Gypsy
Positives: Looks like an intercooler. Negatives: more than I have time to list. But here's a few. 1. No gains in horsepower/torque over a stock intake. 2. LOOKS like an intercooler. Until anyone takes a good look at it, or the fact that you have no turbo. At which point, you get bitchslapped by everyone you know, for being a wannabe.

MBS
It really sucks if you are going to use it as a daily driver. A little rain gets in the motor and BLAM!

kendallgregory
I really would not worry about water entering the combustion chamber because it would be such a small amount of water. However my experience being and Automotive Tech is that bolt on cold air intakes like you are talking about don't really work. The only way they would work is if you reprogrammed the Power Train Control Module and modified the Air and Fuel ratios. I am sorry to say though but this is way too exspensive and advance for what you are looking for.

NYCBallOOPS
Both are "cold" intake systems and the one that mounts in the front is generally a little more useful because you get faster colder air. But it also depends on where you mount the intake. Ideally if you mount it with no obstructions in the gap holes of the bumper, like you would mount a radiator or intercooler then you'd get the best bang for the buck. Positives: 1. The faster your drive the more cold air comes in. 2. The faster you drive the more force the air comes in at. (minimal) Negatives: 1. Depending on your car, the front mount intake may have a lot of piping which may slightly restrict the airflow. Overall, I personally think the difference between the two are minimal and I'd go for the less expensive one or the one with a cleaner looking install. The air filter will only help you so much by itself. It becomes more effective as there are more mods, ie cams, throttle body, exhaust, bore, headers, etc. The more mods you have the more effective the cold air intake. Hope that helps!

Tex G
Cold air intake is nothing more than a air scoop. The Mustang Gt, e Dodge GTO Transam of the late 1970's are good example. The prove are all good. . Most people call them ram air intakes. Because the air is ram in by the speed of the vehicle. Cold air is heavier. Meaning more air into the combustion chamber with the fuel. It give a better and clean burning of the fuel. That being the case, it mean more power from the fuel. You don't need any thing but the air scoop hosed to air the air horn.the Whather it' carburetor or injected of the fuel. It is the same. Bad points! There are non. Unless you pump and build the are pressure to high. Such as with a blower. That is belt driven off the engine. Above 7 psi. you can blow the motor if you miss a gare shift. The trobo used exhaust gases to do do the same. A lot of the small car use this to make more power. They are set at around 3 1/2 psi. so they don't damage the engine. The regular cold air system get air from behind the cowing at the front of the car. In conjunction with a cold air box. Some only have cold air box and us air from under the hood. Whather it on top of the hood, below the bummer or some where between. It is called a cold air system. The only one that air ram air intakes is with the scoop in the full air flow. They do two things. One more air is send to the cylinders. The air is heavier and a low temper. The air in the other system are lighter and don;t pack the cylinders as well. The is a less pressure to get it into the cylinders. There all the fuel does not completely burn. The one that use belt or exhust aire a lot hotter. The pumps get the air pack tight. And fuel starts to burn before it is post to. They give power at low setting. Above 7psi there can be engine damage done. !4PSI they can blow the engine apart in a heart beat. A example of this is NASCAR. Their air intake it at the back of the hood with not scoop. Some tracks they hap to use smaller plate under the carburator. This to reduce the amount off air getting into the engine. There by slowing them down. Without a smaller plate the would be to fast for the track. Even with the plate inplace. The scoop would make them go faster. Ram air is better because is colder and is push into the cylinder and not heated up. It help burn the fuel completely. You have a greener engine out put out the exhaust sysem. Get even better miles per gal. I designed on the Smart Car, side ram air scoop. It gain 1 second from 0 to 60mph. It was a real dog without the scoop. You can feel the power when you drive the car. Nothing was done to the engine. A full second off is a big step. For a 1litier engine with only three cylinders. Cold air is better for a engine that engine hearted air from a cold box. Still use the cold box in this set up. But air is piped in.