didnt realise you could clean them - although it didn't look like a paper element.

Wished I would have known this when the car was in bits.

Reckon I will get a new one, clean the old one and keep it in my ' get me out the shit ' car parts box.
(We all have one of these don't we??)

Keep it put it in the bin i have never seen one as dirty as that

can I order an OEM filter online?

Only one I could find online (ebay)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-Genuin...35d3#vi-ilComp

£115!

Yikes!

I do. Some have bigger BOXES than others!

ITG filter ordered - will get it fitted (and throw my poorly one away) when it arrives.
£75.99 v's OEM at £113.00

I did mine at the weekend too. Its amazing the shite that gets sucked in through the flap, I found small bits of stone, loads of grit & all sorts.

Also a good opportunity to give everything a check over, pas fluid, dipstick oil level etc.

These zymol wheel brushes are good for getting to the butterflies if you don't want to strip the main airbox:
http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m...wheelbrush.jpg

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m...pscec92fbb.jpg

Im working on a deal with ITG right now so hopefully will have a good supply of these filters soon :-D

I thought I read somewhere on the forum a post by Bealo who said to avoid the ITG ones, as they didn't seal properly?

Maybe I missed that post :banghead:

However, I've been using the same ITG filter for around 4 years maybe more without issue. There, I've said it. I'll throttle someone if the next time I fire it up it calves on me! :mad: