Purolator Oil Filter Review, Buying Guide, and More


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Have you ever been in this situation: You go for an oil change, and the garage tries to sell you their oil filter? Bring your own instead! A Purolator oil filter is one option. This oil filter will outperform most generic brands and save you money in the long run.

To illustrate, I used to leave pesky details such as oil changes to mechanics. Sometimes I would take my car to the dealership service center where they would sell me an overpriced branded oil filter. Once my warranty expired, I started taking my car to Mobil 1 and Jiffy Lube places. They would attempt to sell me some generic oil filter, and I would usually say “Okay.”

Now I know how to change my own oil and service my engine. It’s so much better for your car and cheaper for your wallet to buy your own after-market oil filter.

All About Purolator Oil Filters

Purolator’s motto is “Nothing gets by us.” It’s a fitting motto for a company that has been making oil filters since 1923. Purolator’s headquarters are in Fayetteville, North Carolina and every oil filter gets manufactured in the United States. Purolator makes all sorts of filters, including air filter, transmission filters, PCV line filters, and more. They supply Toyota with nearly 80 percent of their factory-installed filter systems!

Although they make three different types of oil filters, including the BOSS premium filter and the ONE filter, the Purolator oil filter is the one that will replace most factory-installed oil filters. It’s available for almost every passenger car and light truck on the market. It gives up to 5,000 miles of engine protection, which is when you should be changing your oil. The Purolator oil filter is made with multi-fiber, high-density media and cleans over 95-percent of the dirt that it meets. An anti-drainback valve helps protect against dry starts.

Specifications

An oil filter is a simple piece of gear, yet essential to your car’s engine. Purolator doesn’t mess around. The Purolator oil filter has the following specs:

  • Rugged filter canister
  • Up to 13 grams dirt removal capacity
  • Nitrile gasket
  • Metal endcaps
  • Double-helix metal center tube

Also, the Purolator oil filter is three inches long and three inches wide. It weighs just under nine ounces. It will fit practically any consumer car. Provided you’re not racing a performance car, the Purolator oil filter will hold up just fine under normal city and highway driving conditions.

Pricing and warranty

In addition to making quality products, Purolator has competitive pricing. You can pick up a Purolator oil filter for between $5 and $8.

Purolator oil filters don’t just come with a great price, they have a great warranty, too! This is important. Because Purolator stands behind their products, I feel confident buying from them. I have a hard time trusting companies who don’t warranty their products. That’s not a concern I have with Purolator oil filters.

This filter comes with a 90-day manufacturer’s warranty which protects against any manufacturing defects. Purolator oil filters are respected in the industry, so installing one won’t affect your vehicle’s warranty.

How I Researched This Review

To compare oil filters, I researched four other brands which you’re likely to come across as you shop. I chose WIX, FRAM, AC Delco, and Bosch FILTECH oil filters for this review. I went to each company’s website to learn a little about them.

Then I went to Amazon to read customer reviews. Because I trust reviews written by real people, I ended up going through a lot of them. I was able to get a good idea of how Purolator oil filters stack up to the competition in real-world use.

Purolator oil filter customer reviews

Toyota isn’t the only one who raves about Purolator oil filters. Customers on Amazon rated them 4.6 out of 5 stars. Everyone said it was a great filter and a great price. A few customers mentioned that it’s the only oil filter they trust in their car. One person thought the outer casing was a little flimsy.

How does it stack up to other oil filters?

By now you’re probably ready to rush out and buy a Purolator oil filter. I know I am! They’re well-built and very respected in the auto industry. One of the largest auto manufacturers swears by them. But before you put one in your engine, it’s important to see what else is out there. How does a Purolator oil filter compare to a WIX? Is it any cheaper than a FRAM oil filter?

FRAM oil filters

First up are FRAM oil filters. FRAM is a Rhode Island company that’s been around since 1932. In those eight decades, they’ve become a world leader in oil filters. FRAM is proudly American and produces all of its filters in the USA. It is also the leading supplier of oil filters for the US Army.

The FRAM oil filter protects for up to 5,000 miles, which is the same as the Purolator oil filter. It traps up to 95 percent of dirt and can hold up to 14 grams of sediment. This filter comes in a sturdy “easy grip” plastic canister and twists on simply. It also has an internally-lubricated sealing gasket which makes removal nearly effortless. Anyone who has tried to wrestle with a dried-up oil filter can appreciate this little feature!

The FRAM oil filter costs between $4 and $10. It comes with a limited 30-day replacement warranty. Customers on Amazon rated it 4.5 out of 5 stars. Everyone said the convenient hand grip on the casing makes it simple to install, and it fits almost every vehicle. Some people did say that it was too short to fit in Chevy engines.

