Bulk filters at O'Reilley's

[SuperBusa]

Originally Posted By: Pete C.

If it did not say Wix on the filter itself, with a Wix PN, it is not a filter made by Wix. 32 years and I have yet to see an unmarked Wix brand filter leave this plant.


Originally Posted By: Pete C.
But it leaves the plant saying who made it. And a NAPA Gold is not a WIX BRANDED filter, it just happens to be a Wix filter in NAPA clothing. Got any more stupid questions you need answered?


What's stupid is saying;
"If it did not say Wix on the filter itself, with a Wix PN, it is not a filter made by Wix."

When obviously it's not a true statement based on your latest comment saying the NAPA Gold is a WIX made filter. You are contradicting yourself. Seems the use of the English language can be a challenge.

 

[chad8]

Originally Posted By: SuperBusa
Originally Posted By: Pete C.

If it did not say Wix on the filter itself, with a Wix PN, it is not a filter made by Wix. 32 years and I have yet to see an unmarked Wix brand filter leave this plant.


Originally Posted By: Pete C.
But it leaves the plant saying who made it. And a NAPA Gold is not a WIX BRANDED filter, it just happens to be a Wix filter in NAPA clothing. Got any more stupid questions you need answered?


What's stupid is saying;
"If it did not say Wix on the filter itself, with a Wix PN, it is not a filter made by Wix."

When obviously it's not a true statement based on your latest comment saying the NAPA Gold is a WIX made filter. You are contradicting yourself. Seems the use of the English language can be a challenge.

Please have a little more respect for our military veterans . They have taken a lot of blows to the helmet.

 

[SuperBusa]

Maybe they should be a little more respectful and not say things like: "Got any more stupid questions you need answered?" when someone tries to get a clarification on what they are trying to say when it is obviously not clear and contradicting.

 

[rastoma]

Originally Posted By: Pete C.

If it did not say Wix on the filter itself, with a Wix PN, it is not a filter made by Wix. 32 years and I have yet to see an unmarked Wix brand filter leave this plant.



Originally Posted By: Pete C.
But it leaves the plant saying who made it. And a NAPA Gold is not a WIX BRANDED filter, it just happens to be a Wix filter in NAPA clothing. Got any more stupid questions you need answered?


You are very confusing. You are trying to make an argument based on the word 'BRANDED'.

First you say if doesn't SAY Wix it's not a Wix. Then you say it IS a Wix filter.

No where in the original post did the words BRAND get mentioned nor does the word BRAND have anything to do with whether or not the filters at the O are good or not.

They ARE Wix filters because they were MADE BY Wix. Wix is not an item, it's the name of a company. You can't say something is not a Wix because it doesn't say Wix. You can say it's made by Wix but is not as high quality as those with the Wix name on them.

Wix would not create GARBAGE. They have made a value priced filter that apparently is good. They also make a filter that is excellent, possibly the best, that does have the Wix name on it. Like it or not, BOTH are Wix filters.

Does Kendall make oil for Motorcraft? So do you say that MC is not Kendall oil? Or do you say MC is oil made by Kendall for MC? Or would you say it is NOT Kendall because it does NOT have Kendall's name on it?

 

[SuperBusa]

Here's another wrinkle.

There could be a filter made by WIX, but not branded as WIX (ie, NAPA Gold filters - supposedly same exact guts as the WIX brand) .... BUT, there is also the question of who's actual design specifications are they made to.

WIX could be making a filter that was designed in China or by one of Santa Clause's elves at the North Pole to their own design specifications, as examples. Would WIX still make it if it was a bad design and approached to do so? ... probably yes if they were paid fairly to do so since their brand name is not on the filter and therefore can't really hurt their brand reputation.

 

[rastoma]

Originally Posted By: SuperBusa
Here's another wrinkle.

There could be a filter made by WIX, but not branded as WIX (ie, NAPA Gold filters - supposedly same exact guts as the WIX brand) .... BUT, there is also the question of who's actual design specifications are they made to.

WIX could be making a filter that was designed in China or by one of Santa Clause's elves at the North Pole to their own design specifications, as examples. Would WIX still make it if it was a bad design and approached to do so? ... probably yes if they were paid fairly to do so since their brand name is not on the filter and therefore can't really hurt their brand reputation.


I doubt they would do that. Some independent, lesser known factories might, but I doubt WIX would take a chance of reports getting out there that they made garbage filters. That would forever hurt sales of their pride and joy filters because they are well aware of how customers spread information. The 'made by WIX garbage filters' would soon turn into WIX makes garbage filters after the tells get spread far enough.

Would Mercedes or BMW build another Yugo as long as they didn't put their name on it, for someone else just to get paid? I doubt it.

 

[SuperBusa]

Originally Posted By: rastoma

Would Mercedes or BMW build another Yugo as long as they didn't put their name on it, for someone else just to get paid? I doubt it.


In this economy, anything is possible anymore. Since we can't get a straight answer form those who "supposedly know", I guess it's anyone's guess.

 

[mechanicx]

Well what I don't like about NAPA is everything is housebrand and they can switch suppliers/have multiple suppliers/have it made to lower specs and you wouldn't necessarily notice it. I've noticed most of their stuff is made in China now even more so than other autoparts stores parts are. NAPA tries to hide that and repackage made in China products in a USA wrapper, and then play along like they sell the good stuff and charge more. When they do sell something that is good quality they charge even more for it and who knows what their supplier will be tomorrow.

