New Fram marketing tricks

[Audioquest]

I was just out at Canadian Tire and noticed several things going on. First of all, they are clearing out their "Motomaster" line of oil filters completely. The "Formula 1" filters are gone as well.

The Fram boxes have changed here in Canada. The XG is now referred to as the "Synthetic motor oil filter". It now sells for $9.99 instead of $12.99. The orange can of doom filters now have a "C" in front of the PH, eg: CPH3593A.

The awful Fram Double Guard is gone as well.

They are still stocking the new Purolator made Quaker State filters, but not in great numbers.

 

[Propflux01]

The 'C' in the part number is probably for "Canadian'. I wonder if there is a difference?

 

[olympic]

Yep, Fram has basically taken over C-Tire and Walmart around here. Thankfully the smaller retailers have stayed the course and Napa, WIX, etc are still available to those who know better. I'll just continue to order Amsoil filters by the case.

 

[Ugly3]

And what part of all this is the Fram marketing "trick"?

 

[Audioquest]

I think the "trick" is definately in the way they now market the XG filter. Calling it a "synthetic oil filter" is ludicrous. Another "trick" is the replacement of the house brand "Motomaster" filters (which were Frams anyway) with the nice new shiny orange filters. People are going to think, "boy, I'm sure glad Canadian Tire now sells Fram instead of those crappy Motomaster filters".

 

[98AV6]

Today, it's a wall of orange filters at my local CTC I've noticed the Tough Guard/Formula 1 and X2 line have dissappeared. The Extended Guard looks like the old X2 with fuzzy orange media and silcone ADBV but at 9.99 is 5$ cheaper. From some of the posts I've read here ,the XG filtration is as good as a WIX?

 

[dcormann]

I bought a few of the FRAM synthetic oil filters on the weekend. Did anyone else notice that instead of 7000 miles, these ones are rated at 11000 miles ( compared to the X2 ). They still say extended guard on the filter too.

I think at $9.99, it looks like we might be getting a deal here compared to the X2.

I do hope that after the Formula 1 filters sell out that CTC starts also selling the ToughGuards up here.

While I'm not a fan of the famous Orange Wearguard, I think the more expensive filters are decent - I honestly think they are good value.

We change our oil yearly in our family cars and have used so far Mobil Delvac 1. So far we have been using the Formula 1 filters as well.

Now that Walmart doesn't have this oil anymore, and CTC is ending the Formula 1 filters, this year we did Fram Synthetic ( X2 ) filters and Petro Canada Duron 5W40.

 

[Audioquest]

Instead of paying $9.99 at CTC for a Fram, why not check out Acklands-Grainger (a Canadian company) where you can get high quality Baldwin filters cheaper than the Frams at CTC. My B227 and B173-S were $8 and $7 respectively. I'll take them anyday over the Frams.

 

[BlazerLT]

quote:

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The orange can of doom filters now have a "C" in front of the PH, eg: CPH3593A.

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God a laughed hard at that.

 

[RedWolf4000]

It seems to me gentlemen that in the years to come with all these Super Wal-Marts and other huge discount stores that FRAM gets the wall space for, we will be seeing an end to the mom and pop auto stores that still sell the real brands. I am sad to say that I only know of 1 place that still sells Wix in my area. FRAM is everywhere, and i am forced to go to my chevy dealer to get the AC DELCO oil filter for $8 a pop. As long as people see the majority of shelf space taken up by FRAM and its claims of being America's #1 oil filters (in sales) there really isnt much we can do about it but not buy them.

Its a sad time in automotive preventive maintanance.