Flash Gordon

Recently I was at Walmart getting oil for my G35. While browsing, I saw W211 Fram filter. I opened the carton and inspected the filter. It was well made in Korea so I bought it and ready for my next oil change. Now I have a convenient source for my W211 oil filter.

NorseWagon

Is it a fleece filter..?

How much was it.

Flash Gordon

It looked identical to the Mann filter that I used to order online. I think it was less than $10.

Benz-O-Rama

Looks can be deceiving. Did you say made in Korea?


Be careful with NON-OEM, non-fleece filters. I've seen some nasty things happen when not using OEM on these cars.

For $12.00, I'll stick to the dealer ones.

lkchris

They have Chevies at Chevy dealers, too, I hear.

listerone

The Mann filter for my Bluetec,which I assume costs more than those for the gas engines,can be had for $10...or it least it could be a couple of months ago.I'd go with the original.

dtrentr

I wouldn't put a Fram filter on my lawn mower, much less my Mercedes.

markpetersonii

This.

When it come to performance, I'm not skimping out.

GT-ER

I've had fram filters on every vehicles I've ever owned ( some quicker than my E55 ) and the E55 was the first vehicle that I ever had problems with when using a Fram filter. The valve lifters made horrendous noises until I put the oem fleece filter in and the noise went away. Never again.

Flash Gordon

Fram is a well known automotive filter maker. It does not take a rocket scientist to make an oil filter. You buy Korean TVs like Samsung, LG don't you?

220S

fwiw, Fram doesn't exist anymore.

It's just a branded name. Honeywell (formerly Allied-Signal then Bendix) has been manufacturing "Fram" filters since they bought out the company back in 1967.

Anyway, you can use whatever you feel like. I'm assuming most people here just prefer to primarily use OEM products for their cars. And after all, it's not like you change your oil every month. Cost is negligible.

n0n0tme

I didn't have a choice but to use Fram filter on my last oil change (January 2011). I usually buy my filters from NAPA Autoparts but they were out of stock. Napa has their own brand of oil filters but when look at the filter it says Mann or Hegnst(sorry I spelled the wrong). I'm going to change it soon I was waiting for 6K miles or 6 months.

Gersh320

The original one is made in Germany, I would not get anything less. You can order these online for less than $10. If you are going 10 to 15k between oil changes, why would you not use original? Whoever said oil filters are not rocket science, you are correct, the choice of materials used to make them make a huge difference. You might have purchased a Korean TV but did you buy a Korean car? No, you bought a German one.
You can use whatever you want, in the end it is always your choice; when something goes wrong you guys are the first ones on these sights *****ing about how terrible the quality of Mercedes is. Crap in = Crap out.

TopEndS62

stick to dealer filter...buy by the 3's if you have to.

E365

I posted this comparison photo in a oil change thread. W211 E320 fit Mann Fleece on left, Fram on right. This Chinese made Fram really wasn't that bad, but I'd only run it for 7,500 miles max. Better yet, use the non-fleece Mann/Mahle/Hengst filters. They are cheaper than the Fram when bought online. Best = OE/OEM fleece and there's really no reason NOT to use those if you are going over 10,000 miles on an OCI. They aren't that expensive online; a $6 premium over a non-fleece Mahle/Mann/Hengst.

I think the anti-Fram voice is a little over-the-top. I don't use them, and avoid them when I can, but I bet literally trillions of miles have been driven on Fram oil filters. They are just fine, just not for a 10,000 - 15,000 mile OCI.

Another note: I saw a Fram cartridge filter at AutoZone (I think it was an Audi fit #) and even though it has a Fram stamp on it, it was a Mann filter, Made in Germany.

Gersh320

That is the problem with Fram, they are from all over the place. You never know what you are going to get. I had a VW Jetta and found the Fram at walmart, opened it and it said made in Germany. My next oil change I went back to same Walmart and found the filter was made in Mexico this time.
The picture above speaks volumes as to why get anything but the original (or from the real product suppliers), the Fram even looks cheap. Why buy a $50G plus car and put in a cheap part, especially one that is so important?

grane

Why not buy the 0/40 oil deal from Autozone? And order a 6 pack of MB filters and drain washers from our sponsor

Www.mymercedesparts.com

And you can halve the oil interval if you wish.

novae500

i bought my mann filters (air, cabin) on amazon. Also got in on the $4.99/qt of Mobil1 at NAPA and did the oil/cabin change on the E55 this morning via mityvac. Sucked out 8.25 quarts and put in the same back in. After a drive, checked the level and is ok and no leaks from the filter.

Ausmbtech

I only use 3 different brand filters on my cars. Mann, heigst or bosch. Mann is alway my fist preference then bosch. Heigst are very good to but mann are easier to find.

I've seen too many crappy filters out there. Most common crap filter is usual diesel filters, I've seen some that really look like a toilet roll stuck in a can, bosch diesel filter are good for as fine as 10 microns. When tolerances are as tight as they are these days filter quality is more imporant than ever!

SoCal208

It's your car, use whatever parts you see fit, but NOT to regret when the part is NOT up to MB spec. it can cause the engine damage due to not have enough lubricant for the engine !!!!!!. I never save the money to get the oil change at Walmart (or Sears or Jiffy Lube !!!!). MB is a very complex car, every fluids or parts to put on the MB without approve my MB may not a very good idea. Not every Mobil1 synthetic oil is OK for MB, the vicosity on the can play a BIG part of the oil. Read your owner manual to see whether you car require a paper filter or a fleece filter. Good luck !!!!!.

Gersh320

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1oai1Fi5ZE

wjcandee

The old Mann filter for the W211 was a paper filter with a 5000-mile oil change interval. For the 15,000-mile oil change interval, you want the Mann 718/5X fleece filter. In fact, on the Mann web site, that's the filter they now specify for the W211.

If you're looking for a good price on the Mann Fleece Filter, you can pick up the Purolator Classic L25277 filter at Pep Boys for $11.59. That's a Mann 718/5X fleece filter for the W211 in a Purolator box. Even says Made in Germany, in German, on the filter. This makes sense since Mann+Hummel owns Purolator. (Purolator used to be a joint venture between Bosch and Mann+Hummel, with the former doing the aftermarket stuff and the latter doing the OE business, but Mann bought out Bosch and now owns all of Purolator's filter business.)

Laxdad

Buy few OEM's when on sale, oil is the key to engine longevity in my honest opinion.

Stuttgarten

You save $2-$3 for a filter you need every 10K miles is not worth it. That Fram filter may work for a few months, but not when it has been over 5K miles. Don't be cheap!

Gersh320

Nothing left to say.