I did a search and didn't see anything.

I was going to change my air filters, so I called parts at my local Infiniti dealer. The OE part from Infiniti is $37 each. The car needs 2. Out of curiosity, I called the Nissan dealer and asked about the filter for 370Z. The part is $21 each.

After I got home and did a search on Amazon. The Fram filter which fits both 370z and the G37 costs $12 each.

I know Fram is cheaper. But it was surprising that Infiniti can charge almost double for the same part as Nissan. Does Infiniti think we're stupid?

 

Great info

we should have a thread listing how much/cost we paid for service , comparing to fact

 

It's not about being stupid, it's about buying form a luxury brand dealership vs a regular brand dealership. An independent shop may charge you $60/hr labor. A Nissan dealership will charge $100 per hour labor in their shop. That same tech doing the same work across the street at an Infiniti dealership will cost a customer $125/hr. Same with an oil change. Etc, etc. Dealerships set their own labor rates and can charge list (or more) for parts or discount them.

Courtesy Nissan in Dallas (Courtesyparts.com) is a Nissan dealership. They sell them for $18.19. Does that mean that the one you went to is ripping you off? No. Really want to feel ripped off? Check the price on them where I buy them at rockauto.com.
2008 INFINITI G37 Air Filter

 

I agree BB, there is a cost of doing business. My infiniti dealer gives free coffee and bottle water and the Nissan will show me to the drinking fountain.

But identical part being priced almost double is ridicules and I'm just sharing the info.

BTW Amazon has the Fram filter for 2 cents cheaper with free shipping, if you are interested.

 

Here's the way I look at it. If you find out that the price is $16.00 less for the same part at the Nissan dealership, and still buy the part at the Infiniti dealership, it is about being stupid. I realize that dealerships can set their own labor rates and charge whatever they like for parts, but when an Infiniti dealership pulls that stunt, it makes no sense to buy from them. By the way, there is nothing wrong with a Fram air filter; been using them for 30 years with no problems. I say you ARE being ripped off at Infiniti.

 

I agree. I'm going to start buying parts and get the major services at Nissan. For oil changes.... I'm still thinking....

 

Did you buy the Fram filters, or the Nissan?

This is good info, OP. And a good heads-up to research Nissan part numbers when buying OEM items for the Infiniti.

 

Just spend a little extra money and go with some K&N drop ins and call it a day.

 

At $61 each, for an oiled filter with placebo-like gains only measurable in the laboratory?

I suppose you could call it a day. You could probably call it something else, too.

 

^ +1. the G airbox is very well designed. lots of guys stick to the OEM filters changed on a regular basis in the stock airbox. i'm one of them. some guys do the CAI thing with varied success. performance gains with any intake alone are negligible, but the "sound" mod does appeal to some.

 

I replaced mine with WIX filters, purchased at O'Reilly's Auto Parts for less than $12 each.

K&N or any filter that uses OIL on the element is generally not recommended for any motor with mass airflow sensors. Droplets of oil pull out of the foam element and collect on the MAF wires, effectively insulating them.

 

Gotta call you on this statement. This problem occurs for those who over-oil their K&N filters. I've used them for years on my Nissans and Infinitis with MAFs and never suffered any problems. But I've also seen people who oil both sides of the filter (I usually oil only the side of the filter facing outwards) and put too much on. That's asking for trouble.

As for airflow causing "droplets of oil pull out of the foam element", the K&Ns in my SCCA and NASA 350Zs are run at high speed for far longer than any street driven car. Never had a problem with the MAFs getting fouled (despite cleaning and oiling the elements multiple times) over many years.

 

That's correct, dkmura. The problem is in not properly oiling the filters, not in the design. While that doesn't change the fail in the cost-2-value proposition, you're right that it's not fair to blame the oil instead of the oiler. (Is that a word?)

Also, there's a reason why CRC sells this stuff:

 

I'd stick to the OEM filters and change them when they are dirty. Usually every 20K miles. Price is like the OP said above, around $40 for 2.

 

Two K&N drop in filters will cost you over $120. I did a lot of research on the K&N filters and the only benefit of a K&N is the reusable aspect and maybe a very very small increase in HP (maybe 1 or 2 at most). You pay for this increase in HP because if more air is allowed to pass through a K&N for this very small increase in HP, the air will not be filtered as well. I have 128 HP in my G37, I don't need 130 at the cost of inferior air filtration. Rochester is correct, you get plecebo like gains, not worth the cost.