GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

Is this thing for real? Anyone have experience with this Tornado deal?

It looked like an interesting concept, but I am putting a cold air intake in my Vibe and I think they design those for the stock air box.

I remember seeing the infomercials for it on late late night TV and it looked interesting, but I am always very skeptical about these gadgets that are so relatively inexpensive that make big claims. I've never tried one and don't know anyone first hand who has, either. I'll be getting a CAI soon, so I don't plan on getting one for my Vibe anyway.

Most of the time (98%) those fuel saver are nothing else then gadget and their performance are not proven. The only person who will make/save money with those stuff is the company who sell it.The best way to save fuel is loacted between the seat and the steering wheel. Check you tire pressure on a regular basis and drive your car like you had an egg between your foot and the gas pedal. You'll see, it works much better then those gadgets

BOGUSIf it was so revolutionary, then every car manufacturer in the country would have them preinstalled.

silverawd,The tornado is a TOTAL bogus piece of crap. How can a tin foil OBSTRUCTION to the air flow help gas mileage and power? It's TOTAL, TOTAL, TOTAL CRAP.The K&N is a bit more hype than actuality, but it's okay. It's just a freer breathing filter element. Don't compare the tornado to the K&N. The reason K&N isn't factory is that it costs more than a regular foam or paper filter.

That person is just trying to justify his purchase. He got bent over hard and doesn't want to admit it. Please think for a minute and try to be rational and tell me how a spinning piece of foil in the air intake will help fuel economy and power? haha.

They have this great demonstration with two 2-liter bottles. At first when they just let it sit the water hardly goes down, but when they spin it and create the tornado affect it gushes down. This is probably what hooks most people. However, it's seriously flawed. Why? because in that demonstration water is going one way and air is going the other way, two way traffic. In your intake you only have air going in, nothing going out. That demonstration has no relevance to automobiles. If this thing actually did what they said they would be sending it out to all the car magazines and anyone who does car testing to try it out and verify the claims they make. Then sales would soar! But I'm willing to bet there is no reputable independent testing to be found. Why? Because it won't do what they say.

Bottom line:Tornado = JunkK&N = worksPeriod

I can sell pills that make women's boobs grow stronger and also sell pills where you lose a lot of weight while you can eat anything you want. It's all snake oil and a few people are making A LOT of money on the stupidity of many.Okay, so the tornado is stationary, but breaks up the air somehow that it flows into a circular swirling pattern that creates better combustion, blah, blah. By the time that air has made it past the tornado air RESTRICTION it will swirl, but then almost immediately become chaotic again, so that by the time it reaches the combustion chamber, it's flowing the same way it did before the tornado, chaotically.I'm not an engineer, but I know a little about fluid dynamics and there is no way a single passive air restriction can swirl the air for any significant period of time to have any benefit.On another note, I have heard of a few of these tornados getting sucked through the intake and damaging the motor. But, who knows, the internet is all heresay.

K&N filters are approx 5 times more expensive than the oem ones. Plus they are more difficult to service and if done incorrectly (like blasting w/ air hose) can lead to loss of filtration. These are a couple of reasons they are not used by OEM.

b/c they add no value.....i mean WE know they do.....but 90% of car buyers wouldnt want to pay more for something they have never needed before.....it just complicates things for the dealers. they would then have to stock the filters as replacements (yes they have a million mile warranty..and you can clean them....but folks there is a point at which.....you know...) so then they have to explain to all these naive people and elderly people and all the like...why they are charging them $60 for an air filter when these folks have never paid more than $15 for one.....if i was the manufacturer i wouldnt put myself through all that stress.....keep it simple....for those who put the effort in to caring about the car enough to give an edge over "stock"....more power to 'em!-Phil

ha....since when have they cared about the environment anyways....oh and you know they would charge $60 if retail is $45!look at paper filters....walmart will get u one for $10....dealer is i dunno????? 25-30 probably....thats my guess!

yeah...but beyond regulations MOST dont care....at least they dont want to pay the price of "caring"

right, but the optional things where they could help out the environment they often pass up.now we are talking about the things around the shop....recycling of parts and chemicals and what not.....BUT....it could be as small as having a recycle bin in the employee lounge for aluminum cans.....even that cost money (in most places).

thats right...i forgot...i see that on all the cans....lucky you! well i can see if there was $ in it then yeah....but here you have to pay a monthly fee for the recycle co. to pick ur stuff up........u dont get $ you pay $!!!

Off-topic.

how much are they....$60? if 30 peeps throw in $2someone to volunteer to do really accurate testing.

Check outhttp://autorepair.about.com/library/products/aafpr052002.htmTornado Fuel Saver

k/n does allow more air to flow yes but i do question this. how is the quaility of this air. the more air that flows the larger the air particle size due to less restriction. makes sense that a large air particle would be much more dirty maker your engine more dirty/.? i would want an air filter that would be the cleanest air filter possible for my engine yet yeild the best air flow for my engine. i dont give a crap about ricey hp numbers. ill bet your stock air filter yeilds the best numbers overall. dont forget the big picture you need a decent oil filter/ decent gas/ decent fuel filter/ decent air filter/decent plugs if you wana keep that engine runnin for the long haul

quote:DO K&N Filters work? If K&N filters are not BOGUS, why don't they pre-install them in every car then? Yes K&N filters work (they are less restrictive than paper and filter better) and some cars do come with them stock. The reason they do not offer them is two fold one is initial cost.... much more expensive than paper. Second they (car manufacturers) loose out on replacements and they are a little harder to maintain. If maintained properly a K&N will last the life of a car.