E30 Zone

The one on the left cost me £4.21 from Opie oils.
The one on the right cost me £15.06 (incl sump plug washer) from my local stealers. (Filter for 325i)



The one on the left even comes in a box!
I cannot tell any difference between these two, the observant will notice on picture 3 the purple marking on the edge of the gaskets are identical. These are made in the same factory with the same machinery I would suggest.
Is there anywhere on the site where a list of parts such as this exists, where we are confident that unbranded (BMW) parts are identical? Or could we start one?

Mahle, Mann, Delphi, febi, sahcs etc. Are all original part makers and if you can get a part of this make from local part shop don't bother going to steelers.

At least it's my moto

Just shows you eh, I cannot tell any difference looking at above.

The difference is not on the outside but the inside. Even if Mann make BMW filters, the build expectations and tolerances demanded by BMW are different.

And beside that.... its not got a BMW roundel on the part and is visible in the bay.

For a stickler for originality and OEM perfection i don't like seeing a non BMW oil filter.

Cooper or Fram disgust me. Mahle are tolerable on an average car.

And beside that.... its not got a BMW roundel on the part and is visible in the bay.

For a stickler for originality and OEM perfection i don't like seeing a non BMW oil filter.

Cooper or Fram disgust me. Mahle are tolerable on an average car.

An ECP filter in the engine bay is a sure sign of a peasant, and a more than likely unkept car.

That's a bit extreme but not beyond the realms of lower order standards!

Im with bss325i on this one...

Don't be so daft! They are all made the same way in the same place. Some are just pimped out to stealers for sticklers. They will tell you it's got micro fibre spaceship tech fibres but actually it's the same as the standard. If you want to believe it then you will!

Mitchen wrote:An ECP filter in the engine bay is a sure sign of a peasant, and a more than likely unkept car.

If it's not BMW, this means it's been changed, which means its been looked after.

Jesus325iTouring wrote:

Mitchen wrote:An ECP filter in the engine bay is a sure sign of a peasant, and a more than likely unkept car.

If it's not BMW, this means it's been changed, which means its been looked after.

Eh? So you're saying if it's BMW it's not been changed?

What if that ECP part was fitted in 1999?

I'm all for originality, but ffs, it's an OIL FILTER!

Cloggy Saint wrote:I'm all for originality, but ffs, it's an OIL FILTER!

I wouldn't expect someone who doesn't understand the value of original dealer plates to get the visual aspect of a BMW branded filter looking rampant in the engine bay along side freshly passivated fittings and as new warning labels.

bss325i wrote:

Jesus325iTouring wrote:

Mitchen wrote:An ECP filter in the engine bay is a sure sign of a peasant, and a more than likely unkept car.

If it's not BMW, this means it's been changed, which means its been looked after.

Eh? So you're saying if it's BMW it's not been changed?

What if that ECP part was fitted in 1999?

I'm simply saying, just because it has non brand part, doesn't mean it hasn't been looked after.

TBH, whatever the oil filter, the only way to know if it's been looked after is to inspect the engine. Having a BMW filter just looks nice, it's not representative of the condition of the engine.

bss325i wrote:

Cloggy Saint wrote:I'm all for originality, but ffs, it's an OIL FILTER!

I wouldn't expect someone who doesn't understand the value of original dealer plates to get the visual aspect of a BMW branded filter looking rampant in the engine bay along side freshly passivated fittings and as new warning labels.

Cloggy Saint wrote:I'm all for originality, but ffs, it's an OIL FILTER!

true, you would have to be some sad anorak wearing trainspotter type to get worked up just because it has a none standard bmw branded oil filter.

what next?? "oh no there's a none bmw supplied air filter/fuel filter/etc etc that means its not been looked after & it will fall apart after 5 seconds".

just aslong as it ain't the filter it left the factory with in 1986 then don't worry.

I've got BMW supplied air in my non bmw tyres.

Only way to find out is cut them both open and see what's what inside if you ask me

bosers wrote:Don't be so daft! They are all made the same way in the same place. Some are just pimped out to stealers for sticklers. They will tell you it's got micro fibre spaceship tech fibres but actually it's the same as the standard. If you want to believe it then you will!

Au contraire bosers, there's actually been alot of research done by independant websites and car mags alike looking in to this, and the build quality in genuine filters and parts exceeds pattern products even made by the same company. When BMW outsource the work, they give the manufacturer a build spec, which can be far superior and different to whatever Mann et al are doing on their production lines in sometimes different countries. An example, you buy a contitech cam belt from euros and it's made in Mexico, buy one from BMW and it's a contitech belt, but made in Austria.. Same company, different productions in different continents, to different specs.

