any reasons not to use cheap EBAY air filters

[jrvn]

Was looking for feedback about the usage of cheap no name air filters sold on EBAY more than likely Chinese made for significantly lower price . I recently replaced my Air and cabin Filter with these the total cost of $11.9 and free shipping on receiving I compared the filter with my OEM Denso AF(made in USA) and it seemed identical in everyway only possibly a very slight weight difference maybe. The cabin filter was completely identical in media with an airflow arrow printed on it. this was for a 2013 Toyota Tacoma 2.7 liter engine with 60k miles. any input? heres the ebay link

 

[Falken]

Well, it does have some risk, it could end up tearing and letting dirt in the engine.

Worst case element breaks apart and gets sucked into the engine.

But general issues most likely fitment bad and dirt gets sucked past the seal.

I buy knockoffs but watch them closely.

Cheapest brand that works for me is anything from Pentius is dirt cheap and great stuff.

I am blown away by their Cabin air filters, they are almost free at the price I got them compared to the dealer and the fitment was unbeleviably great.

My next batch I am trying out for engine air filter (for fun mainly) is from Ecogard only because I think they are identical to Pentius as a hunch so I bought three from Amazon for $11 ea with free shipping.

That is another thread, should answer the thread in regards to the Ecogard build quality, impressions, and fitment, and small review by next Thursday.

 

[CT8]

The air filter is the most important filter on the engine.

 

[RooflessVW]

Originally Posted By: CT8
The air filter is the most important filter on the engine.


Yep. No reason to use anything but OEM.

 

[jrvn]

Originally Posted By: Falken
Well, it does have some risk, it could end up tearing and letting dirt in the engine.

Worst case element breaks apart and gets sucked into the engine.

But general issues most likely fitment bad and dirt gets sucked past the seal.

I buy knockoffs but watch them closely.

Cheapest brand that works for me is anything from Pentius is dirt cheap and great stuff.

I am blown away by their Cabin air filters, they are almost free at the price I got them compared to the dealer and the fitment was unbeleviably great.

My next batch I am trying out for engine air filter (for fun mainly) is from Ecogard only because I think they are identical to Pentius as a hunch so I bought three from Amazon for $11 ea with free shipping.

That is another thread, should answer the thread in regards to the Ecogard build quality, impressions, and fitment, and small review by next Thursday.
x2 I am watching it like a hawk but seems to be doing fine, I think these filters are at least the equivalent of whats being sold at over the counter auto parts stores, minus the fancy packaging, most of the FRAMS,PUROLATOR,WIX, DENSO(some) are being Chinese or foreign made. yes I have read the thread on Pentius AFilters. I know that the OEM Denso that came out has 3 pleats(layers) of media, when the cheapo bites the dust I am going to do an autopsy on it se if it has the 3 layers, if not going back to OEM.

 

[jrvn]

Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
Originally Posted By: CT8
The air filter is the most important filter on the engine.


Yep. No reason to use anything but OEM.
an equivalent product at a cheaper price, is what im trying to get Im not quite sure that ALL OEM products are superior anymore although I am very pro OEM Toyota when I have bought previous parts for my truck. if the Chinese made filter does the equivalent job at a lower cost to me than that's smart money, if it don't than its dumb money. trying to get experiences of people who have used this route with their AFilters the cabin filter I have zero issues using in my truck the AF I got some reservations.

 

[Trav]

The cabin air filter is one thing, anything is probably better than what usually comes out but the engine air filter is another story, skimp on this and you get all sorts of wear. I'd pass, why risk excessive engine wear on a 2013 vehicle to save a couple of bucks.

 

[BigD1]

Watch out for the cheap good filters too because lots of times it's some outfit that is selling returns or rejects. I returned three ACDelco air filters back to Amazon that were shipped by Amazon, but not sold by them. Every single one of them had ridiculous pitting in the rubber all around the rubber seal. The Purolator air filter I bought locally was perfect out of the box. Sure I paid more, but I got to inspect it before I left the store too.

