How often to change engine air filter + cabin air filter

[klee168168]

I have had my car for 1.5 years. Bought it second hand in 2018 so don’t know the exact history on if or when the engine air filter and cabin air filter was ever changed on 2013 v8v. I got it with 8k miles so it was barely driven.

Are these changes based on miles or years regardless of miles driven?

Edited by klee168168 on Thursday 23 April 09:33

[raceboy]

If you take the service schedule as gospel then the cabin filter should be replaced every 2 years (or 20k) and the air filters every 3 years or (30k)

http://www.davidapplebyengineering.com/Automotive/...

Personally I'm much more a fan of the take it out, inspect it, and refit or replace depending on the condition approach.

[cayman-black]

Both of these are easy to do jobs. So if you have no record of the air filters in particular not being changed i would change them.

A dealer would want around £200 extra to do these on top of a service.

[steveamv8]

AM Bristol wanted 300 odd to change mine on top of my service.
Have a look at Rich from redpants he has a u-tube video on how to change them,
Also, I changed mine for Mazda RX8 filters, the same size and shape for about 15 quid for the pair. Finally, the smug feeling that you saved your self a couple of hundred quid

[8Tech]

Unlike oil, the air and cabin filters do not deteriorate with age. I always stick with the oil and oil filter change, annually, irrespective of mileage, and because I use the very best oil, often catch it and use it in my works van or daily driver. Usually £120.00 worth of oil only having done a couple of thousand miles so it comes out clean and the van gets a treat.

With the air filters, a quick look at them is a good idea, especially on the V12 to see if they ate oil contaminated, but usually they are good for 10,000m irrespective of age. The cabin filters really depend on your local environment. Dusty or high pollen areas will require much more frequent replacements than the average user but an annual check is quick and a quick shake and vac will save a good deal of cash, and a clean environment may only need them replacing 5 yearly.

The AM recommended replacement schedule is a global recommendation, intended to give maximum protection in all environments, so a car used in Saudi will need far more servicing than one in Europe, except it should not corrode as much!

PS. Mazda cabin filters are a straight swap for the AM ones at a fraction of the cost. I also use a magnetic sump bolt, just because its a good idea.

Brake fluid changes are not as vital as the dealers would have you believe, with modern tooling, it is an easy quick buck. Just get a cheap brake fluid tester and test it yourself, doing it when necessary and modern coolants (antifreeze) last at least 4 years if you buy the better fluid.

Edited by 8Tech on Friday 24th April 19:34

[westhumbler]

I changed my cabin air filters for the mazda version, but got a carbon activated version from ATP. I had to source them from USA, so delivery took a little while to UK, but they were easy to fit, fitted perfectly and work really well. I've driven through smokey bonfires and barely got a whiff of the smoke in the cabin.

Here's a link to Aston 1936 who put me onto these alternative filters:-

https://aston1936.com/2016/05/07/a-better-replacem...

[malcolmbinns]

I bought these cabin filters. One box contained two filters, enough for one DB9! Charcoal activated too.

Blue Print ADM52507 Cabin Filter Set, pack of one https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00B8VM6RA/ref=cm_sw_r...

£11 delivered, UK.

Malcolm

[EVR]

malcolmbinns said:

I bought these cabin filters. One box contained two filters, enough for one DB9! Charcoal activated too.

Blue Print ADM52507 Cabin Filter Set, pack of one https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00B8VM6RA/ref=cm_sw_r...

£11 delivered, UK.

Malcolm

Nice. How easy is to change them though? I saw Red Pants video, looks quite delicate...

[cayman-black]

EVR said:

Nice. How easy is to change them though? I saw Red Pants video, looks quite delicate...

Took me 15 mins, i was careful. i tied the support string.

[malcolmbinns]

EVR said:

Nice. How easy is to change them though? I saw Red Pants video, looks quite delicate...

Trivial. I used the Aston1936 video guide. Take your time and you’ll be very satisfied.

