Everyone is entitled to their opinions, but it would be nice to have actual dyno data to support the "gain" from a CAI on a mostly stock motor. I'm betting a full CAI is worth less than 2rwhp vs. simply dropping a K&N into the stock airbox (on a mostly stock motor).

You would NEVER feel any difference from the CAI. Maybe perceive a difference due to the change in sound though, and the desire to get a gain from any mod we do.

 

I have been present, at Raabe Racing in Daytona, when back-to-back runs were done with the stock CAI and BBK's, both with air filters installed and without them--so here's the dirty little secret.

It make no measurable or otherwise meaningful difference, in fact one of the runs with the stock CAI and a Purolator paper filter outperformed (by a tiny but statistically irrelevant bit) all of the other combinations including no filter at all.

FWIW catted vs. off road X and H pipes work pretty much the same way, the only real difference is noise and stink...