550i AFE intake or K&N drop in filter

[heavymike3]

Hi -

I have a 2008 550i and am looking for some insight or suggestions on getting either the AFE cold air intake or simply getting the drop in K&N filter. i know there is a price difference of about $250, i am not too concerned with the money as long as the AFE is actually better.

Thanks in advance!

[jacktown]

Pretty much a no brainer IMO-basically a kn filter will do nothing-wont change sounds and obviously not performance when you are up at 360hp

Afe also probably will not effect performance but it will completely alter the sound of your car-especially at WOT (if you so indulge:) I have heard an AFE on the V8 and I have it on my I6 and they sound virtually identical with the I6 even being slightly louder oddly enough-so I can vouch first hand it gives an amazing sound-makes me want to drive and drive just to hear that sound-totally changes the love for the car for a mere few hundred bucks-obviously I think the choiice is obvious:)

[kevinp]

If you are going to alter your intake you should also consider modifying the exhaust to a less restrictive system, as the input and output are perpetually linked:)

[jacktown]

You could go back and forth on this issue-I decided to replace the exhaust and intake on my 530. Fact of the matter is-and I did a lot of research and in the end dynoed my car before and after and you can get decent hp gains if you are willing to do an intake, exhaust and a remap of the software for the 530 or 550-even more so for the 550 since you have more hp to start with. Atleast in my care with those three things I gained 13whp-which is maybe 17-18 net crank number. I am guessing you could gain maybe 5 more than that on a 550-so you could take it from 360 to 380 crank hp realistically. Will you notice much of a diff on a 550? probably not much-you have a lot of hp to begin with. On my 530 I definetly noticed a difference after each step of the process-more so with throttle response and acceleration-whether that was due to hp gain or just better fuel timing/throttle response I dont know.

Anyway in the end an exhaust and intake is mostly for sound and it is not necessary to do both to maximize their usefulness when in the end it is really only sound that they are doing. I do admit an exhaust and intake do make the nicest sound. You get certain sounds at WOT where you hear more of the intake and then at different gears/revs you hear more exhaust-a nice combo forsure.

Anyway I dont think you will be disapointed if you are looking for a more aggressive sound from your bimmer-if you like it quiet dont get it!