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recommended air filter

2K views 23 replies 13 participants last post by  xspeedy 
#1 ·
Does anybody ahve a recommended source for air filters? Are the ones from the local parts shop good enough.
 
#5 ·
I know it depends on the enviornment you drive in and miles you drive, but out of curiosity, how often do you change your airfilter? What about your micro filters?

Being new to BMW's I'm reverting back to other performance cars I've owned, always changing airfilters at the same time as oil filters approx every 5K with synthetic oil.
 
#6 ·
I don;t know if they are available in the US but in the Europe filters from Hengst are readily available. THis is the very same part to the OE filter (BMW part still has Hengst logo on it) and it is identical. However, they are not that much cheaper and if cant get
this i usually go for OE filter because the price is roughly the same.
I'm doing oil changes every 6200-6500k miles and, with my driving style it is exactly
what the service indicator is telling me. During this period i usually change the air filter
twice because it is the cheapest way to restore some power to the engine.
 
#8 ·
I hate to be an ass, but it is a damn air filter. Pick one up that is made by a reputable manufacturer and install it. You've already been told that Hengst is the filter that BMW slaps their name on.

How much time do you spend at WalMart trying to decide on a tube of toothpaste?
 
#9 ·
xspeedy said:
I hate to be an ass, but it is a damn air filter. Pick one up that is made by a reputable manufacturer and install it. You've already been told that Hengst is the filter that BMW slaps their name on.

How much time do you spend at WalMart trying to decide on a tube of toothpaste?
i hate to agree. but really.... its not life and death for your car. just change it and life will go on. if your car dies shortly after.... then i will personally give you my e39 if you can trace its demise to using a non-oem air filter. :eek:uch:
 
#10 ·
Mann,Mahle and Hengst all will be OK. They come as OE to many high end european
cars including BMW,MB,Volvo,Audis...

I am not entirely sure but at least two of these companies have some sort of alliance
(or other kind of corporate dependency) and they sell the same products, only crossbranded
 
#14 ·
ketchup said:
6500k miles? or did you just mean 6,500 (6.5k) miles ? If so, I can't believe your oil service indicator would actually go off that early. They usually go off around 15k (15,000 miles)?
Oops i mean 6.5kmi 6500 miles or about 10000-11000km this is what my odometer says

They go off earlier depending on your driving style. This is very simple function of the
fuel consuption. on the 528 it is set to consume about 1550 (or something like that)
liters of gasoline before it goes yellow. I drive it really hard so i'm getting this sooner
than most people do. And this is fair because car driven hard just needs more attention.
My average consuption is 15.5l/jm which is less than 16 MPG. This is mostly
because my driving is 80% city which is also a good reason to change the oil frequently.
 
#15 ·
I decided to replace my air filter after reading this thread. It has been 17K miles since the last time I changed my air filter. I purchased a Mahle air filter for $11.75 from a local European auto parts store. I noticed right away the throttle reponse is much quicker and the car accelerate faster. This would make sense since more air flow into the engine.
 
#16 ·
texbid said:
reading this thread

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=119585

there seem to be those out there who would say that an air filter is not just an air filter.

I guess I should just put a cheese cloth on the intake and call it a day.
I am a beleiver in K&N, and I have read the thread and understand the concerns about having a high flow filter. Ever since I have added the new K&N filter, My car has picked up 2 mpg according to the obc in city driving. The filter was still good and was not very dirty at all. I think that the benefits far out weighs the alleged risk.
 
#17 ·
The factory service interval for the air filter is 60,000 miles. I would imagine it has a lot to do with how dirty it actually gets....I replaced mine at 45,000 miles, and it was really not all that dirty. But they are cheap, $10 to $12 at most....so I see little harm in changing them more often, say at 20,000 or 30,000 mile intervals...worst case, it just increases you operating costs slightly. If it is really dirty, it might actually save you a few $$$ in gas.
 
#20 ·
BTW, the factory BMW air filter for the 540 seems to have changed suppliers (or maybe it changes frequently, and I just don't pay attention). The oem one was a Mahle, and I bought the same from an independant, but I recently bought a oem one from Pacific BMW, and it came in a BMW box, but is now a Mann. FWIW. The factory oil filters continue to be Hengst. I don't understand why BMW sells them in a cheap plastic baggy, while if you buy Hengst oil filters from independants, they come in a sturdy box....
 
#21 ·
540 M-Sport said:
BTW, the factory BMW air filter for the 540 seems to have changed suppliers (or maybe it changes frequently, and I just don't pay attention). The oem one was a Mahle, and I bought the same from an independant, but I recently bought a oem one from Pacific BMW, and it came in a BMW box, but is now a Mann. FWIW. The factory oil filters continue to be Hengst. I don't understand why BMW sells them in a cheap plastic baggy, while if you buy Hengst oil filters from independants, they come in a sturdy box....
That is correct, Sir. Sometimes it's Mahle, the other day it's Mann or Hengst.
That is why i don't care much and just take one of these, especially that i'm
disposing them much sooner than the factory wants
 
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