Showerthought: That $40 air filter I bought off a truck in Phoenix

I was driving through Phoenix last summer and this guy in a pickup flagged me down at a gas station. He was selling these heavy duty air filters for like $40 each, said they were from a warehouse that over-ordered. I was in a pinch because my truck was running rough and I figured why not. Popped it in and it actually made a difference for about two weeks. Then my check engine light came on and my mechanic in Tucson said the thing was basically choking my engine. He pulled it out and it was all warped and dirty already, like way worse than the old one I replaced. Cost me another $200 to get things running right again after that. Has anyone else had good luck with those random roadside deals or am I just unlucky?

3 comments

3 Comments

seth_singh2024d ago

And here I thought I was getting a deal, turns out I paid $40 to personally test how fast a filter can turn into a clogged hazard. Guess next time I'll just wave back and keep driving.

emmaclark24d ago

Lmao honestly that sounds about right. Those truck bed air filters are always a gamble, half the time they're just cardboard and hopes wrapped in plastic. I'm genuinely impressed you got 40 bucks worth of entertainment watching it fail though, that's almost worth the price of admission. Like imagine explaining to someone "yeah I paid a stranger $40 for a filter that died faster than my phone battery in an airport." At least you got a funny story out of it, silver linings and all that lol.

patricia_gonzalez24d ago

Right, because nothing says quality like a guy selling air filters out of his truck in 110 degree heat. Sounds like you bought a fancy paperweight for $40.