I know some people here work for the big orange and black H, so can they suggest who the manufacturers are for their air and oil filters.

I have a paranoia about using oil filters from unknown manufacturers and if it's somebody like mann/fram/etc then that's fine, but if I don't know then I'll give them a miss.

iirc they get them from a variety of different manufacturers, but mainly from coopers..

tbh mark i wouldn't worry too much about it, they will all meet the reqiured spec

Skoda are also cheaper than Halfords for filters, so i would check a dealer first.

Personally I'd just buy Mann/Bosh/OE from GSF/Euro/Dealer.

The Halfords branded filters are made by Fram

Other filters can be ordered in store from local motor factors i.e. Coopers, Mann, Powertrain, etc...

I no longer work for Halfords but when working on the Parts desk we were asked this question by people on a regular basis!

All the own brand parts are made for them by reputable manufacturers...

Bulbs - Ring

Oil - Comma

Wipers - Valeo

I once sectioned a large number of oil and fuel filters as part of my job with a now long gone UK fuel systems company.

There is a huge amount of junk on the market with problems such as non functional anti-drain valves on cannister filters and loose elements. One cannister Halfords unit I tested had an element which was loose in the can - you could hear it moving when you shook it.

For VAG cars I would use OE, Mann & Hummel or Bosch - only. I was not very impressed with the last OE PD fuel filter I looked at - Chinese, I think.

rotodiesel.

I once sectioned a large number of oil and fuel filters as part of my job with a now long gone UK fuel systems company.

There is a huge amount of junk on the market with problems such as non functional anti-drain valves on cannister filters and loose elements. One cannister Halfords unit I tested had an element which was loose in the can - you could hear it moving when you shook it.

For VAG cars I would use OE, Mann & Hummel or Bosch - only. I was not very impressed with the last OE PD fuel filter I looked at - Chinese, I think.

rotodiesel.

Those chinese fuel filters are a pain, had loads sucking in air.

I serviced my car when i first got it with Millers XF-PD oil and a framm fuel/oil/air filter.

When the turbo went pop 7k after the service, the oil and airfilter was serviced....the framm oil filter element had started to deform quite badly.

Reading through a TPS circular recently, they stated that the VW filter has a larger filtration area and better flow characteristics than non VW filters. Obviously they are a bit biassed, but with the differences in cost (even with a Halfords trade card) been insignificant, it's the car manufacturers filter every time for me.

Reading through a TPS circular recently, they stated that the VW filter has a larger filtration area and better flow characteristics than non VW filters. Obviously they are a bit biassed, but with the differences in cost (even with a Halfords trade card) been insignificant, it's the car manufacturers filter every time for me.

I would have to agree with you entirely, the mechanic that fitted my turbo put genuine oil and air filters in.

The old oil filter looked as if the folds were starting to open up and going really soft comparing to the good parts of the filter.

When i removed the geniune filter from before, i looked a little swelled. But the folds were all symetrical to each other.

The mechanic noticed this was becoming a regular occurence with the Framm Filter Elements he's changed recently.

I have to report that not a single American made filter I looked at was either properly made or fit for purpose throughout its specified life. Some of the "go faster" air filters were a joke in terms of filtration performance under extreme conditions.

In terms of filters badged by a high street retailer, one major problem is consistency. They will buy a batch of filters on price and the next batch will probably come from somewhere else - especially if it is a fast mover. In my experience these retailers have no real testing facilities - and don't care very much either.

rotodiesel.

Relax guys it's not for a VAG group engine or any skoda

For the oil filter on them I stick to OEM from the dealer as I get a good price on them anyway FWIW the ones I've purchased have all been made by purolator (on the filters along with the VAG logo set)

I did notice that the Mann air filters are still made in Germany, but the dealer ones are now made in an eastern European country (I think it was a former Yugoslavian country but I forget which one).

The curiosity was mainly for other cars where they would only have got a fram etc item so with the halfords price being cheaper by a good way it makes no odds.

The Halfords branded filters are made by Fram

Other filters can be ordered in store from local motor factors i.e. Coopers, Mann, Powertrain, etc...

I no longer work for Halfords but when working on the Parts desk we were asked this question by people on a regular basis!

All the own brand parts are made for them by reputable manufacturers...

Bulbs - Ring

Oil - Comma

Wipers - Valeo

This is correct, the factory is in Llantrisant opposite the royal mint

BTW Coopers air filters are also Fram or at least they used to be. The quality is great and is just as good as any other. I used to work in the on site lab doing control tests, qc checks, R&D and quality investigations

I've no problems using Fram air filters, but oil filters are always dealer supplied parts. Always.

I've seen to many Fram oil filters come out like mushed up newspaper to ever use them.

I've no problems using Fram air filters, but oil filters are always dealer supplied parts. Always.

I've seen to many Fram oil filters come out like mushed up newspaper to ever use them.

They were OEM on most Fords, Rover, Mazda and some Hondas. The media is a resin impregnated fibre so they can't just turn to mush. The substrate was the same spec as a lot of other manufacturer such as Purolator, Mann and AC Delco (We used to hack up everyone elses to see if we ever missing a trick). Some of the filters we were developing at the time I worked there (In particular the filter being made for the Zetec) were on 168 hour test cycles at 9 bar pulse running about 140c (About 10x the stress a noral filter would undergo over a 20,000 mile period) which is pretty serious especially as the only oil that could withstand the pace was Skydrol LD-4