Would it be easier to just throw this thread away and start fresh?
If the OP is still interested, love my CAI, if you do get one, get a closed box.
Not all scenarios are the same, and not all cars/trucks have the bottlenecks on the intake side, so they all respond differently.
Anyone who throws out a blanket "Those dont work" are right sometimes. But not always.
Mine does run better, but I am running at 5200 - 6600ft above sea level daily, so YES, the CAI is better than stock no question.
The tune I got is able to use more O2 as well, so the CAI and tune combo was a good balance.
I also get my truck dirty in the summer and fall, so cleaning it every 3-6months keeps it clean, keeps cost down, and keeps my truck from trying to breath through choked paper. So YES, the CAI is better than stock.
There are CAI manufacturers that dont use Oil (and in many cases paper) and even they responded better than stock.
You have to look at your scenario. Determine why you want it, if its more throaty sound, yup it will work. Massive hp gains, nope, massive mpg gains, nope, but better throttle response, no question, at least for me.