Affinia filters bought by Mann-Hummel

[Sayjac]

Originally Posted By: SilverC6
You can bet with NAPA anchoring the lion's share of Wix filter sales, they will have something to say about any erosion of Wix quality.

Unlike commercial retailers like Walmart who sell everything without any real ownership, NAPA has a high standard and reputation in the jobber market to maintain.

So my theory is Wix will remain strong as long as NAPA is in the loop.

Excellent points. Hopefully you are correct in that assessment. The Wix Napa connection is certainly a very important one. Like me, clearly you are not one who views Wix as a disposable entity.

 

[danthaman1980]

Originally Posted By: HWEaton
Affinia bought out.



Nooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!

Well it was nice while it lasted.

Now we can look forward to Wix quality taking a nosedive, eventual outsourcing of current U.S.-made Wix filters to Mexico or China, and Wix becoming the next OCOD/Tearolator. Give it 3-5 years, it will happen.

Somebody wake me up when U.S.-made Wix filters hit closeout on Rockauto for ~$2 each.

 

[Bigdaddyeasy]

Originally Posted By: SilverC6
You can bet with NAPA anchoring the lion's share of Wix filter sales, they will have something to say about any erosion of Wix quality.

Unlike commercial retailers like Walmart who sell everything without any real ownership, NAPA has a high standard and reputation in the jobber market to maintain.

So my theory is Wix will remain strong as long as NAPA is in the loop.


Good point

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: sayjac
The Wix Napa connection is certainly a very important one. Like me, clearly you are not one who views Wix as a disposable entity.


Big corporation mentality may view it differently.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Originally Posted By: danthaman1980


Somebody wake me up when U.S.-made Wix filters hit closeout on Rockauto for ~$2 each.


There are some Wix-made Carquest Blues on RA's clearance. They also have a few reds, too.

Rock lists them under the brand Wix, but with the CQ part number.
Wix 51xxx = CQ 85xxx
Wix 57xxx = CQ 84xxx

For the CQ Red, simply put an R before the CQ part number.

 

[Hootbro]

Looks like I will be paying the extra money and just switch over to Baldwin filters.

 

[Garak]

In your neck of the woods, is Baldwin and Hastings more than Wix? Up here, most Hastings are a bit cheaper, with a few exceptions by model. Baldwin is a bit nuts because Acklands-Grainger sells them, and most of us know how silly their retail pricing is.

 

[Hootbro]

Originally Posted By: Garak
In your neck of the woods, is Baldwin and Hastings more than Wix? Up here, most Hastings are a bit cheaper, with a few exceptions by model. Baldwin is a bit nuts because Acklands-Grainger sells them, and most of us know how silly their retail pricing is.


I think it depends on the particular Baldwin part number filter. Some are more expensive than WIX and others are comparable.

I use a Baldwin B7443 filter for my RAM and it comes out to $5.40 a filter and ordering through zoro.com, anything over $50 ships free so I usually order 10+ at a time.

Even in the states, you gotta seek out Baldwins as they are not a normal shelf stock item in any normal retail chain. They cater to industrial users and suppliers but I like them because they are built a little old school with a heavier can thickness that I like.

 

[Garak]

That isn't too bad of a price for your truck. I get the Wix for my F-150 for $4.99, and that's hard to beat. For the G37, the Wix is a tiny bit more money than the Hastings, so for that, it's mostly whatever is more convenient. On occasion, the Hastings supplier is out of stock for my model number or the upsize, whereas the Wix supplier always has them, plus there are at least three other Wix part numbers that will work.

I should ask Acklands-Grainger about a commercial pricing. They're not terribly out of my way, either.

 

[Sayjac]

Originally Posted By: Hootbro
Looks like I will be paying the extra money and just switch over to Baldwin filters.

Not big deal for some, but Baldwin not available with silicone adbv. And as you note not as readily available. Similar to Wix/NG also a solid constructed filter though.

We'll see if the Napa heavy influence will be a factor in making Mann&Hummel toe the line. Hoping so.

 

[NormanBuntz]

Originally Posted By: Hessam
I don't understand why Clacor (NYSE: CLC) would've let such a good U.S based asset go to the Germans. The filter business is a great long term business. Warren Buffet should've stepped up and added Wix brand to their staple of great brands. Wix is definitely one of the top filter brands in the world, and has great long term growth potential. I'm disappointed how great American Brands keep being bought out by foreign firms.


I agree with you. But we don't know how profitable Affinia has been in recent years.

 

[NormanBuntz]

Ever since Wix and its sister companies were bought by the Cypress Group, a private equity firm, in 2004, Cypress has slowly sold off the assets. First it got rid of the Raybestos brake division, then the chassis division was sold to Federal-Mogul. Now Wix Filtration is the third entity to be jettisoned.

Obviously Cypress Group's goal is to make money, not necessarily make Wix a better company. Time will tell if the product quality takes a hit. As for the state economy in NC, my home state, I hope the jobs in Fayetteville and Gastonia don't get moved to China, Mexico, Poland or South America.