$70 for Cabin Air Filter Change?

D

Dansnare

New member
My Toyota dealer wants $70 to change my Cabin Air Filter.

I have a 2004 V8 Limited with 20,000 miles on it. It is almost exactly 12 months old. When I brought the 4Runner in for its 20,000 mile service today, I noticed a new display with pictures showing the difference between a clean filter and a really crapped up filter.

Seems like a push to sell this service. I find it more than a coincidence that on the day that I see this new display, they're asking me if they should check my cabin air filter and also finding that it needs replacement. The maintenance schedule talks about 30,000 miles for this service.

So two questions:

1) Are they pushing this service prematurely; and

2) Am I right to think that $70 is an awful lot to change this part?

Thanks.

Dan
 
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$70?! Why not just buy the filter from parts and do it yourself? The procedure is explained in the 4Runner manual. Just pop open your glove compartment, unscrew a couple of screws, slide out the old filter, pop in new one.

Or are you saying $70 for the filter alone?
 
Dan,

I believe $70 is way too much for this service. I am not trying to be a jerk, but if you can change a light bulb, you can easily do this job yourself. Depending on the brand, you should be able to get a new filter for $15 - $20.

Do a search here, and you will see that all you need to do is remove one screw from the glove box area, squeeze the sides of the glove box to drop it down, and then pop out the filter and pop in a new one. I believe the instructions are included in the owner's manual as well. It should take you all of five minutes.

Believe me, I am no shade tree mechanic, but it's the simple stuff like this where you can save some money, and probably end up with a better filter to boot. Besides that, you get the satisfaction of being able to "work on" your 4Runner, even if it isn't the equivalent of swapping out an engine. :)
 
Koz said:
I'll change it for $65!

Koz
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Hell, I'll change it for $60 and treat you to complimentary 5 day-old Krespy Kreme donuts and instant coffee while you wait. I got those fancy upscale dixie cups and Costco napkins. Just like them fancy shmancy Lexus dealers.

I'll ask Koz to rotate your air valve stem caps too. :arrow:
 
~$17 at partznet and it is one screw to take off front of box. It doesn't get any easier. Order it and do it yourself.
 
toybox said:
~$17 at partznet and it is one screw to take off front of box. It doesn't get any easier. Order it and do it yourself.
Click to expand...

By any chance do you have a part number so its easier to find at Partznet. Does anyone know if the same filter is used for an es300
 
Spider5 said:
By any chance do you have a part number so its easier to find at Partznet. Does anyone know if the same filter is used for an es300
Click to expand...

I have that at home. I'll post the part number tonight.


I doubt the Lex uses the same part.
 
toybox said:
I have that at home. I'll post the part number tonight.


I doubt the Lex uses the same part.
Click to expand...

Thanks, when I do a filter search at Partznet I get every filter but the one in the cabin.
 
Dansnare said:
Ok. Thanks. That's what I thought.

Any recommendations as to a particular filter?

Thanks.

Dan
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I don't see a reason not to use an OEM one. I'll post the part number later.
 
There are posts with pictures on here somewhere that compare the OEM filter with a Micronair brand filter, and the Micronair appears to be superior.

Also, I believe some brands may include a charcoal pre-filter that should help reduce odors.

Then, we have some really enthusiastic members who buy 3M brand filters at home center-type stores, and they cut their own filters to fit. They likely are made from better material, and they are less expensive this way because I think you can cut several cabin filters out of one 3M filter. This seems like too much trouble for me, though.
 
Baba Booey said:
There are posts with pictures on here somewhere that compare the OEM filter with a Micronair brand filter, and the Micronair appears to be superior.

Also, I believe some brands may include a charcoal pre-filter that should help reduce odors.

Then, we have some really enthusiastic members who buy 3M brand filters at home center-type stores, and they cut their own filters to fit. They likely are made from better material, and they are less expensive this way because I think you can cut several cabin filters out of one 3M filter. This seems like too much trouble for me, though.
Click to expand...

I've seen the make your own filter posts, but for $17 why bother.
 
My dealer is the same, take a look at the 30k service, around 400 bucks to inspect the vehicle, my 03 they wanted $400 for the service and then another $179 to flush my trans fluid for the new WS fluid.

Everything totalled it would have been 6 something and they would have performed dealer recommended maintenance, basically pure profit for them

To me this is extortion:awais:

Only thing I trust them with is a basic oil change and even that is probably not done right, surprising or shocking whichever way you look at it how many Toyota techs and service writers are not informed of the grease fittings on the 4Runner, among other stuff they have no clue to, torque the drive shaft might as well ask to have my flux capacitor rebuilt:arrow:

Really just comes down to being an informed owner, cause they will take you to the cleaners
 
$17 for one filter maybe is not worth making your own, but remember you cut up one furnace filter and get 3 or 4 4runner cabin filters out of it along with some blood from your fingers :)
 
jeober said:
$17 for one filter maybe is not worth making your own, but remember you cut up one furnace filter and get 3 or 4 4runner cabin filters out of it along with some blood from your fingers :)
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I would rather spend the time and blood on some more interesting mods.:D
 
i think the part number is 87139-47010 i brought one the other day for what i dont really know my truck has only 3000miles
 
Search the threads for MicronAir. I buy them locally and they are superior (and cheaper) to OEM. Other name I've seen here is Bosch (not sure about them.)
 
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