So just looking around on ebay, I see a lot of cold air intake systems for the Z that look just like Injen or AEM, and I'm wondering why people just don't buy these instead? They are WAY cheaper, and I know that must be for a reason, but then again it's an aluminum tube with a filter at the end, how can there really be that big of a difference?

 

common ignorance on intakes.

and intake isn't just "an aluminum tube with a filter at the end"

Why else would the AEM not gain as much power as say the Injen or Nismo?

There's specific engineering involved....not just bends to make it fit.

And as you should know by now "Speed costs money. How fast do you wanna go?"

 

AEM is nismo
wtf is ur problem bro...
nismo is just AEM painted black with nismo badged over it and water diverter valve included
jaysus...

 

that wasn't my point. And while that's neither here nor there, thanks for the info.

 

Bro, an intake is an intake. Get whatever you want. Either way your not going to get some crazy HP gain. Your car will sound more agressive and will have some more throttle response. A gain of 3 hp is not going to make your car faster. You can take out your spare tire and get the same performance results. Even if you are flowing alot more air from a CAI there are many other factors that make it amount to little or no gain. Things like your throttle body, manifold, heads.

**Short version, get what ever intake you want. Neither one of them do anything by themselves**

 

Can you give me a example of what you’re talking about?

 

there maybe many differences just a fair warning if you do buy one of these ebay intakes make sure it does not put the filter in the potion to suck up a bunch of water. If they are cheaper that means they most likely did not do as much RND as AEM or K&N you pay for quality also you have to remember that AEM and K&N have been around for years and have proven to the tuner sense that their product does indeed work.

 

Just buy a used intake here...you can save a bunch of money and still get the piece of mind of a namebrand.

I'd be nervous going with a generic ebay item.

 

Just get a JWT pop charger...done and done.

 

I don't wnat to be mean, but... you might be ignoring the fact that those Ebay intake could have just copied the AEM/NISMO/whatever brand of intakes and just mass produced it to be cheaper. It's the China way. Reverse engineer a popular product and mass produce it and flood the market. It's nothing new.

And to the original poster, just get a popcharger.