Updated at: 30-06-2022 - By: Lucas

Adding a cold air intake is one of the most popular ways to improve a car, but you may wonder if it’s worth the extra money.

A cold air intake is one of the best upgrades for a car because it doesn’t cost much and improves performance, gas mileage, and acceleration. Most of the time, they only cost a few hundred dollars and are easier to put on a car than other changes.

It does sound too good to be true, though. So let’s look at how cold air intakes work and what their pros and cons are.

What Is a Cold Air Intake?

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If you want to know if a cold air intake will help your car, you should first find out what it does. This part is usually bought as a separate piece and is used to send cool air into the engine of your car.

When the air filter is put in, it is moved to the outside of the engine compartment. This lets your engine take in cooler air for combustion. There is more oxygen in the combustion chamber when the air is cooler.

This means that they have more strength!

Most of the time, the filter is put in the upper wheel well or near a fender, where there is a lot of cool air moving. The farther it is from the engine, the less likely it is that it will draw in air that has been warmed by the engine.

Why Aftermarket Cold Air Intakes Are Superior to Factory Air Intake Systems

An aftermarket cold air intake has a lot of good points. The system that lets air into your car can get clogged up and make it hard to “breathe.” If this happens, your car won’t run well!

With a cold air intake, you can make sure that your engine is running as efficiently as possible.

Also, the cold air intake can help lower the temperature of the air while increasing the flow of air.

After the cold air intake is put in, you won’t need a box around your air filter anymore.

Instead, smoother and wider intake tubes with fewer bends and a larger diameter than the ones that came with the car are put in. This makes sure that the engine always has a steady flow of cool air.

Pros and Cons of Installing a Cold Air Intake

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Now that you know what the cold air intake is and how it works, it’s time to look at its pros and cons. You can use this information to decide if this is a change you want to make to your car.

Benefits of a Cold Air Intake

1. Spend Less on Filters

The paper air filters that come with factory intake systems need to be changed every 15,000 miles.

On the other hand, air filters in aftermarket cold air intakes only need to be cleaned every 30,000 to 40,000 miles.

2. Improved Fuel Efficiency

If your engine can burn fuel more efficiently, it will use less gas. You are getting more “bang for your gas buck” because of this.

Even though a cold air intake by itself won’t make a huge difference in your fuel efficiency, it will probably pay for itself in fuel savings in a couple of years.

3. Increased Horsepower

How much power your engine makes depends on how much air it uses during the combustion cycle.

Since cold air helps fuel burn more efficiently, a cold air intake may boost the horsepower of your car.

4. Engine Roar

Do you like the way an engine sounds? If so, you might be glad to hear that a cold air intake can help with this.

The factory air intake system works quietly in the background. The cold air intake, on the other hand, is made to improve performance and make a louder growl.

Even though this may not be a benefit for everyone, most car fans like the way the engine sounds better.

5. Improved Acceleration

Cold air intakes can help your car respond more quickly. This is because the car can reach the speed it wants faster when there is more cold air.

Potential Drawbacks of a Cold Air Intake

There are some good things about this aftermarket part, but there are also some bad things you should know about.

Here is a short list of things you should think about.

When filters are too open to the air, water can get in.

Water could get into the engine and do a lot of harm.

To keep water from getting into your engine, you may need a bypass valve.

If you know the pros and cons of this installation, you can decide if you want to make this upgrade.

Does the Cold Air Intake Make a Noticeable Difference?

Even though it sounds good to have more air and cold air, this doesn’t really matter if you’re trying to pass someone on the interstate.

Even if you don’t believe the claims about saving gas and getting more horsepower, a cold air intake can help your car run better.

When the throttle is open, you are likely to notice more power.

Some companies that make cold air intakes say that their parts add between 5 and 20 horsepower. To get the most out of the power boost from a cold air intake, you’ll need to make other upgrades, such as to your car’s exhaust.

Because of this, you should think of the cold air intake as one of several parts that work together to improve the performance of your engine.

Should You Invest in an Aftermarket Cold Air Intake System for Your Vehicle?

Even though a cold air intake has many benefits (which we’ve already talked about), the system’s effectiveness will vary.

The saying “you get what you pay for” is true when it comes to parts and pieces for your car. If you aren’t willing to spend money on this part, it may not be worth it at all.

But if you want to know if a cold air intake system is worth the money, the answer is a resounding “yes.” Even if you don’t notice any real changes, they are still happening and making your car run better.

Also, cold air intakes are one of the cheapest changes you can make to your car. If you want to improve your car’s speed and horsepower, this is one of the least expensive ways to do it.

The best way to make sure this is an investment you want to make is to learn as much as you can about it.

Are Cheap Cold Air Intakes Worth It?

You might get some benefits from a cheap cold air intake, but it’s best to buy this aftermarket part from a company with a good name.

Also, make sure that the part you want to buy has been tested to prove that it works.