Cabin filter Fram or OEM BMW

I’ve had good results with FRAM fresh breeze cabin air filters. They block out quite a bit of exterior smells.

I have been a fan of the Fram Freshbreeze or Pureflow filters. Not as good as the Bosch HEPA for other cars, but seem pretty good at least for filtering allergens and some particulates.

Can confirm I bought the CF11811 for my 2018 and it was the correct size!

I got a fram-branded cabin air filter in my BRZ because it had activated charcoal and baking soda in it. It was same price of my OEM filter and has a sturdier build, where my OEM filter had a problem getting pinched and folded somewhat in there.

I've had to replace the cabin filter 2-3 times because of this problem. At first the smell would go away after replacing the filter, but eventually returns, usually when spring rolls around.

Just remember, you get what you pay for. I don't recommend buying aftermarket filters on Amazon or eBay even if it is the OEM or a name brand. The quality is spotty at best and some of the reportedly "OEM" and brand name items are likely counterfeit. I've bought some really sketchy filters from Amazon and eBay that made my 18 Elantra's AC sound like an airplane especially when on low settings. The Amazon one came with thousands of positive reviews and the eBay one claimed to be OEM, but both suffered the same problem. I swapped the last one out with FRAM cabin air filter from Advance Auto Parts and no more jet engine sound.