Cabin Filters

Yeah, I know, a boring as bat shit threat in a car forum. I am going to post it anyway. Who bothers replacing their cabin filters? I do mine every twelve months (when I remember lol). Did the wifes GTI Performance the other day and it was filthy. Today I did our other Golf and it also was pretty dirty. Out of our 4 cars the only one that does not have a pollen/cabin filter is the 2002 Holden Ute (No cabin filter for Holden until VE). Our Mazda SP25 had two filters. Anyway, takes 10 minutes in a Golf (under glove box) and even less in a VE (In engine bay drinkers side under cowl). Happy days :)

Do I win anything for correctly guessing which is the new and which is the old? :hide:


That's a little bit grubby Rod.


I guess I should get around to doing some of mine one day. :yup:

... once a year for me
for both the HSV and BMW M coupe (which is hiddden in the windscreen wiper cover area with a couple of scrivets to be removed)

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Originally Posted by Smitty

... once a year for me
for both the HSV and BMW M coupe (which is hiddden in the windscreen wiper cover area with a couple of scrivets to be removed)

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I thought you traded in the BMW? :confused:

My Senator is 2008 build. I bought it Feb 2015 and have never changed filter - too hard for me due to my disabilities. Not sure if the previous owner from new (Senator Mike on here) ever did either....

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Originally Posted by Wonky

My Senator is 2008 build. I bought it Feb 2015 and have never changed filter - too hard for me due to my disabilities. Not sure if the previous owner from new (Senator Mike on here) ever did either....

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Buy the filter from Supercheap and get a mate or a shop to do it, takes 5 minutes on a VE and well worth the effort.

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Originally Posted by BLACK 346

(In engine bay drinkers side under cowl)

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Typo or passengers side?

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Originally Posted by Goo

Typo or passengers side?

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Correct, Drinkers/passengers side

I did not know my VE had one so thank you

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Originally Posted by amckiwi

I did not know my VE had one so thank you

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I just did the VE. Reckon I haven't done it for a few years as the car doesn't get driven much. Took me about 5 minutes at most I reckon. Remove 5 plastic trim clips (that is enough I reckon) but you can remove more if you want to. Genlhy lift up plastic cowl panel. Peer in hole and you will see it down the bottom. Drag it out and slot new one in. Be careful with your arms as there are a few sharp bits that may scratch/draw blood lol. It sort of just sits in there rather than having a dedicated container to go in like other cars I have done ie Golf, Mazda and Subaru. Nice to do one stranding up rather than upside down in the passenger seat with you head shoved under the dash.

Not boring at all—cabin filters are one of those easily forgotten but super important maintenance items, especially for anyone with allergies or driving in dusty or polluted areas. Good on you for keeping up with them! You're right—the Golf makes it easy, and it’s wild how quickly they get nasty, especially on performance cars that see a lot of stop-start or city driving. And yeah, older Holdens like your 2002 Ute skipped out on that feature entirely—bit of a shocker when you realize how standard they are now. Also interesting that the Mazda SP25 had two filters! Some newer Mazdas do that dual-layer thing (or one for recirc and one for intake), but still surprises people.

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Originally Posted by milokent

Not boring at all—cabin filters are one of those easily forgotten but super important maintenance items, especially for anyone with allergies or driving in dusty or polluted areas. Good on you for keeping up with them! You're right—the Golf makes it easy, and it’s wild how quickly they get nasty, especially on performance cars that see a lot of stop-start or city driving. And yeah, older Holdens like your 2002 Ute skipped out on that feature entirely—bit of a shocker when you realize how standard they are now. Also interesting that the Mazda SP25 had two filters! Some newer Mazdas do that dual-layer thing (or one for recirc and one for intake), but still surprises people.

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Cabin filters may seem minor, but they play a big role in comfort and air quality—especially in dusty environments or for allergy sufferers. It's impressive how easily they get clogged, particularly in performance cars under city conditions. The VW Golf makes changing them a breeze, unlike some older models like the 2002 Holden Ute, which surprisingly had none. The Mazda SP25 having two filters highlights how some modern cars improve airflow with dual setups. And while it's not directly related, keeping the HVAC system smooth also relies on small components like blower motor 608ZZ bearings, which can wear if filters are neglected. Regular maintenance helps everything—from filters to bearings—run cleaner and longer.