Cabin Air Filters Vs. Oil Filters: How To Approach These Sales

Cabin air filters and oil filters are similar in that their main purpose is to filter out contaminates. However, the similarity ends there; you’re dealing with completely different markets that require two separate approaches when it comes to marketing and selling these products.

“Cabin air filters represent a large untapped market, as many customers do not know they have them or that they need changing,” says Brian Fleming, director of marketing for Affinia Group in Canada, makers of Wix Filters. “Customer education is the key to selling the benefits of cabin air filters. Customers need to see the difference between a clean and a dirty filter. They should be checked when performing maintenance checks.”

Other than their functions, the primary difference between oil filters and cabin filters is that cabin filters are considered more of a recommended service than a required service, in that they will not affect the performance or warranty requirements of a vehicle, at least according to Patrick Durcak, Canadian eastern regional manager for Honeywell CPG.

“They will, however, affect the performance of the heating and air conditioning systems,” continues Durcak. “If a cabin filter is plugged and restricts the air flow into the car, then the heating/air conditioning system will have to work harder to heat or cool the air, and that can result in decreased fuel efficiency. We’re seeing HVAC system failures as a result of plugged cabin air filters.”