I'm assuming its time to change mine on my 03. I heard the dealer charges about 50 and on courtesyparts, its 45. any other places, maybe cheaper?

it would be cheaper to get this
http://www.sharperimage.com/us/en/ca...oduct=SI737SNX

i think the in cabin filter is stupid anyway. its for prissy rich people that want clean filtered air.

Wow i never seen that before, i'm just not crazy about that big thing hanging there you know? I can see my friends making fun of it already haha.

i was actually kidding about that. i think the ionic breeze craze is as crazy as the atkins diet craze. people have lived for years without filtered air.

but if you want it..this one is better http://www.sharperimage.com/us/en/ca...yUuDCz0x3G9BqQ

An ionic breeze for your car? Talk about prissy rich people....

Yeah,

Those are the going prices for these, at least until someone comes out with an aftermarket one that fits.

I got a mailing from Nissan a couple months ago with these filters listed for $25, installation extra. Went to the parts desk and said I'd like to pick up two sets, one for my car and one for my girlfriend's. They initally balked and said this was below their cost. Said that this price was available only with installation (labor about $100). I insisted that the coupon from Nissan said installation extra, but didn't say installation mandatory.

Said they needed parts manager approval for this and that he was on vacation this week (No backup with authority? Doesn't say much about their customer service). Next week, after a couple back and forths, they finally gave in and sold me the two sets at $25 each.

However, I doubt I'll get a deal as good as this again.

Seems like I read on here once before you could wash the one that was installed from the factory. Don't know if that's true or not.

I believe that is true... many people on here have just done that....

Yes, instructions on it say you can wash it. It does not have carbon in it for odor control. However, when you buy a replacement it does have carbon in it so you can't wash it. Haven't tried so don't know if the carbon will make a mess or just not be effective afterwards.

Even if you don't care about the filter it's important to be aware that it's there. If you never clean or replace it it will eventually clog up and impede air circulation in the car. At that point you do need to replace it, or if filtration is not important to you, at least remove the old one.

Not many other places that are any cheaper. You definitely can wash the original filter since it is not paper and not carbon. If you decide, you can go to the post on 11/11/04 at 10:49am.

The ionic breezes dont do $hit and are a total rip off. How can such a small device circulate air from the other end of the car and filter anything out. Those things basically have no airflow. Theyve even had a class action lawsuit filed against them.

If I decide to change the filter myself (I am not handy but can follow nicely written instructions quite well), approx. how long would it take? Anyone in my situation ever tried doing it?

I did mine a few months back. When you buy the filter it comes with directions that include diagrams. It was very easy, took about 15 minutes. Just have to drop the glove box. From what I recall, all it took was a screwdriver.

I have one of the washable filters in my 02 and have had it out three times now in 10,000 miles. First time was just to see how to do it (PITA). Next time it was quite dirty and didn't turn nice and white even after lots of washing. Did it the third time yesterday and it wasn't dirty at all. About 5,000 between washings. It has a Nissan part number, says outside is PTE, and pleated part is plylon (nylon I think). I can remove and replace in about 15 minutes now.

i read not to unclip the air bag clips though, is that correct?

A poster said earlier that the dealer charges $100 for installing the filter. If an average person takes only 15 min. to do this, the dealer service guys should take no more than 10 min. This translates to $600 an hour in labor charges!!

yes it is correct

Anyone got the part number for the filter?

Yes, don't pull the airbag cords, you may damage them and can fail to work when its needed.

In order to remove the dash and glovebox parts, it is necessary to remove the plastic connector for the air bags. This is held on the top of the glovebox with two small pinch type plastic inserts. Just sqeeze them with pliers and they pop out. Otherwise the heavy dash parts hang on them and could break the wires.

So i do have to remove the clips as in unclip them?

.....His how-to's are awsome....
www.innerbean.com/housecor

You will see a yellow-colored connector. Those wires are for the airbag. The connector is mounted to the top of the glovebox with a plastic barb-gizmo to keep it from rattling around. That is what you need to pull out carefully, to relieve stress on the wires, and so that you can move the whole dash panel and glove box out of your way to get access to the filter.

What you don't want to do is separate the halves of the connector and open-circuit the wires. That will cause the airbag fault light to come on, and stay on, next time you start the car, and require a trip to the dealer to reset it.

Supposedly, if the battery has been disconnected for > 20 min., you can separate the connector without triggering a fault. Haven't tried it myself.