Premium Guard oil filters. A look inside...

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Originally Posted By: Racefiend
Right now I'm still researching my options. My current suppliers are O'Reilly (CSK) and Autozone. They don't give much of a discount at all, and they don't carry purolator. My other supplier only carries Fram products, and the Extended guards are too expensive. I just set up an account with Napa, so I'm going to see what they carry and my price on Napa Golds. I'm waiting to hear back from another supplier that carries Bosch.

The problem is trying to compete with the places that charge pennies for oil changes. They sell [censored] products, make little money, and then make up the difference upselling [censored] products the customer doesn't need. I refuse to use that tactic. So I need to find quality products that are reasonably priced to compete.

Most people aren't going to pay a premium for an oil change when they think an oil change is just an oil change. They don't realize there's a difference in the products available, and possible consequences for skimping out. I'd love to carry top notch oil and filters, but who's going to pay $50+ for an oil change?

I have a PH8A equivalent of this filter coming. We'll see what it looks like.


You might inquire pricing from this supplier: http://www.mightyautoparts.com/

I know some shops around here use them. Their filters are now built by Purolater. I've cut a couple of them open. They all seem identical to Purolater Classics to me.

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So I'm curious if a shop like yours is able to get something like Purolator Classics for a good jobber price? The Purolator Classic is a known good filter for the money. Very well constructed and good performance (97.5% @ 20 microns).
Many speculate that _________ or _________ is equal to a Puro Classic (97.5%) because the media and construction "looks identical". Yet none can offer any proof.

Most all the filters made by Purolator look similar in constuction, but have a different efficiency rating. As an example, PowerFlo's when they were made, looked identical to the then Puro Prem. Plus. Another example is one of my favorites the AAP Total Grip, as the pic below shows it looks identical to the Classic. However, the AAPTG is rated at 94% multipass, and has slightly less media than PP/Classic.

Not saying these filters aren't decent construction and good oil filters. Just saying, these private name Purolator made products aren't necessarily the equal in efficiency to the Classic at 97.5%. In fact, IMO I doubt they are.

As to the OP's filter, it looks decent. However, if comparable filters are spec'd for a bypass and PG's don't have it, I wouldn't use it no matter the price.

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Originally Posted By: Racefiend
Right now I'm still researching my options. My current suppliers are O'Reilly (CSK) and Autozone. They don't give much of a discount at all, and they don't carry purolator. My other supplier only carries Fram products, and the Extended guards are too expensive. I just set up an account with Napa, so I'm going to see what they carry and my price on Napa Golds. I'm waiting to hear back from another supplier that carries Bosch.

The problem is trying to compete with the places that charge pennies for oil changes. They sell [censored] products, make little money, and then make up the difference upselling [censored] products the customer doesn't need. I refuse to use that tactic. So I need to find quality products that are reasonably priced to compete.

Most people aren't going to pay a premium for an oil change when they think an oil change is just an oil change. They don't realize there's a difference in the products available, and possible consequences for skimping out. I'd love to carry top notch oil and filters, but who's going to pay $50+ for an oil change?

I have a PH8A equivalent of this filter coming. We'll see what it looks like.


That's good insight from an insider, and I applaud your ethics. Everything isn't so simple, in the global economy, as you show. Honesty is not the goal these days. I for one would pay the $50 for a quality, honest, oil change, but unfortunately I do my own.
 
You mentioned Autozone as a possible supplier. A friend of mine has a shop and buys a lot of oil filters from them. Their Valucraft line is generally made by Champion labs and seem to be fine. The box is boring, yellow, and devoid of cool graphics or catchy text/specs but he's had no complaints. On the stocking program he has he says he gets them between $1.74-2.79 each, and sometimes gets a better deal if he gets a ton at once.

Just FYI, and best of luck with everything!
 
Do you have a carquest nearby? I have several shops in my area that use carquest blues for their budget oil change. I think the carquest blue is the equivalent of napa gold and normal Wix oil filters.
 
Originally Posted By: Racefiend
Right now I'm still researching my options. My current suppliers are O'Reilly (CSK) and Autozone. They don't give much of a discount at all, and they don't carry purolator. My other supplier only carries Fram products, and the Extended guards are too expensive. I just set up an account with Napa, so I'm going to see what they carry and my price on Napa Golds. I'm waiting to hear back from another supplier that carries Bosch.

The problem is trying to compete with the places that charge pennies for oil changes. They sell [censored] products, make little money, and then make up the difference upselling [censored] products the customer doesn't need. I refuse to use that tactic. So I need to find quality products that are reasonably priced to compete.

Most people aren't going to pay a premium for an oil change when they think an oil change is just an oil change. They don't realize there's a difference in the products available, and possible consequences for skimping out. I'd love to carry top notch oil and filters, but who's going to pay $50+ for an oil change?

I have a PH8A equivalent of this filter coming. We'll see what it looks like.


The Bosch filters are nice, maybe they will come in at a good price for you. I like your business style and I must believe that if you can advertise your business as offering an oil change using high quality parts and oil and NOT ripping people off with up-selling - you may very well get a strong customer base. I think people will go somewhere to get what the want and even pay a few dollars more for it.

BEST of luck to you!
 
