MB intakes are designed for high performance -- if you do a search, you will find a posting here where one of us had access to a dyno and found that he got LESS hp with the air cleaner removed than with it on!

Those "cold air" intake systems are junk, pure and simple. Only cars with carbs had heated air intakes, and that was for a reason -- the carb works MUCH better if you don't have to make it a full anti-icing design, depending on hot air to keep it from filling up with ice from the fuel evaporation. I know, mine failed on the old Dodge Aires, and the carb iced up terribly in Canada -- would only run on the secondary throat! No engine with manifold fuel injection has a heated intake.

It is very unlikely that you will get improved performance with a "cold air" intake, and at least the K&N filters allow more dirt in than stock air filters, worse if they are under oiled (and if at all over oiled, will ruin the mass airflow sensor, at least $400). In fact, there has been at least one post concerning the running problems a K&N or clone caused an old 230 owner -- couldn't adjust the carb properly until he got rid of it (rich running due to poor airflow).

Save your money and buy an extra stock (Mann or Hengst) air filter.

Peter

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1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!