Good morning all!

Getting ready to replace engine air filter and cabin air filter on wifey's 2016 CX-5 GT. Do you guys have a preferred brand of filters, I dunno what the OEM is or if there's something better.

I'll be ordering them from Rock Auto since they're half the price of the parts store, but there's so many to choose from, ranging from like $5 to $30!

I'm kinda' thinking WIX brand but figured I'd ask here if there's a fave.

Thanks in advance, and enjoy your day!

Bruce

 

Cabin filter they are all pretty much the same. I would say buy sale priced and change more often. At least before summer and before winter.

Air filter my * HIGH recommendation is a OEM replacement K&N Air filter. In the end it will cost less to buy one once then a few over the next few years. And despite some less then good reviews the K&N air filter challenge is still offered and to date not one other filter company want to have their filter tested next to a K&N. So what they do is get independent tester and DIY YouTube fanatics to do less them the best testing and conclusions.
K&N has one of the best R&D department and one of the very few top-of-the-line filter testing equipment in the world.


* Sold, retailed, wholesaled and distribution of K&N products since the late 1970's. Have used them on all my personal engine and also customers engine without one failure or cause of engine failure EVER!

 

I understand the advantage of the engine air filter, but what would be the advantage of the K&N cabin air filter versus a regular paper one?

 

Engine air filters are all over the place efficiency wise. Factory filters are decent, but most major
brands are also very good. The K&N oiled filter are good if you are into performance, not as efficient .
A comparison of sorts, may or may not apply to Mazda though.


My 2¢

 

I did not say a K&N for the cabin filter now did I. However most cabin filter do about the same thing. K&N makes no claims to them and they are convenient to be able to wash rather then buy new ones all the time.

I do use BOTH on my Mazda. Mainly because at times I am either to lazy or do not have time to clean my K&N air filter. You can see this on my thread using BOTH!
When we had all the fires here ion CALIFORNIA I was effected by ash and poor dirty air quality. So I kept and keep several inexpensive Amazon Spear Head cheapie cabin filters that take less then 1 minute to change.
Now that the air is more normal I use my K&N.

 

I deleted the poor video because you are one of those that will go to the length to find the answer you want to believe on the internet.
In the real world how much long term effect do any of these filter truly have. It has no yet proven over 5-10 years and over 100K miles ANY single filter will outperform and support the longevity of any engine. WHY because their are to many influences that can not all be tested .
Ask any Engine builder (business not DIY) has there ever been and engine failed for using anyone's air filter and changing it when it was either dirty or on a schedule.

The internet has made to many soft brained...

And this begins yet another of the Hundreds of debates on car forums about filters. ROLMAO!!!!

 

In the very unlikely event you should have an engine failure of some kind ,will Mazda honor the warranty if you have a K&N filter. I have used K&N filter for years in many vehicles with no problems. and still have a 17 year old K&N filter in my 165000 mile 2005 Duramax. If properly oiled I believe the K&N is the best option.

 

YES!

See:
The Magnuson–Moss Warranty Act (P.L. 93-637) is a United States federal law (15 U.S.C. § 2301 et seq.). Enacted in 1975, the federal statute governs warranties on consumer products.



I am also happy to see you post about the PROPER SERVICING of a K&N Filter. There are many forums that members will state that sensors become disfuctional because of the use of a K&N not realizing that they just called themselves a dumb **** for not following the proper servicing of a K&N filter and over oiling it! ROLMAO.

 

Yes I am familiar with the Magnuson–Moss Warranty Act (P.L. 93-637) But just curious what Mazda will do, and how hard they may fight it ,if there is a problem .

 

I used K&N filters on many vehicles over the past 30 years with generally good results. At the time I was not living in very dusty environments. Still, oil tests showed a pretty high silica content, well above what my paper filters allowed into the engine. I seldom kept a vehicle over 50,000 miles and so didn’t see any issues with engine wear like smoke, fouled plugs, MAF/MAP issues, etc. Now that I live in the dusty desert I eschew the K&N filters for quality paper ones. The trigger? When removing the filter from my 392 Challenger for cleaning I saw a lot of dust coating the inside of the intake system downstream of the filter element! Oil test showed very high silica - no more K&N for me. The potential for five more horsepower or saving a handfull of dollars just wasn’t worth the risk of sanding my engine.

If you think that the sainted K&N has less restriction, think again. It may when it’s new, but it has far higher restriction than many paper filters when it’s dirty. The independent test of many filters using ISO standards below is an eye-opener, at least to those who are not emotionally attached to their K&N elements. Science, not emotion. Caveat emptor.

https://www.project200.com.au/dm-iso5011/