The dealer has quoted £10+ for a filter. Are after-market ones any good or is genuine worth the extra fiver?

Trekmac said:

The dealer has quoted £10+ for a filter. Are after-market ones any good or is genuine worth the extra fiver?

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Most are probably OK, but personally I wouldn't risk an aftermarket one. With a horizontally mounted can filter like the one fitted to the Panda, you risk damaging the valve gear on startup if the integral anti-drainback valve isn't up to the job.

But £10 for a genuine filter is a joke. Shop4Parts sell them for £2.83, and that's before we've talked about the forum discount.

If you're anywhere near Milton Keynes, go to Souls, ask for Chris, tell him you're a forum member and he'll do you a good walk-up price on the genuine article.

Most Easterly Pandas said:

Yet you still have to get a tub and oil into it when removing the oil filter? Or am I missing something

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Pela Pumps are dedicated oil extractors. Mine has it's own reservoir, and the negative pressure (vacuum!) is produced in the reservoir itself. Mine will hold 6 litres of hot oil, and I empty it later into an oil drum for use as a workshop heating fuel.

On the Multijet in the Panda, the filter is easily accessible, and a rag stuffed around it as I remove it takes care of any spillage.

Oil changes done this way really are clean and easy, ten-minute jobs.

Sweetsixteen.

It's always best to use Fiat filters, you'll probably find on ebay for £5-6 be careful as there are 2 sizes.

In answer to your question, on my panda ive used unipart, crosland and even one marked (I think) volvo that the factors gave me.

currently using a crosland one from eurocarparts. Hasnt leaked a drop but who knows what's inside.... If it would have been easier for me to buy one or i could be bothered more, i probably would have bought the genuine filter.

Cleaning up the mess at the end can sometimes take longer than doing the job itself, so anything which makes this easier has to be worth considering. The Pela Oil Extractor appears reasonable value for money.

If you're concerned about how much oil might be left after using one of these gadgets, you could always remove the sump plug at the end - I'd be surprised if very much came out. Even if you did this every time as a sort of 'belt and braces' approach, it'd still save you a lot of mess.

Pulling the sump plug won't get all the old oil out, anyhow.

Trekmac said:

The dealer has quoted £10+ for a filter. Are after-market ones any good or is genuine worth the extra fiver?

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I only ever use OEM, someone on a Subaru forum iirc got about 12 filters from different pattern part companies and stripped them all, OEM won hands down for the amount of filtration medium in them, and bypass valves etc.

About £5-£6 delivered if you keep a constant eye out on eBay and buy them when you don't need them

jrkitching said:

Cleaning up the mess at the end can sometimes take longer than doing the job itself, so anything which makes this easier has to be worth considering.

If you're concerned about how much oil might be left after using one of these gadgets, you could always remove the sump plug at the end - I'd be surprised if very much came out.

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The Model 6000 is the one I use - a bit careworn now (meaning it's difficult to see the capacity marks on the side of the reservoir), but one thing I do check with each change is that the amount drained out equals the amount replenished. Easy to do, and the dipstick confirms that the Pela does a thorough job. Just to be certain that I reach the very base of the sump each time, I have marked the Pela tube to match the top of the dipstick tube.

Sweetsixteen.

I've been using (oil) filters from different brands, but never ( Fiat) Original, tbh, as I don't believe any car factory makes their own filters...they just buy them in large quantities from big filter manufacturers...
As long as it's a well known brand, I use them, Fram, Bosch, Purolator, Mann, UFI, Delco, Fiaam, Technocar,Cooper, whatever...
Currently, I use a lot of (German) Bosch filters, on both our Fiat and Alfa, and guess where those Bosch filters are made.........Italy..!!!!
Most important is to change the oilfilter at every oil change.

Thanks for the info. How important is it to flush the engine?

My view on flushing?

With modern oils and engines, as long as you maintain service intervals, flushing is not needed.
I can,t remember the last time I flushed an engine (except stationary/donkey engines, that is).
Others may disagree, but I doubt it.

Sweetsixteen,

Agree,
I never flushed an engine in over 40 years...
Regular oil changing is like flushing to me...

Flushing an engine isn't just not needed, it could be dangerous for your engine.

There's plenty of post flushing scare stories to be found online. I would leave that stuff well alone

Thanks. This car has had little use in 3 months. Maybe a flush would do it good for this change?

Trekmac said:

Thanks. This car has had little use in 3 months. Maybe a flush would do it good for this change?

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...then again perhaps not!

The way I see it, even if you do have any sludge coating anything, which i doubt. I wouldn't want to loosen it all up in big lumps and have it getting stuck somewhere starving something.


IMO the additive package that comes in all modern oils is all you need. When ?I got my latest panda, the owner hadnt changed in quite a while, the next oil change went dirty really quick and I changed it short. Now it stays clear for ages.

That's useful to know. A short change is the way I'm thinking. Thanks.

Trekmac said:

That's useful to know. A short change is the way I'm thinking. Thanks.

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Yep - a lot of people get short-changed nowadays!
Don't like it myself, but that's life.
Buyer beware ...

Sweetsixteen.