*I bought the Camel a present* (imagine singing...)

[KimberKenobi]

The Camel got a K&N filter... (for $33 new) yea coupons and free shipping.It'll arrive Tuesday (UPS has always been scarily accurate in their 'estimated delivery date') and then it'll go in the Camel.

Anyone have one? And have you noticed any gain in mpg?I bought it mostly because I'm sure that with almost 20k, I need a new filter but also because I like the whole "one for the life of the car" aspect... I'm a reuser.

[CodeRed]

Uh, why not buy an intake

[jfanaselle]

Uh, why not buy an intake

Probably doesn't want to spoil all that beautiful blue under the hood. Kimber, isn't your stock air-box and intake piping all painted blue?

[Ever Victorious]

Uh, why not buy an intake

\

The answer for everyone isn't "ooh, gotta buy an intake". $33 for a washable panel filter vs. $220 for a intake, when she's not trying to make a performance car. Kimber could go all her life spending less on cleaning supplies for that filter than the $187 extra that the intake would cost.

[Beancooker]

Letting the engine breath a little bit more with a good intake can improve your gas mileage also. In my Maxima I gained 5 mpg with the addition of a good intake. All the mileage gains were lost, as soon as I put an exhaust system on it though. But at 5 mpg, the intake could have paid for itself, had I not gotten the exhaust.

[Ever Victorious]

Letting the engine breath a little bit more with a good intake can improve your gas mileage also. In my Maxima I gained 5 mpg with the addition of a good intake. All the mileage gains were lost, as soon as I put an exhaust system on it though. But at 5 mpg, the intake could have paid for itself, had I not gotten the exhaust.

I suppose it takes a careful foot not to undo any economy gains from the intake by driving more aggressively because your car sounds/feels different now.

I have yet to see actual hard data (spreadsheets, etc.) from a V owner actually pointing to a mileage gain from a CAI. I'm considering getting one and tracking mileage on two separate spreadsheets to provide said hard data that we can later point to.

But I have more pressing things to buy with that money. Like TPMS sensors and tires.

[CodeRed]

TPMS sensors fail epically. Regardless of my TPMS light I check my pressure every time i wash my car (once a week).

[KimberKenobi]

Some of you have hit it, but here's my answer:

The filter is $33. The next thing I really want to do with the Camel is get my spoiler put on and get my hood graphic designed. The $187 would go nicely towards that. I can purchase a $33 filter (which I need a new filter anyway) and use it for a year or so and then possibly sell it to another V owner and get my AEM intake when/if I'm ready. The "under the hood" is blue and red... the air dam is red and the red polished AEM would look nice.

Right now I just want to finish the OUTSIDE of the Camel before I spend $$ on stuff that people won't really experience everyday. (yesyes, I know that the sound will be different, but people are more likely to look at my car than to listen to it.)

[themadscientist]

reusable filter sound funny to me. The dirt bike foamies yes but if this is still the gauze type K&N filters I remain skeptical. Forget that CAI BS, it's a Versa, not a civic. The factory air box was designed better than a fruity tube painted a pretty color. The factory box with a good filter is likely the best course of action.

[KimberKenobi]

Well, I haven't decided on the "fruity tube painted a pretty color" but I'm willing to try the reusable filter to see how I like it... My family used to use a washable filter for our central heat (had two, would switch wash, switch wash, etc.) and it was a very reliable filter. For $33 it's worth a shot. Plus K&N filters are supposed to be reliable and from what I've heard it's a reputable company. (They also make filters for most CAI)

I do like that if I decide to go with a CAI, there's a reputable company that provides one in my color of choice, which is always a deciding factor when working on a theme car. ... The less stuff you have to manipulate yourself, the less that goes wrong.

[themadscientist]

The less stuff you have to manipulate yourself, the less that goes wrong.

wow, I have never met a person who say that. I don't like the bolt-on generation, I want to do all mods myself. K&N is reputable I just don't buy into the idea of a reusable filter from anybody.

[KimberKenobi]

nonono, I mean... like, if the air intake comes in red, it's easier than trying to paint it because a factory painting their own part comes out better than you trying to paint it after the fact...

sigh. when themeing a car, the hardest things to work around is trying to alter the outside either through paint, attaching things, or decals. I wouldn't have attempted to paint my car myself, except that it was plastic along the bottom. I'm trying to get my second grill coated to the point that I can keep a show-quality grill on it for daily driving instead of having two I have to swap out. (the one is chipped pretty horribly)

Someone has already scratched some of the red off the word "VERSA" which is slightly annoying because there's not a good and easy way to repaint that while it's on the car.

I love doing stuff on my Camel all on my own, but sometimes it's nice to be able to purchase things that work with your theme instead of buying parts and then having to manipulate them to work with your theme...

Does that maybe make what I was actually trying to say with that sentence clearer?

[themadscientist]

I can appreciate that. Paint and body is the only thing I won't do myself. I suck at it.

[bigdog]

we3ll i've had 2 k&n filters 1 for a mitiubisi galant & 1 in the max i had & the quest i had & i did notice about 2-4 mpg gain