i was just wondering which of the two is the better buy?

 

I would get a SRI

-cheaper
-quicker and easier to install
-basically same performance gains as a CAI and you don't have to worry about driving through huge puddles if that ever happened.
-and I think it looks better

 

Umm not to be rude but your wrong you dont get the same gains. OK so ya get a short ram your taking in the hot air from the engine compartment and you will actually loose power or not gain any. I have tested this so we tested a 00 civic SI. We took and dynoed it with the stock air intake then with a short ram we made more on the stock one, then with the short ram going into the stock air box and that made no diff but the intake temp was colder but almost unnoticed. Then we used a AEM CAI and it made 2whp and it ran way cooler for the running temp. So basically buying a short ram well it does add some cosmetic looks it actually hurts ya waste of cash. The short rams were actually designed for turbo cars till ricers started using them on the NA cars and now well you have a bunch of companys like APC feeding off that with there ricey *** parts.

 

You get a little more from the CAI, but like Inthezoneac said, i'd go with an SRI

 

Short ram is a waste of money I know I have tuned several of them. You guys really should not give advise if you don't know what your saying.

 

Yes SIR!!!!!!

 

go w/ the cai.... the sri does look cooler but the performance increases are very marginal...
the whole driving through puddles thing is WAY over stated as well... whens the last time you had the front of your car submerged in water?
splashing through big puddles is not going to submerge the filter and water splashing against the filter is not a problem.. for one, it has to get sucked up a long ways to get all the way to the intake manifold (a trip that its not going to succeed in)...
but if you're completely paranoid and drive though lakes for laughs, they make some bypass valves as well.

 

Let me throw this onto the field (since I love messing with people so much )

Take 100 cars (same make/model/trim/mods) and put them on the same dyno. I promise you you'll have 100 different power numbers. Now take 1 car and put it on 100 different dynos. You'll probably once again have 100 different numbers. And that's figuring every dyno run at the same temperature, elevation, and humidity. Change those three variables up and you're in for a world of different dyno numbers. One 2whp gain at sea level, 0 humidity, and 60*F could translate into a power loss at 2,000 feet, 90% relative humidity and 85*F.

My point is $250-$300 for a 2whp gain (on an EM1, no less. The gain would be ~1whp or less on a single cam) is rediculous. You don't feel 2whp at all. Go on ebay and find yourself a $30 SRI tube. Then go to Advanced Auto Parts and pick yourself up a $40 AEM dry-flow filter, and enjoy the new intake whistle, since that's about all you're going to gain with an intake on a civic.

*edit: The word "dyno" is kind of funny, isn't it? Shouldn't it be "dyna"? I mean, it is short for "dynamometer", right? Just a random observation.

 

^^^^
I agree with reaper just go with SRI I have a blue AEM in my 2000 civic and it looks well IMO but if you have money to waste get a CAI.

 

OK no reaper you arent right not to bust your ***** but I have been tuning for about 8 years now and that isnt the case bro. I am running a DynoJet and I'll tell ya man if you keep the same mapping for the tune saved then you will run the same now with the SRI we lost on some cars before cause all it does is suck up the hot air from the engine compartment. Now the SRI hooked into the stock air box will look goood but give you nothing really but hey whatever. Why do they sell air intakes bigger for cars? Well if you have a stock motor and a air intake and a exhaust ok well you have done nothing but those 2 mods with some cams and valvetrain mods now there used cause you need to get the air in and out of the motor faster. Add some high comp pistons and then your golden. So really all they are with a stock motor is for looks. I mean there useless. I just finished a motor for my DD and I am using a CAI but I am running a built motor without the motor to back it they do nothing but look good so if thats what ya going for then yeah be a ricer and get a SRI or well by a useful one and get ya a CAI like they say ya get what ya pay for. This is not trying to bash you reaper just facts.