Spring car projects - UPDATED 5/21

Well, it's that time of year that everyone is pulling their garage queens out of storage, and the rest of us are doing what we can to our daily drivers to make them a little more fun. What are you doing or planning on doing to yours? Last night my youngest son and I installed this Airaid CAI into the Focus I bought in August. It's been a decent car, but I always am looking for more in cost effective means. Any of you not familiar with a CAI, it is a Cold Air Intake. It is basically replacing your car's OEM air box and filter with an open filter system, sometimes that is even remotely located outside the engine bay and into the front fender. The application to get more air into the combustion system, making more power. I've installed a few over the years in various cars, and this will always be an upgrade I would recommend to anyone looking for a little more out of what they already have. It adds a few more Hp, as well as foot pounds of torque, but it also slightly increases your mpg. This particular model is a dry filter, and adds 10 Hp, 12 Ft/lb of torque. Depending on the brand, model, and design these numbers can vary, and in certain applications increase both Hp and torque up to 27-30. It's like free power form a permanent install. The filter never gets replaced like a paper filter, but only cleaned every 10,000 miles. Since putting this in last night, the little 2.0 - 4 banger went from decent and quiet to a little meaner and it now has a throaty growl when you are into the throttle. That's just from more air input. I'll have to get used to the growl for it just doesn't seem fitting to the car's demeanor. Another side effect is it has already increased the mpg by .7. I'll keep tabs on it and see if that varies or increases, but in less than 30 miles it has improved there and that is not from any lack of having my foot in it, because I'm having fun with it.