Conent and photos removed.
You have Robb M. from IB to thank for that...

 

I agree 100%, the rip offs even sell 100% duplicates of the original filters.
I only buy my filters in my mini garage.

 

Agreed. One thing I go OEM on and thats oil filters. Not worth saving a few bucks only to find out the catastrophic damage that will ensue down the line.

Should here from the naysayers with their "I've been going non OEM on my x car for x yes without issues" shortly though...

 

I typically use only OEM, but I have also had a lot of good luck with FRAM X-tra guard in my STi and WRX.

Unfortunately, the only thing in my area the day I was doing the change was a Puralator filter. I cringe just thinking that it's in there. At least on the mini, when the new one comes in, I can just change it without draining it all out.

 

Another notch on an old chestnut: "Penny wise and pound foolish."
PS: I wouldn't consider Fram in the cheap filter category rather an old and trusted company.

 

I'm surprised there are any cheap knock-off oil filters available for MINI. Seems to be hard enough finding anything other than OEM from any of the major oil filter manufacturers. I'd be interested to see links to some of these.

 

Amazon has several crap mini filters.

 

That's pretty funny since Purolator is one of the better filters out there and Fram is universally accepted as crap. Gotta love oil threads.

 

I've used Mann for the past 4 or 5 changes and have had no problems. Although they've only ever seen about 2k each lol.

 

I use OEM - between the fiancee's car and mine, I order them in bulk and they're not that expensive in the grand scheme of things.

 

I've been using napa gold filters since the local places charge $26 for an oem filter.

 

I think Mann are generally accepted as the alternate simply because IIRC Mann makes the filter for MINI that you get at the parts counter.

 

This was always my impression too.

Most of my cars (s2k, STI, mini) get OEM filters. If you buy them from the right places they're not any more expensive. The only issues I have is when I go the parts store and they're doing the "oil change specials" that come with an oil filter and they won't sell me the special without the oil filter.

 

Huh, I never use the Subaru OEM filters, and coincidentally almost every car I've had to pull clogged AVCS screens on was using an OEM filter. The conclusion I'm drawing from this is that as long as you're not buying bulk filters from China, and you change your oil regularly, you'll probably be okay.

 

Well that's how the specials work.... you buy the oil and filter combo on that special, you get the special price. Not sure why it would be expected to be any different? lol

As someone who has been a mechanic professionally, on the side, and now working part time at Advance Auto, I gotta say some of the things people think is hilarious. Like Purolator(who makes a large number of quality filters, and is the same factory manufacturer of many other known brands) being crap. That's just hilarious.

 

I guess I wasn't clear. I'm not expecting an additional discount on top of the oil change special for not getting a filter. I'm just asking to pay the "oil change special" price for just the oil. It seems stupid to make me walk over to the wall and grab a filter just so I can just toss it in the trash on my way out of the store.

 

Sometimes their hands are tied by how the discount program was written in the computer. Not everything can be manually overridden. Get the oil change special for a super common vehicle and give the filter to a buddy lol

 

Goss' Garage just rubs me the wrong way anyway. That may not be a cheap filter. Maybe it has 100,000 miles on it and just started to disintegrate.

It's like Consumer Reports praising Fram. It came out on top in their tests. They don't tell you much else. As it turns out, the test was for the ability to resist clogging. It didn't get clogged up because there is very little filter material in it. It doesn't filter so it doesn't get clogged up.

What I hate about all of this is that it makes such a skeptic out you. You can't believe anything you hear and have to do all the research yourself (if you are interested).

Oh, well. Happy New Year, guys.

 

http://www.evolutionm.net/forums/evo...63t-4b11t.html

there's one test of filters, albeit different from ours. one thing nice about the mini is it's just the filter itself that you replace, so the bypass always stays the same

 

My gut feeling..."cheap" is a relative term...or maybe "defective" design would be better...
Seems like 90%+ of the folks that are on these boards use ,OEM or the two BMW OEM filter makers, MANN or Mahle, with a few using Napa(usually WIX, or sometimes filt-tec (also makes mobil 1, both a few of the "better" makes in tests).
Maybe the issues in the tests do happen...sure it does..but my guess is if you stay away from most of the quickie oil change places (that likely do not use a mini/BMW approved oil) you should be fine.....
My gut feeling is folks with filter issues have bigger problems cause they are getting the $19.99 oil change special....

 

I bought my first MINI in 2002 and was an owner until recently .. started doing my own oil and other maintenance soon after the dealer proved to me they were jerks .... tried to sell me unneeded stuff . . .


In the early days there were problems with some of the aftermarket filters .. and there weren't too many of those available ... I'm talking 2002 - 2004 timeframe here. People would go to remove a used filter and discover that the aftermarket filter had become damaged during the installation process - typically crushed or caved in on one side ... almost guaranteeing they could not have been working correctly but distressing at the least. (If you do your own changes you know the filter fits TIGHT in the can)


So, SOON the word went out to only use OE filters . . . I lived by that rule personally and still recommend it. However I still do MINI work including oil changes for some owners (I'm retired and find this fun ... I do the work, they buy me lunch) and have seen several aftermarket filters and install what ever they want me to. Mann in particular, but I've seen a couple of others in the last year or so, have NOT been a problem.


BTW I've heard that Mann make the OE filter as well, but I can assure you if they do the Mann filter is NOT the "same" as the MINI filter .... not even close in appearance ... from the last one I saw anyway. And MINIMANIA sells Mann ... while not an endorsement I think they'd have a good bit to loose by selling a junk filter ... OTOH WAY only sells the OE on his site . . .


I still consider myself an owner since I still have a 79 . . . I'm not one to build a wall 'tween MINI and Mini .... I'm BiMiNual

 

We unfortunately see this too much. You can imagine the problems this could cause not only with the unfiltered oil but now also the foreign particles of the cheap filter in the engine. Having to drop the oil pan and clean it out isnt exactly cheap and turns your cheap oil change into quite an expensive one.

For those interested, we do offer 4-packs of OEM oil filters at 20% off MINI MSRP. They can be ordered here:

http://www.minipartsmass.com/partloc...catalogid=7659

Happy Motoring!

 

Been changing mine for years. Genuine MINI, Mann, Mahle etc are my choice.

http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/11427622446/



On the Gen 2 MINI filter the most aftermarket dont come with the copper crush washer for the allen tool drain plug. The Genuine MINI filter does. Our oil change / service kits include it also, as well as the Oil change sticker now.

http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/11137546275/



Thanks