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Best Oil Filter Source

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Rest, Mar 30, 2010.

  1. Rest

    Rest Active Member

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    Been trying to find an inexpensive source for oil filters, for our 2006 and 2007 Prius vehicles. I've checked ebay and others but am not having any luck finding an inexpensive place. Either they charge to much for the filters, or the shipping is outrageous. Any suggestions?
     
  2. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    My suggestion is that you buy multiple parts in one order because the shipping charge tends to be fixed, then increments up in steps.

    Champion Toyota in Houston sells a box of 10 oil filters for $33. If you buy a few other parts, such as oil drain plug washers, engine and cabin air filters - or windshield wiper blade refills, then you can leverage the shipping charge of ~$11.

    If you plan to replace your transaxle fluid at some point, then you can buy the aluminum drain/fill plug washers in advance.

    Or if you need to buy accessories such as a cargo net, this is the time to do it.
    Champion ToyotaWorld
     
  3. Rest

    Rest Active Member

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    Yea you see, $33 for 10 oil filters is to much. Not to mention the shipping and state tax on top of it. I was hoping to find a much better online price.
     
  4. Mr.Vanvandenburg

    Mr.Vanvandenburg Active Member

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    Most places won't ship a $2 oil filter for free. You can get house brand filters cheep at auto stores. If they have oval holes they are Purolator made and are likely decent quality. It is probably cheaper in the long run to get the $5 dealer filter or a PureOne for $7.
     
  5. kohnen

    kohnen Grumpy, Cranky Senior Member

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    http://www.amazon.com/Purolator-PL10241-PureONE-Filter-Pack/dp/B000H7XJKO

    If you buy three of the two-packs of Purolator Pure One PL10241, it will cost you $28.44, you'll get free shipping and no tax - works out to $4.74 per filter.

    The PL10241 fits nicely on the 07 Prius (it does on mine at least). It's an oversized filter, so there's more filter material. Pure One filters are among the best in terms of filtration.

    This is what I use.
     
  6. Rest

    Rest Active Member

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    kohnen,

    I was interested in buying Toyota OEM oil filters in bulk, but will think about the Purolator PureONE line of oil filters. They seem pretty good being 99.9% efficient. But their site says the correct filter number for my Prius is PL14476.

    Oh and Amazon doesn't give you a better deal if you buy three two packs. A two pack is $9.48, so the $28.44 for three two packs isn't a special price.
     
  7. kohnen

    kohnen Grumpy, Cranky Senior Member

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    1) The PL14476 probably is the correctly sized filter - the PL10241 works really well as an oversized filter - more filtering media so it's less likely to get plugged. If you're REALLY in to oversized filters, the PL20195 works for the Prius - even more media, great filtering spec, the same bypass pressure (in case the filter gets plugged, which the oversized one won't) and the same price.

    2) If you buy $25 or more of stuff, Amazon will ship for free. That's where the price break comes in.
     
  8. Rest

    Rest Active Member

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    Oh okay, I forgot about that because I have their Prime service and get free 2 day shipping on many of their products anyway.

    I ordered 2 PureONE filters from Amazon. I also ordered 10 OEM Toyota filters from a seller on ebay for $29 plus $8 shipping and they threw in some oil drain plug washers. So I should be set for oil filters now for a while. Thanks for all the help.
     
  9. cnschult

    cnschult Active Member

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    remember that you are only as strong as the weakest link, so using cheap garbage Toyota or generic oil filters is fine if you are using conventional oil and want to replace them every 5K miles. But if you want to go 15K with a synthetic oil, you need a high capacity expensive FRAM oil filter that is capable of going the distance.
     
  10. kohnen

    kohnen Grumpy, Cranky Senior Member

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    You've GOT to be kidding! Take a look at bobistheoilguy.com and see what they all think about FRAM filters.
     
  11. Rest

    Rest Active Member

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    First off, Fram are not good oil filters. Secondly, the type of oil filter has nothing to do with the type of oil used. Thirdly, you should never go 15k miles with synthetic oil without at least changing the oil filter every 5k miles. Doesn't matter if the oil filter is high capacity or not, the oil will still be dirty after 5k miles.


    While I am not a fan of the 3k mile oil change theory in this day and age, I also do not agree with 15k mile oil changes. Yes this new synthetic oil can can go 15k miles without changing, heck any old can do this. The real issue is that the oil gets dirty. So if you want to go that long then at least change out the oil filter every 5k miles.
     
  12. 2009Prius

    2009Prius A Wimpy DIYer

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    2010 Prius oil change interval is officially 10K miles now. Maybe a few more years down the road we will see 15K mile change intervals as standard. :)
     
  13. Rest

    Rest Active Member

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    Maybe someone can explain to me how they get can do such high mileage oil changes. The oil still gets dirty and it seems to me the filter would have to at least be changed sooner.
     
  14. Rest

    Rest Active Member

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    Interestingly after changing the oil in our 2006 Prius the oil drain plug washer (crush washer) was not metal, it was a plastic. Then when I changed the oil in our 2007, I noticed the drain plug was metal with a blue surface on both sides, just like the ones I received with my oil filter purchase. I assume Toyota made a in 2007.
     
  15. Rae Vynn

    Rae Vynn Artist In Residence

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    We've been using Bosch oil filters.

    Oil filter is no place to pinch pennies. Seriously.
     
  16. Rest

    Rest Active Member

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    Interestingly some civilian aircraft don't even use oil filters. This is fine as the oil is changed sooner than in aircraft that use oil filters.

    So if an aircraft can be perfectly safe in the air without an oil filter, an automobile is fine using a cheap oil filter, as long as you change them out sooner. But then I guess you would end up spending more money in the long run, than by just buying a good oil filter to start with.
     
  17. patsparks

    patsparks An Aussie perspective

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    I wouldn't fit Fram filters on a bicycle!!
    We used Fram filters where I worked for a short time, I never had so much trouble with oil filters. We sent out remaining stock back to the supplier and used Valvoline filters without trouble.

    I'll stick with what the factory recommend for my Prius, Toyota branded filters.
     
  18. boppo

    boppo Active Member

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    +1 on that.
     
  19. Jensent

    Jensent Junior Member

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    Our local NAPA sells NAPA Gold for our GenIII for $4.14 our the door. I think they are Wix.
    We get oil and filter change at our local Toyota for $7.00. Tire rotation for another $7.00. These prices good for as long as we own the car, negotiated at time of purchase.
    Tom
     
  20. a_gray_prius

    a_gray_prius Rare Non-Old-Blowhard Priuschat Member

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    FYI:

    Autozone and Pep Boys often have "oil change specials" where they bundle 5qt of oil with a filter . I think I saw one recently at Pep Boys for 5qt of Mobil1 Synthetic (what I use) with a Mobil1 filter for $30 (not bad considering a 5qt jug @ Walmart is like $26). YMMV.