APR Carbon Fiber Intake for S3 - Would you do it again?

[normcaldwell]

For those who have had the APR Carbon Fiber intake for several months or even years;

Are you still satisfied with the unit?
Do you think it has made the turbo spool-up more responsive than when you had the stock intake?
Knowing what you know now, would you have still installed it back then?

I have the stock intake with a BMC panel filter; air/snow grate removed.
Works fine, of course.
But, having the mod disease, I'm curious about the APR product in particular.

[will13k7]

No regrets love it, looks nice, just enough turbo noise.

Had it for 3 years.

My butt dyno isn’t sensitive enough to notice benefits of any intake I’ve ever had, same for exhaust.

[normcaldwell]

No regrets love it, looks nice, just enough turbo noise.

Had it for 3 years.

My butt dyno isn’t sensitive enough to notice benefits of any intake I’ve ever had, same for exhaust.

Thanks for the info.
Sweet looking engine bay!

[will13k7]

no problem and thanks too! there's even more CF than that pix, and it hasn't yellowed!

[MdnytRyder]

Love mine as well. Basically the same review as Will!


Sent from my iPhone using Audizine

[normcaldwell]

Love mine as well. Basically the same review as Will!

Good to know, thanks.
It is a nice looking piece; a different looking intake than most of the other available ones.

[kotadawg]

no problem and thanks too! there's even more CF than that pix, and it hasn't yellowed!

Beautiful engine bay. Where did you get the other carbon fiber goodies?

[Alloy07]

no problem and thanks too! there's even more CF than that pix, and it hasn't yellowed!

What a difference the CF parts make. Great looking engine bay !
Much nicer then stock . How difficult was the install ?


Sent from my iPad using Audizine

[will13k7]

All the CF, except for the intake, is from 034, they just pop right into place. Love the look and see it often when the s3 is hooked up to a battery tender in the garage!

[kotadawg]

Thanks for the info!

[Spinnetti]

I like it, but can't tell any difference. I certainly wouldn't change out another aftermarket intake for this one.

[donot521]

Will it void warranty or effect the engine in any way?

[ModdedEuros]

I think it really boils down to if you want carbon fiber or not look under your hood. If you do not care, running any of the intakes will give you the same results. Most people run open intake for the price as well as the more audible sound you will get out of the engine/turbo

We have had the DFG Tuning MQB intake as well as the Neuspeed MQB intake on our S3 when we had it. Both performed great.

[Spinnetti]

Will it void warranty or effect the engine in any way?

Could I suppose if you get a fussy dealer and have engine problems - could blame it on filtration. There's no reason to do it unless you have other mods or just like the look.

[Chevyguy2021]

I had an intake on my previous vehicle. I think it simply made the car louder. It was a NA v6 and it was cool at first but then became very annoying. On my new car I plan to run an aftermarket drop in filter. I personally will never run an aftermarket CAI again. Put it sure does look nice.

[pinpointsnipe]

For the money you are paying for that intake, I was very unhappy with the fitment and quality of the intake. Ran it for over a year and enjoyed the sound and looks of it but the initial fitment issues led to one of the front tabs snapping off and having an intake that wasn't aligned with the front air intake holes. Switched over to the ECS CF intake the and the fitment is 10x better. The APR intake fits much better in the golfs than it does in the 8V's, as I found out installing even with the broken clip. But overall was not happy with paying $400 plus for dodgy fitment.

[normcaldwell]

I appreciate all of your responses; this is helpful info.

[will13k7]

not to defend the design that uses one of the factory tabs to hold one side of the front of the intake in place, something easier to install could have been designed, but if you take your time installing it, not forcing anything, it works fine. The tab on my car isn't even distressed. ymmv.

[troye]

Let me start by saying I do like APR products. I just installed the APR intake today and have to say the Fitment and their mounting mechanism is awful!

I had to remove some of the plastic where the intake mounts / butts up against the car. And it is held in there by the flimsy tab on one side (flimsy now due before I modified the car to accept the intake) and yes I have glued it lol.

The other side of the mount is not held in by a screw as the directions advise which I found out here that applies to Golf R only, instead it is held in by a plastic insert already found on the car

It does sound good and the butt dyno definitely feels good too! But I would not do it again. I will wait for the Gen 2 intake in process. Oh yeah and it looks great!

[MikTip]

I like mine-



Highly recommend the filter sock that keeps water out...and dirt.