Just a little public service announcement reminding you guys to check your cabin air filters in your mini's. I finally decided to check mine the other day...and WOW!! I think it still had the original filter in their from 2003!! It had 2" of junk (dirt, hair, lint, dust) piled on the top side of the filter.....I'm not joking. It was the dirtiest filter I have ever seen in my life.

I replaced it with the new carbon filter I picked up ($10 off of ebay)...and WOW, the A/C blows so much harder and colder now.

Cabin air filters are one of those "out of sight out of mind" type things......but it's so easy to check, it's worth the extra 5 minutes. Wish I would have checked mine when I bought my min last year.

Check it....you might be amazed at what you will find

 

It's crazy how nasty those things can get!

Hope you snapped a picture to show us all

 

For those who are wondering....

 

Thanks guys!

 

I wish I would have taken a picture ....maybe I can dig it out of the trash.

 

 

yeesh! You'd be better off with no filter in there instead of having all of your air filtered through that nasty thing!

 

That looks clean compared to the filter I pulled put of mine!! I will see if I can get a pic posted up tonight.

 

Oh boy!

 

Thanks for this!

 

Well, here it is!!! Keep in mind that I had to dig it out of the trash, so some of the stuff that was stuck to the top fell off.

Like I said....one of the nastiest filters I've ever seen!!! I don't think the original owner ever changed the filter....

 

That is harftastic! Thanks for the PSA.

 

since I like to stir the pot . . .

when you take your MINI in for an authorized oil change/basic service

they are supposed to change this filter . . . .

the one I posted was mine after 4 years of ownership, checking it 1 year after my pre-pay maintenance expired. Hmmm, do you think the dealer ever checked or changed.?

 

My service rep said they changed my cabin filter at my last oil change. I wonder if I should check it?

=LJ=

 

We see them like that all the time, wait till you see one from a smokers car.
We keep the cabin filters in stock
http://www.waymotorworks.com/oem-in-...ir-filter.html

 

Does the dealer change it at every oil change? If not, when do u tycially change it?


Nm, just read ways site! Haha

 

We change it once a year. The dealer only changes it with the warranty services, otherwise you pay big bucks for them to do it.

 

My dealer quotes an 'oil change' and an 'oil service'. The 'service' includes the cabin air filter for about $50 more.
Me, I do them myself.

 

The really nice thing about the cabin air filter is that it is EASY to chek and change!

Had my Mini 5 weeks and and changed the CAF 2 weeks ago thanks to advice on this
forum about checking it!

...ED

 

The CAF was almost as bad as IQR's,,,Had mold, hair, and 'felt' in it.

.....ED

 

Wow!! Thanks for this info Ian, and everyone!!

I also stumbled upon this for my car: R53, just in case anyone would want the info:
http://directlyart.com/NAM/NAM-cabin.pdf

Added to the "definite" TO-DO-LIST

 

Hmmm..fighting urge to run out to the parking lot, leaving work phones unattended and check mine...still fighting.......caving....damn

 

lol, me too....

 

Here's mine. You WIN!!!

 

I'm a smoker, even though I "try" not to smoke in the car, I obviously do from time to time... (Unfortunately really everyday ) So I hope to get mine out this weekend, and I'll post a pic for sure. Just to see the damage I'm doing to the cabin, or how well the actual filter is filtering all that "extra" bull-crap.....