These Shavings Can Potentially Ruin Your Life (and How to Protect Yourself)

What you’re looking at is something that can ruin your life. And no, before you get any silly ideas, this isn’t the close up of someone’s pubes. Instead, what you’re looking at are fine metallic particles that shave off tiny bits of your engine one revolution at a time.

When car buyers look for better engine protection, the first (and likely, the only thing) in their mind is going for Grade A motor oil. And while the benefits of a good motor oil are well-documented, this is just a part of the puzzle. What if we tell you that you’ve been overlooking an important part of your engine—one that could use an upgrade as well?

What is this part? It’s the engine oil filter.

As far as engine upgrades go, oil filters aren’t necessarily the sexiest mod out there. That said, it plays an important role in keeping the engine free from contaminants that can accumulate over time. See, if engine oil is left unfiltered, it could become saturated with tiny, hard particles that can wear the surfaces of your engine, like in the lead photo above.

Despite its crucial role in protecting the engine, it’s funny (and surprising) how oil filter technology hasn’t changed for some time. The typical design uses a synthetic fiber that traps metal particles, and that’s about it. As the filter gets clogged, they’re replaced at fixed intervals.

Realizing that this sort of protection doesn’t go far enough, the boys at PIAA has come up with the Twin Power Oil Filter.

Aesthetically, it looks like any oil filter, but there are big differences inside.

First up, an enlarged oil inlet port achieves 170 percent better engine oil flow compared to an OE filter. This reduces the risk of power loss, even when the engine oil or oil filter’s nearing the end of usable service life.

Next is its proprietary two-layer filtration system (20 microns and 10 microns) that balances both flow and filtration, achieving 150 percent better filtration than the standard OE filter.

Finally, sandwiching the two filter elements is a high-power 1,000 gauss magnet. Capable of working in excess of 300 degrees Celsius (or hotter than the operating temperature of a car’s engine), it traps any metal debris that finds its way into the filter rather than allowing it to simply pass through right back into the engine.

With all the added benefits, it’s a pleasant surprise to know that the PIAA Twin Power Oil Filter won’t break the bank. Its prices start at a reasonable P 980—similar to prices the casas charge you with. And even if you find its less-than-a-thousand-peso pricier than your current non-name filter, just look at the lead photo again to remind you that these metallic particles are currently floating in your engine oil just waiting to create a mess. You surely want to stay protected, right? Right?

The Made in Japan PIAA Twin Power Oil Filter is now available with mostly Japanese fitments (European, American, Korean not so much). For availability and pricing, contact PIAA Philippines through their official Facebook page or drop them a text at +63 917 5754812.

One of These Light Bars Is Not Like the Others

Light-emitting diodes or LEDs has become the wonderchild of automotive headlight technology. Praised for their more compact size and smaller power draw, they’ve made possible a lot of new lighting applications in today’s cars such as adaptive headlights, sequential signal lights, and auxiliary driving lamps.

The last one, commonly installed in SUVs and pickup trucks has drawn both praise and criticism. Praise because it’s invaluable (and an easy upgrade) for drivers who ply through dimly-lit roads, and criticism, because it can cause unwanted glare to other motorists. Sitting down with Masashi Otsuka, PIAA’s Overseas Manager, we find out that it’s not LED technology that’s at fault, but how it’s used.

Masashi-san points to us how Original Equipment or OE lighting fixtures never have front-facing LEDs. The reason for this, he says, is that while others put too much attention on lumens, or how much light is given off, it’s also important to focus on candela (candlepower), or how visibly intense the light is. With that, carmakers often use reflectors (including projectors) to better focus their light beam, adding more light to where it’s needed and cutting off where it’s not.

Unlike other sport lamps or light bars which use rows upon rows of front-facing LEDs, PIAA places their LEDs facing the reflector, just as you would find in an OE headlight or fog light. PIAA calls this Reflector Facing technology. With that, their sport lamps and light bars are able to give off a focused beam pattern, making it perfect for driving in fog or dimly-lit areas, without producing glare. Moreover, this setup provides more light per watt with less amperage draw.

It’s very clear that not all sport lamps and light bars are created equal. For automotive lighting solutions that’s brighter by design, it’s best to stick to a brand whose mission is to offer better visibility: PIAA. PIAA offers a wide variety of automotive lighting solutions from sport lamps, light bars, to LED and halogen bulbs, wipers and even horns.

For more information on where to purchase and install PIAA sport lamps and light bars, contact them directly through their official Facebook page.

PIAA Silicone Wipers is the First Safety Upgrade I Invested In

Wipers aren’t sexy and chances are, when you buy one you won’t be running around in excitement. Despite its important role in improving safety, most wait for a downpour to recognize that their wipers are cracked and tattered, and need changing.

This is something I myself realized with my new Mazda CX-5. Like most modern automobiles, they’re equipped with beam-style wipers. Doing away with a traditional frame, they instead use a spring-steel band allowing the wiper to conform to the curvature of the windshield. Sadly, I also find them highly susceptible to Manila’s harsh heat.

Since it soaked up the summer sun, as soon as I used the wipers for the first time, they chattered which made the premium driving experience of the CX-5 feel less-than-luxurious. Realizing it’s just going to get worse, I went ahead and invested on a pair of PIAA Silicone wipers.

