98 civic INTAKE HELP! PLease asap

I recently bought a cai for my 98 civic off ebay for $35, "brand name" dr.speedy-it locates the filter under the car but after reading many comments on this site i see that it can only cause problems with water, dirt, etc., and that rai is the way to go. i dont really wanna buy a whole new rai and not use the cai, could i just saw off the pipe and have a makeshift rai? good idea or bad idea?

could i just saw off the pipe and have a makeshift rai? good idea or bad idea?
I've seen it done before, actually took a RAI off one car and fitted it to a different car. If you do saw it off, make sure the pipe is airtight, silicone or RTV sealant works best. Espeically make sure to put some around the adaptors too.