CAI

[melvinlau]

Bruce from TRD sales is offering me $495 inclusive of delivery to perth, is that right??? i was thinkin $450ish?

[DANZZT231]

currency fluctuations perhaps?

[ZEEROLLA]

Bruce from TRD sales is offering me $495 inclusive of delivery to perth, is that right??? i was thinkin $450ish?

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I know some people have paid close to $500 and some closer to $400 due to exchange rates. But if you are also after other stuff from TRD get them together so freight costs will come down a bit. The TRD CAI is a bugger to freight, comes in a BIG box because of the pipe.

[MR22ZZ]

Bruce from TRD sales is offering me $495 inclusive of delivery to perth, is that right??? i was thinkin $450ish?

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AUD$ had dropped in the last few weeks so will have had a negative effect on price.

[lucio_libre]

If you get it from Bruce, you havent researched your product. I am getting an Injen unit for $325AU to my doorstep. The CAI is $215US, the delivery is $25US and insurance is $5US. Thats $245US which works out to be $325AU. If anyone is interested check out I.N.D. KonCept at Ebay in US tell him i sent ya :P he'll look after you.

Spending $500 for a CAI is insane, i once brought a TRD CAI for around that , never again.

[melvinlau]

yeh bruce jsut got back to me, apparently due to our exchange rate and price increases at TRD its now $495, but usually $600+ sooo injen, how does that rate against the TRD and the AEM? you know, just to complicate things further

[lucio_libre]

Its probably better then both, i will tell you after i get it and install it. Ive had TRD before, ive driven AEM powered sportivo, the difference, TRD is noisier and more violent in lift. The injen from my research beats them both, thats why in the US its the most used CAI unit.

[ZEEROLLA]

Its probably better then both, i will tell you after i get it and install it. Ive had TRD before, ive driven AEM powered sportivo, the difference, TRD is noisier and more violent in lift. The injen from my research beats them both, thats why in the US its the most used CAI unit.

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I find the AEM and Injen have quite similar designs with sharper bends and the TRD has a smoother setup. I don't know about performance but i know gasses and liquids prefer to travel down a smoother path but seriously i think the AEM and Injen works equally well. Also don't forget anything with TRD on it is gonna cost more and rightly so ;)

[melvinlau]

looks like im gonna have to wait for you to install it, and hear the final verdict, and don't forget to post pics

[mick0082]

Got some feedback from the guys at online performance.

CAI to suit 2003 Matrix XRS

Part# 21-446 available in blue, red, silver and polished

$440 +delivery.

Not sure which way to go now, the more I read the more confused I get.

Alot of ppl here rave about the TRD unit, some like AEM.

And now alot of people seem to be changing over to the Injen as the US is going that way.

Help ppls!

[DANZZT231]

can't go wrong with any of the CAI that's available from AEM, TRD and INJEN

[lucio_libre]

INJEN :) ..........the yank way of saying Indian :D

[justin_es]

frig me lol i am getting a CAI real soon for my 05 stivo but i have no idea wich brand to get lol

everyone is saying good things about all 3 its confusing i suppose if TRD has a more LIFT effect then the extra few $$$ will be worth it but if they are all matched in power then ill go the cheaper option

how noticable is the power difference as thats what im going for not interested in the noise

well i am but id rather power over niose seems more sensible if its performance you want

also im a little confused with this whole ZZGE thing whats the difference and wich does my 05 stivo have

Edited July 14, 2005 by evl_50a

[xoom]

also im a little confused with this whole ZZGE thing whats the difference and wich does my 05 stivo have

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ZZGE is part of the code which represents the engine model number

2ZZGE is the celica/sportivo engine (this is what all sportivo's have)

1ZZGE is what other corolla's and the mr2 has and so i dont get flamed some celicas in europe and america also have this engine. :P :P :P

[DANZZT231]

also im a little confused with this whole ZZGE thing whats the difference and wich does my 05 stivo have

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ZZGE is part of the code which represents the engine model number

2ZZGE is the celica/sportivo engine (this is what all sportivo's have)

1ZZGE is what other corolla's and the mr2 has and so i dont get flamed some celicas in europe and america also have this engine. :P :P :P

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1ZZ-FE, not 1ZZ-GE

[E-Gene]

Seriously, at the end of the day, all CAIs are metal tubes with pod filters at the end. You should be thinking ab out what pod to get and not really which tube is better than which, cos they are really only metal pipes.

