[RMachuca3d]

So I decided last minute to get my oil change done a few weeks ago as I finally had a not so busy afternoon available, but i didnt have the OEM filter, so i thought I'd hop on over to autozone and pick a filter up, they only had the STP branded filter for our cars available in stock, so I bought it, when I got home I was a bit hesitant putting it in with all the "stick to OEM" talk around here, so I postponed the oil change and just ordered the OEM Mann filter.

Once it arrived I thought I'd compare them just for shits and giggles, to my surprise the STP filter is higher quality when it comes to build and feel, while the Mann looks and feels a lot cheaper.

Anyone find any similar results with other name brand filters? I'm going to do my oil change soon and undecided if I want to go with the STP or play it safe and go with (seemingly less quality OEM)

[m1256]

The STP filter looks very similar to the Mann filter stamped "manufactured in mexico" that I received for my last oil change.

[Billfitz]

If there was anything substandard about the OEM Mann or Mahle filters BMW wouldn't use them. The penalty for BMW using inferior filters would be engine failures that would cost them far more $$$ in warranty claims than they'd save in filter costs. I've also read of problems with oil leaks due to out of spec O-rings that came with some 'premium' filters. This is an old post, but it does deal specifically with STP filters: https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...TP-oil-filters