the penske oil filters at kmart

[ZR2RANDO]

I think that what is actually happening is that many of us on here are more inquisitive than most of us used to be.
As for oil filters,We have actually been looking inside these things these days instead of just seeing the marketing side of yesteryear.
Unlike years ago the store brands (ex- Penske/Wix,Supertech/Champion) are now made by better quality companies than all the old standard Fram clones (Penzzoil,QuakerState,fastchange generics..) that used to fill those shelves. These newer store brands are now typically as good as, or better than some $5 alternatives. I don't consider it being cheap to be doing this "homework" these days at all. I'd say it's more like the "buyer beware" mentality, and many of us are just being more "aware" than years ago. We can actually make decisions based on what we see, rather than what we hear.
As for the oil itself, the newer API standards have raised the minimum requirements level to a point now where almost all currently available oils can handle the job without blinking compared to years ago when there was an extremely wide range of qualities available between the brands. The gap in performance between the synthetic and standard processed petroleum oil (using today's processing techniques) is getting pretty thin..
I'd say it's a win-win situation for all of us.

 

[rg144]

And to add 2 more cents to the running total of this thread
1. Consumer awareness factor - I saved $2 because I buy proline not purolator at Pep Boys and they are identical filters. Spending more doesn't assure better quality.
2. Seeing what works for others and why. For example, I was alarmed when my Minivan chattered like a diesel on startup the other day. I am now trying AC/Delco filters to check if this design is better for it.
3. Agree with the statement, spend the extra $$ on quality -- but only if your application warrants it! My family of 5 have 4 cars all >100K, and not a BMW or MB in the driveway. I get acceptable results from low-end (but quality) products based on info from the forum. We can pick the best based on facts not hearsay. My kid's are more interested in their college than the oil in their cars.

 

[Propflux01]

I think some people miss the point of all this anyhow. its not how expensive a filter is I.E. Expensive=Automatically better, it is about finding the best filter out there for the cheapest price. like the post about the proline vs purolater. Same filter, but lower cost. and the justification of high-dollar filters, if you go that route, and want to pay that $10-12 per filter, is it better than the $5 filter? and if you decide it is, is that Fram X-filter better than that K&N or Mobile One? or are thay all amde by the same company? Questions like this is what drives this forum and the continual hunt for the best filter, best oil for the cheapest price. Each person here I think has their own opinion and justification on that!

 

[FL-400S]

quote:

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Originally posted by aja8888:
I'm kind of silent here as I am new (but pretty old). It seems a lot of discussion is around several filter brands and where they can be found at cheap prices vs their quality. FYI: I am an engineer and have been around expensive machinery a long, long time. My advice is to use the best oil you can find and the best filters you can find. I'd stay away from Kmart for obvious reasons, and not feel bad about paying $5 - $? for a good oil filter for your Amsoil or M1. Do you know what a new crankshaft costs? How about a new engine?

Let's not worry about $2 vs. $5 for an oil filter. It is a no brainer.

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For all I know, this $2 filter DID cost $5 before it was on clearance. So I guess Kmart made it lesser quality by putting it on clearance? Stay away from Kmart? Are they selling only bad oil which will certainly ruin engines? Or do they sell Castrol GTX for $1.25 a quart and Exxon Superflo for $.99 among others (incl M1). And Im gonna pour Amsoil or M1 into my car which already burns and leaks all over the driveway!?! HA! Me buying an AC Delco ($3.50) filter for a GM car is bad? Please if you are going to rave about your credentials, give me some examples. What expensive machinery are you putting oil and filters on? I'm not an engineer, but I do know how to read and ask questions. I've read a heckuva lot more threads than Ive posted on. If you've got the energy to write another post within the next 3 months, please inform us.

 

[Ray H]

The vaunted K&N oil filters and many AC Delcos are made by Champion Labs. Let's see, $8.00 for a K&N vs. $5.00 for an AC Delco vs. $2.00 for a WallyWorld ST, and all three made by Champion Labs with synthetic fiber blend filtration media. Yeah, that's a tough decision, alright... You can always tell an engineer. (You just can't tell 'im much.)

[ March 23, 2004, 09:21 AM: Message edited by: Ray H ]