At the stealership:
CAF: $ 31.00; Labor: 0.6 hrs. Total with tax: $130.00
At home:
CAF: $5.00-15.00. Labor: less than 5 minutes (free), unless I hook up the compressor and blow out the filter, which will then prolong it to < 15 minutes.
Has any fellow members tried cutting out your own filter? I did this 3 weeks ago on a friend's car. I used the green washable HVAC filters that you can buy at the big box stores. It was cut to a perfect fit and there is enough material for the lifetime of the car. Total cost: < $10.00.
Price for Cabin Air Filter
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Normal dealership experience.
Dealerships don't make a profit on labor cost, so they have to make a profit on parts. They are also liable for any warranty work associated with each order they fulfill so that cost is factored in.
I don't care for dealerships or their pricing myself but we have to stop acting like the dealership is a rip-off just because we can DIY for 1/4 the price at home. Businesses have taxes and overhead to account for in any sale, so it's not an apples to apples comparison.
Cutting HVAC filters to fit cars' CAF needs might be good on some applications.
In my car I feel the resistance offered by the housing's slots is part of the sealing which needs to be done.
The filter material I tried was weak and crushed before I got it 10% in.
I'd consider doing it again if the filtering media looked at all similar to what a good CAF looks like.
Those open blue ones look like they're for catching pet hair and not much else.
This is a case where I'd want to avoid falling for a false economy. So much of what auto air filters, both engine and cabin, catch is fine powder.
Finding an iridescent green fly or blue bottle in an old filter really brightens my day.
I do not think the cabin air filter needs to be precise. Did not have them 5 or 10 years ago. Pickup does not have one. It's a 2015.
They only provide a base for mouse nests.
Wow 0.6 for replacing, thats outrageous. Think its 0.2 here at my Toyota dealer (even that is alot). Get mine from Napa for 7-8$ and swap em twice a year as they get very dirty.
FIERCE ARGUMENT TO THE DEATH IN PROGRESS:
I disagree.
Anything which will reduce or eliminate crud on my cheap aluminum heater core or evaporator matrix which can combine with water and corrode said hardware is OK in my book.
The old "we didn't have 'em in the old days" argument is an empty one. It's not even specious because it doesn't make any point.
So there.
I asked for & received a cabin air filter retrofit kit for my 2012 Ram at Christmas. I found replacement elements for under $5 each at Rockauto. I'm set!
When I replace an engine air filter I often use an OEM filter. A bad fit could be costly down the road. Honda engine air filters are reasonably priced. Some after market filters are actually more expensive.
I'm less particular with the cabin filter. It takes less than 5 minutes to replace the cabin filter(s) on either of my cars. As I recall, the Honda dealer wanted $80 for labour. I will cheerfully work for less than that.
Cabin air filters are often treated with charcoal. That would help with odours for what - maybe a couple of hours. Seems like a marketing scheme to me. I just want to keep the bugs and dirt out of the HVAC system.
heck you can even buy sub 10 dollar amazon cabin air filters, and it will arrive at your door in two days.
Just put a carbon one in my wifes car yesterday in two minutes. The old one was trashed after 12 months.
I buy my cabin filters from Rock Auto, and I only buy WIX. Save a bundle not getting it at the stealership.
TYC
Originally Posted By: Reddy45
Dealerships don't make a profit on labor cost, so they have to make a profit on parts. They are also liable for any warranty work associated with each order they fulfill so that cost is factored in.
I don't care for dealerships or their pricing myself but we have to stop acting like the dealership is a rip-off just because we can DIY for 1/4 the price at home. Businesses have taxes and overhead to account for in any sale, so it's not an apples to apples comparison.
ls973800,
Of course they make profit on labor, however, I speculate the majority of profit is on parts. Perks are paid out of that different. Also, overhead is relatively large at a dealership. Not much different than any other job.
Outrageous for what you get.
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