- My model of MX-5 is: __NC3.75
- I’m based near: __Orpington
- I’m looking for technical help or recommendations on: __What air filters do people use
Just got a German-looking air filter, tried to fit it but in vain. Box won’t close properly. Thought I may be doing something wrong, the bottom part of the airbox may have clips I’ve missed, who knows.
Eeermm nope, it’s just Chinese garbage pretending to be ‘equivalent’
This whold influx of cheap tat is worrying, even the so-called Bosch air filters have comments that they don’t fit.
Ordered a Mazda original in the end, if the dimensions/seal are off, how can you trust the pleated paper…
So do others also go for original filters as well? (not interested in oily versions, been in the game for far too long to fall for those)
/rant over
I got one for my NA once. The website specifically stated it was for the Mk1 1.8 - it required cutting a notch out of the hard plastic surround to make it fit.
The NC filter will only go in one way. Check the shape of the filter on one corner it’s different to the others. Once found (hopefully it’s on yours) it matches the shape of that corner in the filter box. Why it’s different, probably to get it correctly fitted, an airflow thing?
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I have generally stuck with Mann filters from GSF - never had an issue with one fitting.
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Just checked - indeed there is a corner different than the others, hadn’t noticed. Doh!
Won’t cancel the Mazda filter though, the more I think about it the less I trust this one (it is thick on both sides while the OEM only on one side).
Maybe not a killer difference, but the ‘made in China’ sticker doesn’t fill me with confidence (although everything is now made in PRC, who are we kidding eh
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I’ve always used aftermarket air filters ( suppliers, Auto link/Mx5parts) and change annually, no problems.
The fun fact is that the Mazda original airfilter hasn’t got an ‘orientation’ corner. That’s why I didn’t expect to find one in the aftermarket. But the profile is different as well.
