The cabin air filter in your vehicle is what prevents dust, smoke, pollen, allergens, and other particulates from entering your vehicle's HVAC system. The cabin air filter has a lot to do with you and your passengers' comfort, and a cabin air filter that's starting to get clogged will diminish your AC's performance and possibly lead to weird smells and poorer air quality in the cabin.
Source | K&N
On many vehicles, the cabin air filter is pretty easy to access—it's mounted right behind the glove box, and changing it is a matter of a 15-minute job.
So what does a cabin air filter cost?
A quick skim of the Advance Auto Parts site shows most cabin air filters weighing in at the $20 range, give or take a few dollars. Now, let's get a look at prices for K&N cabin air filters...
They're about double the cost of a disposable pleated-paper air filter. Why?
- All K&N air filters are made using an oiled fabric medium that's designed to be washed and reused.
- All K&N air filters are tested according to industry-standard methods for air flow.
- K&N air filters are proven to offer better filtration and superior air flow to the competition.
So you can spend a little money every 12,000 miles and get an inferior cabin air filter, or you can spend a bit more and get a reusable air filter that offers better filtration and less restriction and will last the life of your vehicle. It's up to you to decide which option makes more sense.
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About the Author(s)
Jerry Renshaw is a veteran journalist, gearhead and guitar player, and cultivated his mechanical skills by 30 years of turning wrenches to keep one piece of junk or another on the road. He's owned everything from a Chevette to (three) minivans to a fire-breathing Dodge muscle truck, and is constantly keeping up to speed on what's going on in the automotive world.
