What oil filter do you use?

[chicane]

I know there are a million opinions on this and a lot of anecdotal experience but I wanted to know what brand filter that you use on your BMW.

[1996 328ti]

I use whatever BMW sells.

[bmwcs3]

I also use what BMW sells. Mahle and Mann seem to be the current BMW OEMs.

I've never read anything good about Fram in any comparison testing. My only bad experience was with a so-called high-performance Fram which blew up on startup one cool morning and dumped several quarts of oil on my driveway before I realized what happened. Lesson learned.

[Real M3]

Let's see, I use Mahle, Mann, and Knecht(which I think Mahle has recently acquired.)
All the above are considered to be BMW OEM suppliers

[orijinal_poser]

don't buy STP. their filters are too tall. learneds that the hard way


i strictly use mahle. i got a special on ebay awhile back for like 5 pack of mahle oil filters for $30.

I also use mahle fuel filter. good stuff.

[jkuper]

OEM S54 filter in my S50

[SMOODY]

I mainly use the Mahle filters. I get them whenever I am getting other parts for the cars online. I have also used Mann, Fram, Purolator, and Bosch depending on what was available at the local auto parts store to fit my car.

[Scotty]

Not to totally change the subject, but I wonder why there is so much bias against Fram. I don't know one way or another but I assume there has to be some design issue that has caused problems.

I now avoid Fram simply because all of the anecdotes ... I think my current filter is from Mann simply because I bought it along with a pile of other parts from one of the mail order BMW houses.

[chicane]

Not to totally change the subject, but I wonder why there is so much bias against Fram. I don't know one way or another but I assume there has to be some design issue that has caused problems.

I now avoid Fram simply because all of the anecdotes ... I think my current filter is from Mann simply because I bought it along with a pile of other parts from one of the mail order BMW houses.

I think for just the reason that you stated above. I have used Fram filters in a multitude of cars including my BMW's and have had no problems with these filters at all.

[hoyabmw]

I think for just the reason that you stated above. I have used Fram filters in a multitude of cars including my BMW's and have had no problems with these filters at all.

I always use the mahle's in the E30 (mainly b/c I have about 10 of them in the garage, but they're all I've ever used). Mann or mahle in the E36 (usually mahle). Fram in the truck, because I don't care. Anecdotally, I have heard that BMW runs a higher oil pressure, and some of the cheap filters don't hold up.

Take a look at:
http://minimopar.knizefamily.net/oil...n.html#ph2870a
and
http://minimopar.knizefamily.net/oilfilterstudy.html
and
http://minimopar.knizefamily.net/oilfilters.html

Obviously, he was looking at non-bmw, but the results still hold true when it comes to the construction.

[chicane]

I always use the mahle's in the E30 (mainly b/c I have about 10 of them in the garage, but they're all I've ever used). Mann or mahle in the E36 (usually mahle). Fram in the truck, because I don't care. Anecdotally, I have heard that BMW runs a higher oil pressure, and some of the cheap filters don't hold up.

Take a look at:
http://minimopar.knizefamily.net/oil...n.html#ph2870a
and
http://minimopar.knizefamily.net/oilfilterstudy.html
and
http://minimopar.knizefamily.net/oilfilters.html

Obviously, he was looking at non-bmw, but the results still hold true when it comes to the construction.

I have read his study already. And it is very interesting and thorough, but hardly scientific. He even admits he has a bias against Fram so I don't see what point that would prove. He claims in one of those pages that he had a Fram filter disintegrate and ruined an engine of his. Do you thing he is going to provide objective results? He even states as much.

If we are going by anecdotal evidence, I can tell you I have put hundreds of thousands of miles on at least a half a dozen vehicles over the past decade on Fram filters with zero problems.

[hoyabmw]

I have read his study already. And it is very interesting and thorough, but hardly scientific. He even admits he has a bias against Fram so I don't see what point that would prove. He claims in one of those pages that he had a Fram filter disintegrate and ruined an engine of his. Do you thing he is going to provide objective results? He even states as much.

If we are going by anecdotal evidence, I can tell you I have put hundreds of thousands of miles on at least a half a dozen vehicles over the past decade on Fram filters with zero problems.

I have too. His conclusions weren't my concerns, but rather the filter media and area. There's another study, not by him, that I couldn't locate at the drop of a hat (work gets in the way sometimes If I can find it this weekend, I'll post it.) I admitted to running fram in my truck--under normal usage I don't think it matters much. But in the autox M20, seeing 6900 RPM regularly, I want the stronger filter.

For the spin on filters, it's only $4-5 mail order for the mahle, versus $4 at autozone for the fram. I figure I might as well use the one that looks better to me.

YMMV

[chicane]

I have too. His conclusions weren't my concerns, but rather the filter media and area. There's another study, not by him, that I couldn't locate at the drop of a hat (work gets in the way sometimes If I can find it this weekend, I'll post it.) I admitted to running fram in my truck--under normal usage I don't think it matters much. But in the autox M20, seeing 6900 RPM regularly, I want the stronger filter.

For the spin on filters, it's only $4-5 mail order for the mahle, versus $4 at autozone for the fram. I figure I might as well use the one that looks better to me.

YMMV

That seems to be the typical response about this subject. Do you have any evidence that the paper media in a Fram filter is inferior to Mahle or Mann? It seems almost like an internet rumor. If enough people say Fram is bad they simply make it so.

[hoyabmw]

That seems to be the typical response about this subject. Do you have any evidence that the paper media in a Fram filter is inferior to Mahle or Mann? It seems almost like an internet rumor. If enough people say Fram is bad they simply make it so.

No, I don't have specific evidence to prove that. The one thing I do have it from personal experience with a '90 dodge colt/mitsubishi mirage. The factory filter had a built in anti-drainback valve that you could see from the opening where the filter screwed on. The Fram that I bought (once!) did not have the same valve, and also the filter was definitely not as substantial (the cylinder visible from the screw on hole was MUCH wider in the fram, which leads me to believe that it did not have as much filtration area in the filter) It does need to be said that I never cut one of the open.

Also, looking at the mahle for the M20, there is a large springloaded plate just inside the can, that is definitely NOT there in the Fram and other aftermarket replacements that I have seen.

My personal evaluations of the filters means I will trust the fram for everyday vehicles (my toyota truck for example), but I won't put them on my BMWs.

Kevin

[Neonzapper]

Mann