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Look at this air filter!
If you have a clogged air filter you will damage your engine. Most of the time slapping the air filter against your leg to get the dust out helps. If you see oil on it then there is a serious issue, that could have been from not changing your filter.
An old air filter will do one of two things. Make your engine run rough because it isn't getting enough oxygen, 1/3rd of what makes your car go forward. Or allowing dirt to get into your engine and that will 100% damage your engine. Imagine if you will, instead of lube you used grit soap. Please don't ruin your car over a $30 part. Filter is cheap, engines are expensive.
Change your own air filter. One of the easiest things you can do for maintenance. It's either clips or a size 8mm socket... usually. Then you don't have to pay some kid $100 for 2 minutes of labor. You'll feel better for doing something and you will also get better gas mileage. If the answer to when was the last time you changed your air filter is "I don't know" then it's probably time.
Please don't ruin your car over a $30 part.
The thing is, it's only a $10 part at walmart.
If you fork out a little extra for a K&N filter then you'll never need a new one again, and your engine will perform a tiny bit better.
You've still got to wash and re-oil it once in a while, which is more trouble than replacing a paper filter.
Every 50,000 or 100,000 miles depending on the type of filter
I did it every 20,000 on my previous car just because the smallest oil bottle lasts for more than a couple of applications
My assumption is that you're talking about the washable ones. They do last a bit longer and they do save money in the long term because you don't have to buy as many. But there is still wear and tear happening every time you wash it.
My grubby little raccoon hands have worn out my keyboard caps. I don't need to see what the letter is, and I've had my keyboard for so long it is a razer that isn't backlit.
Air filter holes are measured in microns. I don't know the time frame, but it will happen that it will let dirt through the air holes that it really shouldn't.
K&N is a fairly well quality controlled product. Nothing is forever.
So go to Walmart on your way to the oil change place.
OR - admit you're not really going to Walmart and just pay them to get it done.
Air filters are such an easy part to replace it's insane. I pop that bitch out once in a while and slam that bitch against the wall. Also you should check you vacuum filter too since it's basically the same thing.
Air filters are such an easy part to replace it’s insane.
Lots of things are so easy to fix or replace it's insane, both in terms of car maintenance and other sorts of DIY. Folks are way too intimidated by simple repairs when they shouldn't be.
I, for one, blame the relegation of classes like shop and home ec to the "technical" high schools that only the non-college-prep kids go to. They should've stayed part of the normal curriculum for everybody.
I'm broke so I always look things up before determining if I need to pay someone. I had a landlord say she was going to have to pay someone to put in the original showerhead because she didn't know how when we moved out. I grabbed that thing and screwed it in in front of her. Like sure you may want to put some tape there for leakage but it wasn't there when we moved in.
Last time that happened, I had just changed it two weeks before. I was more than a little annoyed.
Nickelback starts playing in the background