Cold Air Intake & eBay

First off, greetings to everybody!

Now to my question: I found a cold air intake on eBay for $10.00 (I'm not linking to the page because, as this is my first post, I don't want to be labeled a spammer). This seems to be way too low a price compared to what I've seen them go for, about $120.

So, is this a good deal, or am I missing something crucial?

I should also mention that I'm new to the whole car modification thing. Oh, and I'm running a 1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse.

Thanks for any replies!

First off, greetings to everybody!

Now to my question: I found a cold air intake on eBay for $10.00 (I'm not linking to the page because, as this is my first post, I don't want to be labeled a spammer). This seems to be way too low a price compared to what I've seen them go for, about $120.

So, is this a good deal, or am I missing something crucial?

I should also mention that I'm new to the whole car modification thing. Oh, and I'm running a 1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse.

Thanks for any replies!

DOMS Welcome to your first post on AF

Never know about E bay. Check seller rating and all of the good/bad stuff on them and e mail them for more details.
Lot of pros and cons and drawbacks on cold air intakes.
Is it a true cold air intake or just some hang on pipes?
What kind of filter set up does it have?
A true cold air intake will pull cold forced air from fender or grille area when driving down the road.
Which most oem air filter systems are allready.
Why are you thinking about or looking a cold air intake?
Are you just wanting the status symbol of a cold air intake or looking for gas mileage or performance?
MT

WELCOME TO AF!!!


No need to spend $100+ on an intake. A pipe is a pipe. Filter may suck (and not in the way you want it to), but it's all good. I spent maybe $30 for mine and been using it forever. GOt a new filter on tho bc the old one fell off once
while driving on the expressway.

And put your car in your signature so we know what you're talking about later on. It's just good to have.

Thanks for the nice welcome guys.

To MT_2500:

My goal is simply to pick up a few HP on the low end. This is suppose to add 10-15 HP, or so I've read. Side note: my front end is dropped. I have about a 6" clearance. I've read up on the biggest down side to CAI which is hydrolock. If I understand this correctly, it pretty much means that the engine is dead in a permanent way. But I've also read that this is unlikely unless your really asking for it.

As to your remark about OEM intakes: so there's no real point in getting this? It just seemed to be a good bang-for-my-buck item and simple enough that I could install it. Like I said, I'm pretty new at this, but I'm jumping in with both feet. :)

To david-b:
It's funny that you should mention $30. I couldn't find the item I was looking at before, but I found another for about $32 after adding the shipping cost. Here's the item (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/95-99-Mitsubishi-Eclipse-NT-Air-Intake-Kit-96-97-98-CR_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ38634QQihZ011QQitemZ 320010579156QQrdZ1) on eBay. He seems credible enough.

Added my car to my sig.

Awe its too bad your NT lol. For that ebay one I would say go for it. It is so cheap that really you can't go wrong probably won't do too much but would look a heck of a lot nicer and tidier.
But my real reason for saying buy it is because I know once you start you can't stop modding ;) And I want every DSM to be badass.

Thanks for the nice welcome guys.

To MT_2500:

My goal is simply to pick up a few HP on the low end. This is suppose to add 10-15 HP, or so I've read. Side note: my front end is dropped. I have about a 6" clearance. I've read up on the biggest down side to CAI which is hydrolock. If I understand this correctly, it pretty much means that the engine is dead in a permanent way. But I've also read that this is unlikely unless your really asking for it.

As to your remark about OEM intakes: so there's no real point in getting this? It just seemed to be a good bang-for-my-buck item and simple enough that I could install it. Like I said, I'm pretty new at this, but I'm jumping in with both feet. :)

To david-b:
It's funny that you should mention $30. I couldn't find the item I was looking at before, but I found another for about $32 after adding the shipping cost. Here's the item (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/95-99-Mitsubishi-Eclipse-NT-Air-Intake-Kit-96-97-98-CR_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ38634QQihZ011QQitemZ 320010579156QQrdZ1) on eBay. He seems credible enough.

Added my car to my sig.


Do watch the low intake in high water. :grinyes: :rofl: :lol:
They will snorkel in high water.
And yes most OEM air intakes are allready cold air intakes.
But the add ons may be a little less restive or bigger pipes running in.
As far a HP gain sometimes they help and some times they do not.
Every mod and engine reacts different.
Normal driving you should have the same performance and top end maybe a few extra HP.
Go far it and see what it does.
Make sure you do a proper installation and if a K&N oil filter go easy on the oil and keep it cleaned and serviced often.
Good luck MT

Are you just wanting the status symbol of a cold air intake or looking for gas mileage or performance?

