Moot arguement. HP numbers are for bragging rights anyways. I'd buy a CAI because of the sound and it looks shiny under the hood. Same goes for the exhaust. If I gain a few ponies, awesome! If not, still awesome because it sounds cool.
As far as reusable filter filtration and dirt going into the engine, the amount is negligible over paper filters. Each type has it's pro's and cons. The oem paper work great as long as you replace them on schedule and don't allow them to get excessively dirty. They tend to be loose effectiveness abruptly near the end of their life. It's a no brainer to just keep using these if you don't really care about a few more hp's and that's fine. Part of the fun of modifying though, is to pick up every hp you can. It's a trade off that some are willing to risk, while others, such as the OP aren't. To each his own.
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[09][MB][6-Spd MT][Touring][Stillen Gen III][K&N][Borla CBE][Evo-R]
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