BITOG Got Me Acting Crazy - CarQuest Premium

[Swiftks]

Have been running Fram Synthetic Endurance filters for the last 20K miles, changing every 3K - 5K OCI, buying in 3 packs as needed. Time to re-order and come to find out about the whole Fram bankruptcy thing… ok, no worries, I just go with the Amsoli EA filter, as it’s essentially the same thing…. Nope. Guess it was the same thing, b/c those are gone now too.

Spent last night searching forum, looking for a filter w/ similar efficiency rating (price not a concern). Find the CarQuest Premium filter w/ 99.5% @ 20 microns. Great…. Wait they are starting to switch from Vietnam to China… every one says they are probably the same, but you can’t pull the wool over us super intelligent forum members.

So go to local AAP store this morning, and the kid is like, yeah, we just restocked the oil filters this morning. Start pullling filters out of boxes like some crazy person looking for the “made in Vietnam” stamp, which obviously translates to “this one is better”. Found 7 of them. The new ones up front were all made in China. Went full tilt crazy and asked the kid if they had any more in the back, so I could crazy cat lady look through those as well. He brought out a half dozen more, which was part of the new box/stock they received, all made in China.

Anyway, thanks forum for 1) stearing me in the right direction for a suitable replacement, and 2) making me look crazy (edit) trying to explain to a teenage kid why I need the “superior” Vietnam filters…. Anyway, should be stocked up for a little while now.

 

[SilentType]

If you're changing filters every 3-5k practically any filter brand out there will work fine. You could easily run the CQP for 2 OCI's if your engine isn't crudded up.

 

[Zee09]

What no open box pictures?

 

[Kira]

Hey, more value than beating the bushes for Cabbage Patch Kids and Furbies.

 

[DCDG]

I want to see the centerfold

 

[Snagglefoot]

Can you open a box slowly for us?

 

[GW.]

There is zero difference between the Vietnam and China made Carquest Premiums. Both have had exceptional build quality for years.

 

[Zee09]

There is zero difference between the Vietnam and China made Carquest Premiums. Both have had exceptional build quality for years.

The COO matters to a few here.

 

[GW.]

The COO matters to a few here.

Oil filter politics

Maybe I misunderstood but it seemed the OP thought there was a quality difference.

 

[Zee09]

Oil filter politics

Maybe I misunderstood but it seemed the OP thought there was a quality difference.

Yeah I tried to be cautious

 

[Mainia]

The thing I don't care for with these Premiums is the almost no pre priming ability compared to OG Fram Ultras and above. I could pre fill those in 30 seconds to 1 minute, compared to Premiums not soaking through the paper element at all. I have to take a micro screwdriver that I round off the tip and try to back feed the oil through the outer oil flow pathway where the back flow flap is and that takes 5 + minutes. I want my three dimensional filter media back!!!

 

[Sayjac]

Hope that if box shows quantity purchased you took advantage of current 15% off AAP online discount code to do so. China or Vietnam coo, in my observation and experience both top quality.

 

[I<3oil]

Of the 6 84502s I recently bought online, only 1 was from China. Woot

 

[SilentType]

The thing I don't care for with these Premiums is the almost no pre priming ability compared to OG Fram Ultras and above. I could pre fill those in 30 seconds to 1 minute, compared to Premiums not soaking through the paper element at all. I have to take a micro screwdriver that I round off the tip and try to back feed the oil through the outer oil flow pathway where the back flow flap is and that takes 5 + minutes. I want my three dimensional filter media back!!!

I'm a big fan of prefilling filters too, recently installed a Carquest Premium 85348 and had zero trouble prefilling. It soaked up the oil like every other filter does

 

[DannyM]

trying to explain to a teenage kid why I need the “superior” Vietnam filters…. Anyway, should be stocked up for a little while now.

Why specifically do you think the Vietnam are better than the China ?

 

[DannyM]

The thing I don't care for with these Premiums is the almost no pre priming ability compared to OG Fram Ultras and above. I could pre fill those in 30 seconds to 1 minute, compared to Premiums not soaking through the paper element at all. I have to take a micro screwdriver that I round off the tip and try to back feed the oil through the outer oil flow pathway where the back flow flap is and that takes 5 + minutes. I want my three dimensional filter media back!!!

Then get the Carquest Synthetic in the oil change bundle which cuts the price way down.

 

[Mainia]

Then get the Carquest Synthetic in the oil change bundle which cuts the price way down.

Is it 20 um?

 

[DannyM]

Is it 20 um?

I think they are 25

 

[bullwinkle]

I'm a big fan of prefilling filters too, recently installed a Carquest Premium 85348 and had zero trouble prefilling. It soaked up the oil like every other filter does

Me too… Except I flood clear or pull the fuel pump fuse or relay & just crank it for 15 seconds a couple times.

 

[rstsco]

There is zero difference between the Vietnam and China made Carquest Premiums. Both have had exceptional build quality for years.

Negative. The Made in China have a nitrile gasket while the Made in Vietnam have a silicone gasket.

@Swiftks - I did the same thing on the same part number, looking through every box on the shelf and in the back. Once I realized the difference in gaskets, I no longer had to take the filter completely out to know the COA. Found an even dozen.