Opening oil filter boxes in stores....

[Nick R]

I'm sure most of us have all before we bought a filter opened the box to look at it. Well, I've found that it gets me strange looks from the people in the store, like I've lost my mind. They just don't understand. I did once and the service guy watched me the entire rest of the time I was in the store, like he thought I was going to steal something....

EdiT: kinda like the looks you get from the neighbors in a nice neighborhood when you...

A. Sniff the dipstick
B. smell the new oil
C. Change your own oil
D. Change transmission fluid
E. Open the hood at all
F. replace the tranny and have the old one sitting on jack stands in the driveway while work is being done. (Jeep)

 

[tenderloin]

The workers thought you were going to put a more expensive filter into a cheaper oil filter box.

One reason why Fram wraps their more expensive filters.

Concerning (F). Where I live that will get you a visit by the association ...fast. LOL

 

[wirelessF]

I do that too whenever I'm at Walmart. I bought a Motorcraft filter for my truck and opened the box to see if someone swap out the oil filters with a Fram or a mismatched filter.

 

[paulo57509]

I always open the box of the oil filter before I buy it. Just to make sure the gasket/seals are there. I've sold and bought a few that had missing gaskets/seals.

 

[meangreen01]

I knew there had to be some benefit to living in a non-sophisticated, redneck neighborhood, lol!!! I don't have to worry about getting looks from "those" types of people, lol.

Guy down the block appears to be stuck on a brake job on a '96 Explorer. Been up on jackstands for the last 3 months with garbage bags over the spindles. Old guy two doors down has a '84 F-150 with a camper in the bed that hasn't run since I moved in 5 yrs ago. I see him wander out there from time-to-time to fiddle around underneath the hood, obviously without success. Guy 2 blocks away has a Durango that changes it's own oil. His driveway and spot on the street where he parks surely are going to be designated as a superfund site any day now...

And I'm guilty of opening the box at WM checking out the filter before I buy.

 

[hisilver]

i try to do it quietly when no ones around. I even compare two of the same ones to choose the "best" one.

 

[defektes]

Originally Posted By: meangreen01
I knew there had to be some benefit to living in a non-sophisticated, redneck neighborhood, lol!!! I don't have to worry about getting looks from "those" types of people, lol.

Guy down the block appears to be stuck on a brake job on a '96 Explorer. Been up on jackstands for the last 3 months with garbage bags over the spindles. Old guy two doors down has a '84 F-150 with a camper in the bed that hasn't run since I moved in 5 yrs ago. I see him wander out there from time-to-time to fiddle around underneath the hood, obviously without success. Guy 2 blocks away has a Durango that changes it's own oil. His driveway and spot on the street where he parks surely are going to be designated as a superfund site any day now...
And I'm guilty of opening the box at WM checking out the filter before I buy.

 

[SAJEFFC]

Originally Posted By: hisilver
i try to do it quietly when no ones around. I even compare two of the same ones to choose the "best" one.
LOL! I do the same...you just know one's better than the other and I'm scared I'll get the chitty one!

 

[Kiwi_ME]

It's perfectly acceptable to inspect a product before you buy it. It doesn't hurt to ask first on larger items.

 

[Patman]

I always open the box to make sure someone didn't put a cheaper one in there. It happened to me once when I used to buy the old AC Delco PF35L filters for my 95 Trans Am. That was a special filter that AC Delco used to make that had a better filtering media than the regular PF35 and it was a couple of bucks more. I was travelling in the US and stopped off at an Autozone (or Pepboys?) and picked up three of these filters, but in one of those boxes I got stuck with the regular PF35 instead of the PF35L. Ever since then I always check the boxes first before I buy.

 

[Mr Nice]

I was at PepBoys about a year ago and the manager caught a customer trying to put a Mobil 1 oil filter in a Proline box.

manager: WHAT ARE YOU DOING ???

customer: just comparing the size of both filters

manager: GET THE [censored] OUT OF MY STORE !!!

 

[Vizzy]

I see NO reason why you can't open the box and check the condition of the filter....

Because I can understand why the store staff might be suspicious I take the un opened box up to the register and tell the cashier that I am just taking the filter out of the box to check to make sure it is in go condition with no defects....if there is a problem I just have the guy go back to the shelf and get another part..

From experience you should check....often times you WILL find a damaged or defective part in that box..sometimes another customers has mistakenly (or not) put the wrong filter back in another box.

 

[sciphi]

I'll check 1 filter at a time. Found a SuperTech in a Fram box once. Haven't found anything else out of the ordinary so far.

 

[Silver02ex]

Originally Posted By: sciphi
I'll check 1 filter at a time. Found a SuperTech in a Fram box once. Haven't found anything else out of the ordinary so far.


Wow, I would have just walked out with the ST.

 

[paulo57509]

I was at WM a few hours ago and I opened a few boxes; the local WM is carrying the redesignated AC-Delco "E" part numbers and I had to take a look.

Anyway, If I'm opening up a box I make sure I don't damage it.

 

[Virtuoso]

AutoZone used to open the boxes and check the filters during check-out.. but I have not seen them do that for a while now.

 

[VWguy]

I also open the box just to inspect my possible upcomming purchase. But one time while I was in an Autozone here in Los Angeles, I wanted to see if there was an obvious difference between the Fram PH8-A and the HP-1. Well, the HP-1 box had a PH8-A inside, so I am assuming that a switch was made here but the more I thought about it all the guy got was Fram quality. Can you imagine the thought of going to jail for stealing a fram oil filter??

 

[OilNerd]

Originally Posted By: rudolphna
I'm sure most of us have all before we bought a filter opened the box to look at it. Well, I've found that it gets me strange looks from the people in the store, like I've lost my mind....


Been there. I still do the visual. anyway.

Originally Posted By: rudolphna
EdiT: kinda like the looks you get from the neighbors in a nice neighborhood when you...


No problems, here. I live on a rural road with neighbors that are even stranger than myself.

 

[twentynine]

Originally Posted By: tenderloin
The workers thought you were going to put a more expensive filter into a cheaper oil filter box.

One reason why Fram wraps their more expensive filters.

Concerning (F). Where I live that will get you a visit by the association ...fast. LOL


Really the association!!!!!

I like them guys.

Windy
and
Never My Love

Those are my favorites.

I am off to wally world to open me some of the boxes, hope I get the visit.

 

[crazyoildude]

i not only open the box i look at the case i look at the threads i run my finger inside, i smell it i also check the anti drainback valve by blowing into it... I did that tonight i also noticed the classic purolator smells a little different and also they all seem to be a little sticky.. And yes i try to do it when nobody is watching but im sur security gets a good laugh... My friends wont buy filters when im with them..