Never confuse retail price with manufacturing cost.
Which is what people want to do when comparing filters.
Frams manufacturing cost differential ( paper endcaps and all) v Purolator, Wix , Champ made product might be anywhere from equal to, to less than 5 cents difference based on volume of filters produced for standard filters. The same is true no matter which brand one compares. Wix v Purolator. Or Champ v Wix, etc...
What consumers claim is "cheap"..ain't cheap when you build it comparatively.
What you pay is based on what the market will bear.
When you pay .01 cents for a Purolator..doesn't that make that filter "Cheap"? Mail in rebate or not..it stil cost to produce the filter.
As mentioned before Frams --selling price--- includes a whole lot of marketing costs, including their race programs. Wix and Purolator also advertise or sponsor racing, so that is included in their costs. Champ does not advertise anyhwere near the extent of the others, nor sponsor any form of racing/race car.
This is what --you--pay for..
