Oil Filters - Genuine vs Aftermarket

[Bailes1992]

I have a Focus with a DV6 derived 1.5TDCi. In fact it is a DV6, the only difference is a slightly smaller to reduce it to 1.5 litres for the Indian market as they get heavily penalised for engines over 1500cc.

If you google DV6 Turbo failure or DV6 Oil Issues you will uncover hundreds of threads about the 1.6TDCi/HDi PSA/Ford partnership engine. The tiny 3.8 litre oil capacity simply cannot cope with long service intervals and the oil gets saturated. There's an oil filter inline with the turbo (non serviceable item) which eventually gets blocked as a result and pop goes the turbo.

Knowing my car was a basically a DV6 when I bought it and that 12 Month / 12,000mile oil changes were pushing the engine a bit I decided to stick to 6 month / 6,000mile intervals. I'm doing the 'in between service' oil changes myself and using a reputable local to do the services.

I've always been told only to use genuine oil filters as they are of a much higher quality than even the best OEM manufacturers. I've been told this hundreds of times by many different people.

I went out to Halfords and got 4litres of oil on trade for £11 and popped to Ford for an oil filter and sump plug washer.

Ford gave me filter number 1.

1) Genuine Ford Filter - £14.72

I must admit I was really dissapointed by the quality. Filter is branded 'Mahle'. I wasn't expecting Ford, but Motorcroft or Bosch at least! A paper bottom and only single pleated in one direction. So I went and purchased another...

2) Genuine Citreon/Peugeot Filter - £12.42

Exactly the same as the Ford one. Both branded 'Mahle'. Both have the same part numbers.

So I decided to pop on Euro Car Parts and see what they had to offer...

3) Bosch Oil Filter - £7.91 delivered

The exact same filter. Same feel, same weight, same size box. However it is branded 'Bosch'. :roll:

4) Mann Oil Filter - £6.40 delivered

Once again. The same filter. Branded 'Mann'.

Convinced there must be better alternatives out there I tried Halfords.

5) Filtron Filter - £6.99 Trade

I see a pattern emerging. Branded as 'Filtron'.

I decided to try one more filter before handing in the towel. I popped to my local Motor Factors and picked up this...

6) Wix Filter - £8.04

Branded 'Filtron' :lol:

All the filters together...

Even the boxes are identical. Just different printing...

I've only ever bought canister filters so you cannot see what exactly is inside them.
I'm starting to wonder if I've been wasting my money buying genuine the last 5 years because the budget ones seem identical to ones costing over twice as much. Why do people always seem to warn against buying aftermarket oil filters?
It really does seem like all these have been made in the same factory (all made in Austria) and branded to suit. :roll:

I'm sure there are bad filters out there but it's good to know in my application at least I can go and buy the cheapest filter out there.

Bailes.

 

[Garak]

Yes, we certainly know that with some spin on filters, there are some differences. We've seen differences in filters like yours. Clearly, with your application, though, just above everyone farms it out to one supplier.

 

[edwardh1]

some are seemingly expensive.
we can buy a fram ultra from walmart for US$ 8.97

 

[HoosierJeeper]

Wow, nice write up! I only have one vehicle with the cartridge style filter...and surprisingly, the least expensive way to get it is at the dealer. But I'm sure it'd be the same story as yours.

 

[Ihatetochangeoil]

Thanks for posting this. Not my application at all, but really interesting. Some people think we're all suckers. I'd bet you an adult beverage the guys behind the parts counter at your local Ford stealership could NOT pick their own filter out of your lineup.

 

[Audios]

Originally Posted By: Ihatetochangeoil
Thanks for posting this. Not my application at all, but really interesting. Some people think we're all suckers. I'd bet you an adult beverage the guys behind the parts counter at your local Ford stealership could NOT pick their own filter out of your lineup.


I don't think anyone could, besides the Mahle/Mann markings they're all identical, and probably no different whatsoever. Id be fine using any one of these in my vehicle, whatever was the cheapest.

 

[Jimzz]

Yea my Cadillac has a cartridge filter and I just buy the cheapest ones when they are on closeout at RockAuto.

Between the 2 Cadillac's we have owned and many other BiLs and customers with the 3.6 never had a issue with any of them. Wish more cars would use cartridge filters and stick with them.

 

[Irishman]

Interesting!!! Thanks for posting this.

 

[bigt61]

Good post - nice job on the pics and the suspense build up. I was convinced the last filter would be different.

 

[RichardS]

ahhhmazing.

 

[knerml]

Mahle make good quality products, including German OEM.

 

[Kira]

LOVED the post!
I can tell you there are differences between filters for my Volvo 5 cylinder engine.
Hard style media vs. yellow paper vs. fuzzy white clothy stuff.

Good luck trying to find scientific comparisons of media.

Also, anybody remember the crazily folded media in older (1970's) Toyota spin on filters? Kira

 

[4WD]

I have but one on cartridge so simpler process: order one AC Delco and find it is Hengst - shop price - pack of Hengst from eBay that will last for a long time and takes up little space.

 

[Donald]

I think the key is knowing when to change the oil which is best indicated by a UOA. Do one at 6k and see where you are. We usually do not talk about oil becoming "saturated". Typically oil can too many contaminants or the TBN is low.

 

[beanoil]

No surprise. In 2012, a new (to us, low mile) Town and Country for the SWMBO. Every filter, from genuine MoPar to STP to Fram was the same. Now there are 2 distinct lines in the wild. One made in Poland, one made in China.
To the OP, the obvious choice is the cheapest one, but you are stocked up for a while.
Thanks for the pics.

 

[AirgunSavant]

Great post and pictures!

 

[Virtus_Probi]

Originally Posted By: AirgunSavant
Great post and pictures!


I agree, informative and well done!

 

[BigCahuna]

I don't know of any vehicle manufacturer that actually "makes" it's own filters.They put out a spec for bid and usually, low bidders gets the contract. That leaves space for a healthy markup for "Genuine" parts. That being said, it's no wonder why the aftermarket filters look just like the "Genuine" filters.,,,

 

[slacktide_bitog]

You didn't try Hengst and Purflux yet

Nothing wrong with Mahle's Austrian cartridges. They make great filters

Is this a low-volume application? That would explain the rampant reboxing for this particular filter.

Contrast this to GM's Ecotec, where Hengst, Mann, Mahle, and Purflux all make their own filters for that engine (Mann HU6007x from Spain, Purflux L264A from France, Hengst E630H from the USA, and Mahle's comes from India). Hengst is the OEM for this Ecotec, and the ACDelco and Hengst boxes contain the same exact filter.

Filtron is owned by Wix, and Bosch used to be a business partner with Mann (they co-owned Purolator up until a few years ago, when Bosch backed out, but Mann/Purolator still supplies most of Bosch's filters)

Anyway, thank you for posting

 

[boom10ful]

I've noticed that the filters for my 2016 Kia Sorento are the same as well. All are made by Mahle, even the "Fram" filters. Those have the markings just not the branding. I know that Napa has a different style filter for my application, maybe Wix?