 

[jrvn]

Originally Posted By: Trav
The cabin air filter is one thing, anything is probably better than what usually comes out but the engine air filter is another story, skimp on this and you get all sorts of wear. I'd pass, why risk excessive engine wear on a 2013 vehicle to save a couple of bucks.
this is true, the fit of this AFilter I got is just as good as the OEM DENSO I took out, if I could find out if the media filters as good as the OE somehow its a home run with them. I took the filter out and looked at it yesterday its only been in 3 weeks I checked inside the intake tube area for dust particals I seen none,wiped with my finger none.

 

[UltrafanUK]

There is no real danger from using cheap cabin air filters unless you are hyperallergenic or live in a Chinese city where you need a real good cabin air filter.

Engine air filters are more important if the engine has a turbo, because if they split it can result in debris damaging the turbo. Apart from that consideration you will probably get what you pay for from cheap filters.

 

[jrvn]

Originally Posted By: BigD1
Watch out for the cheap good filters too because lots of times it's some outfit that is selling returns or rejects. I returned three ACDelco air filters back to Amazon that were shipped by Amazon, but not sold by them. Every single one of them had ridiculous pitting in the rubber all around the rubber seal. The Purolator air filter I bought locally was perfect out of the box. Sure I paid more, but I got to inspect it before I left the store too.
this filter came from cali to nj very fast I had both filters within 3-4 days. the cabin filter came in a plain white box and the AF in a clear plastic bag no box, no markings of any on the filters of origin forward nothing, only the cab filter had an airflow arrow both were in great shape arriving very fast.

 

[AirgunSavant]

Sometimes you find that cheap Chinese junk looks exactly like OEM.
The reason is because the OEM folks outsourced it and you are actually getting the same exact thing
that's already in your car. In my business the Germans started the Chinese revolution to line their pockets
with cash but the Chinese outsmarted them and sold direct. Its a rotten world today and you really have no idea
where anything comes from.

 

[jrvn]

Originally Posted By: UltrafanUK
There is no real danger from using cheap cabin air filters unless you are hyperallergenic or live in a Chinese city where you need a real good cabin air filter.

Engine air filters are more important if the engine has a turbo, because if they split it can result in debris damaging the turbo. Apart from that consideration you will probably get what you pay for from cheap filters.
yes I definetly believe in the premise of you get what you pay for, butt could it be the OEM DENSO that came with the truck uses media manufactured in CHINA, butt assemble in USA and had a pretty DENSO box on and that both the high cost of manufactoring them in US and the nice package is why they cost 2.5 times of the cheapo Fleabay ones?

 

[jrvn]

Originally Posted By: AirgunSavant
Sometimes you find that cheap Chinese junk looks exactly like OEM.
The reason is because the OEM folks outsourced it and you are actually getting the same exact thing
that's already in your car. In my business the Germans started the Chinese revolution to line their pockets
with cash but the Chinese outsmarted them and sold direct. Its a rotten world today and you really have no idea
where anything comes from.
exactly, hence my interest in these cheapo filters as per the OEMs

 

[RooflessVW]

Originally Posted By: jrvn
Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
Originally Posted By: CT8
The air filter is the most important filter on the engine.


Yep. No reason to use anything but OEM.
an equivalent product at a cheaper price, is what im trying to get Im not quite sure that ALL OEM products are superior anymore although I am very pro OEM Toyota when I have bought previous parts for my truck. if the Chinese made filter does the equivalent job at a lower cost to me than that's smart money, if it don't than its dumb money. trying to get experiences of people who have used this route with their AFilters the cabin filter I have zero issues using in my truck the AF I got some reservations.


So... How are you going to know it is equivalent? Are you going to do flow test? Filtration tests? Do you have a current UOA trend analysis to compare to once you replace the filter?

When you buy OEM there is no second guessing. Looks can be deceiving. What appears "the same" maybe be as efficient at filtering as a piece of toilet paper.

