Oil filter Mahle or OEM Subaru
This is the one to use my guy. On my fxt the cartridge is slightly taller than subarus. So more filter material and its easier to take off because its longer.
Yes, it's absolutely worth it! in fact, I own one myself. I bought mine for $6,500 AUD with around 280,000 km on the odometer, and it's now at over 306,000 km and still going strong.
Use quality oil and filters, changing them often. To this end, oil pickup and baffle are sound upgrades.
I changed the oil/filter at 590 miles on my 25 Forester wilderness.
Get some ramps, 17mm socket, oil (5w30 or 0w20), oil filter (Subaru p/n 15208AA170.... don't know the Toyota p/n off the top of my head)
For filters I use Mahle, if I remember correct that is also the OEM supplier, but costs half what a BMW branded one costs.
I order the OEM Subaru filters and use Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5w30. In your case you’d probably want to start using Pennzoil Platinum High Mileage.
and don't use store bought oil filters unless they sell Mahle or Mann.
Avoid the blue Subaru filters. They are Fram made with cheap components.
Cap was really stuck when taking it off initially. Also required Some force to get back on. When I first just installed new filter I got yellow oil light, still not great. Also noticed oil coming from gap between ofh and cap. And a drip from the top socket end. So end conclusion, mahle oil filters suck
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Which oil filter to choose — Mahle or OEM Subaru?
If choosing oil filter across many manufacturers, check the part ranking. If your choice is down to two brands, the PartReview part comparisons help.
We compare oil filter across these categories:
- PR Score.
- Overall ranking.
- Vote balance.
- Average rating.
- Number of reviews.
- Feature ratings.
- Car owners’ choice.
Which oil filter are better — OEM Subaru or Mahle?
In March 2026 on PartReview, oil filter Mahle were overall better than OEM Subaru.
- Mahle received a PR Score of 88 out of 100, and OEM Subaru scored 80 points.
- Mahle ranked 8 in the overall ranking, and OEM Subaru ranked 16.
- The average rating is higher for Mahle (4.3) than for OEM Subaru (4).
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Oil filter Mahle have better feature ratings than OEM Subaru:
- Leaks - owners believe, that this property for Mahle is better than OEM Subaru.
- Warning light - drivers claim, that this property for Mahle is outperforms OEM Subaru.
- Smell/smoke - reviews suggest, that this property for OEM Subaru is preferred to Mahle.
Which oil filter are more popular — Mahle or OEM Subaru?
In March 2026 on PartReview, oil filter Mahle were overall more popular than OEM Subaru.
By vote balance, oil filter Mahle surpassed OEM Subaru:
- For Mahle, the ratio of positive (79) to negative (10) votes is 69 votes.
- For OEM Subaru, the ratio of positive (51) to negative (12) votes is 39 votes.
By number of reviews, oil filter Mahle surpassed OEM Subaru:
- For oil filter Mahle there are 29 reviews: 25 positive, 2 neutral, 2 negative.
- For oil filter OEM Subaru there are 21 review: 17 positive, 0 neutral, 4 negative.
Which oil filter do car owners prefer — Mahle or OEM Subaru?
In March 2026, according to PartReview, oil filter OEM Subaru led more car-specific ratings than Mahle:
OEM Subaru are chosen by owners of cars such as: Subaru Impreza, and others.
Oil filter Mahle have not yet taken leading positions in car-specific ratings. You can help by adding a review and specifying your car.
Other comparisons of oil filter
If this comparison didn’t fully answer your question, there are many others on PartReview.
For example, comparisons of oil filter Mahle with: Fram, Mann, Wix, Mobil, K&N, Bosch, OEM Toyota, Motorcraft, OEM Volkswagen, OEM Honda.
Also available: comparisons of oil filter OEM Subaru with: Fram, Mann, Wix, Mobil, K&N, Bosch, OEM Toyota, Motorcraft, OEM Volkswagen, OEM Honda.
You can also see who is better among other oil filter manufacturers: Fram or Mann, Fram or Wix, Fram or Mobil, Fram or K&N, Mann or Wix.