Napa dumping Wix as supplier?

[MParr]

The new Premium Guard made NAPA Gold filters are quality stuff. However, the Microgard Select and Carquest Premium are essentially the same filters and can be purchased cheaper.
The only WIX oil filters that I would buy now are the cartridge filters.

 

[CleanSump]

Their Euro filters from what I have bought have been made in Germany. The Microguard select is looking like a good very well made alternative.

​

The last few Mann for BMW and Mercedes I bought were made in Germany. I have gotten at least one made in Poland and have read that people have gotten Mann marked as made in Mexico for VWs. I don't have a VW anymore so am not up on that.

 

[97prizm]

According to my local NAPA guy, it was because of the COVID shortage. Wix could not supply filters, so NAPA have been progressively moving different part numbers over to other vendors.

Is wix that small of a company where they couldn't get supplies to make oil filters

 

[MParr]

Is wix that small of a company where they couldn't get supplies to make oil filters

There was a changeover in design from the Affinia made WIX to the Purolator designs. That could have contributed.

 

[Fair enough]

Is wix that small of a company where they couldn't get supplies to make oil filters

A big company but yes.

 

[loneryder]

Their Euro filters from what I have bought have been made in Germany. The Microguard select is looking like a good very well made alternative.

​

Belgium and Poland also.

 

[Panamint Valley]

Late to this thread but wanted to document some things for anyone interested. Overall, I'm disappointed in the move away from Wix.

I have a small inventory of NAPA 1085 filters circa 2021-2024 as shown here.

From what I can see upon close inspection, the filter in the MIDDLE of the picture is the best:
LEFT side of picture: 21085 ProFormer, Made in China, unknown manufacturer, lighter gauge cover plate with threaded insert, black rubber or nitrile anti-drain back valve, cellulose media
MIDDLE of picture: 1085 Gold, Made in USA, MANN+HUMMEL / Wix, heavy gauge full-width threaded cover plate, orange silicone anti-drain back valve, hybrid media
RIGHT side of picture: 1085 Gold (re-packaged W 920/21 from Covid-era), Made in Germany, MANN+HUMMEL, heavy gauge full-width threaded cover plate, white plastic(?) anti-drain back valve, cellulose(?) media

Here are close-up pictures of each filter in the same order, left-to-right:

Also, looking at pictures of the latest 1085 Gold from NAPA's website, it looks like the new ones are made in China and have a cover plate that is similar to the ProFormer grade, as seen here.

All of this leads me to believe the older 1085 Gold from Wix is the best of the bunch, plus I prefer to see things made here at home so people have means of productive employment besides service-sector jobs. After I burn through my current inventory, I'm probably going to try some other brands as I was primarily buying NAPA Gold filters because of where they were made and the reputation Wix used to have (and still had from what I can see here).

 

[ZeeOSix]

WIX is Mann+Hummel so they aren't as good as they use to be, and have seen various manufacturing quality issues.

 

[MParr]

Late to this thread but wanted to document some things for anyone interested. Overall, I'm disappointed in the move away from Wix.

I have a small inventory of NAPA 1085 filters circa 2021-2024 as shown here.
View attachment 337958
From what I can see upon close inspection, the filter in the MIDDLE of the picture is the best:
LEFT side of picture: 21085 ProFormer, Made in China, unknown manufacturer, lighter gauge cover plate with threaded insert, black rubber or nitrile anti-drain back valve, cellulose media
MIDDLE of picture: 1085 Gold, Made in USA, MANN+HUMMEL / Wix, heavy gauge full-width threaded cover plate, orange silicone anti-drain back valve, hybrid media
RIGHT side of picture: 1085 Gold (re-packaged W 920/21 from Covid-era), Made in Germany, MANN+HUMMEL, heavy gauge full-width threaded cover plate, white plastic(?) anti-drain back valve, cellulose(?) media

Here are close-up pictures of each filter in the same order, left-to-right:
View attachment 337959
View attachment 337960
View attachment 337961

Also, looking at pictures of the latest 1085 Gold from NAPA's website, it looks like the new ones are made in China and have a cover plate that is similar to the ProFormer grade, as seen here.
View attachment 337962

All of this leads me to believe the older 1085 Gold from Wix is the best of the bunch, plus I prefer to see things made here at home so people have means of productive employment besides service-sector jobs. After I burn through my current inventory, I'm probably going to try some other brands as I was primarily buying NAPA Gold filters because of where they were made and the reputation Wix used to have (and still had from what I can see here).

From the picture that you posted, the repackaged Mann (right) is the best of the bunch.
The new NAPA Gold filters may be made in China, Vietnam, Malaysia, or Korea.
I won't buy any canned filter made by WIX/Purolator/Mann+Hummel coming out of their North Carolina plants. They are utter garbage and are basically Purolator designs.

 

[Panamint Valley]

From the picture that you posted, the repackaged Mann (right) is the best of the bunch.
The new NAPA Gold filters may be made in China, Vietnam, Malaysia, or Korea.
I won't buy any canned filter made by WIX/Purolator/Mann+Hummel coming out of their North Carolina plants. They are utter garbage and are basically Purolator designs.

