what the hell is the difference??

 

Ram Air- typically a short intake pipe. Mostly brings in alot of hot air stemming from the engine, pending the location of the pipe.

Cold Air-typically a long intake pipe. Usually sits a few inches off the ground. Good thing-bring in more air from the outside than from the engine. So of course cooler air density provides more power. Bad thing, can easily ingest water/oil/rocks so forth and so forth, especially if your intake filter is crap, or crazy enough to drive without one.

Either way is more effective than the stock airbox.

 

so its more of an opinion then performance?

 

I don't understand what you are saying? Ram Air is outside air "rammed" into a nostril(s) in the hood into an airbox/filter then right to the motor.
Not sure where you are getting your definition from.

Ram air is technically a glorified Cold air intake system.

 

thats true. Ram air also has a different reference as a "short" intake where the filter usually resides in the engine bay. I suppose it's more of a "slang" term, but i've always used/heard it used to reference a short intake.

here's a bad picture for reference, but the red intake/filter is a "ram air" intake.

 

LoL HERE... this is short ram. http://www.mimousafiles.com/prods/477_b.jpg
all it is, is a metal tube with an air filter at the end, usually shorter than stock air box, and basicaly adds a mean sound to your engine.. most say it will help with gas milage and some say it gives you somewhere from 2-3hp
this is cold air intake CAI - gives you more power, becuase colder air is going into engine. More risky, water rocks and such can get into engine.... causing alot of damage.
http://www.car-stuff.com/coldairintake.htm

 

Another thing people to, is drop a nice quality filter in the stock box...
ill find you more info later.
g/l

 

the best would be to make on that is as straight as possible and goes down by the bottom of the car, so you get even more air. and save some cash build one of you can. hell or get an ebay one, kind of hard to mess up a metal pipe

 

ram air, outside air is basically forced into the engine. generally more effective when youre actually moving.

cold air intake is just a relocated intake vs stock that gets colder air, example= farthur into the wheel well or anywhere besides hot engine air.


id say the main difference is cold air has to suck air in usually where as ram air is just allowing air to be forced in.

both suck, just go turbo

 

lol. my question hasn't really been answered, i just got a lot of info.

performance wise...cold air intake or ram-air