How Many Filters Does Each Type of Vehicle Use?
Have you ever wondered how many oil filters a vehicle uses over its lifespan? We’ve wondered about this too. So, we rolled up our sleeves, did lots of research, and then crunched numbers. It turns out the answer depends on what kind of vehicle we’re talking about. Some vehicles use more oil filters than others.
Our findings were interesting to say the least. Read on to see how many oil filters each of the following vehicles runs through during the course of its lifetime:
- Passenger car
- Diesel truck
- Motorcycle
- Boat
- Top fuel dragster
1. Passenger Car
Average number of oil filters used throughout a passenger car’s lifetime: 30
Typical cost range of total oil filters used throughout a passenger car’s lifetime: $150-$450
A passenger car is defined as a vehicle people use to drive themselves and their passengers around. The following vehicles classify as passenger cars:
- Sedans
- SUVs
- Crossovers
- Pickup trucks
A passenger car may run on either gasoline or diesel. There are passenger cars that run on electricity or a hybrid of electricity and gas. For the sake of simplicity, we’re going to discuss only gas-powered passenger cars.
The average life expectancy of a gas-powered engine in a passenger car is 150,000 miles, or about 8 years. A well cared for passenger car engine may last as long as 300,000 miles, or about 15 years. For our math, we’re going to use the average life expectancy of 150,000 miles.
You’re supposed to change the oil filter along with the oil at every oil change. The oil needs changing every 5,000 miles. That means an engine in a passenger car uses about 30 oil filters over its lifetime. The cost of an oil filter depends on several options:
- The type of passenger car
- Whether the filter is OEM or aftermarket
An oil filter typically costs between $5 and $15. So when you crunch the numbers, you’ll find that one passenger car engine will cost you between $150 and $450 for disposable oil filters during its lifespan.
2. Diesel Truck
Average number of oil filters used throughout a diesel truck’s lifetime: 200
Typical cost range of total oil filters used throughout a diesel truck’s lifetime: $1,600-$5,000
A diesel truck is a heavy duty pickup truck that runs on diesel fuel. A diesel truck is normally larger than a gas-powered truck, and it lasts much longer. While most gas-powered pick up truck engines last about 150,000-300,000 miles, diesel truck engines will last between 500,000 and 800,000 miles!
Diesel truck engines are much sturdier and better built than gas-powered pickup truck engines, so they last much longer. The oil in a diesel engine needs replacing every:
- 3,000 miles with conventional oil
- 5,000 miles with full synthetic oil
Your diesel engine would be using about 200 disposable oil filters over its lifetime. The average cost of a diesel oil filter is between $8 and $25. So that means you would spend thousands of dollars on disposable oil filters over your diesel engine’s lifetime.
3. Motorcycle
Average number of oil filters used throughout a motorcycle’s lifetime: 15
Typical cost range of total oil filters used throughout a motorcycle’s lifetime: $75-$225
Modern motorcycle engines are very sophisticated. Many produce more power per liter of displacement than most gasoline engines found in cars. High performance engines usually need more maintenance and have a shorter lifespan than the average engine.
If maintained well, a motorcycle engine will last about 40,000-50,000 miles, or 12-15 years. The oil needs to be changed every 3,000 miles. A motorcycle oil filter will cost you between $5 and $15. So that means you’ll spend about $75-$225 on disposable oil filters over your motorcycle engine’s lifetime.
4. Boat
Average number of oil filters used throughout a boat engine’s lifetime: 33
Typical cost range of total oil filters used throughout a boat engine’s lifetime: $165-$990
Many boats are powered by internal cumbustion engines. For the sake of simplicity, we’re only going to discuss boats with marine gasoline engines.
A marine gasoline engine can last up to 2,500 hours if it’s maintained well. The oil in a marine gasoline engine needs replacing every 50-100 hours. The average cost of an oil filter is $5 to $30. That comes down to $165-$990 in oil filters over the course of a marine gasoline engine’s life span.
5. Top Fuel Dragster
Average number of oil filters used throughout a top fuel dragster engine’s lifetime: 12
Typical cost range of total oil filters used throughout a top fuel dragster engine’s lifetime: $360
A top fuel dragster is the fastest type of drag racing vehicle. A top fuel dragster engine can produce 10,000 horsepower or more for a few seconds. By the time just one run down the strip is over, the internals of the engine are damaged enough that the engine is rebuilt. Every time the engine is rebuilt, the oil and the oil filter is replaced. And, after a dozen runs, the entire engine is considered worn out.
A Lifetime Oil Filter Will Save You A Lot Of Money
Disposable oil filter costs add up over time. As long as you own a vehicle, you’ll always spend money on a new disposable oil filter every time you change it. That is, unless you get a lifetime oil filter.
A lifetime oil filter is a metal filter that you can use over and over again. It will last the lifetime of the vehicle. If it’s still in good shape, you can still use it on your next vehicle if the specs are the same.
A lifetime oil filter requires a small investment upfront, but it ends up saving you a lot of money in the long run. For example, a PurePower! lifetime oil filter for diesel trucks is a few hundred dollars (the exact figure depends on your engine). Considering how you’ll spend up to $5,000 on disposable oil filters alone over the lifetime of your truck, a PurePower! lifetime oil filter is quite a steal.
PurePower! is the brand of choice for lifetime oil filters. Here’s some information about why PowerPower! lifetime oil filters are the best on the market.