New style of cheap cabin air filter

[Elkins45]

The first vehicle I owned with a CAF was a 2003 Toyota Matrix. At the time replacements were expensive and hard to find. I made my own from furnace filters for years. It was only when they started selling cheap ones on Amazon and we subscribed to Prime that I started buying them.

They seemed to work fine, and if you bought the largest filter you could make 3 or 4, which encouraged changing them often.

 

[mikeduf]

Nice one! I use the exact same size for my HVAC system

 

[RooflessVW]

Cabin air filters are multiplying....

Mercedes GLC300 has two. One accessed via the engine bay compartment, and the second below the dash on the passenger side inside the vehicle. Will take a significant amount of time to replace, but no doubt will contribute to the service center's profits at the dealership.

Interestingly, they don't specify the frequency of changes in the recommended service interval schedule. However, examining the actions taken at the dealerships for a "Service B", this includes the cabin air filter change. Got to justify the $800+ fee. Another reason to DIY.

My Phaeton had two, and they were mounted inside the hood.

Man I miss that car.

 

[Chevyc10]

I think the car owner did that their self.

 

[14Accent]

Cabin air filters are multiplying....

Mercedes GLC300 has two. One accessed via the engine bay compartment, and the second below the dash on the passenger side inside the vehicle. Will take a significant amount of time to replace, but no doubt will contribute to the service center's profits at the dealership.

Interestingly, they don't specify the frequency of changes in the recommended service interval schedule. However, examining the actions taken at the dealerships for a "Service B", this includes the cabin air filter change. Got to justify the $800+ fee. Another reason to DIY.

Likely has both a fresh air filter and a recirculation filter. I didn't even know this was a thing until I started working at Deere: all the farm equipment uses a 2-filter setup like that. The recirc filter is MUCH smaller, about the size of an automotive cabin filter, however the fresh air filter measures something like 20x4x2 or some ridiculous size. They run over $100 a pop.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

I think the car owner did that their self.

As a penny-pinching Scot, I like it!

CAF are the biggest rip off ... aside from AAA cells

... this poster heads over to Rockauto website ...

 

[Pablo]

Looks like they sprung for the activated carbon one at least!

Yep but those are expensive!

 

[JohnnyG]

I hear that some Porsche models use 3 CAF's now!

 

[earlyre]

The first vehicle I owned with a CAF was a 2003 Toyota Matrix. At the time replacements were expensive and hard to find. I made my own from furnace filters for years. It was only when they started selling cheap ones on Amazon and we subscribed to Prime that I started buying them.

They seemed to work fine, and if you bought the largest filter you could make 3 or 4, which encouraged changing them often.

same thing for my Buddies 2003 Vibe ( essentially the same car as i'm sure you know). at the time cabin filters for it were like $20, you could get 4 of them out of a $5 furnace filter.

 

[Sandstorm]

I thought they invent genius solutions, only in Pakistan

 

[Hootbro]

Wish I had taken a picture of it, but I bought a used VW Jetta that had what looked like a large sheet of Scotch Brite pad cut to fit for the cabin air filter.

 

[Kira]

if you bought the largest filter you could make 3 or 4

If you rummage through the trash, you'll find HVAC filters which aren't uniformly dirty.
They'll have a real dirty spot, say, right where a fan blows.
Simply cut from the good part.

...and yes, I am kidding.

Ad tag line for real cheapskates: "You don't buy the CAF. You buy the fit!"

 

[Urshurak776]

I don't really see the point in this. Cheapo cabin air filters on Amazon are like $10? I think I paid like $7.99 for the one in the KIA Rio.

 

[Hootbro]

I don't really see the point in this. Cheapo cabin air filters on Amazon are like $10? I think I paid like $7.99 for the one in the KIA Rio.

There is a lot of cheap misers out there. $10 saved could also be a pack of smokes or some lottery scratch offs. You know, priorities.

 

[Pablo]

There is a lot of cheap misers out there. $10 saved could also be a pack of smokes or some lottery scratch offs. You know, priorities.

Or like 4 full cases of cheap oil

 

[Wolfen]

first thing that comes to my mind is " real men of genius"