 

[river_rat]

"Made" and China are redundant in the same sentence. It should just say "Made." We'll figure the rest out.

 

[edwardh1]

Confusing
the real question is what differences exist, if any, between the wix filter and the Napa gold that come out of the same wix plant.

Some plants have only ONE assembly line and only paint different names on at the end.

In the late 80s I went to a saw blade plant near Boone n. carolina that made 8 brands and kinds of saw blades, jig, circular, band etc.
Only difference was at the end of the line the spray paint decals and packaging for different brands skill K mart sears miller, porter etc etc .
Is that like it is in the wix plant/??

 

[river_rat]

Well different models may vary, but of the two I had on hand that were the same physical size, the WIX 51516 media was about .023” thick and much tougher to cut than the NAPA ProSelect (old NAPA Silver) 21342 which measured about .018” thick.

The NAPA media fibers seem courser to me, and let lots more pin-holes of light through when viewing through a 50 X microscope. Similar to these pictures which were taken at about the same closeup range.
I think besides the silicon anti-drainback valve, the WIX has better cleaning and stronger media.

WIX:

NAPA ProSelect:

 

[river_rat]

Note for scale, the numbers I wrote on these are both very close to 1/8 inch tall, (You can just see the 2 in the bottom picture.)
and also these photos were right in front of the same 100W light bulb.

 

[mrsilv04]

The Wix and the NAPA ProSelect are not the same filter. The Wix is a premium filter, the ProSelect is an economy filter.

Unfortunately, you've done a good comparison of apples and oranges.

 

[river_rat]

Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
Unfortunately, you've done a good comparison of apples and oranges.

That was the idea. To show apples and oranges.
...The difference between cheap branded Wix, e.g. Proselect, et al, and Wix/NAPA Gold Wix.
Perhaps I attempted to answer the wrong question or the wrong poster?

 

[eljefino]

I appreciate the science involved in this. Too much armchair quarterbacking going on, thanks for breaking out the microscope. I expect anything that might make it through any holes the first time will still eventually get caught.

 

[Gary Allan]

Originally Posted By: edwardh1
Confusing
the real question is what differences exist, if any, between the wix filter and the Napa gold that come out of the same wix plant.

Some plants have only ONE assembly line and only paint different names on at the end.

In the late 80s I went to a saw blade plant near Boone n. carolina that made 8 brands and kinds of saw blades, jig, circular, band etc.
Only difference was at the end of the line the spray paint decals and packaging for different brands skill K mart sears miller, porter etc etc .
Is that like it is in the wix plant/??


I imagine that they have lines with given can diameters. Then to contour to demand one just sorts different can lengths and different media quality ..nitrile vs. silicon ..load the ProSelect software into the can label thingie. Have the fork lift put it in the warehouse (for all I know they have a Mann-Mann system on the part procurement and finished product handling.

Lots of companies use quality or surplus to determine what label is put on the wrapper ..or what suffix is put on the appliance number. Rent-A-Center gets a Whirlpool "C" suffix. THD may buy "B" or "C" ..or "A". Aldi bacon is miscuts ..I really think that their cereal and other stuff is excess capacity of regular producers at a pre-negotiated price. Most production lines are most efficient run 24/7 so you need somewhere to soak up your excess capacity or you lose money. Good economy ..some shortages at Aldi ..bad economy ...more availability up to a point.

 

[river_rat]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
I expect anything that might make it through any holes the first time will still eventually get caught.

Probably so. Less times through the bearings before it does--the better though.

 

[WellOiled]

Originally Posted by river_rat
Originally Posted by SuperBusa
I'm probably going to start using the PureONE or Bosch Premium on my Tacoma. I'm more 'confident' in filters that have metal end caps and the media is firmly potted into the end caps to ensure a tight seal. That's my personal preference.

Ya. I was using Densos for awhile on my Tacoma too, and decided I can really do better. Densos are OK, but I switched to a K&N for now and have some TRD PTR43-00080 filters on order. They are rated at 98% @ 20 microns.

I looked on Rock Auto and they aren't carrying these ProTec anymore. At least I couln't get anything to come up except for one closeout part number.

Rock Auto does sell Pro-Tec 159 filters.

 

[TheLawnRanger]

Originally Posted by WellOiled
Originally Posted by river_rat
Originally Posted by SuperBusa
I'm probably going to start using the PureONE or Bosch Premium on my Tacoma. I'm more 'confident' in filters that have metal end caps and the media is firmly potted into the end caps to ensure a tight seal. That's my personal preference.

Ya. I was using Densos for awhile on my Tacoma too, and decided I can really do better. Densos are OK, but I switched to a K&N for now and have some TRD PTR43-00080 filters on order. They are rated at 98% @ 20 microns.

I looked on Rock Auto and they aren't carrying these ProTec anymore. At least I couln't get anything to come up except for one closeout part number.

Rock Auto does sell Pro-Tec 159 filters.

Nice blast from the past. I'm sitting here thinking about getting a $20 box of Wix made filters until the guy mentions that his local Kragen's is turning into an O'Reilly soon. Then I look at the time stamp and see 2009. My face immediately turned into a lollipop with "SUCKER" written on it like in an old Loony Toons cartoon from the '50s. Thanks WellOiled.

 

[Pinoak]

You mean there was a time when you could have an intelligent conversation about oil filters on bitog?
One where most people didn't just slobber all over themselves as they babble on something like " fram ultra blah blah blah" and randomly parrot what ever they think it is that sings the tune of the current popular I in crowd?