Yes, undoubtedly. I'm not suggesting that BMW does not have internal quality control over the components that go into their vehicles. They qualify external vendors who supply them with those components. That being said, those vendors are also capable of supplying the same quality components/fluids to other retailers (or selling them directly). Obviously there is a vast range of quality when it comes to aftermarket or OEM parts. The discriminating consumer knows the difference or eventually learns the difference. But to suggest that buying OE "BMW" components from the dealer is the only way to get quality materials would be misleading.

Hey guys read this post and see what I was talking about then check yours. Post 10. I've seen this before.

What is wrong with this oil filter? - E46Fanatics

OH MY GOD.
first of all, thank you - a photo speaks a thousand words.
I ran out and checked, and yes I have a metal donut sized ring at the top of the cover PLUS another one at the bottom of the filter housing.

MY DEFENSE - I have never had new filters that had metal ends, the Mann nor the "official BMW" filter I bought from FCP euro do not have metal ends and thus I thought the "plates" at the bottom and top were purposely there. Check my photos - no metal ends.

THANK YOU!!!!!

I have done tons of oil changes on BMWs using either Mann or Mahle oil filters.
Synthetic oil every 5K-6K.
Never had any of these issues mentioned in this thread.

When I started reading this thread I had both my filters on my amazon wish list. After reading a bit, I drove to the dealer and purchased them there. Why take a chance over 10-15 bucks.

Oil filter always comes out crushed?
 

Was changing oil my N62 (v8) and had a BMW and Mann filter to compare. The BMW is labeled Hengst E203H, Mann HU715 / 5x

Overall observations:
BMW: solid plastic top end, main length exact match, top has extra soft donut ring that not present on the Mann, bottom plastic edge is shorter than the Mann. BMW o-rings come in a sealed bag while the Mann bag has pinholes in it.

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14...4dc89bd951.jpghttp://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14...a719900aba.jpghttp://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14...5be574d89f.jpghttp://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14...b7b6cda699.jpg

This is all terribly interesting to me given an experience I had this Spring. I changed the oil in my 2004 3.0 for ~99,000 miles across 7 years. I started at every 3k miles and eventually to 5k. That's probably better than 25 times.

I never saw this.

I've also changed the oil on my wife's '02 330 (same M54- filter anyway) for about the same 92k miles across 12 years.

I never saw it there, either.

And then, there's the M62 in my E39. 14 years and (only) 57k miles. Once again, never saw it.

So imagine my surprise (and genuine wonder) almost 4 years ago when I discovered that the N62 in my '04 4.8is requires me to crawl under the silly car for the filter change. I never have liked that and I still don't understand it.

I've changed it about every 5k miles. It's just shy of a big 6-0k miles. Before I went on my big, 6k mile trip, I was at the Indy for a pre-trip checkup, and I had some oil for my next at home change. They asked if I wanted to change it, they'd use my oil and charge me for the filter I had yet to buy. Can't beat that, so I let 'em do it.

Hey, look at this, the kid said.

It was not only crushed, it was nearly ripped in half! Now, I do *not* know if that was from the removal or what, but I had never, not ever seen THAT. I had used the Fram oil filter I had gotten 'free' when I purchased Castrol Syntec at the auto parts store.

I decided right then that I would not use any more of the 3 or 4 FRAM filters I had. But now I wonder....

Was something stuck up in there? Hrmmmmm...

My last oil change was this Summer in Boise, Idaho after running my X5 along some really dusty Colorado mountain 'roads'. I've since driven home across country and am just right at 60k miles.

This thread makes me want to go out, check the filter, and do an oil change as the first step in my big 60k miles preventative maintenance-a-palooza.

I am the one that finally found the left over "donut" in the cover and bottom of the housing and have been crushing my filters for the past 6 years. I have an M54 and use Mann HU 925/4 x which does not have a top or bottom rim nor does the official "BMW" filter I got from FCP.
SO - at some point the dealer used a filter that had a metal bottom and top (yet the "real BMW" M54 filter I bought did not have the metal rims??) and because I never used a filter with a metal or plastic top or bottom rim - I never looked for them left behind.
my "2 cents"
1. thanks for the input that solved this for me
2. Everyone should check the bottom and top of the filter housing to see if there is a left over rim even if your new filter does not have one.

attached photo of the "BMW" filter from FCP. and end cap left over (not my photos).