Recieved my ECIS CAI this weekend from the E46Fanatics Store...they get two thumbs up for delivering to an APO address in less than a week. THANKS GUYS!

Installed the CAI yesterday morning in the chilly German morning. Removal of the stock filter housing was very simple. Wasn't prepared for the momentary shock of seeing the huge gaping hole in my engine bay, though!

Installation was straightforward. It takes a bit of twisting and turning to get the heat shield in place and seated correctly. The stock air inlet and output hose fit the heat sheild perfectly. The kit came with the silicone coupling tube already fitted to the to output extenstion. I had to struggle to get this fitted to the stock output hose. I found the coupler to be about 1mm to small to easily fit onto the hose. Making matters worse was the bevel on the hose that tended to push the coupler off. Once I finally got it on I immediately used the hose clamp to secure it in place or risk it sliding off again! The rest of the installation is a breeze.

What I've noticed:
1) The engine is louder. Not the carb sucking roar of days gone but an appreciable growl comes from the hood/exhaust.
2) There is a better throttle response at low speeds and the 5-6k rpm zones. My DSC warning light is blinking alot more now.
3) Cockpit noise is up. You can audibly here the intake manifold sucking in the air...not present with the stock unit. This is very noticeable in the 3-4K rpm range. Not annoying but takes away from the BMWness of the car.
4) My gas mileage went up. I'm in Germany so I average 90-110mph to work and back everyday. Reset my computer and drove the route harder than normal...gas mileage went up! I wasn't expecting this but I can guess that due to the speeds I'm driving this might be normal.

If you are considering the ECIS kit...go for it. You won't be disappointed!