jptonks

Hello all,

I have a street driven 2008 convertible, F55 and MN6. I am considering getting a MGW shifter, tune, CAI, and 4.10 gears this spring from a famous Westchester NY area tuner (guess who?). The car is in storage for the winter and I can't wait! He is recommending a Vararam.

I am reluctant to do the Vararam because I don't want anything on the car that looks second rate because of a lack of quality materials or first class assembly. There are other choices in CAIs out there, such as Callaway. Since the car is street driven only, I do not need the absolute very last HP or LB/FT of TQ from the CAI, just a reasonable improvement from a quality mod.

Has the build/asembly quality of the Vararam unit improved lately to the point where this is no longer a crticism?

Thanks for your help.

jptonks

dennis50nj

look at any other cai then look at the vararam, how much better can one look, plastic all looks the same. they all look black, but VARARAM works best and is the fastest

HOXXOH

I don't know if there have been quality improvements since I bought mine nearly a year ago. At that time, some were horrible (mine) and some were great. I'm more of a performance person, so I've modified it to make it work with duct tape, wire, screws, etc.

If I were buying again, and my suggestion to anyone desiring quality of fit and finish, I'd physically inspect the product before laying my money on the counter. JMHO

1.8t

I bought my vararam 1 year ago. I have my car apart right now due to a part failure but noticed my intake had warped. Obviously being less than pleased I sent vararam a pm with pics of what happened. They immediately responded and sent me a new cover for free. The new cover is definitely higher quality than my older one. The plastic is more rigid and is finished in a higher quality looking gloss black. I was very pleased with the new design and when you combine that with the customer service, I wouldn't consider any other intake.

PAUZAO

I do not mean to highjack this thread, but how is the rebuild coming along? What is needing to be replaced, due to the timing chain failure? Have you or anyone found out the reason for the failure?

1.8t

Check your pm's.

siffert

I have seen good, bad and ugly comments regarding the quality on the VR here over the years. Many swear by it, and others swear at it.

I will say I never saw any negative comments regarding the installation, quality or performance of the Callaway Honker. You decide.

LS1LT1

Good point. It sits under the hood (where dust and dirt tend to accumulate as well anyway) and completely out of site most of the time. As long it's installed/positioned correctly the Vararam will deliver years and years of happy motoring (and track results).

LS1LT1

mcv

Since you brought up Callaway -

The C6 Honker:
- Uni-directional airflow, gets cool air from outside of engine compartment.
- Precision, simplified construction and premium quality hardware for trouble-free installation.
- Lowest restriction / highest flow rate of any system tested.

PAUZAO

Mike, I sent you an e-mail today, concerning the Honker on my 08 MN6, trigerring a repeated check engine light along with some surging. Please reply, as I read you all have come up with a fix with some replacement parts.

SUB VETTE

I went with the BPP Vortex Rammer because of it's quality and it breathes outside cool air just like the Honker or Vararam. I haven't read any complaints about this product.

cmonkey713

This is exactly what I have. Great build quality and looks great on the car. I have had absolutely no problems what so ever. I would recommend this unit to anyone. I am very satisfied and will buy another if I ever trade cars.

HuskerBullet

I have the VaraRam. The instructions for installation were done by a 9-year old, but this is the best CAI you'll ever get....especially when you are cruising on the freeway about 75 MPH and decide to tromp it (when it's time to humiliate a Porsche or whatever), then you'll be glad you have it, feels damn good!

theofel

Before you purchase a CAI...Look at the BPP Vortex. Great performance linked to superb quality. You must live with you decision...So please compare. Iv'e owened both and I'm much more confortable with the fit and finish of the BPP Vortex! Dennis has the fastest c6 in the universe and is very happy with his custom built Vararam. Iv'e owned both and there is no comparison between the standard Vararam and the BPP Vortex CAI, when it comes to fit and finish. By the way I'm the second fastest C6 Bolt-0n. Dennis is king!

mcv

Saw your email. I'm still trying to find out where this "fix" rumor started. We haven't identified a problem to fix.

Ragtop 99

Vararam looks ok and to me, appears to be the only system that brings in completely cold air even at a stop (usefull if you launch your car hard). If they do a carefull install when they cut, it will look factory.

Try not to drive with the hood open and most of the concerns about looks will fade away and the performance will put a smile on your face.

Gofan

want me to snap a pic for you? I can hear a slight whiz from the intake with the top down. Not sure the tune has fully taken but the performance is more than noticeable and the driveability is fantastic. I have an A6 with 273. Bone stock.

danl72

I think the quality of all of them are about the same. It comes down to which CAI you want. You can't go wrong with any one of them.

LS1LT1