SL/R231: BMC or K&N Air Filter Question


K&N and AEM have always been my favorite a/f.
With my 2013 SL550 the only choices I seem to have are either K&N or BMC.
I searched on the internet and I've seen mixed bag reviews.
Any opinion or feedbacks are welcomed.


The comment about oiled filters fouling MAF sensors is no joke, either. I had this happen to me back in the day, with my '88 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe. I fell for the promotional BS and installed a new, factory-oiled K&N in the car's stock filter housing, and in short order it started running poorly. Guess who needed a new MAF sensor. Another aspect to oiled elements: if you don't drive the car very often, the element oil tends to gel over time, and actually begins restricting airflow! I had this happen as well...kind of counter to the "filter's" mission statement, no? Do your car and yourself a favor...stick with stock paper filter elements. If you worry about them clogging, or whatever, just change them more often. JMO, but based on personal experience.
Another un-sexy fact: almost every car, for the last many decades, has come from its factory already equipped with genuine cold air induction. That's free HP that no factory has passed up. I've rarely seen an aftermarket "CAI" that was not actually a hot air induction. They virtually never route their intake air from a true cold air source as thoroughly as the factory setups do...
Last edited by Dr. Manhattan; Dec 31, 2023 at 04:36 PM.







