Sixty Dollars for Cabin Air Filter
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 40
Likes: 0
From: oregon
Burnaby, I love the eucalyptus oil idea!
I occasionally smoke in my LS, and need to replace and/or clean my cabin filter a lot to keep it from smelling like an ashtray.... the oil is going on tomorrow when I change my filter again...
I was thinking about going with a K&N cabin air filter so I get the best possible airflow through my system, they claim 10-15% colder air when using K&N versus standard paper filters in your air conditioner! ;-)
TeeHee
Z
I occasionally smoke in my LS, and need to replace and/or clean my cabin filter a lot to keep it from smelling like an ashtray.... the oil is going on tomorrow when I change my filter again...
I was thinking about going with a K&N cabin air filter so I get the best possible airflow through my system, they claim 10-15% colder air when using K&N versus standard paper filters in your air conditioner! ;-)
TeeHee
Z
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,155
Likes: 7
From: TX
Pole Position
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,730
Likes: 26
From: Sakon Nakhon
A 'cute' idea, but I doubt the type of filters used for home furnaces can arrest micron-sized particles similar to the ones that are emitted by automotive exhaust systems. If you examine the cabin filter, the accordion pattern is a lot tighter than the furnace filters. The time you'd spend modifying it would eat up a lot of time as well. However, if you want a rag-tag, hay-wired filter for your LS, then don't let us stop you by any means...
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,155
Likes: 7
From: TX
To be fair, the premium home A/C filters claim to remove particles down to 1.5 microns (which is of course one-millionth of a meter), which is efficient enough to trap pollen, smoke and other microscopic particulate matter.
The problem, though, is that by the time you fork over enough for one of these high-end filters, you've paid a lot more than the 20-buck ebay price for a purpose-built element ... so it's not a practical solution.
Interestingly, my "filter alarm" hasn't gone off yet, and I'm at over 22,000 miles. I changed the filter anyway, in the spirit of preventive medicine.
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The problem, though, is that by the time you fork over enough for one of these high-end filters, you've paid a lot more than the 20-buck ebay price for a purpose-built element ... so it's not a practical solution.
Interestingly, my "filter alarm" hasn't gone off yet, and I'm at over 22,000 miles. I changed the filter anyway, in the spirit of preventive medicine.
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Pole Position
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,730
Likes: 26
From: Sakon Nakhon
Granted. One thing though, furnace/air conditioning filter elements are an open "accordion", whereas the cabin filter is very much closed. Regardless, the time fiddling around with these things takes it to a whole other level, and what are we putting this on anyway? 
On an ES, maybe, just maybe...
On an ES, maybe, just maybe...
Rookie
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 73
Likes: 0
From: Florida
We are talking about an $80,000 car !!! Do you also use dino oil instead of synthetic to save a few bucks ???
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Lexus Test Driver
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,155
Likes: 7
From: TX
And I might add that just because you spent a lot on the car, it doesn't mean you're stupid to save a few bucks on something else. The man was trying to be creative, since $60 for a silly paper filter is nuts.
Geez, people get all uppity sometimes just because they've got a nice car.
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Geez, people get all uppity sometimes just because they've got a nice car.
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Driver
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 169
Likes: 3
From: CA
For me, going from $60 and having to drive to and from the dealer (30 miles round trip) to $17 plus about 5 minutes of work was worth it. I don't think saving another $10 or so and the time and effort of trying to find a proper furnace filter and cutting it up and making sure it fits properly is worth it. The $43 saved (plus $5 in fuel) is the big savings. And it does reoccur every 20K miles or so.
Pole Position
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,730
Likes: 26
From: Sakon Nakhon
And I might add that just because you spent a lot on the car, it doesn't mean you're stupid to save a few bucks on something else. The man was trying to be creative, since $60 for a silly paper filter is nuts.
Geez, people get all uppity sometimes just because they've got a nice car.
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Geez, people get all uppity sometimes just because they've got a nice car.
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Has he even done this? I highly doubt it. Do I even want to attempt this cockamany idea? Sorry, not me...
Perhaps when this poster has a little more than 5 posts under his belt, his credibility rating will go up...
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,155
Likes: 7
From: TX
That would be fine, if his idea made any sense. The poster made an "off-the-cuff" suggestion that was devoid of substance. Try and accomplish what he proposes - it just can't be done. You'd have to take the cardboard frame apart, cut the furnace filter element to size, squeeze it into the frame (assuming the thickness would match the original), glue the end result back together, and jimmy the works back into the plastic holder before re-inserting it into the ducting.
Has he even done this? I highly doubt it. Do I even want to attempt this cockamany idea? Sorry, not me...
Perhaps when this poster has a little more than 5 posts under his belt, his credibility rating will go up...
Has he even done this? I highly doubt it. Do I even want to attempt this cockamany idea? Sorry, not me...
Perhaps when this poster has a little more than 5 posts under his belt, his credibility rating will go up...
Don't get me wrong - I'm not doing this. But people get creative and sometimes come up with good ideas. I hate to slap them down just because we don't want to use their solutions. And after all, this is freakin' cabin air filter, not some critical part.
If these people want to cut up furnace filters, let them. And btw - there are some furnace filters out there that cost more than our silly cabin filters!
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