Dear Tom and Ray:

I just purchased a new Mazda Miata. Like many cars these days, the oil filter is not exactly easy to get to. I have seen advertised a "remote oil filter." It seems to be a device that screws into the regular oil-filter port and uses hydraulic lines to a remote oil-filter port, which gets placed in an easier-to-reach location. The only downside, it seems to me, is that you need more oil. Is there anything else wrong with this idea? -- Paul

RAY: Well, there is one other danger. When you introduce hydraulic lines into the system, there's always a chance that the lines will fail. And if the hydraulic lines fail,
you'll lose your oil pressure catastrophically -- before you can say, "What's that rapping noise in my new Miata?"

TOM: So if you do this, you want to be sure that you route the hydraulic lines carefully, avoiding anything that could burn them or chafe against them. And even then,
you'll want to check them regularly to be sure they're not deteriorating or leaking.

RAY: But with that caveat, these remote oil filters work fine. And if it means you'll change your oil more frequently, it's probably a good thing overall.

TOM: The only other problem is finding a good place to put it in the Miata. You might have to mount it right on top of the dashboard.