[bullet7]

malcolmbinns said:

EVR said:

Nice. How easy is to change them though? I saw Red Pants video, looks quite delicate...

Trivial. I used the Aston1936 video guide. Take your time and you’ll be very satisfied.

The restraint cord on mine decided to undo itself for the want of a better word, so I was left with the cord simply dangling and the glove box on the floor. This was in spite of me being careful. There was no sign of anything that kept the small loop fixed and after some headscratching I ended up using the brass internals of an electrical connector to keep the loop tied.

The cord fortunately did not disappear up into the dash panel as Richard suggested in the Redpants video but it was a bit fiddly to put back together.

[PHFS]

Just to update this with modern prices, my 2014 car was in for a 20k service, and the Aston dealer called up and asked if I wanted to spend £550 on the Engine and cabin pollen filters!!

I declined and then thankfully found this thread. The amazon links above still works: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00B8VM6RA/ref=cm_sw_r...

Still need to find the engine filter, and sort of surprised that was not included in the service price.

Edited by PHFS on Thursday 26th September 11:51

[SL500UK]

Are these filters never ever changed as part of one the various annual services?

[SHIFTY]

Service sheet looks like 2 years for pollen filter and V12 air filter and 3 years for V8 air filter.



As later on in this post the above service schedule I supplied is based on 2012, looks like things changed a bit later on.

Edited by SHIFTY on Friday 27th September 10:48

[SL500UK]

Thanks - I was confused as to why people were being offered Engine and cabin pollen filters for £550 as it will be included every few years as part of their annual service.

[LTP]

SHIFTY said:

Service sheet looks like 2 years for pollen filter and V12 air filter and 3 years for V8 air filter.

Interesting. My Owner's Guide for a 2015 V8V says both air and cabin filters are "Optional"



When mine was in for its 9 year service a couple of weeks ago I was told that, according to records, it had never had the air filters done. I thought it was probably about time so I paid them to do it as, while I'm more than capable, frankly I couldn't be arsed.

[p102768]

My dealer is hopeless so I have no idea how often mine are changed.

Last year they charged me for air filters and when I asked the mechanic how dirty the old ones were, he said they were very clean so he didn't bother changing them. I therefore contacted the service manager and asked for a refund but my request was ignored until I mentioned it in the after service survey was sent.

This year they listed the pollen filter as one of the items serviced but there is no associated consumable charged for so I suspect it wasn't actually done. I emailed the service managed to try and find out and also mentioned it in the after service survey but didn't hear back this time so am none the wiser!

[Emilio Largo]

SHIFTY said:

Service sheet looks like .... 3 years for V8 air filter.

The official air filter service interval was changed (seemingly already from October 2012) to a mileage only based interval (30,000 miles). And on top of that: "optional"!

To be clear: I´m not saying that this what I would follow. Just wanted to state the current manufacturer´s requisite.

[Emilio Largo]

SL500UK said:

Thanks - I was confused as to why people were being offered Engine and cabin pollen filters for £550 as it will be included every few years as part of their annual service.

It will not be (automatically) "included" - the extortionate additional cost for the air filter change will be one of the reasons for deferred maintenance on these old cars (i.e. air filters never changed on LOTS of cars).

[8Tech]

The air filters are worth a visual check, not just for dirt but oil contamination on the V12 as oil from the breather system can drip down into them.

The cabin filters are very much dependant upon the local environment. if you live in Sadiq Kahns Utopia of clean fresh air in London, they should last around 150 years, but in a filthy environment immediately you leave his ULEZ Zone, then weekly is a good shout.

In all seriousness, if you live in a dry and dusty area with a high pollen content, ie rural farmland, then replacing annually is probably good using the Mazda filters, in clearer air, then every 2 to 3 years is worth a look at them and decide from there.

In most vehicles I service doing average annual mileage, I replace the cabin filter every oil change, but thats annually and 10,000 miles.