Well, amongst some e46 owners, I've heard complaints about the filter not being exact replacements or missing some aspect compared to the OEM filter. Also some complained that the filter was the cause of their transmission going out after flush and replacement. But somehow, I think their transmissions were on the way out anyways, and the filter had nothing to do with it at all.

I think I'll just get the OEM filter to eliminate the chance of an aftermarket one not being adequate. With 80K on the odometer, I need all the peace of mind I can get.