I saw the boxed āSubaruā oil filter today at Wallyās. Opened the box, and inside was a shrinkwrapped blue 15208aa150 filter looking all normal and genuine. Since I need a āā¦12aā filter, I closed the box back up and didnāt bother to notice the price. Next stop was the local dealer. I had called ahead and asked about the 15208aa12a filterā¦āoh yeah, we have plenty of those, but weāll put your name on one if youāre coming in.ā When I arrived, they said they placed it back since I was much later than anticipated, getting there just a bit before they closed. So they went back and brought out one of the new āgenericā blue filtersā¦not shrink wrapped. Meanwhile, there was a classic shrink-wrapped blue filter on the counter where things were accumulating to be picked up. I asked if that one was āmine,ā they said no. But after I told them I didnāt want the unwrapped one (no wrap, no box, no markings), and asked if I could buy the classic one on the counter instead, they agreed. Leaving with my āgenuineā (Fram) 15208aa12a, I asked myself: why did I make such a fuss over a glorified Fram paper-end-capped filter. Hmmmph.
I will say, the generic one had the appropriate rounded āo-ringā like gasket, but a plastic inner cage, and a black ADBV. Who knows, might have been better than the blue Fram. reminded me of the FarSide cartoon with two doors: labeled ā****ed if you do,ā & ā****ed if you donātā and the devil saying comeāon, comeāon, itās either one or the other.