Folks Of Interest Fram & Autolite belly up?

I buy NAPA Gold oil filters from my local NAPA 3-4 times per year. This was the first I've seen of the Made in China filters. Maybe it took that long to go through old stock or something.

 

The Fram ultra synthetics I buy are USA made and seem to be well made
Dan

 

I was first advised in November 2022 that the Gold was not going to be the same as Wix but in the Asia Pacific region I didnt start to see the change until probably a year later. The range was condensed. The numbers of filters that Nappa sold world wide was astonishing so with forward ordering I'm not surprised you are starting only see them now. We used to cut up most of the popular brands every year and compare them. There is a very well known German brand that has had a change of ownership in the last 4 years, the vast majority of their filters come out of China now however their original plant in Europe is still manufacturing OEM. The other issue is quality control. Most of the Chinese filters are ok but not the same quality. I now do a filter change on all my vehicles at 5000km when I change the oil. Friends laugh at me because I'll pay $60 nzd for a US or European filter rather than pay $18-$20 for the chinese.

 

Napa was having serious issues with supply and quality issues after Mann Hummel acquired Wix and dropped them as a supplier. Their filters are now made by Baldwin, Donaldson, and Premium Guard now to their NAPA Gold specifications. That particular filter looks to be made by Premium Guard. Price had nothing to do with the change in supplier

 

I went through 4 or 5 Holley electric fuel pumps, kinda junky & real loud.
2 years ago I tried a Mallory & so far so good.
The Mallory is way quieter as well.

 

Asian wasn’t the right choice of wording. Yes, Japan builds pretty good quality cars and trucks and Taiwan also produces some half decent parts also. I’m talking specifically about the Chinese or what most people call “off shore”. Performance World, Pro Comp, All Star and others from my experience is mostly a disappointment. If it’s a non-moving part like an intake manifold, valve cover, air cleaner, water pump you might be alright, but I’m personally avoiding much of the wearing parts that are so cheap it’s to good to be true.

 

I don't think any of us seek out Chinese parts. **** happens, the world changes.

 

I'm not sure what you're referring to as "NAPA Gold specifications", but the filters are noticeably different without even cutting them apart. I would guess it's more the case that NAPA looked at the filter the manufacturer made and decided it was fine to put their gold name on it, rather than having a specification it needed to meet.

 

My understanding is that NAPA had filter specification for the NAPA Gold filters and Wix was making to those specifications. Since NAPA “was” their biggest customer I would guess that they made all of their filters for everyone to those specifications. The new suppliers are supposed to be making everything to the same specifications. I’m sure they will have some growing pains with changes.

 

Different doesn’t equate to worse.

 

That’s not how it works. Typically, unless it’s a major automotive OEM that has research and engineering facilities to establish their own specifications, a retailer will take whatever the vendor is selling. That’s not to say that the vendor doesn’t share the specs with the retailer.

Napa is small potatoes compared to the oems who produce and sell 17 million cars in the US alone, each requiring a filter.

I doubt if Napa has an engineering corporate staff of more than a half dozen, or a filter and tribology lab at all.

They’re w warehouse and logistics company that employs buyers and logistics personnel primarily, to manage the in house and franchise operations.

I doubt if there’s more than two people corporate wide that could distinguish a good filter from a bad filter design.

 

Nope-a-Napa

 

thanks for the education…

 

Except if you can see that it's worse, as in this case. It doesn't mean it isn't "good enough", sure. But it definitely isn't the same and is visibly inferior in some ways without opening it up.

 

Perhaps that is part of the reason my daily driver has had zero engine issues in over 450,000 miles using mostly Fram filters.

Lynn

 

Out and out theft and fraud has broken the back of a number of automotive related companies lately.

 

Exactly. It's most likely just a purchase agreement, as in NAPA agrees to buy whatever the supplier is making and have their name on it as long as supply stays ahead of demand.

Napa having specifications for filters would require them to test filters of many different designs (different vehicle manufacturers) to determine their specs, then at various time intervals test what they're getting to confirm they're meeting those specs. That's very time and resource intensive, and I guarantee that isn't what happens.

Supplier says: I can make filters for all these vehicles at something approximating OEM quality.
NAPA says: I need X units per month with my brand name on them. I'll pay you $X per unit.

 

Just a bit more to it:

https://www.reuters.com/business/au...k-james-multibillion-dollar-fraud-2025-11-04/

 

From that link posted above:

"Bankrupt First Brands on Monday sued its former chief executive and founder Patrick James, accusing him of orchestrating frauds that left the U.S. auto parts maker insolvent.
James enriched himself and his family by "misappropriating hundreds of millions (if not billions) of dollars from First Brands," the company said in a lawsuit filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas."

If true, then he can afford a lot of lawyering!

 

I just picked up some Michelin wiper blades at Costco for one of my DDs. They were to replace the same ones I got 6 months ago. They were also on sale for CAN$10 ea. The design was totally different and way worse. One blade would not even stay clipped onto the adapter. OEM ones from the dealer were $120. I bought a pair and they barely lasted a year, hence going to the Michelin ones. Either way, the consumer is getting royally screwed by corporate greed.