Mobil 1 Filter in an Audi

[SF0059]

Hello all,

AAP is running a pretty sweet 5 qt of Mobil 1 oil for $32.99 and get a Mobil 1 filter deal. I have a 2000 Audi A6 2.8 V6 with 55k miles. I run M1 0w-40 in. I have a D+ filter in it now and am planning on a 10k OCI. Anything against using an M1 filter in this car? I know most like Mahle or Mann in this application, but I know the M1 is a good filter for long OCIs. Any thoughts? Thanks!

 

[renegade_987]

Nothing wrong at all, Mobil 1 makes a great filter!

 

[NHGUY]

Now that Fram is making M1 and K&N filters (thru Champ Labs) I wonder if they will cheapen them....?

 

[Mr Nice]

Its an excellent oil filter.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: SF0059
Anything against using an M1 filter in this car? I know most like Mahle or Mann in this application, but I know the M1 is a good filter for long OCIs.

The Mann, Mahle, and German Bosch are no slouches when it comes to long OCIs, either. My only reservation with respect to the M1 would be price. The M1 for the Audi I had goes for about $13. The Mann, Mahle, and so forth go for under $5. That's a pretty significant difference.

 

[SF0059]

The only reason I am considering the M1 filter is due to the fact I can get it at essentially no cost with discounted oil. Given the elimination of the cost factor, what are your thoughts Garack?

 

[spk2000]

Originally Posted By: NHGUY
Now that Fram is making M1 and K&N filters (thru Champ Labs) I wonder if they will cheapen them....?



Noooooo!!!! first the oil then the rest will go.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: SF0059
Given the elimination of the cost factor, what are your thoughts Garack?

Then I'd gladly use the M1. Up here, filters are rarely included with a jug of oil, and when they are, you definitely don't want the filter. One parts store here notably has both Mann and M1 filters. The Mann for the old Audi would run under $5 and the M1 closer to $13, so that's an easy choice. A "free" M1 filter is also an easy choice.

Oddly enough, if one has a filter that's expensive anyhow, things like the Fram Ultra or the M1 are often the best bet. "Cheaper" filters have a wider price swing between the cheapest part number and the most expensive part number (often well over 100% difference). Yet, the expensive lines often have the same price (or much the same) across all part numbers. Go figure.

 

[RF Overlord]

Originally Posted By: Garak
the expensive lines often have the same price (or much the same) across all part numbers. Go figure.
Shows how much profit they're making on the name alone.

Originally Posted By: NHGUY
Now that Fram is making M1 and K&N filters (thru Champ Labs)
I was going to correct that statement, so I went to Champ's website to be accurate. Turns out my fear has been realised. It seems that new owner Rank have renamed the company FRAM Filtration. While I'm not surprised (FRAM does have better brand-recognition, at least among the ill-informed) I am nonetheless disappointed.

 

[Hootbro]

Originally Posted By: NHGUY
Now that Fram is making M1 and K&N filters (thru Champ Labs) I wonder if they will cheapen them....?


Fram does not own the name to these Mobil 1 filters, so it is not up to them to cheapen them without concurrence from Mobil. They are a contract made filter for Mobil 1 marketing.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: RF Overlord
Shows how much profit they're making on the name alone.

Yep, it's strange. I pay anywhere from under $5 to over $10 for a Wix, depending upon the part number. CT (and WM, when they had the Frams) has pricing all over the place on the orange cans (and other competition on the shelves). Yet, the XGs, the M1s, the K&Ns and so forth cost the same, or very close to it, across the line. At least one Ford dealer here charges the same for all MC filters, too.

 

[threeputtpar]

Wait, you have a 2000 A6 with only 50k miles? Nice.

I didn't see which M1 filter you were looking to get. AAP's website doesn't list a M1 filter for my 2.7, which uses the same filter as the 2.8. Either way, the M1 filter is a good filter for the 5k mile change interval.

Or you can return the filter at a later date and pocket the money and keep the oil at a good price. On the receipt, it will show the maximum value available for a return for each line item. I just did this with 2 of the 3 BC 0W-40 change deals I bought, and they gave me ~$4.50 for the Fram Ultras I had. Final oil price was $4.50/quart.

 

[SF0059]

Thanks all for the input.

It is true that I have a 2000 A6 with only 53k miles. It was my wife's great aunt's car and I bought it from the estate for $5k. New wheels, Michelin Defenders, and tint now. Runs like it is new and came with an inch and a half stack of dealer records for maintenance.

The Mobil 1 filter for the car is a M1-204. The Bosch D+ gives a little bit of valve chatter at startup, even on warm days. Wondering if the M1 is a decent choice or if I should just buy some of the Mahle OEM units?

As a side note, I have 5 D+ filters waiting for it, but I would be willing to unload them if they are not good for the application.

Thanks again!

 

[threeputtpar]

The M1-204 is a good quality filter for the Audi, but it is overpriced. There are many decent filters available now for the 2.8, not like it was 6 years ago when I bought my A6.

The Bosch D+ filters that you have are a good choice, too. Maybe the one you tried has a defect, but they shouldn't cause any startup rattle.

If you're leary of using the rest of the Boschs, check out the MGL8994 from O'Reilly.

O'Reilly Audi Filter for Cheap

It was being made by Mann for Fram (they used to make the MicroGuard filters for O'Reilly) and being rebadged, so if you can find any of the old stock that look like the one in the picture you'd have the factory filter for ~$6. I still have some Fram PH8994s that I picked up at a farm supply store for $4 when they were still using the German made Mann filter for the Fram part number. No need to pay the $10 most outfits charge for the Mann made OE labeled filter.

 

[lucaq]

My last oci on my 00 ATW 1.8t (turbo harder on oil) with a Mahle oil filter and Shell RT6 oil 5w40 at 10k oci said that I could go to 12k, it is def a great setup, very cost effective. Probably same as your discounted deal (M1 now makes a 5w40 diesel oil too, which is what SRT6 essentially is. If it is covered by the same discount you could try that, might be a better summer oil anyway). Go look up my last UOA. As I said, I would imagine that your 2.8 would fare even better lacking the turbo.

I am all Mann and Mahle with Shell Rotella T6 5w40, it would be hard to convince me that I should do anything different.

 

[lucaq]

Originally Posted By: threeputtpar
Wait, you have a 2000 A6 with only 50k miles? Nice.


I just sold an 01 TT 225Q with 39,9xx miles last year, still smelled new, I think that there are probably a lot of audis sitting out there with super low miles, they pop up from time to time.

 

[LScowboy]

Originally Posted By: NHGUY
Now that Fram is making M1 and K&N filters (thru Champ Labs) I wonder if they will cheapen them....?


I doubt it, since they have finally come out with their own super-premium filter that is in this class, the FRAM Ultra - the trend seems to be towards more expensive filters and moving the oil filter market upscale, rather than cheapening them.

 

[LScowboy]

by the way, this same oil filter internal design found on the Mobil 1 filter, is also found on the K&N, Royal Purple, and TRD (Toyota Racing Design) - I think the media on the Royal Purple filter is different though. They are all very well made, though not necessarily any better made than a $7 Wix XP or a $9 FRAM Ultra.