As stated above, maybe they are factory seconds from Fram, Purolator, OEM, etc. What you are doing in that case is buying a known QA/QC rejected filter. I'm not really seeing a benefit here, aside from saving a few dollars.

YMMV.

 

[RooflessVW]

Duplicate.

 

[Falken]

I just find it fun.

I dare you to buy a few Pentius engine air filters, and offset the risk by ordering Pentius cabin air filters.

If you hate the engine air filters throw them away, install one cabin air filter and you are still ahead with the risk cost offsetted and pick up your OEM engine air filter.

That is what I did, pulled the Pentius engine air filter out of the box and I was like, "Ok, I'm running this".

And I am paranoid a bit too... Research my post style.

I will cut apart the Pentius when it is dirty and yank at the media around the seal and see how "tough" it is.

But from what I gather, Pentius makes Hyundai OEM filters, but today that is hard to be 100% certain.

EVERYTHING is cheap Chinese junk today with very few exceptions, or soon to be cheap Mexican junk.

You want to pay for a reboxed filter and pay 50$ when you can get the same one, or one of quality suitable enough for some automakers at least some of the time, for 10$ shipping included, I say go for it just for poops and giggles.

The entertainment value and to post my findings here alone make it worth the risk of a few bucks.

Or, worst case, save the filter until the car is on its last legs and start using all this junky stuff... You really can't loose if you get to physically see the unit.

 

[jrvn]

Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
Originally Posted By: jrvn
Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
Originally Posted By: CT8
The air filter is the most important filter on the engine.


Yep. No reason to use anything but OEM.
an equivalent product at a cheaper price, is what im trying to get Im not quite sure that ALL OEM products are superior anymore although I am very pro OEM Toyota when I have bought previous parts for my truck. if the Chinese made filter does the equivalent job at a lower cost to me than that's smart money, if it don't than its dumb money. trying to get experiences of people who have used this route with their AFilters the cabin filter I have zero issues using in my truck the AF I got some reservations.


So... How are you going to know it is equivalent? Are you going to do flow test? Filtration tests? Do you have a current UOA trend analysis to compare to once you replace the filter?

When you buy OEM there is no second guessing. Looks can be deceiving. What appears "the same" maybe be as efficient at filtering as a piece of toilet paper.

As stated above, maybe they are factory seconds from Fram, Purolator, OEM, etc. What you are doing in that case is buying a known QA/QC rejected filter. I'm not really seeing a benefit here, aside from saving a few dollars.

YMMV.
yes I got that,yes I am trying to save a few bucks, yes I joined this forum for analytic answers that I cannot do myself, if I send you a filter can you analyze it for me? its only $6 bucks and ship free to your house. Ill pay it

 

[jrvn]

Originally Posted By: Falken
I just find it fun.

I dare you to buy a few Pentius engine air filters, and offset the risk by ordering Pentius cabin air filters.

If you hate the engine air filters throw them away, install one cabin air filter and you are still ahead with the risk cost offsetted and pick up your OEM engine air filter.

That is what I did, pulled the Pentius engine air filter out of the box and I was like, "Ok, I'm running this".

And I am paranoid a bit too... Research my post style.

I will cut apart the Pentius when it is dirty and yank at the media around the seal and see how "tough" it is.

But from what I gather, Pentius makes Hyundai OEM filters, but today that is hard to be 100% certain.

EVERYTHING is cheap Chinese junk today with very few exceptions, or soon to be cheap Mexican junk.

You want to pay for a reboxed filter and pay 50$ when you can get the same one, or one of quality suitable enough for some automakers at least some of the time, for 10$ shipping included, I say go for it just for poops and giggles.

The entertainment value and to post my findings here alone make it worth the risk of a few bucks.

Or, worst case, save the filter until the car is on its last legs and start using all this junky stuff... You really can't loose if you get to physically see the unit.

 

[CKN]

Anything remotely Chinese (or thought to be Chinese) gets bashed on this board. It's a waste of time to tell BITOG members you bought ANYTHING Chinese and it's a satisfactory product.