Some people don't care and just want something that does the job.. others do care about such things and only want the best for their vehicle.

So yeah you're wrong.

Jesus325iTouring wrote:

bss325i wrote:

Jesus325iTouring wrote: If it's not BMW, this means it's been changed, which means its been looked after.

Eh? So you're saying if it's BMW it's not been changed?

What if that ECP part was fitted in 1999?

I'm simply saying, just because it has non brand part, doesn't mean it hasn't been looked after.

If it's yours however, we definitely know it's not been looked after

steve_k wrote:

Cloggy Saint wrote:I'm all for originality, but ffs, it's an OIL FILTER!

true, you would have to be some sad anorak wearing trainspotter type to get worked up just because it has a none standard bmw branded oil filter.

what next?? "oh no there's a none bmw supplied air filter/fuel filter/etc etc that means its not been looked after & it will fall apart after 5 seconds".

just aslong as it ain't the filter it left the factory with in 1986 then don't worry.

Steve, I realise JSA payments probably dont stretch to such prices, so yeah you crack on with CP4L mate.

Fair enough, I stand corrected!
I've got official BMW antifreeze in mine, not sure if it's any better but thought I wouldn't risk it. I always am keen to keep it happy so maybe I'll get an official oil filter next time.

Mitchen, i ain't on jsa, & both the fuel Filter & oil filter are both gen items which i get for next to nowt as a good mate runs a bmw specialists so i pay the same as he does

Cypriotgeeza wrote:Only way to find out is cut them both open and see what's what inside if you ask me

Did this last year and could not see a difference.

bss325i wrote:And beside that.... its not got a BMW roundel on the part and is visible in the bay.

For a stickler for originality and OEM perfection i don't like seeing a non BMW oil filter.

Mines only visible if you've got a rubber neck!
I too am a stickler for originality, think I have shown they are BMW filters....without the roundel.
Think what I'm going to do is use the Mahle day to day and if I think someone will be coming up to Lancashire (bss325i say) and may flex their neck into my engine compartment, then I'll fit the "BMW" one on, so as not to offend!
How's that.

Presume we've all got one of these............



.......the "Official BMW in-compartment oil filter inspection tool"

Not just any old water..its BMW water!

Don't knock it till you've tried it a˜†!

ajay wrote:Not just any old water..its BMW water!

Don't knock it till you've tried it a˜†!

This is no joke..we actually sell bmw and mini labelled water at work

I'll get a pic if I can tomorrow!

Yes its true, i sometimes help myself to a bottle on one of my regular visits to collect parts.

You mean to tell me I've been drinking the wrong water all this time

Bavarian spring water, it refreshes the parts other water's cannot reach! a˜†

my oh my, I best get to my local dealership today and put it to the test tonight

ajay wrote:Bavarian spring water, it refreshes the parts other water's cannot reach! a˜†

I could never go back to regular bottled water now

minesapint wrote:

bss325i wrote:And beside that.... its not got a BMW roundel on the part and is visible in the bay.

For a stickler for originality and OEM perfection i don't like seeing a non BMW oil filter.

Mines only visible if you've got a rubber neck!
I too am a stickler for originality, think I have shown they are BMW filters....without the roundel.
Think what I'm going to do is use the Mahle day to day and if I think someone will be coming up to Lancashire (bss325i say) and may flex their neck into my engine compartment, then I'll fit the "BMW" one on, so as not to offend!
How's that.

I'm only jesting!

But there are instances where I personally would only use genuine parts.

OEM quality brand is the minimum requirement though!

Tempting to put a sticker saying something along the lines of "if you can read this you need a life" on the bottom of my filers now. Just for those checking filters with a mirror.

Regardless of what filter you use a regular filter change will make a larger difference, all filters work in the same way, catching things in the matrix and slowly blocking up, the more blocked the filter the more likely the oil is heading towards the bypass valve.
I have never seen someone log the oil pressure in the main gallery vs in the filter can to find how much is being bypassed and what mileage it occurs at.
If the bypass is open fuck all is being filtered.

I would bet 3k after market filter is filtering better than a 6k-10k OEM filter.

It's also worth noting that these bypasses can open at different pressures depending on the filter design, as noted I have yet to see anyone test this on any filter. Typically they are in the range of 15-40psi, so at high revs even with a new-ish filter not all of your oil is being filtered anyway.