X-man, have you ever taken a Fram oil filter apart yourself or are you going by what you've read in the past. Don't get me wrong, I don't use Fram either. I just prefer other brands.
Yes.
The filter material has cheap-*** cardboard ends, which are supposed to be metal. Cardboard can easily break apart, which can cause the filter pleats to move from it's fixed spot.
Fram also has a sh**ty design for their anti drain back valve.
The filter media is cheaply built, with a low number of pleats put in it.
I been using Fram spin on filters on my 5 GM 6.5 diesels since 96. I never had a problem with them. I cut a fram filter apart last year cause people were saying how bad they are.
I also cut a Donaldson filter apart that came from my GMC duramax diesel. I found no big difference in the make up between these filters when i compared the two.The filter media was identical on both and there where steel end plates on both.
It will be receiving synthetic only oil changes every 3500 miles.
What a waste of money, why use synthetic with that low of miles? The advantages of synthetic oil is to be able to run it longer.[/QUOTE]
IMO synthetic is justified in winter as it helps for easier starting in below freezing weather cause it is more slippery. I don't use it anymore cause all my vehicles are kept inside a heated garage these days and the stuff is just to expensive.
Conventional oil is actually just as good.
I had a Pontiac sunbird that seized (spun a crank bearing) the engine just before the 50 thou km warranty expired.
It had
not had an oil change in the last 20 thousand km.(wife was supposed to keep track of that)
They dealer send an oil sample out for analysis and it came back as well within limits,....nothing wrong with the oil.
The Dealer replaced the engine under warranty.
my other cars I do all the work except mounting tires I don't have that equipment. I did just buy my wife a new car a 1999 jeep Cherokee 1 owner perfect condition 168*** miles. It will be recieving synthetic only oil changes every 3500 miles.