Beck/Arnley 042-1364 & Subaru 16546AA020

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Aug 15, 2009
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So I got a wild hair and decided to deviate from my OEM purist ways to try some Beck/Arnley products on my 2008 Subaru Forester X.

Here's a new Beck/Arnley 042-1364 next to a used Subaru 16546AA020. The pleats at both ends on the B/A are a bit wavy for some reason. Their stock photo on RockAuto depicts the same thing too.

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Made in China. 😬
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Perfect fit in the airbox housing. To be honest this surprised me because aftermarkets I've tried in the past have been a mixed bag. Many other brands are slightly undersized in length causing a loose fit in the airbox or too tall in media depth causing the filter to bulge out a bit.
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nice!

I still have my OEM air filters in my Toyota and Lexus, I wouldn't change unless there was a reason for it, unless there is a restriction issue.

Comparing OEM vs AEM air filters for my vehicles, OEM seems to be constructed better by the looks of it, I would probably never change them unless I live in a dusty or rural area. I have never seen a clogged air filter, ever.
 
nice!

I still have my OEM air filters in my Toyota and Lexus, I wouldn't change unless there was a reason for it, unless there is a restriction issue.

Comparing OEM vs AEM air filters for my vehicles, OEM seems to be constructed better by the looks of it, I would probably never change them unless I live in a dusty or rural area. I have never seen a clogged air filter, ever.
I agree with all that and I'll be going back to OEM for the next one.
 
Beck/Arnley doesn't manufacture parts themselves but either reboxes parts or has them made to their specs. You may get an OEM part they bought in large quantities, or a Chinese copy. It's usually impossible to tell what you will get.
 
i like OEM AF's but i too am looking for a less costlier filter that can perform as well as an OEM for a Toyota, i've started to use DENSO Aftermarket AF's and CAF in my 2006 honda accord from ROCKUTO the AF seems very good qaulity while the CAF seems a little flimsy compared to the original but both cost the same as one OEM filter shipped to my house. they are of Taiwanese make
 
Making air filters isn't particularly complex, replacing one isn't too hard in most cases and the effects of a failed one isn't too disastrous. A lower cost Chinese filter is one of the few Chinese parts I'll consider. Now a water pump or wheel bearing is another story.
 
Beck/Arnley doesn't manufacture parts themselves but either reboxes parts or has them made to their specs. You may get an OEM part they bought in large quantities, or a Chinese copy. It's usually impossible to tell what you will get.
I'm familiar with Beck/Arnley being a reboxer. I was more just curious to see what would show up. I also bought their oil filter. While the engine air filter is made in China the oil filter is made in South Korea and to the naked eye appears to be a equivalent to the Japanese-made Tokyo Roki oil filter for Subaru. I'll be posting pics of it soon in the oil filter forum.
 
i like OEM AF's but i too am looking for a less costlier filter that can perform as well as an OEM for a Toyota, i've started to use DENSO Aftermarket AF's and CAF in my 2006 honda accord from ROCKUTO the AF seems very good qaulity while the CAF seems a little flimsy compared to the original but both cost the same as one OEM filter shipped to my house. they are of Taiwanese make
To be honest I've never seen any real appreciable price difference between OEM and aftermarket, especially when quality/specs/fit are considered. In my experience when shopping aftermarket items that are marketed as equivalent to OEM they often cost more (especially at a brick & mortar parts store). When looking online you can certainly find some deals, but typically it's all a wash after shipping.

Below is an example for my Toyota.

On my Toyota there are two compatible filters available from the Toyota dealer parts department:
Toyota (Denso made in USA) 17801YZZ1 @ $17.64 (MVP product line)
Toyota (Denso made in USA) 178010P051 @ $21.38 (factory OE filter)

Some local autopart stores:
STP SA10957 $19.99
STP PSA10957 $24.99
FRAM CA10755 $24.99
MicroGuard MGA49430 $19.99
Wix 49430 $26.99
NAPA ProSelect SFI29430 $21.99
NAPA Gold FIL9430 $26.99

Online vendor (shipping included)
Various "standard replacement" aftermarket filters: $14.63 - $21.10

For me the dealer parts department is easily the best option.
 
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