What is the prefered oil filter for MB cars.
Fastlane offers Bosch and Knecht.
Any thoughts on either of these brands?

Thanks,

Jeff Pierce

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Jeff Pierce

Current Vehicles:
'92 Mercedes 190E/2.3 (247K miles/my daily driver)
'93 Volvo 940 Turbo Wagon (263K miles/a family truckster with spunk)
'99 Kawasaki Concours
Gravely 8120
Previous Vehicles:
'85 Jeep CJ-7 w/ Fisher plow (226K miles)'93 Volvo 940 Turbo Wagon
'53 Willys-Overland Pickup
'85 Honda 750F Interceptor
'93 Nissan Quest
'89 Toyota Camry Wagon
'89 Dodge Raider
'81 Honda CB 750F Super Sport
'88 Toyota Celica
'95 Toyota Tacoma
'74 Honda CB 550F

To me brand selection is secondary to oil and filter change frequency. Either of those brands are adequate if oil and filter are changed FREQUENTLY.

Good luck,

I think either of these brands are okay. I think MAHLE is the OEM, but they can be a bit pricey at the dealer. I picked up a handfull of new ones on Ebay for a great price.

Stay away from Fram, although damn near 90% of car owners use them, they are cheap. A simplistic method to determine quality is the weight of the filter. If you ever have the chance, hold a new Fram in one hand and a new stock filter in the other, you will be amazed by the weight difference. More Weight = more filter stuff, simple.

To comment on Larry's reply to your post, where the belief is to change the oil frequently. Again, there are many schools of thought on oil changes and you can never get two people to agree on one solution, so it's up to the individual owner to decide for themselves. Personally, I change the filter at every SECOND oil change. Why? Years ago, I was told that filters perform better as they begin to fill up with debris. I don't know If this is true, but I have never had a problem with that approach. I don't know what Larry means by frequently, 2k, 3k?? I think the whole 3k mile oil change benchmark is a crock of "S" put together by OPEC, but I digress. I put nearly 25k highway miles on my car a year and I change it every 5 to 6k. Why? Because I would be changing it damn near every two to three weeks and just wasting cash. That's my 2cents.

Yes indeed, I drive 1,000 miles per week and change my oil about every three weeks. I found out a long time ago that it was much easier and more economical to change oil AND filter every three weeks, than engines every three years.

NOT changing filter every oil change leaves a good bit of dirty oil in the crankcase, actually the dirtiest of the oil in the crankcase.

I do agree that Fram filters are EXTREMELY low quailty. I do agree with the slogan from their advertising campaign of a few years ago, "pay me now, or pay me later."

It's your car and your money. My original 240D engine went 380,000 miles on the original engine with 3,000 mile oil and filter changes. I have no way to prove that it would have gone as far or farther with any other oil change program, but 380,000 miles isn't too bad.

Your choice, good luck,