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Are OEM Jeep Engine Air Filters Better Than Aftermarket?

When it's time to replace the engine air filter in your Jeep, you have two different kinds of engine air filters to choose from:

  1. OEM: Made by either Mopar or a company it contracted to manufacture its parts
  2. Aftermarket: Made by a third party company
Mopar filter

Image Credit: PaulsTravelPictures

Aftermarket parts are generally cheaper than OEM parts, which is why the aftermarket parts industry is successful. However, "buyer beware" is a good piece of advice to take when it comes to shopping for aftermarket parts. The saying "you get what you pay for" rings true here.

Since engine air filters are disposable parts to be replaced every 15K miles, some people think it's okay to use aftermarket air filters. It's actually not a good idea. Aftermarket air filters aren't good for your engine's health. And, if you take your Jeep off-roading often, then the quality of your air filter matters a whole lot.

So why aren't aftermarket air filters reliable? We have a few reasons:

1. Aftermarket Air Filters are Often Made With Cheap Filter Material

Aftermarket air filters typically don't last as long as OEM air filters. To cut corners, aftermarket manufacturers often make their engine air filters with cheap, porous filter material. That type of material tends to degrade early. Its porous nature allows dirt and debris to pass through to the engine undetected, which essentially defeats the purpose of having an engine air filter.

2. Aftermarket Air Filters Aren't Usually Built to OEM Specs

Filter change

Image Credit: Pauls Travel Pictures

When you put an aftermarket air filter into your car, it's pretty common to see gaps around the edge of the filter. If there's a gap, then air will come in through these gaps unfiltered. Dust will come in with the unfiltered air, which is bad for your engine.

3. It's Hard to Shop for an Aftermarket Air Filter

It can be quite difficult to find an aftermarket air filter that's:

  1. Designed just for your Jeep
  2. Built with high-quality materials
  3. The right size

Part of shopping for an aftermarket air filter is to conduct tons of research on brands, sizes, filter materials, warranties, and more. Even after doing all that research, there's still no guarantee that you'll find a quality aftermarket air filter for your Jeep.

OEM Engine Air Filters Don't Necessarily Have to be Expensive

With an OEM air filter, you get an assurance of quality. OEM air filters are built with high-quality materials that will last. They're also exact fit replacement filters, meaning that they 100 percent meet the specs of the filter that came with your Jeep. If you value your engine's health, then OEM air filters are certainly a good investment.

You can buy genuine OEM air filters at aftermarket prices online. As an authorized seller of genuine OEM Mopar parts, we offer wholesale pricing for OEM engine air filters. You'll save about $10-$25 by ordering one from us. All you have to do is to take a couple of minutes to look up your Jeep in our catalog to find the right air filter.

If you need assistance finding the right air filter for your Jeep, please reach out to us via our contact form.