Notice too that AEM has a patent on the bypass valve. Nismo CAI = AEM.

 

NISMO U.S. does not equal NISMO Japan.

NISMO CAI = AEM CAI

It's a fact.

 

My fault, you guys are right, I did not realize TRD stuff was rebadged... didnt do my homework

 

So the verdict is Nismo CAI = AEM CAI....
How's the performance and sound.... I would assume the same, but you all know what happens when we ASSume right?
Any further comments on the Nismo R-tune?
Rizz

 

I love it. I haven't dynoed my car yet, but it makes a great wistleing sound on WOT and sounds great at 4-6000 rpm. The most important thing for me is that the idiots at my dealership don't bother me when they see a nismo part. They have their heads so far up their asses that they think every nismo piece is warranted.

 

Man what really sucks is that the R tuned which lot of the good things are not warrentied. Damn it why can they just warrenty it.

 

I don't know. It doesn't seem to put a strain on the motor. I had to go in this weekend because my Service engine soon light went on and they immediately blamed my install of the CAI. Turns out it was a steering position sensor from when they did the alignment and forgot to reset the steering position. The service providers look so dumb in my eyes.

 

Most major companies now out source or get subcontractors (ie one in the same) for their products. Nissan is no exception. They are marketed as Nismo with out source companies that make the product. This is very common. They will get a manufacture for each specialty product. Rays for wheels, AEM for intake, exhaust company, etc.

Ferrari does this, Mercedes does this, Porsche does this, etc. And this philosophy saved Chrysler corporation when they were in one of their many bankruptcies. They learned to out source many of their components to specialists. This saves money and R&D.

They are still good products and sometimes they cost a little more. But many have stated on this web site for example that the Nismo (AEM) intake with the water shut off from a Nissan dealer that is willing to deal is the same cost as the AEM off the web.

So I say get the Nismo products. They might cost a little more but that is not a mistake it is your choice. And remember that the Nissan also offers Brembo brakes, a non Nismo product made by Brembo thank goodness. They are great brakes. Also remember that the brakes on the greatest cars in the world are Brembo just with the manufactures name on them, Ferrari.

And the S tuned and R tuned products from Nissan is a little confusing. I have talked with my local Nissan dealer that is bit into Nismo and this is their take on the matter. The R tuned are not warrantied. That means that the product has no warranty so if it breaks you have no warranty but that does not invalidate the warranty on the entire car. If you have an CAI and the left passenger window breaks that window is still under warranty. If the CAI breaks you are on your own or it the CAI directly causes damage you are on your own. The S tuned products are warrantied by Nissan so if the Nismo exhausted breaks they will replace it under Nissan/Nismo warranty.

 

Keep in mind too, if your dealer gives you a hard time about your mod's, you need to go to another dealer. Lucky for me I work at a dealer where more than 1/2 the staff and owner race cars/boats/bikes in one form or another. We welcome modified cars and treat them better than the stockers!!!

 

Jeff... you, sir, and your team at Performance Nissan seem to be a class act ---

Were I living in the LA area again, I would be visiting you for mod information and work on my Z..

keep it up ... !!!

 

hey guys im having mine installed this week so ill let u know how it sounds and all

 

i dont know how accurate this is...

but one of the mechanics at the nissan dealer near me said that any one who puts any kind of after market intake on the z is looking for trouble..

he said it had something to do with the air sensors... and if any oil from the filter gets on those air sensors it shorts them out and you get a CEL... and those will not be covered by nissans warrenty to be replaced...

i think i said that rite...

 

yea, the mechanic is half right. if any aftermarket part causes a failure of a warrentied nissan part then nissan is not liable to fix the part. to deny doing warrenty work regardless of madofications to the car. nissan must fist prove that the part caused the failure. there is nothing wrong with putting CAI on a car as long as it is installed correctly. MAF's are sensitive and oil can cause the MAF to fail but you can have a stock intake and a improperly installed filter or a aftermarket filter and there is a chance that the MAF will also fail... There is not not much aditional risk to the MAF by using a Aftermarket Intake as long as it is properly engenerred.

if the mechanic that told this then tried to get you to buy the NISMO one then he is just rtying to get you to spend more money then you need to...

If you want a CAI get the Injen or AEM.. don't waste the money on the NISMO.... ues the money you save towards something else.

 

actually he was keeping me from buying ANY intake for the car! EVEN THE NISMO!

He even said not to drop one of those K&N filters into the stock box because that will do the same thing...

 

so how much did the new air sensor end up costing you ?

 

i hope your not asking me.. i havent done anytihng to my intake.. and mine is fine rite now..

 

Yea he is right... and actually the K&N filters are the worst about giving off oil if not prep'ed right...

I am not sure how much a MAF is on the Z but they can range alot so I am not even going to guess

 

I installed mine a couple of weeks ago and their is definitely a difference in performance. It is much quicker in response and sounds real nice...no regrets yet...Borla this weekend.

 

http://www.knfilters.com/warrantyletter.htm

 

I had a talk with a salesman at AEM a while ago....
AEM and Nismo are aware that they are not fooling anyone. Because of the price difference, they are re-thinking their strategy. In the works is a whole new intake specifically designed for Nismo and different than the AEM Cold Air intake. This is still early development but you can bet it will perform just as well, maybe even better than the AEM.
As for that mechanic that believes oil-gauze filters are the second coming of evil....he needs to crawl back into his over-priced snap-on toolbox. This problem popped up a long time ago at ford and it was due to grossly over-oiled air filters. Today, the amount of oil going into the filter is precisely controlled. Also, MAF sensors are not open wire systems like the old fords, but know they use a bypass chamber in the sensor itself to help rpevent contaminating the wire. Basically you have nothing to worry about unless your filter is drenched and dripping with oil.
I have only run oil-gauze filters on all my cars and have had no problems at all, ever, period!