Painting your FMIC will make it less efficient than having a non painted FMIC but when it comes down to losing 3-5% of the efficiency or getting your car stolen because you are showing you have a turboed honda, i think the choice is quite simple. If you dont want to paint it, thats up to you, but some of us like it.

I mean some people will just stick a filter on their turbo and not route it out of the engine bay, they are losing efficiency, some people will run a log manifold, they are losing efficiency. Pretty much the point of the matter is, spray a light coat of some thin spray paint and the efficiency loss will be no more or less than not routing yout filter out to get colder air. Simply said, do it or dont do it, its your choice. But you should definetly try not to get paint in the core.

Also, if you put mesh up you are either doing it for a reason or you are a ricer....either way your car is more noticable and will catch a theives eye. I rather make my car look less conspicuous.

 

Instead they will see a mesh screen and be curious why you have that on......Personally, whenever i see an import in a parking lot w/ a kit or some mesh ill walk over to it and see if i can see a boost gauge inside or a FMIC or something.

My opinion is you only use mesh when A) you have something to hide. B) you are a stupid ricer and you probably have some expensive toys in the car. C) You just like the look, which kind of makes you a stupid ricer.

Basically my whole point of painting my FMIC is so it would look as stock as possible for a person just walking by or driving by for safety purposes and for the purpose that i wont have to pop my hood for ******* to ask me stupid questions.