Interesting. I might buy a new Wix-branded filter just for comparison.

One thing I saw inside the MANN+HUMMEL filter was that the relief spring was visible on the top side of the bypass valve and was retained with four thin folded sheet metal tabs, whereas the ProFormer had the spring hidden on the bottom side of the bypass valve, and the Gold had an entirely different design with the spring up near the cover plate. I doubt any of them are likely to cause a problem, but the MANN+HUMMEL design looked the most vulnerable in terms of potential to introduce small parts to the oil supply if the tabs were bent incorrectly.

 

[MParr]

Interesting. I might buy a new Wix-branded filter just for comparison.

One thing I saw inside the MANN+HUMMEL filter was that the relief spring was visible on the top side of the bypass valve and was retained with four thin folded sheet metal tabs, whereas the ProFormer had the spring hidden on the bottom side of the bypass valve, and the Gold had an entirely different design with the spring up near the cover plate. I doubt any of them are likely to cause a problem, but the MANN+HUMMEL design looked the most vulnerable in terms of potential to introduce small parts to the oil supply if the tabs were bent incorrectly.

The WIX/Purolator design (center) is likely to introduce bits of assembly glue into the system. Also, those louvers may or may not be open.
If you want to run WIX or Purolator canister filters on your vehicles, have at it. They won't go on anything of mine. That includes the Motorcraft canister filters.

 

[ZeeOSix]

That includes the Motorcraft canister filters.

I dropped Motorcafts like a hot potato due to the junk black glue that sheds during use. Unexceptionable way to built an oil filter.

 

[jkhawaii]

I don’t want to see made in china, or Vietnam on my oil filter if I can help it.

 

[MParr]

I don’t want to see made in china, or Vietnam on my oil filter if I can help it.

Same here. However, the choice of well made North American oil filters is nonexistent. Mann+Hummel and First Brands saw to that. Mann+Hummel could remedy their particular quality control problems by reverting to the old Affinia designs that WIX used.

 

[PMT133]

Same here. However, the choice of well made North American oil filters is nonexistent. Mann+Hummel and First Brands saw to that. Mann+Hummel could remedy their particular quality control problems by reverting to the old Affinia designs that WIX used.

Hengst is about the only one that comes to mind... and even that is extremely limited. Their german made filters have always been fantastic though as have the few US made ones I've cone across.

 

[Fair enough]

Late to this thread but wanted to document some things for anyone interested. Overall, I'm disappointed in the move away from Wix.

I have a small inventory of NAPA 1085 filters circa 2021-2024 as shown here.
View attachment 337958
From what I can see upon close inspection, the filter in the MIDDLE of the picture is the best:
LEFT side of picture: 21085 ProFormer, Made in China, unknown manufacturer, lighter gauge cover plate with threaded insert, black rubber or nitrile anti-drain back valve, cellulose media
MIDDLE of picture: 1085 Gold, Made in USA, MANN+HUMMEL / Wix, heavy gauge full-width threaded cover plate, orange silicone anti-drain back valve, hybrid media
RIGHT side of picture: 1085 Gold (re-packaged W 920/21 from Covid-era), Made in Germany, MANN+HUMMEL, heavy gauge full-width threaded cover plate, white plastic(?) anti-drain back valve, cellulose(?) media

Here are close-up pictures of each filter in the same order, left-to-right:
View attachment 337959
View attachment 337960
View attachment 337961

Also, looking at pictures of the latest 1085 Gold from NAPA's website, it looks like the new ones are made in China and have a cover plate that is similar to the ProFormer grade, as seen here.
View attachment 337962

All of this leads me to believe the older 1085 Gold from Wix is the best of the bunch, plus I prefer to see things made here at home so people have means of productive employment besides service-sector jobs. After I burn through my current inventory, I'm probably going to try some other brands as I was primarily buying NAPA Gold filters because of where they were made and the reputation Wix used to have (and still had from what I can see here).

The cover plate is over a base plate in that style that extends all the way into the crimp. Most others end the cover plate near the crimp so the actual base plate is more visible. The thread isn’t an insert on the thin cover plate.

 

[MKZman]

Dang, Is the junk in Motorcraft filters present on all MC filters? I had liked Wix but reports here are now negative.

The market may stratify even more...junk at lower prices and a big jump betters with no middle ground. I considered Wix middle ground.

 

[MParr]

Dang, Is the junk in Motorcraft filters present on all MC filters? I had liked Wix but reports here are now negative.

The market may stratify even more...junk at lower prices and a big jump betters with no middle ground. I considered Wix middle ground.

No! Only the Motorcraft cartridge filters are unaffected. That statement carries over to WIX and Purolator cartridge filters. Stay away from the canned filters (cannister).

 

[SmokeEater2]

Well that's disappointing! I've always bought Motorcraft filters for my F250 because I assumed they were a quality filter.