Please help a weary mum!

My son currently has the use of my Citigo Elegance 75hp. He really wants to remove the air filter and fit a Ram Air Induction Kit which seems to consist of a foam cone filter and longer breather hose. He likes the idea of a throatier engine note.

We are really butting heads over this as I don't want the car modified and if course there are the possible implications with an already scarily expensive insurance policy (he's 20 and been driving 17 months).

I'm not a complete idiot when it comes to engines and have a feeling removing the intake resonator will actually reduce performance and fuel economy. As far as I can see, this modification will be a case of 'all mouth and no trousers'. As a compromise would it be better to fit an upgraded panel filter and maybe a straight hose, effectively just removing the resonator but still sucking in relatively cool air instead of the hot air a cone filter would be breathing in?

Views, help, peace negotiations? TIA

Edited 11 October, 202511 Oct by Batwoman

It will make precisely no difference to the engine other than make more noise 🤣

At the end of the day it’s a citigo so while it it handles like a go kart it’s because it is.

(My wife had one for 8yrs, I know exactly what they are like 😂) However, the engine setup is such that a ram air is going to look cool as fk down the Tesco car park of an evening but it’s really not going to do anything. Insurance implications - @DAN@ADRIAN FLUX or @ChrisKnottIns might have a little advice on that front?

Your car, your rules. When he's got his own car and paying for his own insurance then he can do whatever t/f he likes but until then, nah.
As also said, it'll do sweet f/a for performance. Tell him also, contrary to Top Gear, pulling handbrake turns does not get the ladies turned on 🤣

+1 for more induction noise - absolutely no gain apart from possible dust ingestion from inefficient air filtration.

2 minutes ago, Lee01 said:

contrary to Top Gear, pulling handbrake turns does not get the ladies turned on 🤣

Nor do induction noises apparently…. I know it’s hard for a male brain to comprehend that this is peer reviewed science debunking a myth but sadly we must use our own noises (words…) to try and glean affection from those we find attractive 🤣

Well, yes to all the above. Being from the motorcycle industry, I have an idea about cone filters (yes, I'm that old) and general consensus is as mentioned, poor dust filtration and heatsoak.

I did find a photo on search that looks like it could be a compromise. I think it's from this forum but can't find the original thread. It looks like this could give the noisier engine sound but paired with a K&N panel filter, still be better for the engine??
If anybody knows the source of this photo, it would be appreciated.

That's probably @Hyphons @Batwoman which he's only recently put back on the road which he'd paired with a straight through exhaust IIRC. I had the misfortune of following him all the way back from Rockingham Raceway and it made an absolute racket 🤣
He's a great chap though

Maybe in this thread > https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/402104-davids-citigo-20/

Edited 11 October, 202511 Oct by Lee01

It will make more noise and nothing else but I think your Son should have no influence on your Car.

When he is able to afford his own he can make his own decisions.

It's a life lesson.

1 minute ago, Stonekeeper said:

It will make more noise and nothing else but I think your Son should have no influence on your Car.

When he is able to afford his own he can make his own decisions.

It's a life lesson.

It is my car but it is 'the spare' since we bought a Fabia (needed just a bit more room). The Citigo is getting on a bit (144000 miles) so wasn't worth trading in and made sense for DS to use it. I appreciate he shouldn't be getting his own way but I have to live with him. He's like Kevin 'It's SOOOO unfair' all day long 🙄

11 minutes ago, Lee01 said:

That's probably @Hyphons @Batwoman which he's only recently put back on the road which he'd paired with a straight through exhaust IIRC. I had the misfortune of following him all the way back from Rockingham Raceway and it made an absolute racket 🤣
He's a great chap though

Maybe in this thread > https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/402104-davids-citigo-20/

You are correct, I found it in the thread. Sounds like he's done a re-map and lots of other bits. I think all my son is after is the noise and slightly better throttle response so if this does that maybe I can placate him with it...

11 minutes ago, Batwoman said:

I did find a photo on search that looks like it could be a compromise. I think it's from this forum but can't find the original thread. It looks like this could give the noisier engine sound but paired with a K&N panel filter, still be better for the engine??

Won't this still be a modification according to some insurance providers?

