TRD or AFE CAI, which one should I buy?

No

 

TRD cuz it says TRD and looks/sounds cool.

 

Louis Sullivan, an early employer of Frank Lloyd Wright's coined the famous phrase "Form Follows Function" which was pounded into my brain practically every day of my college education.

 

Tell that to the fashion industry, art culture, or ummm... I dont know, maybe 90% of the members here on TW. When it comes to peoples trucks (vehicles in general), form is the function. Making or trucks "look" badass and capable is often priority number 1. Actually "being" badass and capable is definitely number 2.

The TRD CIA's function, is to look and sound cool. I installed it for purely those purposes, and admittedly for something to do on the weekend. There was and is zero performance gain. No throttle response, no hp. But I gained massive form, despite no function (well, no additional function over stock).

Sorry, I'm an engineer and I've heard that saying numerous times. I'm not a fan of "one size fits all" philosophies. That saying is great for the NASA program. But it's bunk, in regards to our every day lives.

 

Performance

 

I would do this but I really don’t .
This topic always gets the thread .

If your going to buy anyway, and it sounds like you will
Get the TRD....won’t void warranty when something goes .

 

As far as I can tell adding a CAI does not void warranty...

https://www.coldairinductions.com/warranty/

I have read this elsewhere as well, but open to opinions.

 

Without a re tune your wasting money. The stock air box pulls cool air from the fender and is an actual cold air intake. Those garbage cone filters that sit in the engine bay are a waste of time and money. They suck hot air and use more fuel to compensate the less dense air coming in. Many people don’t want to believe that a cai doesn’t net gains with out tuning.

 

Then don't bother with an intake. Any performance gains will be minimal.

 

Spend your money elsewhere

 

In my opinion it's your truck get what you want. If the part sucks you can always take it off down the road and re install the stock airbox. and chock it up for a bad idea.

 

What he said,

I Have the AFE and i think it helps alot especially when i'm towing my 23ft travel trailer merging to the freeway, I feel the torque, but i'm also stepping on the gas alot more to hear it . for $700 if your on a budget not worth the money. If your hauling something and your not on a budget I would recommend it!

 

https://afepower.com/afe-power-52-76005-momentum-gt-power-package#overview

 

I am quite happy with the TRD intake on my 3rd gen. Had one on my 2nd gen and on my FJ Cruiser, all of which made a noticeable difference with regards to drivability. While the stock box is a CAI setup, my issue was with the design of the tube leading from the box to the throttle body, especially on my FJ and 3rd gen. Each had a large hole in the tube to provide air flow through resonance chambers, which reduced intake sound and provided more volume of air for the engine when needed. While this sounds great on paper, I felt that it disrupted the flow characteristics by introducing turbulence and unnecessary pressure differentials within the intake. The TRD intake tube is of larger diameter and has a much smaller resonator, resulting in smoother airflow and greater CFMs. I also removed the charcoal filter that came with the TRD intake and purchased a dry AFE filter, then got the Borla cat-back a few months later. No regrets, and the truck sounds great.

 

An aftermarket CAI does not void warranty . But if something goes wrong that can be tracked back to it as cause it will .
There are a fair few examples here on TW.
If anyone with a Tacoma is going to get a CAI my opinion is get the TRD as it’s factory approved .

 

Fantastic. In due time that will be my set-up too: TRD intake with Borla exhaust on my 3rd Gen.

 

Just get the TRD. It’s made by Toyota. They all do roughly the same amount of nothing so you might as well get the Toyota product. I had one in my FJ. They look cool and they make the engine noise in the cabin sound good when you get on it but no other differences.