The cabin air filter is one of those things that drivers rarely pay attention to. Whether it’s there or not has no immediate effect on the driver or their passengers. However, ignoring a worn-out cabin filter can have long term consequences. Doing so can significantly reduce the quality of air that is being circulated inside the passenger cabin. The overall health risks associated with filthy air filters are a real thing, though.
When you finally decide to swap out the old filter with a new one, you’re left with several choices – get the genuine one or a cheaper aftermarket filter. Today we’ll try and find out just how different these are and whether the more affordable option can keep up with the original part performance-wise.
What Are Cabin Air Filters and Why Do We Need Them?
Modern vehicles are complex machines that use fresh air, among other things, in a number of different ways. Whenever air is used in a machine, it needs to be filtered. That goes for both the intake system as well as the cabin HVAC system. Just like the engine needs protection from the debris and other contaminants, so does your body.
An average cabin air filter is there to catch dust particles, exhaust gases, soot, and other stuff that is getting sucked into the system from the outside. A good filtration system will keep the allergens such as pollen out and provide passengers with clean air to breathe.
How Long Does a Cabin Filter Last?
The answer to this question is a matter of debate. There’s a strong current of industry professionals and technicians saying that cabin air filters should be changed along with the oil. On the other hand, some say that swapping it once every year or every other year is more than enough.
A good indicator that your air filtration system is struggling manifests in reduced HVAC airflow and an overall performance drop. You might notice a lack of air circulation while sometimes there’s even noise involved. A clogged system will also start to release foul odors over time. If you notice any of these symptoms, the chances are that your filter is up for a change.
Which Filter to Get – Genuine or Aftermarket?
Now that we know that cabin air filters need to be replaced every so often, we’re presented with another dilemma – which one should you get? The OEM and aftermarket segments are chock full of various models. Just about any vehicle model will have at least a few options available. What do you do when most of them look the same or very similar, but some are over twice as expensive as others? Let’s find out.
We’ll take the BMW E46 as a guinea pig for this little experiment. We went with E46 partially because it’s the crowd favorite and partially because there’s a massive aftermarket for this vehicle, including the cabin air filtration.
We’ve got two models in front of us – the Genuine filter part number 64319257504 and the MANN CUK6724. Both are activated charcoal models; however, MANN’s is almost $15 cheaper coming in at $26.99. Is the more expensive Genuine BMW filter better? Let’s take a closer look!
Side by Side Comparison
When you pull these filters out of the box, you’ll find that both of them feature quality materials. MANN makes solid products, so this comes as no surprise. Looking over these two filters has revealed something interesting, though. The Genuine one seems to be lighter than the aftermarket one! Not only that, but it’s lighter in color as well.
Such an observation leads us to believe that the MANN filter has more activated carbon. This should mean that it’s better at keeping all kinds of debris and allergens such as pollen out of the passenger cabin. So far, we’re leaning towards the aftermarket replacement part.
Next up is the pleat count. Both filters come in at 66, which is to be expected. When it comes to parts specs, BMW and other vehicle manufacturers don’t leave much in terms of decision-making. A closer look at individual pleats has led us to another interesting conclusion – the fiberglass pattern on the MANN filter seems to be more uniform than that on the Genuine model.
But wait, how is it possible that a Genuine BMW part is falling behind an aftermarket replacement? As it turns out, cabin air filters are rare instances when vehicle manufacturers cut corners. All you need to do is look at who makes the filter.
In the case of this Genuine BMW one, it’s MicronAir. Now, MicronAir is a great company from Slovakia that makes all kinds of filters, but this particular one isn’t worth 40 dollars BMW charges for it. The very same filter, only without the Genuine label, used to be available at our store for around $20.
Why Go for Genuine in the First Place?
All of this raises a few interesting questions. For starters, why even consider Genuine parts if the aftermarket selection is simply better?
What we observed in this guide shouldn’t be taken as a rule. Not all Genuine filters are worse than their aftermarket counterparts. Furthermore, there are drivers out there who don’t really care about the extra activated charcoal or the better fiberglass pattern.
If you’re the type of driver who just wants to follow factory recommendations, go for the Genuine model. It will definitely give you the performance, efficiency, and filtration you’re looking for.
However, if you’re the type of driver who wants to get the best possible part, you might want to explore the awesome world of aftermarket replacement products.
Also, the whole Genuine vs. aftermarket deal depends greatly on the vehicle manufacturer in question. There are no rules in this game, so your mileage may vary.
Which Brands to Look for?
If there’s one conclusion you can take away from this entire guide, it’s that different brands offer different levels of quality. Those who are not familiar with air filters might find it confusing as there are so many manufacturers to choose from. Because of that, we’ve decided to make a shortlist of brands that we recommend in addition to the Genuine line.
MANN – MANN is a German filtration specialist with a long tradition of delivering quality products to the automotive market. The company offers a wide range of models that cover a large portion of car makes and models. The technologies used to make MANN filters are often on the cutting edge. This brand’s catalog includes products that range from affordable to premium level. Overall, you can’t go wrong with MANN.
MAHLE – Another excellent brand worth looking into is MAHLE. They’re also from Germany and make some of the most popular aftermarket filters you can get right now. The quality of materials and craftsmanship is impressive, making MAHLE another safe choice for those who just want a quality product.
Bosch – We’ll round off our list of recommendations with Bosch. This brand needs no special introduction as its automotive division is familiar to any wrench monkey in the world. Bosch filtration systems bring the same kind of quality and durability we’ve used to seeing from their other products. Much like our previous two brand recommendations, Bosch also covers a wide spectrum of vehicles, so there’s a good chance you’ll find a model that fits your vehicle.
Different Types of Cabin Air Filters
If you thought the whole cabin air filter classification ends with different brands, you’re mistaken! There are various types of materials these are made of, which dictate what each model is good at filtering out. If you are interested in learning more about different types of cabin air filters, head over to our guide where we go deeper into that subject.
How to Find the Right Filter for Your Car?
Finding the right filter for your car might seem confusing on the surface. After all, how is someone supposed to figure anything out with so many brands, filter types, and models available? Here at eEuroparts.com, we’re all about making things as easy as possible for our customers.
We’ve put together a very intuitive system that will allow you to find what you need almost immediately. All you have to do is head over to our online store, input the year make and model of your car, and let our system go to work. What you’ll get is a complete list of parts and items that fit your vehicle.
There’s also another way – the VIN tool. By using our VIN tool, you’ll get a more accurate list of parts. The reason for this is simple. Some car manufacturers like to switch things up within the same model, leaving us with cars made in the same year that use two different types of parts.
If you have any questions regarding specific filters in our offer, feel free to get in touch with us. You can reach us via email or phone. Our customer support staff is standing by to help you out!
Great article. It only confirms many people’s suspicions that BMW products are not much better than regular off the shelf products with the exception of a huge markup.
I shop around for the best quality when it comes to replacing parts in my BMW. It’s not always a given that I will buy the BMW brand named part.