PIAA Silicone wipers have silicone and graphite particles embedded in the wiper itself. As it’s used, it creates a water repellent barrier on the glass surface causing water drops to bead, similar to having a well-waxed car. In addition to the silicone’s water repellent properties, the graphite material has lower friction than natural rubber guaranteeing a smooth wiping action.

What’s more, PIAA Silicone wipers are said to last up to twice as long as natural rubber ones. In internal tests, after subjected to 100-degree Celsius heat for more than 100 hours, the PIAA Silicone wipers maintained its sharp, clean edge compared to the competition. This negates the need to lift the wiper blades during the summer.

PIAA offers three kinds of silicone wipers: Traditional (Super Silicone), Hybrid (Aero Vogue), and Flat/Beam-Style (Si-Tech). Because the second-generation CX-5 uses the new “cartridge-type” beam-style wipers found in newer Mazda, Subaru, and Lexus automobiles, the frameless Si-Tech is the only one that’ll fit.

Costing less than P 3,000 for a pair, the PIAA Silicone wipers give a first good impression. Compared to the stock wiper blade, it’s noticeably thicker and more robust in construction. It also comes with five connectors and adapters and a windshield prep pad.

Replacing the wipers on cars fitted with traditional J-hook wipers are straightforward because the Si-Tech arrives with that connector pre-installed. However, for newer vehicles like the CX-5, it’s important that the PIAA Silicone wiper must come with the “F Connector” since this is the one you’ll need to fit the Japanese cartridge-type wipers. A bit more dismantling is needed, but if you’re used to following LEGO assembly instructions, wiper replacement shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes.

It’s funny, but after installing the PIAA Silicone wipers on my CX-5, I’m actually looking forward to a bit of rain to thoroughly test them out. In the weeks since its install, there have been some midday showers, but not enough to cause serious visibility impairment. Regardless, because of PIAA Silicone wipers’ water beading properties, quality construction, and longer durability, I feel like I’m more than ready to face the rainy season head-on.

PIAA Silicone Wipers are available at select automotive accessories shop. Interested parties can also contact or inquire over at their official Facebook page or through 63 917 575 4812.

Paid Advertorial

PIAA's New OTO Style Horn is Gift-Ready at Just P 900!

After launching it at the Manila International Auto Show, PIAA Philippines announces the availability of its OTO Style Horn. It will soon be on sale at Blade Auto Center branches and other leading car accessory shops nationwide.

Translated as “Sound” in Japanese, the OTO Style Horn is built to the same high-quality standards as other PIAA horns, but at a more affordable price point. This value-oriented horn complies with various international standards making it durable and reliable against extreme temperatures, corrosion, and water submersion. Built for developing countries, it lasts even after 1 million cycles (4-second horn on/off bursts)—twice the industry standard.

The OTO Style horn is sold as a set of two and features a deep bass note (listen to how it sounds and compares against the PIAA Superior Bass and Slender Horn in the video below) and has a sound frequency of 400 Hz + 500 Hz with a maximum output of 112 decibels.

The PIAA OTO Style horn comes in a gift-ready box (see the unboxing video below), and with a suggested retail price of P 900 (exclusive of install), it doesn’t break the bank.

For more information about the PIAA OTO Style horn, contact PIAA Philippines through their Facebook page.

PIAA to Introduce Two Value-Oriented Products at MIAS

PIAA Philippines is introducing two new value-oriented products for the Manila International Auto Show (MIAS): the OTO Style Horn and the all-weather Hyper Arros LED light bulb. Designed with the sensibilities of developing markets in mind, these two products aim to boost PIAA’s presence in the premium mass market sector while also appealing to those who look for brand and style.

Translated as “Sound” in Japanese, the OTO Style Horn features the same PIAA quality and standards at a lower price point. It successfully complies with various ECE and JIS standards including:

• Temperature Test: sound remains the same at 80 degrees to -30 degrees Celsius
• Salt Spray Test: no corrosion despite being exposed to salt water
• Water Endurance Test: sound remains the same after water is sprayed from 360 degrees
• Endurance Test: sound remains the same at 100,000 times and at 500,000 times, sound should not have dropped more than 5 decibels.

In fact, during its testing phase, the OTO Style Horn functions even after 1 million cycles
This twin-pack horn (it’s sold as a set) features deep bass note, with a sound frequency of 400Hz + 500Hz and a maximum output of 112 dB. For MIAS, it will be on sale for around P 1,200 a set.

Another product designed with developing market sensibilities in mind is the Hyper Arros all-weather LED light bulb.

With a color temperature of 4000K, it produces a neutral white-colored beam mimicking the color generated by a standard halogen bulb, but with a higher output and less power consumption (20 watts for the H4). This makes it less straining on the eye, especially due to constant reflections, especially in bumper-to-bumper traffic. According to PIAA, it also does better in excessively dusty or heavy downpour compared to 6000K and 8000K bulbs. Another added bonus is that it improves the visibility of classic or vintage vehicles without changing the retro look or feel.

The Hyper Arros all-weather LED light bulb is available in a variety of sizes such as H4, HB3, HB4, HIR1, HIR2, H8, H9, H11, H16, and H7 and will be previewed at MIAS. It will be available for retail by the end of April at outlets that carry PIAA.