944T4ME

I went around town buying oil filters at various prices. Got 3. Fram ($12.99), Purolator ($6.50), and STP ($4.99). There was also a NAPA gold for $13 that I passed on. Well, my car had a Porsche oil filter on it, the black one that says porsche and has a porsche pn#. Well comparing it to the other three, the STP is the EXACT SAME FILTER. Right down to the punching marks, to the size of the holes, everything. Not just almost the same, it is clearly made at the same plant.

I would have taken pictures, but my gf has the digital camera on a trip. This is for all 8v's, not sure on the 16v. Note the stp is blue, so if you dont mind it, you can save some money from dealer prices by getting the exact same oil filter that porsche uses at various auto parts store. Only 2 places I was at had the stp I think, call around.

Dave

I don't care what the outside looks like, I know the Fram and purolater don't have the check valve in them so they would never go in my car. I don't know if the STP has the check valve in it and without KNOWING that it does I wouldn't trust that either. Even if they were made in the same factory, they could easily leave the valve out of the production run that got the blue paint. Check the fine print for something like "made by xxxx for STP Corp" or something, at the very least it would have to say "made in Germany" because Mahle and Mann ARE made in Germany and that's who makes them for Porsche.
I still wouldn't bother, Mahle and Mann filters can be found for less than $4.99 with a little research and you KNOW they're the real thing. Why spend more for something that's questionable?

Serge944

I get MAHLE filters from pelicanparts.com 2.99 each, can you beat that?

944T4ME

All the insides looked the same. Not sure what a cheack valve is, but if its a thing with a spring around it, its got it. On the outside of the box it said Deutche D602 or something like that.

Pelican tells me $5.25
http://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/...oilsys_pg1.htm

Dave

Pelican is usually not the cheapest price. Paragon, Zims and Vertex are all ALWAYS cheaper for this stuff. I've never ordered anything from Pelican, I've always found a better price somewhere else.
$2.99?!? Never saw that! My last few came from Paragon for $4.05

Mongo

MAHLE, there is no substitute, just like our Porsches!

Andy

Chris_924s

I got a case discount, as well as a 20% Tweeksfest discount on the Mahle (and ONLY Mahle) that I have- IIRC worked out to be 3.50 each.

Serge944

Nevermind, i was wrong. performance products has mahle ones for 3.95 though. pelican is 4.95

944T4ME

Well ok, obviously if you buy a case of filters as all of you are doing, you will get a good price. I guess what I was getting at is if you are in a "I think I'll change my oil today" kind of mood like I was, where you cant order online of course and dont like getting raped at the dealer, you can go get an STP that is cheap and is the same thing. Sheesh.

Serge944

Thanks Paul. Dont take it personally, heh..

tifosiman

M-A-H-L-E.

Skimp now, pay later.

inactiveuser92616

mahle is the best filter, is what everyone is saying. I have an STP on my car right now, and want to change it immediately. Of late, I have had problems with no oil pressure for a few seconds when I start; and I suspect its due to oil draining back out of the filter.

Manning

Mahle is NOT the best filter. I have used Mahle twice and both times eventually had the slow pressure build issue. I have used (and am currently using) Purolator, Mobil1 (which I can't find anymore locally) and K&N and NEVER had slow pressure build issues. You know what causes slow pressure build as it relates to an oil filter? Leaky anti-drainback valves. I am going to give Mahle one more chance on my next oil change. If it causes the same problem, I'll never use them again.

By the way, the Purolator filter absolutely has the anti-drainback valve in it, despite what Dave says.

By the way, in the engine oil filter study that is so popular as a reference around the web, Russ Knize points out that while the Mahle may or may not be made by Champion Labs it is similar in some design features. Mann filters apparently are even more similar to Champion Labs filters. That is the same Champion Labs that makes the STP filter.

http://minimopar.knizefamily.net/oil...dy-german.html

EDIT By the way, when I say eventually I had slow pressure build with the Mahle filters, I mean within a month, or about 600 miles of daily driving.

Manning

Yup, same here, except mine never drops below 2.5 bar or so at warm idle.

944T4ME

Why does everyone keep telling me Mahle when they are the same as the STP. I thought Mahle was oem, which is what I was comparing the stp to. It didnt say mahle on it, just porsche. Either mahle and porsche are not the same filter or no one read my original post stating they were the same.