Looking for good air filter replacement

2013 Toyota Prius C Parts - Frank Toyota, Scion & Hyundai

MSRP for a Prius"c" is $18. Which stealership did you go to.

It takes 5 minutes to install it without tools.

The K&N requires the same installation procedure, cleaning and oiling with a special oil.

I'd get the cheap OEM filters.

 

It's been covered may times on Prius Chat. The K&N filter does nothing for extra performance on the Prius engines and if you over-oil the filter you can coat the MAF sensor and degrade MPG.

It takes about 1 minute to pop-in an air filter. What they charge you for is the LOST time it takes the tech to walk over the the parts counter and wait for/pick-up the parts. I suggest you buy the Toyota parts and put it in your self.

 

Fram # CA 11426. $16.99 at Auto Zone

 

Prius C engine air filters - who has them? Pep Boys. NAPA, Auto Zone do NOT stock the engine air filters for a Prius C. The dealers price $22.95. A little high for an item that costs $4.00 to make.

 

Ordered a Fram air at Auto Zone. Took 3 days to get.

 

And the price was..........????

 

$16.99

 

We have a winner folks!!
$17 versus $100.

Stay away from the K&N, unless you can tell me how shoving a $50 oily rag into your air intake is going to turn a 99 BHP car into a tire smoking monster, or get you more MPG.

Spoiler Alert!!! It won't.
Granted...it would be 1/2 the price that the %$#@!! CROOKS wanted to charge you!
$100 for an OEM air filter?????!!
How much do you think that they would charge to clean your MAFS or your intake when they get oil fouled by the K&N??

My Advice:
(Street Value: < $0.02)

1. Out that dealer to Toyota Customer Care. $100 for an air filter replacement is self explanatory.
2. Get an Aftermarket filter.
3. Look on eBay or Amazon for the OEM unit in a handy 3-pack. Toyota's OEM air filter is actually pretty good and not that expensive if you don't go to the %$#@! stealership to get it.

4. Replace aftermarket with OEM.
5. Bask in the warm afterglow of a DIY job well done.


Good Luck!

 

I've had several K&N filters for different vehicles I've had.

They aren't that difficult to master. Patience is the key. Clean them well and properly. Let them dry thoroughly. Don't over oil them. The problem is, who has the patience? I did, and I had a spare air filter to use on the car/truck while I was futzing with the K&N. It isn't hard, you just have to do it right. Over oiling is not that easy to do, but it can be done by the ham-handed DIYer.

The filters really flow. But so does a new paper filter. They have done well in the applications where there is a lot of air flowing through like maybe my Z28 or V10 truck, but for a Prius of any sort I don't think they're warranted. There will be zero discernable improvement of HP or MPG.

K&N filters are contra-indicated for saving money. Sure you never have to buy another air filter for that car/truck, but you do have to buy cleaner and oil each time you have to do maintenance on it, along with the high purchase price.

After having lived with them for a while, I'd say we're all better off to simply buy new paper filters every spring. It wouldn't cost nearly as much as a K&N and we'd be a peak air filter performance at all times. Win/Win.

 

I reported in a another post that there is a noticeable difference with the K&N on ICE on and OFF. It is a hint more seamless. No peak power. A little improvement in response.

 

I used some fiberglass material from a AC house filter ( new ) cost me 50 cents. Did the same with the engine air filter. On my Gen 2. Plan to do the same on the C and the PIP.

 

^ In addition to a paper filter or replacing one?

Hey it's YOUR car and you do as you please, but I'm pretty happy with paper filters. I've seen what the ducts in HVAC systems look like, and I've seen what throttle body assemblies look like.

I'm thinking that the paper ones block more stuff.

Good Luck!

 

If it was in place of the original paper........YIKES.

Not only does that "fiberglass" have holes in it big enough to let June Bugs through, there is
a HIGH probability that it will come loose and be sucked into the vent fan or the engine.
A pretty high price to pay for saving a couple of bucks.

 

been doing this since 2005, and never a problem. Allows me to change filters as often as I like and bypass the dealer and all his Razzmatazz .

 

I knew a guy who used to drive drunk all the time without a problem...but I'm not going to do that either.

If you want to use HVAC filter media, to save $15 on a $31,000 car?
Knock yourself out!
Your car.
Your call.

This is one of many examples of why I buy new cars instead of used ones.
It's (nearly) always more financially sound to buy a used car of course, but when I buy a new car and perform all of the maintenance myself, then I don't have to worry about people doing chemistry and physics experiments on my future car.

Good Luck!

 

I don't know about you guys, but I blow out my air filter and cabin filter with an air compressor everytime I wash my car, which is at least once a month. My 15 month old air filter still looks brand spankin' new! I'm wondering how long it will last before it actually deteriorates? Does anyone else keep them clean as well?

 

YOu can't TELL if it is "deteriorated" or not because the tiny passages trap and HOLD the fine particles.
They stick there and you can't, in general, blow them out.
It likely is SLOWLY plugging up and you don't know it.

Like the furnace filter thing, both are examples of "penny wise and pound (dollar) foolish".
If you leave the dirt alone, it becomes pretty obvious when it needs to be changed.
If you blow it off, you lose that visual clue.
AND you can actually make matters worse if you blow in it the wrong way.

 

I physically remove it before I clean it, so I am not concerned with blowing any particles into the chamber, but thanks for the tip. I will replace it at regular intervals...