anyone use a Nippon filter like this:

[surfstar]

I can get these for $2.25 from rockauto.com for my mazda and was wondering if anyone has used this Nippon filter before. it is not a nippon-denso, which i know is high quality. i need to order some parts from this place and am thinking about getting 10 of these, if they are good. the wix filters are $5.09 on the site, but i'm always looking to save $$. http://63.150.115.104/CommerceGateway/pictures/Mazda J-Pegs\G6Y0-14-302AA.jpg

oh, and the part no. is the same as OEM mazda, so there's a chance it is OEM. the OEM mazda's are nice with silicon ADBV.

 

[surfstar]

yeah, i wish it showed a pic of the drain-back seal. if it was orange/red then i could believe that its an OEM manufacturer. i'll probably buy a few WIX and maybe one of these to see what it looks like.
the "O" made me question it as well, i couldn't find any other filters that looked like this brand.

 

[Ray H]

Lest we provocatively overreact to the point of generating one more BITOG "urban myth", let's not get carried away that this issue is actually a marketing gimmick. I'd merely suggest caution that deserves further investigation before pronouncing judgment. Use of the Mazda identification number is no guarantee of OEM status, either. Many filter manufacturers or marketers use OEM or competitive ID numbers for convenience. All we know for certain about the product that surfstar brought to our attention is that its brand name is similar to an established manufacturer - Nippon Denso, and that it's identified by a Mazda part number. Until someone bothers to closely inspect an actual sample, that's all we know about it.

 

[blupupher]

quote:

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Originally posted by surfstar:
... i'll probably buy a few WIX and maybe one of these to see what it looks like.

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That would probably be the best thing to do. Buy one, cut it open and see. If it is a knock off, then it is only a few buck spend to saave yourself from a sub-par product. If it is all good inside, you have found yourself a little treasure.

 

[Gary Allan]

quote:

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Lest we provocatively overreact to the point of generating one more BITOG "urban myth", let's not get carried away that this issue is actually a marketing gimmick. I'd merely suggest caution that deserves further investigation before pronouncing judgment.

---

Oh ..no ...nope. One swallow does a summer make, Ray. TRASH!! TRASH, I SAY!!!

Howbow .."BITMYTH"??

 

[HondaRD]

This Nippon filter does not look too bad:
Honda nippon filter

This was posted by BITOG member, Pee-Wee. I know this is for a honda, but the quality does not look that bad. These filters also have the OEM part number stamped on it with the same color paint that genuine Honda filters have. Even though we all know this is not a genuine OEM filter, it does not look bad in the pics.
I am tempted to use these filters as well since they are so cheap online, but when I look at the media thickness from the pics, I can tell that the media is relatively thinner than say a wix or even a purolator PP filter and is why I am a bit hesitant. I'm sure these filters are okay. No worse than what the average person uses.

 

[labman]

Marketing gimmicks turn me off. Valvoline synthetic brake fluid for one. You can get a good Purolator made house brand for $2. Hey, if it is the ST 3950, they are still the non Ecore, non clicker, and $2.07 everyday at Wal-Mart.

 

[Ray H]

Why am I just a tad suspicious about the image file? Notice that the brand is not truly, "Nippon". Instead, it substitutes a small Japanese flag for the expected lower case "o". Perhaps, everything is perfectly legit and the filter is, indeed, imported from Japan and the Next Big Thing in filtration at a very reasonable price. But, perhaps it's a cute branding trick to avoid copyright infringement and market a private label Champion Labs filter priced about the same as its SuperTech or Valuecraft equivalents before shipping charges are added to the unwary. I doubt the filter is truly sub-par quality-wise - just not altogether sure about its pedigree. (I'd love to see a shot of the business end.

)

[ May 09, 2005, 12:08 PM: Message edited by: Ray H ]

 

[Gary Allan]

quote:

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Instead, it substitutes a small Japanese flag for the expected lower case "o".

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Good catch. Kinda reminds me when the fair trade laws were abolished and we opened the gates to foreign goods in the early/mid 70's ..one ignition company began marketing stuff in boxes that closely resembled AC-Delco logos. They worked ..but were'nt quite the quality level of the homegrown hardware.

 

[RF Overlord]

I love how people fall for marketing gimmicks (not referring to you, surfstar)...saying something is a "Genuine" Nippon filter is just like saying it's Genuine American or Genuine Canadian...

Now if it said "Genuine Nippon-Denso", they'd have a copyright infringment issue...

I'd stay WAY far away from those filters...