# Best air filter brand (that is not a "performance")? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [October 10, 2014, 2:23am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/best-air-filter-brand-that-is-not-a-performance/87586 "2014-10-10T02:23:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![haul\_stuff](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/haul_stuff/32/2671_2.png) [@haul\_stuff](https://community.cartalk.com/u/haul_stuff)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2014, 2:23am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/best-air-filter-brand-that-is-not-a-performance/87586/1 "2014-10-10T02:23:37Z")
I have found sites where people prefer WIX, Fram, Napa Gold. I found this one post that suggests AC Delco is by far the best: [http://forums.nicoclub.com/debunking-the-k-n-myth-why-oem-is-better-t180100.html](http://forums.nicoclub.com/debunking-the-k-n-myth-why-oem-is-better-t180100.html) But some people are saying that AC Delco is not as good now that Donaldson no longer makes them ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2014, 2:29am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/best-air-filter-brand-that-is-not-a-performance/87586/2 "2014-10-10T02:29:17Z")
I think that, as long as you avoid “white box” filters (no brand name displayed, and manufactured in China), you should be okay with any of the brands that you listed. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2014, 2:35am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/best-air-filter-brand-that-is-not-a-performance/87586/3 "2014-10-10T02:35:43Z")
Any name brand. I use Fram. ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2014, 2:37am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/best-air-filter-brand-that-is-not-a-performance/87586/4 "2014-10-10T02:37:50Z")
Oh please, not another filter thread!! ---
**Author:** ![haul\_stuff](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/haul_stuff/32/2671_2.png) [@haul\_stuff](https://community.cartalk.com/u/haul_stuff)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2014, 2:42am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/best-air-filter-brand-that-is-not-a-performance/87586/5 "2014-10-10T02:42:24Z")
I searched, VOLVO. There were threads talking about K & N vs. OEM. Couldn’t find anything brand specific for non-performance, and most were pretty old threads. I don’t get how it poses such a problem for you. It’s not as though my subject line was unclear ---
**Author:** ![wesw](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/wesw/32/2713_2.png) [@wesw](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wesw)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2014, 2:50am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/best-air-filter-brand-that-is-not-a-performance/87586/6 "2014-10-10T02:50:17Z")
sometimes we forget that not everyone has talked these things to death. just us ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2014, 3:22am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/best-air-filter-brand-that-is-not-a-performance/87586/7 "2014-10-10T03:22:53Z")
@haul\_stuff‌ If you want the best “non-performance” air filter, I suggest sticking to the factory part It will fit correctly, and it won’t cause any problems I’ve actually seen conditions where aftermarket non-performance filters were put together so shoddily, that they were causing a restriction. And the engine wasn’t breathing correctly, which cause the vacuum brake booster to not work correctly. Soon as I threw that junk out and sold the customer a factory air filter, all his problems were resolved You are wise to stay away from K&N . . . there may be unintended consequences down the road ---
**Author:** ![missileman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/missileman/32/1366_2.png) [@missileman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/missileman)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2014, 3:33am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/best-air-filter-brand-that-is-not-a-performance/87586/8 "2014-10-10T03:33:55Z")
I’m with @texases here. I always use Fram if Wix is not available. Keep away from K&N because it’s way over-priced and could damage components of your engine. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2014, 3:37am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/best-air-filter-brand-that-is-not-a-performance/87586/9 "2014-10-10T03:37:19Z")
Any aftermarket quality brand air filter will work just fine. I worked in the filtration industry for over thirty years. And we would test major brand air filters to see how their performance compared to our air filters. The results showed there were subtle differences in filtration performance. We also tested K&N air filters. These filters performed so poorly that the conclusion was made that if you want to keep birds and chipmunks out of your engine, that’s the filter to install. Tester ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2014, 3:45am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/best-air-filter-brand-that-is-not-a-performance/87586/10 "2014-10-10T03:45:30Z")
[![](http://img.thrfun.com/images/database/tff52165756.jpg) ](http://img.thrfun.com/images/database/tff52165756.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2014, 3:49am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/best-air-filter-brand-that-is-not-a-performance/87586/11 "2014-10-10T03:49:27Z")
And rabbits. Tester ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2014, 5:05am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/best-air-filter-brand-that-is-not-a-performance/87586/12 "2014-10-10T05:05:59Z")
It’s human nature for people to convince themselves that their preferred brand is the best. It’s the job of any marketing manager to convince the world that their company’s brand is the best. Science tells a different story. Any brand name OEM-replacement filter will be designed to prevent the passage of particulates to well within the level necessary to protect your engine, and any brand name OEM-replacement filter should properly fit your car as long as it’s the correct one specified in the filter manufacturer’s catalog. Filter design and manufacture is not a “black art”. It’s straightforward and basic. As VDC said, avoid fleamarket filters. I also recommend avoiding oiled filter such as the K&N filters. They’re known to deposit oil on mas airflow (MAF) sensors, which, since the MAF is heated, cooks onto the surface and destroys the sensor. ---
**Author:** ![galant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/77aa72/32.png) [@galant](https://community.cartalk.com/u/galant)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2014, 5:22am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/best-air-filter-brand-that-is-not-a-performance/87586/13 "2014-10-10T05:22:55Z")
Any brand name filter is fine. Air filters are not that complicated. I buy them online, usually when I am shopping for other parts or stuff, just to get the amazon free shipping. Keep it in the garage for when I need it. Now oil filters are totally a different story :)) ---
**Author:** ![Triedaq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Triedaq](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Triedaq)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2014, 6:20am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/best-air-filter-brand-that-is-not-a-performance/87586/14 "2014-10-10T06:20:33Z")
I used to be concerned about what viscosity and brand of oil to use in the oil bath air cleaner of the Lauson engine on the rototiller. The specifications called for 50 weight oil which was hard to find. When I learned a little more about engines, I found that any old oil worked just fine. My guess is today that any brand of air filter will work as well as any other brand. ---
**Author:** ![JoeMario](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3bc359/32.png) [@JoeMario](https://community.cartalk.com/u/JoeMario)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2014, 3:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/best-air-filter-brand-that-is-not-a-performance/87586/15 "2014-10-10T15:17:56Z")
As Tester said, any aftermarket quality filter will do. Just change it as recommended in your owner’s manual. Today’s engines don’t wear out due to intake filter issues. ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2014, 6:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/best-air-filter-brand-that-is-not-a-performance/87586/16 "2014-10-10T18:59:22Z")
Any new filter is better than a clogged old filter. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2014, 7:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/best-air-filter-brand-that-is-not-a-performance/87586/17 "2014-10-10T19:00:55Z")
Visit any hot rod show and you’ll see lots of engines without any filter at all, just bug screens… many without even bug screens. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2014, 8:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/best-air-filter-brand-that-is-not-a-performance/87586/18 "2014-10-10T20:16:01Z")
@‌Cavell “Any new filter is better than a clogged old filter.” I disagree I’ve seen new filters that were constructed such that they were actually causing a problem. They had the correct dimensions and fit But . . . Where the pleats were glued to the foam, so much glue was used, that the filter was causing a restriction And it wasn’t super obvious at first . . . until you held the junky filter next to a new factory filter In that case, NO filter is better than a restrictive white box filter Then again, the MAF might not appreciate eating all that debris ---
**Author:** ![haul\_stuff](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/haul_stuff/32/2671_2.png) [@haul\_stuff](https://community.cartalk.com/u/haul_stuff)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2014, 9:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/best-air-filter-brand-that-is-not-a-performance/87586/19 "2014-10-10T21:22:04Z")
Thank you all for your input. Much appreciated!