There seems to be an obsession with very loud exhaust noises, back-firing, very loud resonances for some sort of pretend track car and some sort of ego willy-waving. (ETA: Mention of Rockingham Raceway might bear this out, but I thought the Cinch blokes/Directors(?) still had that as their playground?)

The hose and K&N filter might give more (a little more) noise but not much and not nearly enough willy-waving ability.

Sorry but being easily old enough to remember K&N induction kits and cold air induction kits I'm also of the age where I think you should be very adult with your 20 year old son and tell him where to get off. I hope you make him pay towards the upkeep, petrol and insurance for the car.

Off-topic - (Rockingham, Batwoman) - do you have a partner that used to dress as Batman that previously owned a TVR and then a MX-5 with a different engine in it - or did you own a S2000 20+ years ago?

Edited 11 October, 202511 Oct by nta16

I am not that Batwoman, sorry!

@Batwoman Tell him it's

1. It's your car not his.

2. Save his money for when he does have his own car!

Hi.

If you do have any issues with insurance at all for this type of modification then please feel free to drop me a line.

Regards,

Dan.

18 hours ago, Batwoman said:

Please help a weary mum!

My son currently has the use of my Citigo Elegance 75hp. He really wants to remove the air filter and fit a Ram Air Induction Kit which seems to consist of a foam cone filter and longer breather hose. He likes the idea of a throatier engine note.

We are really butting heads over this as I don't want the car modified and if course there are the possible implications with an already scarily expensive insurance policy (he's 20 and been driving 17 months).

I'm not a complete idiot when it comes to engines and have a feeling removing the intake resonator will actually reduce performance and fuel economy. As far as I can see, this modification will be a case of 'all mouth and no trousers'. As a compromise would it be better to fit an upgraded panel filter and maybe a straight hose, effectively just removing the resonator but still sucking in relatively cool air instead of the hot air a cone filter would be breathing in?

Views, help, peace negotiations? TIA

You're quite correct that this mod will both offer no performance advantage (and may actually make things worse), as well as be considered a modification by insurers.

However it may well give the desired meaty sound your son thinks will make his driving experience more enjoyable.

He's unlikely to accept an electronic substitute (but it's worth a shot as a compromise) https://www.maxhaust.com/en/active-sound

There are two approaches I'd go for.

1) As a cheap fix, I would try and use the police as an attack vector.

Tell him if he draws attention to his car, he may get unwanted attention from the police.

He may well be stopped, have to produce his documents, which will involve insurance documents, and his insurers might find out about the modification.

If that fails....

2) I'd reluctantly permit the endeavor, so long as it's done properly at his expense.

Tell him you will not oppose his mods, so long as they are done well, are reversible for when the car is sold, the insurers are informed of every change, and he pays for everything. Tell him you will check with the insurers to make sure that they are aware of every change he has made to the car to ensure that the insurance cover is not harmed.

A third option is to leave him to get on with it and FAFO.

Having to deal with the consequences of foolish endeavors is all part of life.

It might be that there are no serious outcomes to the mod, and all he gets is extra noise when he drives.

But there are possible negative consequences.

Good luck!

The ram air just being on the car might give him the respect(?) he might seek, or to fit in, but I don't think it'll be loud enough and he'll want more and louder and then other show-off bits added to the car. Then, hopefully, as he's not driving it all the time when his mother is driving it she may also be seen as anti-social by the not so young.

Five or so years back when I had a sports exhaust (and K&N open filters on the twin-carbs) on a low powered 70s car I was frowned at and waved to slow down as I went through villages, especially those with close walls, at 25 mph and that exhaust sound wasn't particularly loud certainly nowhere near the excess of the last couple of years' fashion.

As a mother I don't think you can have any real idea of how a 20 year old lad thinks and feels and he won't have the slightest clue how you feel so you need to be firm now even though it certainly won't be appreciated by him now he will understand more later (perhaps 5, 10, 20 years later).

20 hours ago, Batwoman said:

It is my car but it is 'the spare' since we bought a Fabia (needed just a bit more room). The Citigo is getting on a bit (144000 miles) so wasn't worth trading in and made sense for DS to use it. I appreciate he shouldn't be getting his own way but I have to live with him. He's like Kevin 'It's SOOOO unfair' all day long 🙄

As you now have the Fabia is it an option to sell the Citigo to your son, then he can do what he wants with it and at his expense.