WIX oil filters

Next, we have WIX oil filters. This company, based in North Carolina, has been making filters since 1939. Many of their components get produced in the US and Canada, but they also outsource some production to Mexico and China. WIX is a leading after-market oil filter.

The WIX oil filter fits mainly North American-produced vehicles. It won’t sit very well in a Hyundai or a Nissan, and you’ll want something a little higher-grade if you’re cruising around in a BMW. The WIX oil filter protects for up to 10,000 miles, although you should change it when you reach 12 months of use.

You can expect to pay between $10 and $20 for a WIX oil filter. Customers on Amazon rated it 4.6 out of 5 stars. Most of them drove pickup trucks and said it’s the only filter they would use. If you have a Chevy, Ford, Dodge, or GMC light truck, this may be the filter for you.

AC Delco oil filters

Next on our list is the oil filter by AC Delco. This is a General Motors brand that’s been making factory parts for GM since 1916. Back then they operated under the name “United Motors Corporation,” but that merged with another GM-owned brand, Delco, to become “United Delco” in 1960. In 1974 General Motors rebranded the company AC Delco, and they’ve been operating under that name ever since.

Like most of GM’s products, AC Delco oil filters come from all over. Parts are outsourced across the globe and crisscross borders multiple times before a full oil filter is ready for sale. The AC Delco oil filter comes in a steel shell with a steel baseplate, making it easy to recycle. The core is more open than other filters, which allows for greater oil flow through the filter. At nearly five ounces it’s one of the more solid filters on this list.

The AC Delco oil filter comes with a 24-month unlimited mile warranty, the best in the market. It costs between $11 and $15. Customers on Amazon rated it 4.6 out of 5 stars. Almost everyone said this filter is great at removing impurities from very dirty engines, such as those found in Buicks and Lincolns.

Bosch FILTECH oil filters

Finally, we have the Bosch FILTECH oil filter. Robert Bosch Company (GmbH in German), from Stuttgart, Germany, makes engineering, electronics, and automotive parts. They are one of the world’s largest parts manufacturers, with plants in 32 different countries. They are also one of the oldest electronics companies in the world. Bosch went into business in 1886 and survived two world wars.

The Bosch FILTECH oil filter has sturdy steel plates inside a steel housing. This prevents warping. It comes with a silicone anti-drainback valve, while the media consists of a mix of natural and synthetic materials. Bosch claims that this filter will stop 99 percent of impurities. If that’s true, it’s the most effective oil filter in our review.

The Bosch FILTECH costs between $6 and $11 and comes with a 30-day limited warranty. Customers on Amazon rated it 4.7 out of 5 stars. Many considered it a high-end oil filter and said that they noticed a marked improvement in engine performance after installing it. A couple of people complained that it’s a little difficult to install and remove.

Purolator Oil Filter Pros and Cons

Because all of the oil filters we reviewed were rated so highly, you may be tempted to rush out and buy one of each and compare them yourself. Before you do this, it’s important to remember that all of these filters have their pros and cons. Purolator oil filters are no different.

Pros

  • Fits on practically any car and light truck
  • High-density media works very well
  • The average warranty protects your purchase and your vehicle
  • Made in the USA

Cons

  • The flimsy casing can easily warp
  • Lowest customer ratings of any of these filters
  • Doesn’t perform well in rugged or performance engines

My Final Verdict

Today I’m much more car-savvy than when I was younger. I don’t have a modified engine, but I try to do as much maintenance myself as I can on my car. Choosing the right oil filter is an essential part of that.

The Purolator oil filter is well-built, does the job it’s designed to do and comes at a great price point. I love the history of Purolator and that Toyota chooses them exclusively as their factory-installed filter. I drive a Ford, and my wife drives a Toyota, so I love that the Purolator oil filter will fit on anything.

FRAM also makes a great oil filter, and they’ve been doing so for a long time. The easy-grip casing on the canister is a thoughtful addition, and the filter is very affordable. What I don’t like is that you need to carefully choose from FRAM’s large selection to find the right filter that will fit your vehicle.

Because the Bosch FILTECH oil filter is rated so highly, and costs the same as the Purolator oil filter, you may be tempted to go with one of those. What concerns me about the Bosch filter is that it was designed with high-end German motors in mind and fits into conventional vehicles almost as an afterthought. You could put it in your Hyundai or Dodge Grand Caravan, but it is a bit of overkill.

For that reason, I suggest the Purolator oil filter over all of the filters on this list. It will fit your car, will do its job, and won’t put you out much money.

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