I just did my second oil change at 600, and I wanted to just drop in and say thanks for taking the time. I don't think I would have ever taken the assembly apart to find the small o-ring without this thread...though I'm kind of convinced that as long as it's not leaking, it's no big deal. Every o-ring I've taken off has been pristine, and I wouldn't hesitate to reuse them a few times if my filters didn't come with them.
I was happy to find much less "junk" in this oil change...looked like a few flecks of paint, but no metal.
And for lack of a better local option, I've been using Fram filters (I know) from Wal-Mart. But I figure with these changes at such short intervals, the filter doesn't really have much time to break down. At 1000 - 1500, I'll switch to Rotella, and I'll keep stopping by O'reilly's to check for Wix filters, but they never seem to have them.
At what point are you guys planning to go regular intervals on your oil changes? 2-3K with synthetic? I ask, because I'll be racking up the miles commuting to work...probably 700-1000 per month.