I say that the pod will really be the only difference between the different CAIs that have been mentioned so far.

Or get a brandless pipe from Ebay and buy the ITG filter and you'll probably have the cheapest and best CAI around.

[ZEEROLLA]

Seriously, at the end of the day, all CAIs are metal tubes with pod filters at the end. You should be thinking ab out what pod to get and not really which tube is better than which, cos they are really only metal pipes.

I say that the pod will really be the only difference between the different CAIs that have been mentioned so far.

Or get a brandless pipe from Ebay and buy the ITG filter and you'll probably have the cheapest and best CAI around.

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True what Egene said, they are all mandrel bent aluminium tubes.

[mick0082]

Ok so whats the go with the ITG filter, what makes it the best available?

Are they available through a local distributor?

Or is it yet another thing that I can only get through Ebay?

[lucio_libre]

:D Just purchased the Injen for $240 US including insurance and delivery :) :) Thats $ under $350........now you compare that with 600 and 450 from you know who...... <_< I'll keep you guys posted on how it will turn up and delivery times for future references. I think we should have a sticky for CAI info.

[Danthuyer]

Ok so whats the go with the ITG filter, what makes it the best available?

Are they available through a local distributor?

Or is it yet another thing that I can only get through Ebay?

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alot of air flow and good filtering properties

also makes the car sound deeper again B)

peekay got mine for me i cant remember the company he got it from here in AUS (vic)

[mick0082]

Thanks for the feedback guys,

If yourselves or anyone here knows where the ITG filter is available here in Oz and also the part number that would be great!

[E-Gene]

Thanks for the feedback guys,

If yourselves or anyone here knows where the ITG filter is available here in Oz and also the part number that would be great!

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This is the Aussie distributor for ITG filters

Hiclone Pty

Australia

t: 0061 3 9363 0755

Got it from the ITG website. Hmm...another group buy?

I think the part number is JC60/? Not sure about the number after that cos there seems to be a whole range of JC60s.

[melvinlau]

feel free to disagree with me but it sounds like the BEST way to get a CAI is to get a custom mandrel bent pipe, and then get the best filter out there, from what everyone's saying im getting the feeling that the only difference between the CAIs is that it either comes with a TRD, AEM, or INJEN filter... so am i right by saying, when i pay $495 for a TRD CAI its $450 for the filter and $45 for the pipe?

[DANZZT231]

you have to know, that the bent of the pipe is the result of R&D. This is what you paid for, a true R&D that deliver results. You can ask someone to custom make one, you probably ended up paying the same because mandrel bent is not a cheap thing to have.

Just like exhaust manifold bent that actually play a role , so is the intake bent. You may realise TRD is much more simple in term of bent in comparison to AEM, and then you will see that in most cases, TRD delivers higher hp while the AEM delivers better tourqe. So who says it is just pipe and pod?

Rather than make one, you should try Ebay brand, one that looks like a direct copy of some branded one, wth the same bent and diameter. They don't cost much, and probably deliver the same result.

For me, I trust branded one. To me, big name brand, with proper research of course, is always a good buy. More expensive, but satisfaction guaranteed. By the end of the day, everyone have different views and belief, so whatever that is just go for it.

Afterall, if brand is not a big deal, then I suppose no one buys ITG pod won't they?

[E-Gene]

But the way that I figure, I reckon that a whole lot more research goes into the making of a POD filter than the tube. I think that the shape of the tube is really determined by the way the engine is configured, so I would say that the TRD pipe is shaped that way because the Corolla's engine is configured a certain way too.

But I agree with Danz that you should get a copy of the TRD CAI of Ebay if you want to save a little. And get the ITG filter.