BimmerFest BMW Forum banner

BMW e39 Oil Filters? Which are the best?

30K views 40 replies 24 participants last post by  540 M-Sport 
#1 · (Edited)
Today I stopped into a Napa store, and got a idea that I should compare oil filters for my 1998 E39 528i M52 engine, that can be used for 15,000 mile oil changes.
My question is how often do you change your Synthetic oil and Oil Filter on your BMW and which filter do you use?

I took several pictures, and have a few prices, and was wondering which oil filter do members on the list prefer?

1. Fram Extra Guard Oil Filter: $12.00 .. element appears paper based, and slightly taller. Stamped Made in China.
2. Napa Platinum Oil Filter is: $19.00.. element appears to be a synthetic fiber or blend, with a internal wire screen that helps reduce collapse. Nice filter other then the cost. Stamped Made in Poland.
3. Napa standard oil filter is: $12.00 .. element appears paper based. Stamped Made in Poland.
4. Mann Oil Filter: $9.00 .. element appears to be paper based. Stamped made in Mexico.

I then drove to Tognottis Speed shop and asked for a Royal Purple and Mobile One Filter. They only had a Mobile one filter, the salesmen suggested an Amsoil, but Amsoil only sells Mann Oil Filters for the M52. The salesman called Royal purple, and their customer support suggested I go to Pep Boys who carries Royal Purple oil filters.
1. Mobile One Oil Filter is: $19.00 at Tognottis Speed shop in Sacramento, California...element appears paper based. Did not see where it was made.

Pep Boys did not have a Royal Purple Synthetic Based Oil Filter, but had a Purolator Oil filter, which appeared similar to a Fram. The Pep Boys counter person asked his manager, and then stated that Royal Purple synthetic oil filters for the BMW M52 motor would be available soon.
1. Purolator Oil Filter.. about $12.00 appears to be paper based. Stamped made in USA.
 

Attachments

See less See more
6
#5 · (Edited)
Hi Ed,

I also live in San Jose. When I bought my first 1999 BMW 323is 2DR new from Allison BMW, in Mountain View the recommended factory oil change interval was 15,000 miles.
http://www.bmw330ci.net/maintenance/Enhanced Maintenance Schedule.pdf

Modern engines burn so clean, and modern fully Synthetic oil is so stable that 15,000 miles of ordinary driving is no problem at all. Do an oil analysis and you'll see that most full Synthetic oils can go 15,000 miles. Amsoil has an extended life version guaranteed for 25,000 miles.
http://www.blackstone-labs.com/what-is-oil-analysis.php

http://www.signumoilanalysis.com/signum/index.html

http://www.oaitesting.com/about.htm

Jose F. Medeiros
San Jose, California
1998 528i 4DR, 265,000 miles
 
#10 ·
i use mann filters but will be trying mahle, you can buy them at napa.
 
#17 · (Edited)
#32 ·
I am glad that you posted this STP filter with a damaged seam. I just took several pictures of a Bosch Oil Filter, and a STP oil filter sold at Autozone. Oreily Auto Parts only had a WIX in stock which looks exactly like the NAPA premium oil filter, but had no filter available that looked like the NAPA platinum oil filter.
 

Attachments

#20 ·
I am not sure why people put down Mexico.
Aside from the counterfeit thingy last year (which is solved now), Mann has made filters in Mexico for years and the quality is as good as Mahle made in Austria.
I'd buy Mann filters in a heart beat.
It is not the country where things are made, it is the name of the company that matters.
Mann has very strict QC program.
 
#21 ·
I'm with you on this. I bought 10 Mann oil filters when Advanced Auto have them on sale for $4.95 (clean out 3 of their closest stores :))
 
#29 ·
That statement is simply not true. While I do not support the factory 15,000 mile oil change interval, it has been proven on bobistheoilguy.com that using the factory oil filter (Mann, Mahle, Hengst) and a BMW approved LL-01 oil, that it can certainly go the 15,000 miles without harm to the engine. A bunch of people there have done used oil analysis after 15k oil changes.

The only examples I have seen of sludged BMW engines, or failed oil filters is when the oil change interval is either unknown (in some cases it was suspected the oil was never changed for 60k+ miles!), and/or a domestically made oil filter was used (Fram, STP, etc) or the wrong oil was used (not synthetic)
 
#25 ·
I change my oil & oil filter every 3,500 miles

Sent from my PG86100 using Bimmer App
Little too late for regular oil, too early for synthetic oil. You're wasting your money if you're using synthetic oil.
 
#35 ·
Is there truly any harm in putting in 7.0 liter rather than 6.9 liter when changing oil?
A little too much is no big deal but a lot too much would cost churning of air into the oil and the frothing wouldn't be good, I'm told.

That having been said, I put even increments of quarts in mine and I suspect 95% of everyone else does too. I seriously doubt anyone worries about 100 ml of oil.

I think that metric system is crazy anyway. I mean, everyone knows there are 32 ounces to a quart, so, why do we need 1,000 ml anyway. :)
 
#36 ·
oil change

thank you much.

btw: I'm positive I refilled my oil with the correct amount on my last change but a day after, I'm reading 1/2 qt low and I'm seeing no spots on the garage floor and car history says it is not burning or blowing oil at that or any appreciable rate. Sounds strange to me, but, any thoughts or comments from you would be helpful and appreciated.

2002 530, 153k miles, owner since 21k miles.

thanks again!

Dave
 
#39 ·
I've always used Mann filters that I get from AutohausAZ. Regarding oil changes, I thing time plays a part in addition to distance. I once let my 525i go 1 year (forgive me, forum, for I have sinned!) but only went 11k miles. When I drained the oil, some of it was tan colored. Since then, I change every 6 months or about 6k miles.
 
#41 ·
The color of the oil is a useless method of determining much about the condition of the oil.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top