[Stoked]

Hello!
I'm thinking about getting a cold air intake for my 2013 Smart, but I'm a little confused about a few things and would love some help.

So these are the two different products that I was looking at from Smart Madness.

The Intake Upgrade Hose
smart fortwo Intake Upgrade Hose - 451 Model - Black Online Store - smart car Parts and Accessories

The Cold Air Intake W/ BMC Air Filter
smart fortwo Cold Air Intake - 451 model - w/ upgraded BMC Air Filter Online Store - smart car Parts and Accessories


My first question is will these even fit my Smart? I have the 2013 Sharp Red. The specs of my car says its engine is "Turbo Charged". Both of these parts say they will not fit turbo model smart cars. Sorry for the dumb question, but does my car fall under the "Turbo Model", if my paperwork says my car is Turbo Charged? Or is that slighty different? I'm confused on the wording.

My other question is if these two products can be used in conjunction with each other, OR if they are a "one or the other" product?

Also, do these two products do the same thing essentially/ serve the same purpose?


I'm not super knowledgable in cars, and I'm just doing research as I go along, so I would love and appreciate the help and explanation. Thanks!

 

[Miss Mercedes]

According to your post history you live in the United States. No 451 (2008-2015) sold in this country has a turbo. Where are you getting those specs from?

Assuming your car isn't some strange import and doesn't have an aftermarket turbo, both of those intakes will fit.

The cheaper intake is just a hose that replaces your factory resonator.

The more expensive intake replaces both your airbox and the resonator.

They both do the same thing in the end, but they do it differently and they aren't used together.

Someone dyno tested all the aftermarket intakes and his findings were that the cheap intake tubes with a high flow filter in the stock airbox provided more wheel horsepower than the much more expensive and flashy looking cold air intakes that replaced all of the stock intake system.

So my recommendation would be to get the cheaper one.

 

[Stoked]

According to your post history you live in the United States. No 451 (2008-2015) sold in this country has a turbo. Where are you getting those specs from?

Assuming your car isn't some strange import and doesn't have an aftermarket turbo, both of those intakes will fit.

The cheaper intake is just a hose that replaces your factory resonator.

The more expensive intake replaces both your airbox and the resonator.

They both do the same thing in the end, but they do it differently and they aren't used together.

Someone dyno tested all the aftermarket intakes and his findings were that the cheap intake tubes with a high flow filter in the stock airbox provided more wheel horsepower than the much more expensive and flashy looking cold air intakes that replaced all of the stock intake system.

So my recommendation would be to get the cheaper one.

Thank you for this breakdown! Honestly, this helped so much and you answered all my questions.

I was actually thinking about buying this specific hose from eBay.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Silicone-Intake-Hoses-Pipe-Kit-For-BENZ-Smart-Car-Fortwo-Roadster-2008-2009/153185127525

As much as I like and appreciate Smart Madness, I think they are extremely overpriced.
This looks identical to the hose on Smart Madness, so hopefully it all goes smoothly!

 

[MB DNA]

I have the 2013 Sharp Red. The specs of my car says its engine is "Turbo Charged".

While "sharp red" was a MY13 smart limited edition, as Miss Mercedes suggests - no "turbo" versions of any 451 were shipped to this side of the pond.

https://media.daimler.com/marsMediaSite/en/instance/ko/At-dealers-from-May-2012---A-sharp-mix-of-colours-smart-fortwo-sharpred.xhtml?oid=9918716

 

[Igor Barbaros]

I have the eBay one and it for perfectly.

According to your post history you live in the United States. No 451 (2008-2015) sold in this country has a turbo. Where are you getting those specs from?

Assuming your car isn't some strange import and doesn't have an aftermarket turbo, both of those intakes will fit.

The cheaper intake is just a hose that replaces your factory resonator.

The more expensive intake replaces both your airbox and the resonator.

They both do the same thing in the end, but they do it differently and they aren't used together.

Someone dyno tested all the aftermarket intakes and his findings were that the cheap intake tubes with a high flow filter in the stock airbox provided more wheel horsepower than the much more expensive and flashy looking cold air intakes that replaced all of the stock intake system.

So my recommendation would be to get the cheaper one.

Thank you for this breakdown! Honestly, this helped so much and you answered all my questions.

