So I head to the dealer to pickup an OEM cabin air filter...minutes later I walk out, almost running finding out how much they wanted for one filter! $51+tax!! Straight up robbery. Get home, start shopping online for one...perfect...$10-$12 for a disposable filter. As soon as I'm about to select the one I wanted, I see K&N has a model that fits in our IS. New news to me. Little research, boom I buy one. As much as the maintenance schedule wants to replace the cabin air filter, I see that this is a good buy, good way to save a little bit more money.

So, what are you thoughts about this product? Yay? Nay? Any one with good/bad experiences?

https://www.knfilters.com/mobile/cabin-air-filter.aspx

 

i'd just go with a generic paper element, or OE one if you can find it cheap on ebay.

 

Sounds like an interesting product...didn't even know they had developed this...thanks for posting.
I've used their engine air filters in many of my vehicles without issue and great results.
I probably didn't clean them as often as I should of...which reminds me I should check the one in my bike (shoot!)

I like the idea of the Refresher...some members have issues with A/C odor, it might help to cure or control it.

Maybe when you get it you can update us on how it actually smells...and how the fitment is.
I'm not sure if everyone knows that cabin filters come in different types from Toyota...regular paper element, electrostatic, charcoal...and I think there's one more which I can't remember at the moment.
And price varies depending which one you get. I believe the charcoal one is the most expensive...likely that's the one they were trying to sell you.

 

I'll definitely update with a product description and fitment. "Recharge kit" is $10.99 at autozone so I'll be picking that up too.

It it was a charcoal filter. Supposedly, that's the only one they carry for all of the IS line.

 

And they charge you another $100 to replace the filter which is takes 2 minutes. They probably get the filter for under $25.

Anyway, the only difference between aftermarket vs lexus is that lexus uses charcoal in their filter.

 

Double checked, and you are correct as far as I can tell.
The Toyota models offer all 3 (it's only 3, not 4 like I thought) for each model.
The part number for the IS one doesn't fit any Toyota...so it may be a Lexus thing that they only offer the charcoal one.

 

Rockauto sells a charcoal one that fits the 3IS at $10US each. doing a quick compare between the Lexus OEM charcoal one that came with my car, to the rockauto ones, size is the same, but you can see the filter material is a little thinner than the OEM one. but $10 each man.. you can replace them once a month and it's still $120 a year's worth.

 

I used a K&N engine air filter before - the whole problem I had with them was cleaning. You have to remove, clean, rinse, let dry, reinstall. For the engine it was annoying because your car was down for about an hour waiting for the filter to dry. You can of course use your car while the cabin air filter dries so it's not the same imposition, but I got to thinking that you can get any number of charcoal filters for $10 on Amazon - 3 minutes to install and you're done. For something that needs done once maybe every 18 months, I just bought a 2 pack and was done with it for a while.

 

I bought TYC replacment filter from Amazon for 11$. I didn't try it yet as my current filter is still in a good condition, and if I like it after trial I will switch to TYC filters or any other brand instead of using the OEM overpriced filter.

 

Well...there is good news, then there is the bad news.

Good news, the K&N looks top notch, quality filter...the bad news...it doesn't fit the IS. :/
This was the part number that got recommended to me and simply...it was wrong. K&N doesn't make a cabin filter for our cars. Lesson learned.

 

TYC fits if you want to get it.

TYC 800179C Replacement Cabin Air Filter for Lexus

 

I just installed a K&N cabin filter in my 2015 is350 to test it out since I was due for a filter change. the VF2000 part number is for IS convertibles, the correct part number is VF2057.

 

do you guys have any links for Engine air filters that fit the is 250 fsport models? 2015?

 

does the aftermarket cabin filters like TYC have charcoal? The factory 3IS is charcoal impregnated. I remember the aftermarket/non-OE filters have less pleats in the filter