Wix Quality = Poor

[The Critic]

Did a routine check-up on the Saturn tonight, and the air filter appeared rather dirty. Since I had forgotten to write down the mileage when I last installed a new air filter, I decided to go ahead and replace the filter with a new Wix one from my inventory.

The old filter was a Fram air filter. Just the normal Extra Guard, not the Tough Guard. The Fram filter had a lot more pleats than the Wix one, possibly twice the number. But that wasn't the concern.

With the airbox cover removed, the Fram filter fits snugly in the box. You cannot move it from side to side. But with the Wix filter, you can wiggle the filter about 1/2" from side-to-side.

Of course, this is all a moot point because the Wix filter still seals properly. However, I expected the Wix filter to fill the airbox completely like the Fram did.

 

[DieselTech]

The fram air filters are pretty dang good.

 

[The Critic]

Between this and Bill in Utah's issue with Wix using plastic gaskets, I'm starting to think Wix's quality may be a bit overrated.

 

[SLCraig]

All of the Wix air filters for different applications are different it seems..
The one on my Maxima fits like a glove, but it still has the standard looking pleats like a FRAM (which IMO is not bad) and it really doesn't concern me. It's just your standard air filter.

 

[DieselTech]

I already feel that way. A lot of people have real good luck with them, but not me. I went from using a fram in 99 to a pure and wanna just go back to a fram or get a AFE drop in. The AFE drop in for my application is a 7 layer filter ( proguard 7 ). I can't wait to cut these to Bosch oil filters open that i have in use now.

 

[hardcore302]

Fram air filters are great.

So are STP and Purolator.

 

[SuperBusa]

I just put a NAPA Gold 6116 (same as WIX 46116) in my '04 Altima last weekend and it fit very well, and construction was nice. Had tons of pleats (98 in ~11" length - counted them) ... over twice as many as the Nissan OEM that was in the car.

 

[MONKEYMAN]

FYI, my Napa Gold (Wix) air filter had a 1" hole sucked out of it within 7,000 miles right below where the air draws into the air snorkel tube. That was on my 99 SL2. Compared to OEM the material was thinner. I have used Fram with no problem since then. The Wix was made in South Korea. Wix was interested in evaluating it, but Napa put it in their filing system (trash can). Using a Wix oil filter now with confidence. Will never use their air filters again. Kinda the reverse of Fram.

 

[deeter16317]

Hmmm, I will watch this thread with interest...

 

[JHZR2]

was disapointed with the napa gold for a friends toyota matrix - not USA made.

Media and seals were identical.

 

[deeter16317]

I have a batch of Wix AFs at the house I just bought from RockAuto...I know a few of them are made in USA, but the majority were made elsewhere. I haven't really installed one yet, other than the truck which is the USA-made.

 

[daves87rs]

Bottom line, it will work for some, and not for others.


I've had better luck with Fram and Delco filters in my Ecotecs.



It just depends , I guess.

 

[Bill in Utah]

I sent back the Corolla WIX filters that I bought but kept the few I have for the Subaru, Vue and Silverado. (was VERY disappointed in their "customer service"

that I talked to a few times. They could care less)

Will not be buying any more of them. Over all they are not up to the same standards of a Fram or OEM.

Bill

PS: Here is my thread on my findings on WIX airfilters . (for the new guys)

 

[Texan4Life]

Originally Posted By: SLCraig
All of the Wix air filters for different applications are different it seems..


+1 the wix filter for my application (see sig) fits perfectly and has about 30 more pleats than the fram.

I still would like to get my hands on a pureone air filter to try out

 

[wavinwayne]

I have Wix air filters in my VW and my wife's Mercedes. Both fit as well or better than OEM. My VW's Wix air filter has more pleats than the Fram it replaced. I guess it's a toss up depending on what vehicle you have.

 

[deeter16317]

The only complaint I have ever had about the Wix filter in my truck is that the seal needs to be just ever so slightly thicker to give a more positive seal...its just not as tight as the OE.

 

[danthaman1980]

IMHO, the quality of air filters varies widely (depending on applicaiton) even within specific manufacturers. the USA-made WIX filters I've bought for my GM truck are all good quality - however, a Wix filter I bought for my wife's Toyota last year was IMO much lower quality than the OEM Toyota filter. That filter was not made in USA.

With air filters, we all have the luxury of being able to count pleats and evaluate the quality of the filter (at least visually) even before we purchase. As I've yet to find a really "bad" filter for my truck, I just by what is on sale, visually inspecting each filter for defects before I buy... For my wife's car, I'll be doing more searching to find a better made filter.

 

[SuperBusa]

Here a couple photos of the NAPA Gold 6116 for the Altima. Made in Mexico, but looked well constructed to me. Better than the Nissan OEM IMO. The NAPA Gold had over twice as many pleats - it has 98 pleats.

 

[mrsilv04]

Here's what Fram thinks passes for a quality product for my Silverado...

No thanks. This one was slid back into the box, and back up on the shelf for someone else to buy.

 

[Ike_Clanton]

Interesting how you virtually never see a cartridge OIL filter that looks shoddy, but air filters are all over the map. Kinda blows up my theory that cartridge filters always look nice because the filter maker knows you can see their work.

As a VW tech, I changed the oil a zillion times on various VWs with cartridge oil filters, and not once did I ever see ANY pleats messed up like I have here with the spin-on filters.