Check your Cabin Air Filter Today!

[Bill Merchant]

I made no comment on the quality of WIX or any other filter manufacturer. K&N has such a lot of advertising, they must be the best, right?

I think you can find some interesting oil filter discussions here on PC from a couple of years ago.

[Charley]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Bill Merchant @ May 3 2007, 03:22 AM) [snapback]434593[/snapback]</div>

I made no comment on the quality of WIX or any other filter manufacturer. K&N has such a lot of advertising, they must be the best, right?

I think you can find some interesting oil filter discussions here on PC from a couple of years ago.
[/b]

You implied that in order to buy quality, I should buy Toyota. I just wanted to point out that there are quality filters other than OEM. According to some of the studies I found on the web yesterday, the Mobil 1 filter found at Wal Mart is one that meets or exceeds the OEM specs.

BTW, I queried WIX about various of their filters as to where they were made. They replied that the #51394 oil filter for the Prius, et al, is still made in the Dillon, SC plant. This filter is sold by NAPA as the NAPA Gold, premium filter. The first two oil filters I bought from my Toyota dealer were made in the USA and looked like WIX premium filters.

WIX haven't replied about the air filters yet.

CR

[Bill Merchant]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Charley @ May 3 2007, 07:14 AM) [snapback]434691[/snapback]</div>

You implied that in order to buy quality, I should buy Toyota. [/b]

Not to beat this horse too much more, but I was talking about buying a quality manufactured product, regardless of manufacturer. Toyota designs and manufactures good products. The products they design and have someone else manufacture, as WIX does for NAPA, are still backed by Toyota as a quality product.

Does WIX offer that flat-pleat Toyota design of the internal filter media? Please post your filter findings.

[Charley]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Bill Merchant @ May 3 2007, 06:40 PM) [snapback]435102[/snapback]</div>

Not to beat this horse too much more, but I was talking about buying a quality manufactured product, regardless of manufacturer. Toyota designs and manufactures good products. The products they design and have someone else manufacture, as WIX does for NAPA, are still backed by Toyota as a quality product.

Does WIX offer that flat-pleat Toyota design of the internal filter media? Please post your filter findings.
[/b]

So I pursued this a bit. Apparently Toyota bought the USA - made "Toyota" filters from Purolator, one of the original USA brand oil filters. WIX was the originator of spin-on filters. There are many surveys and studies of oil filter quality. One has only to look.

Its all very interesting to look at. There are only a few filter manufacturers in the USA. Not many more in the world. The variation in quality is where it's at.

CR
.

[Frank Hudon]

the Toyota filters that have the US stamp on them are made in the Denso factory in the US. The OEM filter is made it the Denso factory in Japan, almost all other Toyota filters are made in the Denso factory in Thiland. This topic was researched back in 2004 here on PriusChat.

[Charley]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Frank Hudon @ May 3 2007, 08:33 PM) [snapback]435166[/snapback]</div>

the Toyota filters that have the US stamp on them are made in the Denso factory in the US. The OEM filter is made it the Denso factory in Japan, almost all other Toyota filters are made in the Denso factory in Thiland. This topic was researched back in 2004 here on PriusChat.
[/b]

I looked at all the Denso plants in the USA. None of them list oil filters as products that they manufacture.

CR

[bulldog]

The Prius uses the same cabin filter as can be found on many other Toyota vehicles. To be honest I have been very dissapointed in the OEM filter performance with my 4Runner (which uses the exact same filter as the Prius). My 4Runner gets operated in very dusty and sandy conditions and I found that the OEM filter allows way too much dust (and even fine sand) to come through, even on the first offroad trip.

I used to make my own cabin filters out of 3M house filters, by cutting them. I then discovered the Bosch filters (made by MicronAir). They are far better quality and priced very similar to the OEM filters. I have used them for the last year or so in the 4Runner with no more cabin dust or fine sand issues.

Go ahead try them for yourself and see the difference in quality and filtration. Sure the Prius won't see the conditions my 4Runner is exposed too, but still it is better to get a far superior filter for the same price.

Bosch part # P3785. Can be found at Rockauto ($15 or so and shipping) or other online stores. Or you can order it at your local Autozone. Best to order a couple online, if you like the quality, to save on shipping.

Side by side pic. The picture actually doesn't do it justice. The Bosch filter also seals the edges much better than the stock filter.

[gussom1]

Thanks for the info, my filter was a mess. Took less than 5 minutes to change.


Thanks

[k4141222]

Trust me. Save your money folks. Vacum filter out. Run filter under water ring it out (Brand New Done.)

[suelipton]

does anyone else have a problem with mold growing in their A/C evaporation pan? I've had the system flushed, probably with nasty chemicals I'd prefer not to breathe, and the filter changed; a couple weeks later and the stink is back. Thanks!