Air filters should also be replaced after any visit to a
Winston Tire Center. When I went to one near me to have tires I bought there rebalanced, I was told I needed a new air filter ('88 Acura Integra I no longer own). When I inquired as to what part of rebalancing required opening the hood - let alone the air filter - I got a shrug and some comment about 'a courtesy for our customers'. I said no, I had checked it recently, and 'close the hood'.

A couple thousand miles later I happened to open the filter compartment, and found a large gash through the filter - impossible through natural causes, and almost certainly intentional. Well, one more business X'd off my list.

Steve