that they'll use to field more product for the community as suppose to lining some uncaring company's pockets.

Is that not the best scenario?

 

[Hate]

Who said anything about blindly throwing money away? Have you seen a CP-E product in person? CP-E is quality, despite their size. If you only knew how it was years back when CP-E stepped up out of nowhere to supply parts for the 6 community when very few companies would.

Oh I suppose those other companies like AEM or Injen make just as good intakes for my naturally aspirated 6. Besides, AEM and Injen are always the best option, right? Oh wait, those intakes knock my long and short fuels trims out of whack and give 6's P0171 CELs.

Why? Because they rushed their product to market, just fabbed up a pipe, and put the pipes on the store shelf without testing. All in the name of the mighty buck. Worse yet, AEM lied and wouldn't own up to its CAI's fault when the 6 community alerted them that our ECUs were sensitive to fuel trim changes and their pipe threw our SFT's and LFT's out of whack. Enter CP-E who provided quality tested products to a community that was starving of mods.

You ask me to rephrase what I stated and say that I should advocate the best option, but you fail to realize that I have told you the best option. CP-E delivers a quality product and has you and the community in mind in their products ever since the 6's entry to the market. For example, when I ran into problems with my MAFci, they gave me customer support during Easter weekend. Now what company does that?! As for the added cost, think of it as an investment in a company that support the community - an investment that they'll use to field more product for the community as suppose to lining some uncaring company's pockets.

Is that not the best scenario?

I didn't disagree with you. I said you should restate it saying it was the better option, because I also think it is. But in your original post, you didn't say that. The reason I said what I said is looking at the original poster's question, I think he was looking for a little more than "they support the community," yada, yada, yada. Before I researched it, I had the exact same question. I mean lets not kid ourselves. If I'm short $50 on my rent, and just bought a CPE intake, they aren't coming to my rescue even though I supported them because they support the community. (I'd also agree that if I'm in that position, I shouldn't be buying a CAI or even this car in the first place, but that's another issue) It all boils down to the consumer wanting the best for their money. Who doesn't want that?

When I said "people don't like to blindly throw money away," that's exactly what you would be doing if you bought the intake without knowing the differences. I mean in this case, it works out to be the right choice, but that's not always the case. I made the same comparisons when deciding to buy this car over a 3 series, A4, Legacy GT, and G35x. What would I get spending the extra money on those cars? In this particular case, I came to the conclusion that spending the extra money wasn't worth it. More doesn't always mean better. That's where I was going.