My thoughts... (archive)

I believe that they work in giving you added "throttle response" from your car. Perhaps this is ~2 hp....but I like to think of it as akin to using 94 octane instead of 91....or 5W-30 instead of 20W-50....ie. a slightly increased response you can feel...

I would never use the cone-shaped K&N's....hot air will decrease the hp. This is probably what the M3 had in the tests...only use the box-shaped filter replacement as BMW's already have a cold-induction system.

I can see why they're not OEM...since manufacturers are insistent on replacing parts, not "cleaning" them. Plus, it's a pain in the ass. Just unclip the box, throw old one out, and intall new...done...! No washing, waiting to dry,
re-oiling, etc....(just not a dealer thing to be doing)

As far as engine wear. I've used them on 2 cars. On my 97 Cobra Convert. since 7k mi., I've seen a decrease in the "darkness" in my oil after the same amount of mileage between changes. I don't see any noticeable dirt...not even dust particles beyond the filter element. On the SVT website, a gentleman confirmed with a laboratory oil analysis on his own vehicle that there were "less" total contaminants in his engine oil after installation of the K&N.

In my 94 CSi, I've installed the K&N's at 14k. mi. I don't change the BMW 5W-30 synthetic less than the 5 lights...7500-8500 mi. .... and the car only consumes 1 quart this entire interval after 98k total miles. I plan to be driving the car into the ground.

Not sure about any changes in fuel economy, but I am interested if it makes a difference...however overall, I do recommend them for any automotive enthusiast. I believe they work as intended.

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