Bill, recently you removed the Bosch (and STP) 3300/3323 from your and Maxima/org's recommeded list based on information contained in a Prelude Owners Group review. I have to take issue with that recommendation based on the following.

In that study, the author did not cut open the above Bosch oil filters. He cut open a Supertech filter and made several broad statements that the by pass design of all Bosch, Supertech and STP filters was inefffective, the filtering media was looked poor and production had been shifted to Mexico. He did not cut open any Bosch filters.

As I am sure you know, even within the same brand, filter OEMs specs are different many times by application. Look at the difference in the Nissan OEM filter now specd for the VQ vs the 9E000. Champion makes Mobil 1, STP, Bosch and Supertech filters and they are not all the same or produced in the same place and even differ in origin by application. By the same logic, should we now all avoid Mobil 1 filters?

I have my doubts on the relative effectiveness of the new bypass valve design of the Supertech filter he cut open, but to say it is ineffective it a pretty bold statement by anyone other than an expert. I have both a Bosch 3300 and 3323 among my oil filters and they say made in the USA and the bypass is clearly not of the design mentioned in this study. Perhaps it is old stock but perhaps the 3300/3323 do not fall under the blanket assmptions and statements made by the ntpog author.

Before you make such broad recommendations to the entire membership here, I think it only prudent you or someone obtain the Bosch 3300 and 3323, cut it open and see what by-pass valve is there and where it is made;actually, you can see this without cutting it open. Even then, I'd like to see some proof source that the bypass design on the Supertech is "ineffective" and wouldn't work. I mean, really, are you agreeing that even with the prelude Supertech filter Champion (Bosch, STP and Supertech) would put out all their filters where the design renders the bypass totally useless as claimed by the ntpog author?

Something to consider.

 

My recommendations should be heeded as such: recommendations. Whether people follow it or not isn't my choice, but theirs.

I know the guy as personally as you can communicating via e-mail, so I have no questions about his character or competence in his observations and conclusions.

Until someone shows me otherwise, I stand by my recommendations.


Unless I get paid, I'm not going to the expense of proving every single filter in every application. The door is wide open for anyone who wants to do so.


If you or anyone else has physical proof via pics and/or personal experience, pass that info along and I will gladly modify my recommendations. As I've stated many times, the good/bad lists can change at the snap of a finger.


Anytime I see a filter such as the STP S6941 be reduced in price by 40% along with an accompanying decision that STP/SuperTech/Bosch filters shifting production, I have no choice but to urge caution and not recommend those makes until someone can show me otherwise.

I'm still using the S6941 filter, as I can tell it's "old stock". Until "new stock" is more readily available, I am cautioning against using these branded filters.

 

Point taken and this wasn't a personal criticsim just a point/counterpoint. Most folks view your advice as the gospel on this site and thought it would be prudent to look at this more thoroughly as you do in comparing oils on your speadsheet and make recommendations accordingly. Nothing more sinister than that.

I agree a caution is in order as I personally do like the bypass design on that specfic super tech filter but question the ntpog author's broad based conclusions on all Bosch, STP and Supertech filters and that the design renders the bypass valve totally ineffective, not his character or intent. I don't have a digital camera or I would post the pictures of the Bosch 3300 and 3323 I have. Both are clearly made in the USA and are not of the bypass design of the prelude supertech mentioned by ntpog.