I was actually thinking about buying this specific hose from eBay.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Silicone-Intake-Hoses-Pipe-Kit-For-BENZ-Smart-Car-Fortwo-Roadster-2008-2009/153185127525

As much as I like and appreciate Smart Madness, I think they are extremely overpriced.
This looks identical to the hose on Smart Madness, so hopefully it all goes smoothly!

 

[Bob Denman]

Did they also test these aftermarket intakes on the turbocharged engines?

 

[Miss Mercedes]

Did they also test these aftermarket intakes on the turbocharged engines?

Looks like the intakes for turbo 451s are different than the naturally aspirated ones.
ETA: These 451 intakes also do not fit the 453. Looks like SmartMadness doesn't have 453 cold air intakes, either.

And yes, an eBay hose should work just fine! My 2012 has the "BMS Low Budget Intake", which is basically a couple rubber tubes from the hardware store and some hose clamps.

 

[Jo e Lefors]

Check out this link.
https://www.smartcarofamerica.com/forums/f361/air-intake-dyno-comparison-152600/

Not just someone but one of our members banzairx7
Took considerable time, money and did several runs at a local dyno shop. Proving that a big fancy overpriced intake sucking 200 degree air from a HOT enclosed engine compartment, is Not a cold air intake.

 

[Snowball]

I didn't take any pictures of the after set up but here are all the part numbers I used.

From Amazon:
G-Plus Silicone Induction air intake hose kit
https://www.amazon.com/Silicone-Intake-Smart-Fortwo-Roadster/dp/B01MYQEREQ/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=G-Plus+silicone+air+induction&qid=1570465650&sr=8-4

Wix air filter
https://www.amazon.com/WIX-Filters-49301-Filter-Panel/dp/B002FT5N7Y/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Wix+49301&qid=1570465726&sr=8-1

From OReilly's:
BrakeBest rotors
https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/b/brakebest-select-drum-rotor-hub-2924/brake-systems-16456/brake-drums-rotors-16509/brake-rotor-11306/d133f11235f8/brakebest-select-brake-rotor/980806rgs/2546042/2009/smart/fortwo?fitAttr_10039=Front&pos=0

BrakeBest ceramic pads
https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/b/brakebest-select-ceramic-4470/brake-systems-16456/brake-pads-shoes-16515/brake-pads-12845/a99314144bb6/brakebest-select-ceramic-front-disc-brake-pads/c1252/4549286/2009/smart/fortwo?pos=1

I just did the air intake mod to my 09 Smart. I bought the hose from Amazon for about the same price with free shipping. It is also the GPlus company.

 

[ElementalDragon]

Check out this link.
https://www.smartcarofamerica.com/forums/f361/air-intake-dyno-comparison-152600/

Not just someone but one of our members banzairx7
Took considerable time, money and did several runs at a local dyno shop. Proving that a big fancy overpriced intake sucking 200 degree air from a HOT enclosed engine compartment, is Not a cold air intake.

Well.... all things considered, I can't imagine the factory air box helping the car get air that's really any colder. I'd actually be more inclined to believe that a system that replaces the air box would have the potential to get cooler air into it. While it's not DIRECTLY in line with the path of moving air, I'm pretty sure that a substantial amount of air does move around the engine bay and out those slots above the rear bumper.

Looks like SmartMadness doesn't have 453 cold air intakes, either.

Yeah, no. I've been asking them about it ever since i got my 453 about 4 years ago. Started off that they were in the process of making one. Then they had some prototypes, but nothing release ready. Then they up and decided not to release one due to lack of demand, and also said that it "created more noise than they expected" or something like that. I even tried to get one of the prototypes off of them, but they refused.

 

[Jo e Lefors]

Well.... all things considered, I can't imagine the factory air box helping the car get air that's really any colder. I'd actually be more inclined to believe that a system that replaces the air box would have the potential to get cooler air into it. While it's not DIRECTLY in line with the path of moving air, I'm pretty sure that a substantial amount of air does move around the engine bay and out those slots above the rear bumper.

And this is the reason we have dyno testing.
Check out this link to Current Dyno testing.
https://www.smartcarofamerica.com/fo...arison-152600/
Shows what works and what doesn't, regardless of the promises in the slick ad copy.

 

[jetfuel]

..ten years ago some research was done at the track over cold air intakes...
...the results may surprise you...

https://www.smartcarofamerica.com/forums/f89/smart-goes-1-4-mile-23952/index3.html

Jetfuel....wow...ten years ago....time flies when you're getting old...