Rented a car; performance was sluggish and MPG was abysmal.

[Eli]

So, I'm doing some work for someone, and they rented me a car for the trip.

The car is a 2007 Ford Taurus with about 42k on the clock. When I got the car, it seemed sluggish, and my MPG was about 22 on the highway. It's a V6, but come on now.

So, when I got gas.. I checked the air filter. Sure enough, it was absolutely filthy. I'll assume it hadn't ever been changed and has 42k on it, just based on its looks. :roll: The pleats closest to the intake were completely full of dirt.. When I opened the pleats up it would fall out in chunks. I wish I had my camera, it's fairly insane.

Anyway.. I wasn't about to go buy a new one, so.. I took it out. :evil:

Wow, what a difference. Getting 27.5MPG now(was hoping for 30...), and a noticeable improvement in power, although that isn't saying much. :laugh:

Am I going to automobile hell? I mean, I'll put it back in when I'm done.. Probably only be about 1,000 miles.

 

[OS]

no worse than those guys with hopped cars running open ITBs or turbos? :X

 

[jagec]

You can probably get a new one for $5 at Autozone, come on now...

 

[Aimster]

Just beat the dirt out of it.

Not having it in there....bad bad

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: jagec
You can probably get a new one for $5 at Autozone, come on now...

I really don't care. Why should I waste my time and spend my money? They obviously don't care, so I don't either.

At least I'm not a total dick and am going to put it back in.

It was costing me money in fuel, so that makes me feel even less bad. Damage to the engine should be minimal, as long as they change the oil. I didn't check it, but I wouldn't be surprised if it has 42k on the clock too. :roll:

 

[redly]

1000 miles...the gas savings will pay for a filter 6 times!!! buy one...Karma's a bitch

 

[Ronstang]

Originally posted by: Aimster
Just beat the dirt out of it.

Not having it in there....bad bad

Not really true depending on where and the conditions you are driving under....and it is a rental. Why should he spend money on a filter or get shitty gas mileage because the rental company won't take care of their cars. Why should he take better care of the car than they do?

 

[Perknose]

Yes, you're going to hell, although not for rental car abuse. You know why.

 

[Throckmorton]

Air filters don't have to be replaced. You're supposed to clean the dirt off.

 

[Eeezee]

Just clean the dirt off if you're too cheap to replace it. That's easy enough.

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: Throckmorton
Air filters don't have to be replaced. You're supposed to clean the dirt off.

That is incorrect.

Where do you people come up with this stuff? lol

 

[OS]

rinse it out like a K&N even if it's not?

 

[Aimster]

I mean I have tried cleaning my air filters.
Sure it cleans most of the dirt but I don't see how you can clean all of the dirt.

I think Eli you should just slam the air filter to the ground. Then again it isn't your car so who cares.

When I rented a Mustang I floored it whenever I could. Check engine light eventually came out.
I am going to rental hell with you

 

[0roo0roo]

i guess they sell the rental off before they'd bother to change the filter? lol
long term engine life not their problem

 

[mwmorph]

Originally posted by: Throckmorton
Air filters don't have to be replaced. You're supposed to clean the dirt off.

:Q
Please replace your air filter ASAP! When you take it in for service, does the service manager not tell you every oil change you need an air filter?

Poor car.

 

[Muadib]

This thread is scaring me. Cleaning the dirt off an air filter, WTF!!!

 

[Mark R]

Originally posted by: Muadib
This thread is scaring me. Cleaning the dirt off an air filter, WTF!!!

Welll, you're not supposed to manually scrape it off.

I just beat it on the engine, or some solid part of the car until the dirt falls off.

Reinstall when no visible dirt falls off on each whack.

A dealer mechanic friend taught me that. Saves money and time, which means a better profit margin and bonus.

 

[cmv]

Only person you're hurting is the guy/gal that buys that vehicle later on down the road. Even then, the "hurt" isn't that bad but it might need a ring job due to additional wear from grit. Then again, they brought a used rental.

 

[Jessica69]

Originally posted by: Mark R

Originally posted by: Muadib
This thread is scaring me. Cleaning the dirt off an air filter, WTF!!!

Welll, you're not supposed to manually scrape it off.

I just beat it on the engine, or some solid part of the car until the dirt falls off.

Reinstall when no visible dirt falls off on each whack.

A dealer mechanic friend taught me that. Saves money and time, which means a better profit margin and bonus.

Well, that explains that "advice", doesn't it? Seriously, are you that cheap that you cannot spend $6 on a new air filter?

 

[PottedMeat]

There are much worse things you could have done. I probably would have done the same thing... if I were to ever check under the hood of a rental.

My dad is too lazy sometimes to replace the air filter so he cleans it out by tapping it and blowing on it with a vacuum ( only once or twice though, then it gets replaced ).

 

[iamwiz82]

I had a rental that had it's hood physically locked shut. This was in Hawaii, so I assume they knew that you were always relatively close to one of their offices.

 

[BoomerD]

Myself, I'd have bought a cheap-o air filter and turned the receipt in for reimbursment at the car-rental facility, keeping the old, dirty one for proof.
I agree that you shouldn't HAVE to do it, but it'd be the right thing to do all around...but then again, I'm not one of the people who thinks it's ok to abuse rental cars just because they're rentals.

 

[rasczak]

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: Throckmorton
Air filters don't have to be replaced. You're supposed to clean the dirt off.

That is incorrect.

Where do you people come up with this stuff? lol

you're supposed to take the air filter out, do NOT clean it, and put it up on a homemade altar. Then find the nearest kitten place it in a cage and then find that bestiality porn encrypted on your harddrive and fap to that until the kitten goes to heaven. Once this is complete you will get better gas mileage.

 

[Throckmorton]

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: Throckmorton
Air filters don't have to be replaced. You're supposed to clean the dirt off.

That is incorrect.

Where do you people come up with this stuff? lol

From the filter box on my Jeep and the 240sx I had. They both said something like "this filter is not meant to be replaced" so I assume they mean you are just supposed to clean it.

 

[Arkaign]

LMAO : No, Eli, *THIS* is what sends you to hell :

http://www.ag.auburn.edu/users/parmega/articles/neon/

"Later, in an impromptu street run from a 10mph roll-on, Cliff, the sick puppy that he is, hit the horn button in first gear, right on the "3" count, the 2-liter Twinkie motor screamed for mercy, the tires spun all the way through first gear. We were fender to fender with a fast 440-6 Challenger R/T. He ripped his piston-grip to second, but we pulled ahead. Clifford boiled the tires big-time into second gear, allowing the R/T to pull alongside. The Neon mini-motor wound tight-right to the rev limiter. Did Cliff lift? Did he back off? No chance! Ka-boom! A glowing three-foot fireball barked out of each side of the hood, and rolled back over the windshield. Cheeez! This actually caused the R/T driver to lift, but not Cliff! Wow. Say goodbye to Neon."