I just wanted to clarify, a true CAI does not improve gas mileage. If anything, it decreseas it slightly. Colder air requires more fuel than warmer air. Your also getting more air, hence more fuel is required.

Do watch the low intake in high water. :grinyes: :rofl: :lol:
They will snorkel in high water.

Never had a problem with high water. Just stay off the throttle in deep rains.

I bought the AEM CAI and do not regret it. Granted I did get a good price on Ebay ($120 shipped brand new), but I still feel the design was worth the extra cash. The filter is K&N quality also. I'm not telling you to spend more money for something that maybe dosn't perform a whole lot better, but you wouldn't be dissapointed. Go ahead and get that intake and slap a decent filter on it (when I say decent I mean buy a damn K&N and be done with it :) ).

In that auction they are manking their money in the shipping and handeling. I hate it when they do that cause then you are forced to pay what they want for it!

The auction looks good, but treat the air filter like it's a fram from walmart. Change it in about 8-10,000 miles, if it lasts that long, for something better like a K&N.

The last few CAI I bought off ebay the air filters practically fell apart in close to 3 months. One of them the cap to the filter fell off and I was sucking in unfiltered air for who knows how long before I found out.

My two cents: Bent pipe is bent pipe. Get yourself which ever one is cheaper and throw a K&N filter on it. I personally wouldnt run anything but the K&N on my DSM. If you get a true CAI, I would recommend the bypass valve. That should keep the water from getting in too much. Also, vapor lock isnt a engine killing thing to my knowledge, you just let it sit until the vapor recondenses and it'll run again. You'd have to get the condensation out of there again and I dont rightly know how you'd do that.

Awe its too bad your NT lol. For that ebay one I would say go for it. It is so cheap that really you can't go wrong probably won't do too much but would look a heck of a lot nicer and tidier.
But my real reason for saying buy it is because I know once you start you can't stop modding ;) And I want every DSM to be badass.
It's bad enough that I only have 2 posts, but...what does 'NT' stand for? :)


To everyone else, I'll get the cheap CAI off eBay and get a K&N filter. I'll follow up on how this n00b does.

Thanks again guys!

Welcome to AF......and I would say go for it...like others have said a pipe is a pipe....its going to do the same thing...but definatly go with the K&N....I dont know about it adding 10-15hp in your car...it will add some but not that much....whatever you do decide on good luck....Oh...and when someone said put your car in your sig please list the Year and model...so we know if you are Turbo or not...and also when you start modding add those in there as you go....

NT stands for Non-turbo, means any DSM that didn't come from the factory with a turbo, IE the GS/RS

NT stands for Non-turbo, means any DSM that didn't come from the factory with a turbo, IE the GS/RS

Yeah, that's me. :(

I just bought the car because it had good gas mileage and looked nice. I've since learned that cars can be fun...and money draining. :)

also, an intake won't get you 10-15 hp, maybe 3 or 4

Fair enough, but I bet that if I use these (http://www.modernimage.net/html/motocar.php?id=6&camnt=2&action=addpattern&price=224.00&pattern=GRA006&place=&lpvar=&ex=dropshadow%20outline&cats=), I can add 20 HP easy. :)

no no...thats at least 50....but if you make your car look exactly like the one if F&F then that is 300 hp.....HAHAHA

If the intake you're talking about is the usual "cheap" ebay intake, it's not a true CAI, it's actually a short ram intake (it just sits right behind the drivers side fan and doesn't go down very far at all). The true CAI will go down below the drivers side fan, and that's when you run the chance of hydrolock (only if you're driving in really really really deep puddles). But if you have the one that I'm runnning (and most of the other guys with cheap intakes), you'll have no problems with it as long as you upgrade the filter (preferrably to K&N) after some mileage.

Seriously though, you almost have to TRY to hydrolock a car. I have driven through some deep fucking puddles with my CAI, and like I said as long as you stay off the throttle and drive carefully you should have no problems. The filter pretty much has to be completely submerged and you have to go WOT to get enough water to hydrolock.

To david-b:
It's funny that you should mention $30. I couldn't find the item I was looking at before, but I found another for about $32 after adding the shipping cost. Here's the item (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/95-99-Mitsubishi-Eclipse-NT-Air-Intake-Kit-96-97-98-CR_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ38634QQihZ011QQitemZ 320010579156QQrdZ1) on eBay. He seems credible enough.

Added my car to my sig.


Same intake I got!!

My dumbass didn't see the link before. You got the short ram intake, not a true CAI. Either way it's better than the stock box.