Oil filter OEM BMW or VALVOLINE

A good oil filter (I say BMW as I found they fit the tightest, best seal compared to even the MANN/MAHL filters specific to my N20)

$0 because e-Tron however, on the A5 2.0T; I’m paying $50 for oil (Valvoline full synth) and $16 for the oil filter…but I own all the tools and use my employee discount.

I just paid $98 for an oil change at my local BMW dealer in Northern Virginia. 7 quarts and filter, all taxes and fees included.

My lovely girl friend has a 2 door BMW 1997 325i. It's a very pretty car with 176k miles on it. We drove it all over and one day it hit me, when was the last time the oil was changed? She thought her parents maintained it, but after some digging the oil hadn't been changed in 1 1/2 years and possibly 30k miles. I pulled the filter out and it was worse than this, and just fyi BMW filters like these do it kinda often from what I have read.

Then engine had 2.5 out of the 7 quarts it is supposed to have. (poured the oil in a 4 quart jug to see). I have absolutely no idea how it lasted so long. It was a ticking time bomb. So after 6 quarts of oil and the seventh being sludge cleaner, the engine has no more ticks and runs very well.

My mechanic said that a small amount of metal flakes in the engine oil filter is normal, but the amount here is significant and shows theres a something going wrong.