I have been looking at different designs for an intake for my 2000 323i and have noticed that there are two very different stlyes. One like the dinan which is like aem in that it is a whole new pipe that relocates itself at the bottom go the front bumber. The second is the kind that has a heat shield and is visisible form the top of the engine; which one is better (power, durablity, etc) Also what kind of transmission fluid do you recomend changeing, i have heard redline is good. thanks for any help

Iam running an k&n intake and it seems to be doing pretty good. the one that goes down into the bumper is a cold air intake and you should get more gain for that one. but the one with the shield around it , it should be louder but not as much as a hp gain.

i think changing the filter and removing the airbox alone is what gives you the gains. I can't see too much hot air circulating in the motor bay at speed. So I'd go with the short ram w/ heatshield option...

The CAI looks like it would work but i'd worry about getting it dirty and losing more HP that way.

the first one you described is a full CAI (Cold Air Intake), second is a SRI (Short Ram Intake). CAI gives you better gains, but you have to be more careful of hydrolocking. SRI can give nearly as much as far as gains are concerned, and provides them a little lower in the powerband.

I need some facts or something. From what i already know cold air intakes because of the longer length tend to make more power in the lower rpms and bmws don't rev like honda which use extreley short intakes on the high reving engines. So i would guess that the longer cai would be better but i have observed how my bmw had an inducation system starting at the grill and that some intake boxes still use this system.

IMO.... always go for the design that gets air from some where other than the hot engine bay. the heat shield idea is not a good one.

go with a dinan if you can. good company and any company that has a dealer option is a real engineered piece.

I need some facts or something. From what i already know cold air intakes because of the longer length tend to make more power in the lower rpms and bmws don't rev like honda which use extreley short intakes on the high reving engines. So i would guess that the longer cai would be better but i have observed how my bmw had an inducation system starting at the grill and that some intake boxes still use this system.
If you think about the logistics, the shorter intake will be more responsive because the air has a shorter distance to travel. The air will be somewhat warmer, though.

But with the short ram, you can remove the flaps from inside of the kidney grills and you are getting the same air as a CAI without the possibility of hydrolock.

Got the AFE, and love it!

Best price I got was from BMP

My question is: has anyone dyno'd the two styles for a comparison?

I had an AEM CAI on my Integra R and loved it. Will it perform as well on my 325Ci? I'm in Phoenix, so the colder the air source, the better!