Why buy a premium Filter

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After reading the "is supertech good enough" post I actually realized that I do buy pure 1 and Napa Gold just becuase they "cost" more so I percieve that they are better. I would like some of the filter experts to chime in and give the pro's of a $5 napa gold or Pure 1 over lets say a value priced $2 oil filter. Lets make this exclusively for extended drains of 7k or higher.
 
Some expensive filter's have advantages. Although Supertech's construction is good, I've found their quality control a little worse then even other Champion filters.

Pure one and Wix filters have silicone ADBV, IMO this is a must for extended drains.

-T
 
I prefer the bypass valve that Wix (Napa Gold) filters provide - also the silicon ADBV is a plus, along with it's "glass enhanced" filter media.

Nothing wrong with a Supertech filter..especially at $2! I just like the way other filters are constructed better. When I'm paying almost $5/quart for my oil to run 7.5k+ intervals I don't want to cheap out on the filter.
 
On my Mitsu engine a Pure 1 is the only reasonably priced filter that eliminates any start-up rattle. The adbv seems to work well in these. I don't do exended drains with it though.

On my car, I received expert advice about which filter to use to possibly reduce insolubles on extended drains. Can't share the info, however. It is well constructed and cost more than $5.
 
I like the purolator premium plus filters. Aside from the silicon ADBV and the media, they're identical to the pure 1. Both have the same end cap style bypass valve for my application. The plus gives me the least amount of start-up noise of any filter, even wix. I used to think that a higher priced filter is better, but after trying out different ones and cutting them open, I settled on the plus. What really sold me is Bob's tests of how the cheapo fram put out better wear numbers than the Mobil 1. Plus, the premium plus is always on sale 2 for 1 at Pep Boys and Advance Auto.
cheers.gif
 
I really wonder about the payback from a better filter. When you consider the millions of cars that survive having an orange or Iffy Lube colored can hanging off them, surely the better low cost filters are good enough. While many of the Fram crowd are into 3000 miles, I am sure many of them forget and go longer.
 
I think most other Volvo owner's would agree....the standard "Mann" oil filters are the only real premium choice for these cars. If I were in a pinch, I could fall back on a Pure One or Bosch filter. But as long as my local Mann supplier stays in business, that's not gonna happen.
 
The last 2 I have used (including the one I have on right now) are K&N but since I discoverd that the Purolator Premium Plus flows even better and filters slightly better I have bought 2 for my next 2 OC's, if I could not find the PPP I would buy a MotorCraft since I have the 4.6 Triton.
 
Wn1998,
I can see your point. I really had no idea about filters till I found this site and Honda-tech. Then I started paying attention to air and oil filters. I always used M1 oil in my cars. My last car, 1998 Ranger, with 120K miles and never ever in the shop unless it was oil changes and once brakes, performed fine with a Fram filter. Now my bro-inlaw has it with about 150K miles and nothing wrong with it. And he just changed it to a M1 filter.

I have 2 Honda's now and use the OEM filter, not the Fram made one, but the Filtech one.

On my Ranger I was using a Purolator air filter and on my Honda's up in till recently K&N. I now changed to Wix with better performance noticed on both Hondas.

[ January 04, 2005, 06:30 PM: Message edited by: JMG ]
 
quote:

Originally posted by labman:
I really wonder about the payback from a better filter. When you consider the millions of cars that survive having an orange or Iffy Lube colored can hanging off them, surely the better low cost filters are good enough. While many of the Fram crowd are into 3000 miles, I am sure many of them forget and go longer.

For the millions of Ford and GM owners with normal oci's you might be right. It's hard to beat the value in a Motorcraft or AC-Delco.

In extending drains, though, don't you think it may be more of an issue as far as holding capacity and the media being more durable, etc. I may be all wet, but don't you think some filters have a better ability to reduce the insolubles than others for extended drain apps?
 
I think if one is going to buy so called "Premium" oil filters, one should just suck it up and get a bypass oil filter set up like OilGuard at app $150. There is no way a premium filter can match the lower micron filtering capability and higher capacity(plus 1 qt) of the bypass system.


I, myself am using between 15,000 and 20,000 mile oil and filter changes with the 2 dollar filter and Mobil One synthetic products. This would put the OCI's (according to the oem of Oil guard) at 2x or in my case 30,000 and 40,000 between OCI's.

A documentation of the math might be a tad tedious for this thread, so here are some numbers.
OCI's of 3k,5k,7.5k,10k,15k,20k,30k,40k,
2-4 dollars for the commodity oil filter
5-7 dollars for normal oil filters,
Premuium oil filters like Mobil One, 7-10. Synthetic Mobil One oils 4 dollars.
ExxonMobil Superflo at 1.
OilGuard filter element 11.
Service life of 250,000 miles for the vehicle.

10,000 mile OCIs with either commodity or normal filters with conventional Exxon Superflo is the cheapest. (at between 75-175)The only problem is 10k on conventional might be pushing it and might require a few UOA's to dial in.

My operative behavior: $2. oil filters, 15,000 to 20,000 mile OCI's, 4 qts synthetic oil = %234./$306. = pretty low cost per mile lubricated over 250,000 miles, .000936 cents/.001224 cents.

(cheapest of all the oil change intervals oil and filter combinations) Have fun doing the math.
cheers.gif


[ January 04, 2005, 12:56 PM: Message edited by: ruking77 ]
 
quote:

Originally posted by wn1998:
After reading the "is supertech good enough" post I actually realized that I do buy pure 1 and Napa Gold just becuase they "cost" more so I percieve that they are better. I would like some of the filter experts to chime in and give the pro's of a $5 napa gold or Pure 1 over lets say a value priced $2 oil filter. Lets make this exclusively for extended drains of 7k or higher.

To me it depends on how the filter is mounted. In my Toyota thedamn filter is mounted almost diagonally with the open end down hill. I Chose the OEM toyota filters for this application because of drain back concerns.
On The Mitsubishi the filter is mounted upright with the opening uphill. I don't worry about drainback on it so it gets the supertech.
No Noise on either one. I am really begining to question the wiseness of going all the way to the Toyota dealer to pick up filters and may go to the premium plus for that application. I plan on stretching the intervals on the Mitsubishi. I shall see if supertechs have an issue beyond 5k mile intervals.
 
Where Did you guys read that Bobs Test showed that Fram Out Filtered the Mobil One Oil Filter. I would Like to Read This.
 
quote:

Originally posted by FFeng7:
Where Did you guys read that Bobs Test showed that Fram Out Filtered the Mobil One Oil Filter. I would Like to Read This.

Read more of the post, the Fram was in bypass, in a later test it did worse.

The test would have been more accurate if it would have been done with thinner oil and on a filter with a higher bypass rating.
 
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