Kostyan

I am looking for a difference in the factory cabin air filter that local dealer is selling for $55 vs numerous aftermarket, which can be had on ebay for as little as $8? Any insight is appreciated.

salimshah

Even cheaper would be to build one yourself from larger filters available at HD and or Lowes.

The bigger difference is activated-carbon which comes with the OEM.

Salim

ycl1688

Go with eBay make sure with carbon.

ecrane

Iron Toad has OEM for $24

http://irontoad.com/Merchant2/mercha...Store_Code=LSC

Rainbird

I use the 3M Filtrete Automotive Cabin Filter ($24.95). Their website list the filter as designed for Toyota Camry, and other models. It does however fit my 2007 RX perfectly. The dimensions on the filter are P214x214x18. I believe this 3M filter works only with the RX350 models, NOT the RX330.

http://www.shop3m.com/3m-filtrete-ca...r-filters.html

Tomcio78

don't buy from rockauto.com... I just purchased one spent $33 with shipping and when it arrived it was flimsier then the one I already had installed and to top it off it did not want to fit properly

Grumpa72

I am amazed that folks look to eBay for auto parts! I would venture a guess that most (all?) of the cheap parts available on eBay are knockoffs from China. My son-in-law bought a (supposedly) original tail gate handle for his Ford Ranger and it lasted for all of two weeks before it broke. Just one example of course.

Ok, off my rant. Buy from one of the supporting vendors or your local auto parts store. Fwiw, my local Advance Auto sells RX interior filters. I have no idea if they are activated charcoal or not.

ycl1688

Some ebay sellers are honest, some are not. here is the one that I bought mine from item #370417393421, it is a charcoal one.

Kostyan

Local stores like Advance Auto sell the same crappy aftermarket parts made in China that are being sold on the ebay for less. OEM parts always have been and will be most reliable and provide best fit. Tell your son in law he should have bought that handle from a local junkyard.

There is nothing wrong, however, in me asking a question about a filter. Thanks to responses on here, I see that a quality OEM can be bought for 2x less than retail. $55 for a cabin filter is a lot of money.

espressoRX

Along the lines of what Kostyan said: It is difficult to avoid cheap parts (or anything) from China regardless of where you shop. For me, it all comes down to what the part is and how much I am saving. A cabin air filter is not critical to the operation of the car. If I can get one that provides similar performance at a significantly lower price. I'll save some $.

KeysRx300

I replace mine with Fram Fresh Breeze filters. You can buy them on Amazon for 14.00. Buy a couple and get free shipping.

The RX350 one is FRAM CF10157

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ef=oss_product

espressoRX

Thanks for the Fram Fresh Breeze suggestion. I ordered one to give it a shot. They have a $3 rebate on right now.

mikefate

I use purolator. They are about $12 at pep boys. They are prettying identical to the oem one. I change them every 3 months, just like the hvac system
At my house.

And I am an EPA certified hvac tech. I know a lot about filters and merv ratings, etc. There's no reason to pay $50+ on a cabin filter.

kickin8

iTrader: (1)

WalMart has those.....

Jonrx350

I got the filter on ebay, by a local Lexus dealer for $24.95 plus tax. Try ebay and search by choosing "distance: neareast first".