Thank you for your help with selecting the correct oil to use in our Skodas (see Issue 324). I have another similar question, as I carry out some of the servicing. Does it make a big difference which oil, air or fuel filter I use? Is it always better to use genuine Skoda parts? At the moment I use FRAM filters, as, once again, the price is very different. Thank you once again for your guidance, no doubt many other readers would appreciate cost saving pointers when servicing their vehicles.
Jack Ellsmore

Hello again Jack. FRAM was once a highly respected name, but the fact that you can buy their filters so cheaply does make me wonder now. I found an oil filter test report on the web and it somewhat confirms my suspicions. I’m an enthusiast for K&N products (free flow air filters etc.) and they do performance oil filters that at around £11 seem a good buy, and they have a large nut welded on the end so you can loosen or tighten them with a ring or box spanner, rather than the nasty chain wrench that sometimes slips, or sometimes splits the thin casing and drops oil everywhere. That’s a real bonus! You can get Purflux brand filters from GSF parts chain for around a fiver, and you can find Bosch brand at EuroCarParts for only £6.60. If either companies have a branch near you, they might be worth trying, as I think both of these are quality brands and should be reliable. Sorry if this is a bit woolly, but I think FRAM are possibly now cheap and cheerful, so it may be worth going elsewhere for two or three quid more. The same goes for air and fuel filters – buying cheap may not be the best policy, and if readers are servicing their own car that’s still in warranty, it is always best to stick with manufacturer branded oil, air and fuel filters to keep the warranty intact. Readers having their cars serviced at franchised dealers should not be fobbed off though with possibly inferior non-branded filters supplied and fitted at an elevated price. Doc