gathermewool
Site Donor 2023
Around $40 each compared to around $13-20 for equivalent paper.
14 Forester: VF2055
15 Legacy: VF2000
Cleaning Kit 99-6000
-spray cleaner and wait 10 min,
-rinse,
-air dry
-spray refresher and install
I didn’t log when I installed these, but its been at least 3 years. Yea, I know, I definitely should have cleaned them sooner. The smell after cleaning them is improved. It wasn’t bad before but the cleaning kit gives it a subtle pleasant odor.
I plan to do these at least yearly from now on.
FWIW, I’ve tried OE, Ecoguard, Bosch HEPA, FRAM, ATP, TYC, etc. They all seem to do just fine, except for two hits:
1. The Bosch HEPA lowered flow rate so much that I returned it after a miserably cold 4-hr trip in the winter. The Forester heater is barely adequate as-is. The HEPA choked flow too much and the the cabin remained cold the entire trip, even with heat on H and fan speed on max.
2. The cheaper filters always did a fine job, but after a year the pleats were not in the greatest shape. Never a problem with the high quality filters, like the FRAM Fresh Breeze (around $19 now).
The rubber surround and sturdy pleats are what sold me. The mix of flow and adequate filtration is also nice. Like the engine AF, the flow is at the expense of filtration. It’s not much different than the cheap AFs, but you can see light through the pleats pretty easily.
Hopefully the pics turn out OK. The one held up to the light is after cleaning.
14 Forester: VF2055
15 Legacy: VF2000
Cleaning Kit 99-6000
-spray cleaner and wait 10 min,
-rinse,
-air dry
-spray refresher and install
I didn’t log when I installed these, but its been at least 3 years. Yea, I know, I definitely should have cleaned them sooner. The smell after cleaning them is improved. It wasn’t bad before but the cleaning kit gives it a subtle pleasant odor.
I plan to do these at least yearly from now on.
FWIW, I’ve tried OE, Ecoguard, Bosch HEPA, FRAM, ATP, TYC, etc. They all seem to do just fine, except for two hits:
1. The Bosch HEPA lowered flow rate so much that I returned it after a miserably cold 4-hr trip in the winter. The Forester heater is barely adequate as-is. The HEPA choked flow too much and the the cabin remained cold the entire trip, even with heat on H and fan speed on max.
2. The cheaper filters always did a fine job, but after a year the pleats were not in the greatest shape. Never a problem with the high quality filters, like the FRAM Fresh Breeze (around $19 now).
The rubber surround and sturdy pleats are what sold me. The mix of flow and adequate filtration is also nice. Like the engine AF, the flow is at the expense of filtration. It’s not much different than the cheap AFs, but you can see light through the pleats pretty easily.
Hopefully the pics turn out OK. The one held up to the light is after cleaning.