Im not looking to spend a whole lot, unless I have to.I have a 2004 Mazda 6s, and was thinking about getting a cold air intake. How much should I spend for a good one? I‘ve seen $300 ones, $200 ones, $60 ones and even $35 (on ebay). Whats the difference between these? If I get the $35 and install it will it even make a difference? I know $300 will but I wouldnt want to spend that much.Thought?
A cold air intake is a cold air intake,the difference is the filter.
A CAI really isn't going to have any measurable effect on the car's performance. A $300 CAI may sound better than a $35 one, but neither will make your 6 a burnout beast. You're better off putting that money elsewhere (ie, high performance summer tires).
The main difference is the quality of the materials they use to make them. A cheap one will give the same performance but might not look great after a while under the hood. An expensive one is usually made of polished materials and made to last longer. Also, don't expect a big performance difference unless you upgrade other parts. Intake and exhaust don't really give you performance gains they just allow other parts and upgrades to perform better.
