Where can I buy reasonably cheap, reliable air filters for my 1997 Saturn SL2?

September 6, 2008 7:10 AM

Where can I buy reasonably cheap, reliable air filters for my 1997 Saturn SL2? I would prefer to walk into a store where I can talk to someone. I live on the border of Cuyahoga and Lake County near Cleveland, Ohio, if anyone wants to give region-specific advice.

My car drinks oil a bit because the seals on the engine are getting old. I used to get my air filter checked every time I went for an oil change, but now I find it needs oil every 2k miles or so and the oil doesn't seem to be thickening, so now I top off the oil myself and go for professional changes a little less often. So I figure I should have a couple of filters around, too. But I don't know much else about cars. I can tell you I recently had to have my muffler, muffler strap and catalytic converter replaced (in a really good experience at Rainbow Muffler in Willoughby Hills -- seriously, ask for Ed, you'll love him), so I'm betting my air filter is pretty disgusting by now.

posted by RobotHeart to shopping (5 comments total)

There are Autozones, Advance Auto Parts, and Napa Auto Parts in your area (Zip 44077) that list several types of filters around $15-20. Walmart should also have them for a buck or two less. Are you looking for cheaper than that?
posted by Science! at 7:40 AM on September 6, 2008

Also, you may not need to be changing out the air filter any more often, you don't say just how long you're going between services. At any auto place you should also be able to purchase a reusable air filter for a larger initial cost, but then you just spray some cleaner, also from the store, over it and throw it back in your car.
posted by Science! at 9:11 AM on September 6, 2008

Stockpiling air filters isn't really necessary. Like Science! said, any walk-in auto parts store will have several options. One isn't going to be markedly different from another, unless you go for one of the reusables (K&N, etc). If you want to save more money, you can search a few of the online auto parts suppliers, or even Amazon.
posted by pupdog at 9:25 AM on September 6, 2008

Thank you both. For the record, it's been over 10k miles since my last professional oil change, but that's longer than I mean to usually go. It was rather an accident, as I forgot how far away Cedar Point was :)
posted by RobotHeart at 1:36 PM on September 6, 2008

purchase a reusable air filter for a larger initial cost, but then you just spray some cleaner, also from the store, over it and throw it back in your car.

According the package for my K&N air filter care service kit, it´s necessary to clean, rinse, dry, and oil with air filter oil. I´ve recently discovered that the reusable air filters can´t go nearly as long between cleanings as they claim on the package. I haven´t actually cleaned mine yet, but it´s black and horrible, and I´m not looking forward to it. The disposable ones seem much easier to deal with, although the reusable ones just seem more cool somehow.
posted by yohko at 12:32 PM on September 7, 2008