Cold Air Intake Brand Overview

AEM Cold Air Intake Pipes are probably the first intakes that come to mind when you think of the term "Cold Air." AEM was the first company to market their intakes as Cold Air Intakes, though they are by no means the only one. Injen RD Cold Air intakes and their rival Fujita F5 Cold Airs (Fujita was actually founded by ex-Injen people) are second in popularity to the market segment that prefers AEM Cold Air intakes for their Car. AEM Cold Air Intake pipes are usually available in Blue, Red, Grey (aka ceramic), and Polish colors.

Spyder Cold Air Intake Systems are for cost conscious tuners. Using the same basic designs as AEM Injen and Fujita Cold Air Intakes, Spyder Cold Airs deliver the same kind of power as the name brand intakes in the most cost effective design for your car. Spyder Cold Air Intake Systems are available in Red, Blue, Polish, and sometimes Black.

K&N FIPK Cold Air Intake systems use a completely different design approach than AEM Cold Airs and Spyder Cold Airs. Instead of aluminum, K&N FIPK intakes use specially molded plastic for maximum air flow and engine cooling. The filter placement is usually less aggressive than other cold air designs, instead using strategically placed heat shields to block the heat of the engine. Unlike the car Cold Airs by AEM and Spyder though, K&N FIPK the car Intakes are dyno proven for real world power upgrades. K&N also offers Typhoon style and Aircharger intakes depending on the year and model of the Car.

Brand Comparison AEM vs. Spyder vs. K&N:

AEM Cold Air Intake Systems

Pros: Name brand appeal, Aggressive design, Color Options, street legal (most applications)
Cons: Modification to splash guards sometimes required, high price, bypass valve necessary for rain

Spyder Cold Air Intake Systems

Pros: Extremely Affordable, Most Color Options, Aggressive sound (think Darth Vader)
Cons: Bare minimum design, Same cons as AEM (minus high price)

K&N FIPK Cold Air Intake Systems

Pros: Dyno Proven, K&N Million Mile Warranty & reputation, Street Legal, Best instructions
Cons: Conservative Design, Black only

Cold Air Intake System Frequently Asked Questions

Can I install my new Cold Air Intake myself?

If you have a decent amount of technical knowledge and can follow instructions, you should be able to follow the instructions and install a cold air intake onto your vehicle yourself. K&N FIPK intakes by far offer the best instructions with multiple pictures, though AEM is close behind.

What kind of power can I expect to get on my car from an AEM, Spyder, or K&N FIPK Cold Air Intake?

Power increases vary by application, but you could expect anywhere from a 3-15hp increase under optimal conditions. The K&N FIPK intakes we offer list the horsepower gain as dyno tested by K&N.

Are Cold Air Intakes safe in the rain?

NO CAR should ever be operated during flooding. Unlike short ram intakes, cold air intakes draw air from a relatively low position. Your vehicle can technically ingest water from rain puddles, streams, floods, etc if your car is lowered or the water is deep enough, and damage your engine. To prevent this, you could install the appropriate sized AEM Bypass valve onto your car's AEM or Spyder Cold Air Intake, however, we instead recommend switching to your vehicles stock intake system if you anticipate driving through flood conditions. K&N FIPK Intakes do not require bypass valves since their design is higher than AEM and Spyder, and are relatively safe from water ingestion.

What is the K&N Million Mile Warranty and does it apply to my intake?

For K&N FIPK, Aircharger, and Typhoon Intake systems, K&N offers an industry leading Million Mile Limited warranty against defects on intake systems properly installed on the vehicles from which they are designed, for one year from date of purchase (basically, no mile restrictions). Additionally, the vehicle must be used on paved roads only (no off road use whatsoever), not be used for any race or competition, not used for marine or industrial applications, and the filter must be properly cleaned using only K&N cleaner and air filter oil. Please see the K&N website for full details.