The dealer i go to has not seen a car come in with the K&N oil filter either, they had not even heard of it. Dealers in my opinion know nothing about the non-OEM parts and dont bother to know either, since it does not come from the manufacturer, it is not in there vocabulary. I know my dealer used to sell CAI, but no longer from whatever BS reason. they dont even have ZOOM-ZOOM stickers.

 

bluebomberx , thanks for the MazdaTech.com link

wish I had more like these in my favourites .... if any more you can PM me or put'em in thread

 

if you're still lookin' for zoom-zoom stickers ...... I copied , here from a thread posted in the past (forgot which one , sorry) , the picture of the original Mazda supplied sticker ...... all you need to do now is copy it on a CD from your computer (or someone else's) and have it made from it at the local sticker shop in the color YOU want


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I was not sure if there was possibly some aftermarket adapter that was being threaded right onto the existing filter mount that would then allow a regualar filter to be used. The filter adapter part #L301-14-311 retails for $36.45 and the gasket LF01-14-342 is $5.85 by the way.

 

So after all of this discussion I have read through. Most people seem to recommend the Fram oil filter, and when is it okay to start putting synthetic oil in the 6? I have roughly 23,700 miles. Thanks!

 

I cant believe this thread is still going. A lot of people have said that Fram is a good brand, but some people say it isn't so its all up to personal preference. Personally i would use K&N because I like there products and warranty on the products, but thats me.

 

Two points I'd like to make.

I will actively avoid using anything made by Fram. Twice, years ago, I had Fram filters leave the rubber gasket on the engine when removed. I didn't notice it, and screwed on the new filter, only to have it fail (obviously...with two gaskets). Shame on me for not verifying that the rubber gasket is still connected to the old filter when I remove it (I do check now everytime as a result). This happened to me twice, on two different vehicles at two different times, both with Fram filters. It never happened to me with any other brand, not even cheesy WalMart Supertech brand...never. That was enough get me to "check off" Fram from my own personal list of filter suppliers.

2nd. I now have 5500 miles on my 2-month-old Mazda 6 (so I'm continuing my pace of 33k per year). So I figure it's about time to change my oil. I usually do it every 4k, but the sales guy convinced me that the Mazda doesn't need it until 7500. I'm now having trouble finding the filter, and this is now my second annoyance about this car (the first was the seatbelt alarm). Walmart, Autozone, and Consumer Auto Parts (local chain) don't carry the filter. Mazda dealer is not convenient for me. I'm debating whether the conversion to the spin-on filter will take place before my first oil change even!

Mark in MA

 

Spark3542,
Whatever you do don't listen to "the sales guy" at any dealership. In my experience they don't maintain the proper communication that they should with the service techs that are working on the cars! Changing your oil every 7500 miles sounds pretty damn stupid to me, but by all means anyone who can truly lay the claim to being an "expert" please correct me if I am wrong. I would hate to see you damage your new car so soon especially since you put so many miles on your car. In fact the only person that is a member of this entire site that I would wish harm on is that dumbass "servicemgr." HAHA!

 

I'm assuming you have a 6i and not a 6s. If you can't get them locally at Napa, Advance Auto Parts, or O'Reilly Auto Parts, order several online from either the forum sponser or one of the two online dealerships I mentioned previously in this thread. I haven't tried the forum sponser yet, but I have no qualms about giving Finishline Performance or Mazda South my money. They have done well by me every time.

 

every 7500 miles, that seems like a stretch for any car, dont trust it. I get mine changed every 3000-3500 miles. I am on track to drive 30k miles a year as well. Go by what the manual states for oil changes for the car, not the dealership, and by all means, use the oil filter you feel most comfortable using. The type of filter that the 6 uses is not something readily available at your local Autozone, I have seen people order ot from Mazda directly, for about $8.