Each Napa is different but this is our store group value line oil filter program for shops: We sell bulk packaged case quantities of of Napa ProSelects i.e. 21040MP etc for $1.66 each for the most common part numbers. We also offer a 2% discount for any orders placed online thru the ProLink catalog system, 2% for paying your bill by the 10th, and Napa Autocare centers also get a 4-6% rebate check from Napa. Being Napa, you are covered if something goes wrong i.e. filter labor claim. I have sold/ran part stores for 20+ years and only seen less than 5 labor claims on oil filters but Wix/Napa paid them. Will a "wagon peddler" selling ultra cheap no name filters do that-I doubt it.

Most of the successful shops in my area offer an upgraded lube service that includes a Napa Gold filter instead of a ProSelect. Easy $5-10 upgrade. The secret is to have a couple of cut apart oil filters to actually show the difference to your customers. Besides being a good tech, you have to up-sell if you want to turn a loss leader type of service to a profit center.

No matter where you get your parts. Pay your bill on time to get any discount offered-it is pure profit for your shop. That 2% discount really adds up over time and can sometimes make or break a shop. I'm shocked at the number of shops that don't take advantage of it. It's hard to be a good tech and businessman at the same time.

Dave
 
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Another option is Group 7 filters. I know of a lot of shops and some of my friend's use them at home. Made by Purolator but, like someone said. I don't know what the stats are of the filters or efficiency rating is if, different from the retail line of Purolators.
 
Racefiend, where in vacaville? I live in the fairfield area. Anyways have you tried service champ? There filters are madein usa by champ labs except for some cartridge filters. But there very good filters. It is what we use in my shop. And they can supply almost everything at a good price. There located in fairfield too. Free delivery over 250
 
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I have been using premium Guard filters for some time now at my shop. There comparable to Napa gold filters. As for the PG111 you have cut open the others in this thread are correct that filter has no bypass valve. These filters are of good quality and have great price. Since your here in California you should contact {removed non-site sponsor link} there here in California and the prices are great. And to any nay Sayers Premium Guard has come a long way in 5 years.
 
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Push quality, charge a little more, and don't sell yourself short.

Look for Purolator, Wix, Champ, or equivalent quality from your local auto part store. And, advertise as such that you only use the best/highest quality filters on the market.

Think of the reputation of your shop if you have a filter caused engine failure with a Loop or Premium Guard or ....
 
I've been using Premium Guards in my Pontiac Vibe's for a couple of years now.

I bought a case of them from my parts store for about $1.75 each.

I run them to 7500 miles if I've got synthetic oil in the engine, or 5000 with non synthetic.

Seem to be working okay for me.
 
Originally Posted By: unDummy
Push quality, charge a little more, and don't sell yourself short.

Look for Purolator, Wix, Champ, or equivalent quality from your local auto part store. And, advertise as such that you only use the best/highest quality filters on the market.

Think of the reputation of your shop if you have a filter caused engine failure with a Loop or Premium Guard or ....


Sounds like a good plan, but to the average person getting their oil changed, I really don't think they know of, or care of any differences in oil filters.

If they find a place offering an oil chance for $17.99 instead of $19.99, they'll chose by price.
 
Originally Posted By: thelubeguy
I have been using premium Guard filters for some time now at my shop. There comparable to Napa gold filters.
I think you meant they're comparable to the NAPA Pro Select...definitely not to the Gold.
 
these are Wix B econo filters.. nitrile gasket, relief valve is the spring, which is unique to Wix.
They're a decent filter, the casing isn't as strong as the actual Wix filters.. but you're paying what.. 60% less?
Still can't go wrong.
 
PG filters are all sourced from China,Korea,Taiwan...etc.The parent company is "International Distributing USA".They also package and label filters for Parts Plus and other "home brand" labels (JC Whitney sells them too).Their oil filters arent all bad,and their air filters seem to be excellently put together.Very competitive pricing on fuel and air and cabin filters.
 
Originally Posted By: NHGUY
PG filters are all sourced from China,Korea,Taiwan...etc.The parent company is "International Distributing USA".They also package and label filters for Parts Plus and other "home brand" labels (JC Whitney sells them too).Their oil filters arent all bad,and their air filters seem to be excellently put together.Very competitive pricing on fuel and air and cabin filters.


I'm still curious as to exactly who would pay for a the results of a catastrophic filter failure with a PG filter. As reported earlier, NAPA will stand behind their products.
 
We use Carquest Red filters, which are equivalent Purolator Classic , Napa Silver and other value offerings. Good quality wix product, most of them have a nitrile ADBV but most of them also cost the store < $2.00 . Great for a 3 ~ 5k mile oci imho. They either come boxed or if you buy bulk, they come plastic shrink wrapped. Very Very Very rarely do we have to look at another vendor for filters, and its usually for certain cartridge filters which is a weakness for Wix. So we use fram or equivalent if we have to. Happens rare enough that doesnt make a big dent in the cost and the customer is a happy camper.
 
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Wow, nice looking filter for the price.

I use Wix for the silicon ADBV because of the climate here, but the revised Wix filter for my Fit uses nitrile.

I get my filters for about 8$ a pop so your filter looks great for 1.50$ ea!!!
 
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