Are these fake Honda oil filters?

[gtical]

Top filter in each photo is Ebay Honda filter

Bottom filter in each picture is From Honda - looks like the fram filters

The oil inlet holes are much different and the “fake” one says made in japan.

The stickers both say A02

Your thoughts? If they are fake, which known filter do they resemble the most to?

 

[nwjones18]

I'd say its more likely that Honda has multiple vendors that supply filters.

Honda oil filter cut open made in Japan

Honda oil filter. 3k OCI of 2015 Odyssey. Dealership 0w20

bobistheoilguy.com

 

[MParr]

I doubt that they are fake.

 

[cptbarkey]

You like to gamble? Buy oil filters from ebay.

 

[Indyxc]

Was the ebay seller in China as well?

 

[Soft Cars]

I like the one with the most holes. That's impressive.

 

[SC Maintenance]

Given the top filter says "made in Japan", and then it has a red sticker saying assembled in the USA, I would guess it might be.

Possibly gray market from Japan, but I can't see a Japanese made filter being cheaper?

Whats the inside look like?

 

[JavierH19]

It likely is. These only cost like 70 cents to both make and package and with volume there's lots of profit to be made since many wouldn't expect it to be fake.

 

[duck__dodgers]

Possibly gray market from Japan, but I can't see a Japanese made filter being cheaper?

the Japanese Yen has been in the gutter for 2 years. "Made in Japan" labor is 30% less expensive now than pre-Covid when measured in USD.

That said, I would only trust franchise dealers for OEM-name parts.

some sellers on eBay are franchise Honda dealers, most don't say...which means that they get "Honda" parts on the gray market like you said. (dealer surplus, resales from franchisees, etc)

Besides, I thought that the BITOG verdict is that premium non-Honda filters beat Honda filters on every metric on a per-doĺlar basis?

 

[SC Maintenance]

the Japanese Yen has been in the gutter for 2 years. "Made in Japan" labor is 30% less expensive now than pre-Covid when measured in USD.

That said, I would only trust franchise dealers for OEM-name parts.

some sellers on eBay are franchise Honda dealers, most don't say...which means that they get "Honda" parts on the gray market like you said. (dealer surplus, resales from franchisees, etc)

Besides, I thought that the BITOG verdict is that premium non-Honda filters beat Honda filters on every metric on a per-doĺlar basis?

If its so much cheaper in Japan, then why doesn't Honda just ship those here instead of contract to Fram to make the ones the dealer sell here?

I really can't say there fake or not - I just find it extremely curios that someone here would have made in Japan Honda filters, and then go to the trouble to mislabel them as assembled in USA - which would be a federal crime if not true.

 

[duck__dodgers]

If its so much cheaper in Japan, then why doesn't Honda just ship those here instead of contract to Fram to make the ones the dealer sell here?

yes, that is the potential red flag..

even with the Yen devaluation, Japan is still an expensive place.

on a low margin item like oil filters, i'd bet that Joe Watanabe's local Honda dealer in Kyoto, Japan stocks OEM filters made in Thailand or Vietnam.

Maybe Denso/whoever can make a profit on Made in Japan oil filters...if so, I'd like to watch a video of that factory in action.

it would take a lot of automation to make that happen.

 

[SC Maintenance]

even with the Yen devaluation, Japan is still an expensive place.

on a low margin item like oil filters, i'd bet that Joe Watanabe's local Honda dealer in Kyoto, Japan stocks OEM filters made in Thailand or Vietnam.

Maybe Honda/Denso/whoever can make a profit on Made in Japan oil filters...if so, I'd like to watch a video of that factory in action.

it would take a lot of automation to make that profitable.

OK, so I agree with that. So which side of this argument are you on - I am confused. There possibly made in Japan Honda Filters, or there fake Honda filters that say made in Japan on them, and were likely made in India (the cheapest manufacturing cost country currently I believe).

 

[nwjones18]

Here's someone complaining that they they got a made in Japan one from Amazon.

I'd still wager they're both legit filters.

 

[SC Maintenance]

Here's someone complaining that they they got a made in Japan one from Amazon.

I'd still wager they're both legit filters.


View attachment 197395

The red flag for me on original post is not the made in Japan, its a additional sticker saying assembled in USA. I can't imagine the corporate parts people at Honda being that wrong. So the question becomes, who attached that sticker if its not a fake?

 

[duck__dodgers]

OK, so I agree with that. So which side of this argument are you on - I am confused.

I have no side, except being very skeptical of any ebay seller who is not a OEM franchisee if they are selling OEM stuff.

Hope everyone learns their lesson...unless there is a real good reason, just go to the parts counter or buy online from a franchisee.

 

[SC Maintenance]

I like the one with the most holes. That's impressive.

Thats the standard Fram base plate.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Just get a PH7317 from Walmart.

 

[nwjones18]

The red flag for me on original post is not the made in Japan, its a additional sticker saying assembled in USA. I can't imagine the corporate parts people at Honda being that wrong. So the question becomes, who attached that sticker if its not a fake?

Maybe Assembled in USA means wrapped in cellophane and labeled.. I honestly don't know, but see your point. When you know the OEM Honda filter is a Fram I don't know why you don't just go buy a Fram from Walmart..

Honda Genuine Filters Fake or Real?

www.odyclub.com

Here's some discussion on an Honda forum. They have some ways to identify fake ones

 

[Rogueman2016s]

Most likely another supplier

 

[SC Maintenance]

Maybe Assembled in USA means wrapped in cellophane and labeled.. I honestly don't know, but see your point. When you know the OEM Honda filter is a Fram I don't know why you don't just go buy a Fram from Walmart..

Honda Genuine Filters Fake or Real?

www.odyclub.com

Here's some discussion on an Honda forum. They have some ways to identify fake ones

I work in manufacturing, and these rules are very clear. Wrapping it in cellophane does not qualify. Not to say anyone actually enforces them, but I can not see a world class manufacturer like Honda with many facilities here, making this sort of mistake. Its a big red flag for me because it breaks a bunch of rules, that add no value. In fact, most Honda aficionado's would likely prefer made in Japan?

Assembled in USA ClaimsA product that includes foreign components may be called “Assembled in USA” without qualification when its principal assembly takes place in the U.S. and the assembly is substantial. For the “assembly” claim to be valid, the product’s last “substantial transformation” (see page 14) also should have occurred in the U.S. That’s why a “screwdriver” assembly in the U.S. of foreign components into a final product at theend of the manufacturing process doesn’t usually qualify for the “Assembled in USA” claim.

https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/plain-language/bus03-complying-made-usa-standard.pdf