not really.

Just mark your filters before you go in for a change. Or do it yourself.

Posted by: @bbalok

If i sent a picture of an oil filter (2006 VW beetle), recently changed by self…can you tell how long its been in my vehicle?

 

I’ve paid for 2 oil changes and i think i’ve been scammed.  I think they’ve used  a pump to get the oil out, put new oil in, but don’t change the filter cartridge (hard to get to, have to remove large metal skid plate). 

Simply post the picture in a new message in this tread.

I did oil-changes together with filterchanges on my cars for many years now, but don't recall them as being worn out e.g., so I guess it will not be conclusive and you will not be able to prove the shop ripped you off (which is quite possible).

When you change yourself, you can write miles and date on it with a marker and then shoot a picture of it. Save it on a safe location.

And:

You changed a filter yourself and was able to get to it, but the mechanics were not??

Avoid that shop! Sucking engine-oil out is a no-go (Scotty tells us that too in one of his videosessions).

many thanks for your responses.  If i could figure out how to attach a pic, i would post it, just for fun.

Check the FAQs

Posted by: @bbalok

Here’s the pic of the oil filter

yup , that's a cartridge oil filter

Disclose me your magic:

'Here's the pic of the oilfilter' shows some strange icon, clicking on that shows me a black screen with a text: "Error 0004. Unable to load the image.".

How did you make the posted picture to show up? (and did anyone see it?).

BTW: the problem was not 'what is this item?' but 'can be seen (from it's condition)  how long this oilfilter was used' .

The only thing you can really tell is if the oil filter has been on there way too long. For example, this is a photo found online of what an oil filter looks like if it hasn't been changed in 20,000 miles:

(Of course this is a cartridge oil filter. You'd have to saw open a spin-on type.)