Engine Air and Cabin Air Filters on 2012 Acura TL

[Vikas]

Took me less than 10 minute to do both of them! Used the Fram from Amazon with Subscribe&Save. Only if I could set the frequency to two year instead of 6 months, I will not have to cancel it. Quality of both the filters was as good as the original that I replaced. I did not think the filters were that dirty in two years but Acura calls for replacement so I did it. Dealer wanted about $150 and made me sign "refused to replace filters" on the service order!

Honda has come a long way in terms of location of the cabin air filter! 99 Odyssey needs a Dremel tool to swap the cabin filter first time you do it and takes couple of hours! Next time, I could do the Acura cabin filter under 90 seconds if I time it.

 

[Sayjac]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
.... Dealer wanted about $150 and made me sign "refused to replace filters" on the service order!

Always love reading about stealer antics. Classic. Stealers love replacing AF's and CAF's whether they need it or not. Sweet and easy money maker.

Never had an issue though with access to Honda CAF's but that doesn't include older Oddy, just older Civic (01) and 7th gen Accord. I use Purolator BreatheEasy CAF's from AAP with online code and I have used standard Fram AF's but last time did go with Honda OEM from dealer for Accord.

Glad you didn't fall for the scam, but you being a Bitoger not surprised you saw through it.

 

[Falken]

$150 is insane.

Got a bunch of Pentius air filters from Rock Auto dirt cheap and they look really high quality.

Glad you did it yourself.

I bet the dealer was tasting the cash in your pockets, then you told him no. Nice!!

Whenever someone tells me to "sign here, you have to". I always tell them I wasn't put on this Earth to sign anything.

 

[Vikas]

I paid under $25 for both the filters delivered to my house! Both the replacement filters were at least as good of quality as the originals if not better. New Cabin filter has activated carbon + baking soda.

Acura A21 service entails oil+filter, tire rotation and air+cabin filter change. I started doing the tire rotation on my own but the floor jack could not raise the vehicle enough to slide the jack-stands on the side. I though about putting hockey puck on the jack saddle but then decided that I like to live rather than die Fortunately, the dealer had $20 tire rotation menu item. I had $29.95 0w20 semi-synthetic oil change coupon, so I was able to walk out of there under $50.00 with complete printout of the tire tread and brake linings thickness (among other check this / check that list) without falling for the so called "24K service" (probably somewhere north of $200) at the Honda dealer who is only couple of miles from my home in the suburbs. I suppose I did not collect any browny points necessary for goodwill repairs if I end up needing them after the warranty period.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
Took me less than 10 minute to do both of them! Dealer wanted about $150

That's how quick and easy it is on my BMW as well. Super easy access to both.

Now, the wife's C300 on the other hand is a completely different story. Especially the cabin filter requires professional acrobatics level body flexibility. Next time I would gladly pay someone to do it.

 

[Smokescreen]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
Dealer wanted about $150 and made me sign "refused to replace filters" on the service order!



I would have crossed out "replace filters" on the service document and in its place put "get ripped off"

...and then signed it.

 

[totegoat]

Just got a $3 rebate check from Fram on the Fresh Breeze I put in the Highlander.

 

[silvercivicsi]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
Took me less than 10 minute to do both of them! Used the Fram from Amazon with Subscribe&Save. Only if I could set the frequency to two year instead of 6 months, I will not have to cancel it. Quality of both the filters was as good as the original that I replaced. I did not think the filters were that dirty in two years but Acura calls for replacement so I did it. Dealer wanted about $150 and made me sign "refused to replace filters" on the service order!

Honda has come a long way in terms of location of the cabin air filter! 99 Odyssey needs a Dremel tool to swap the cabin filter first time you do it and takes couple of hours! Next time, I could do the Acura cabin filter under 90 seconds if I time it.


You have to watch out for the dealers and them saying consumables need to be replaced. I took my truck in to a local Toyota dealership to have the valves adjusted and the service advisor comes out to tell me I need to replace my air filter and cabin air filter. First, I replaced the air filter less than 1000 miles go, secondly my 1994 toyota pickup doesn't have a cabin air filter.

I ended up adjusting the valves myself. Pain in the butt.

 

[Vikas]

I would never have a fancy dealer do the valve adjustment on my vehicle. Unless I can physically watch the valve adjustment being done, I am not paying for it. It is one of those job where you have no idea even the valve cover was taken off by the technician after being charged for the valve job. A successful valve job leaves no tale tell signs and you don't get the old parts back either! If you actually did the valve adjustment with buckets and shims, that is quite an accomplishment!!

Couple of years ago, Toyota sent out a coupon for "free" battery replacement. After looking at Costco prices and the outside weather, I decided to let them change the battery on the Camry. I had already ran all the tests on the charging system and explicitly made it clear to them that I was there for the battery replacement and absolutely nothing else. I did not get any hard time and they replaced the battery and there was no labor charge (the coupon). The battery price was competitive with Costco/AAP etc.

Fast forward two and half years and the battery is already going. I ran my tests on it and I know it is the fault of the battery. New one at AAP will run me about $100 and at Costco $83. If the dealer is going to charge me less than that, I will let him handle it. I will also make it clear to them up front so that they won't waste their time or my time on it if the numbers are not going to work out in my favor.

My general impression working with service writers at high volume dealer is that once they know they are talking with a knowledgeable customer, they do not try any tricks and are quite straightforward. There is always lot more fresh fish in the sea of customers and there is no point in trying to extract blood from stone. I was shocked at the number of cars coming in at 9:00AM on a Wednesday morning at this dealer! I suspect they probably service few hundred cars per day.

 

[silvercivicsi]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
I would never have a fancy dealer do the valve adjustment on my vehicle. Unless I can physically watch the valve adjustment being done, I am not paying for it. It is one of those job where you have no idea even the valve cover was taken off by the technician after being charged for the valve job. A successful valve job leaves no tale tell signs and you don't get the old parts back either! If you actually did the valve adjustment with buckets and shims, that is quite an accomplishment!!


Thanks! I actually had a friend helping who is a Toyota master mechanic so the job went pretty smoothly. I had him come over and drink beer/supervise while I messed with it and in the end I got everything back together correctly.

 

[enigma-2]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
Dealer wanted about $150 and made me sign "refused to replace filters" on the service order!

I believe that's so they can refuse you service if an engine part should fail under warranty.

Make certain you save all your receipts for your filters and oil, and document exactly when and how many miles on the car, if you ever want to be able to file a warranty claim. (They're just trying to protect themselves).