Getting close to service time again I was wondering why are genuine VW filters just as cheap as the aftermarket ones?

I would expect genuine parts to be the most expensive and not around the same price as a regular aftermarket filter. I can easily find filters that are more expensive than the VW ones..

 

Tried searching on the forum but can't find much about the quality of those VW filters.

 

The same goes for the VW LongLife oil. It's cheaper than some Shell/Castrol oils.

Are they in any way of low quality?

Vw are usually mann or sometimes hengst filters so whatever is cheaper.

 

longlife is fine, as long as its the right spec it'll be ok, I paid £28 delivered for 5L longlife 3.

 

shell Castrol etc you're paying for marketing and the name

Thanks. Not that concerned about the oil...

 

Would a filter that costs twice as much as the VW one do a better job? I'd rather stick to what vw puts in their cars when new and I suppose the use those vw/skoda/audi parts, right?

1 hour ago, Inex said:

Thanks. Not that concerned about the oil...

 

Would a filter that costs twice as much as the VW one do a better job? I'd rather stick to what vw puts in their cars when new and I suppose the use those vw/skoda/audi parts, right?

nope, you have a Tdi so stock paper air filter not a performance one will be just fine. Mann filters are what they use in the factory they're just not stamped with VW on them.

Thought so... Thanks!

 

Btw, where did you get the info from?

 

 

ha, hours of reading, years of ordering parts

Mann, Mahle & Hengst are all German Companies making filters, i buy Mahle not because they are cheaper than VW / Audi boxed ones but because they can be a better filter even though they supply what VW use as OEM.

The only after market filters i don't like are Crossland filter's, the quality is horrible and sometimes they just won't fit correctly even though i match them up to the old filter.

On 7/11/2017 at 08:33, Inex said:

Getting close to service time again I was wondering why are genuine VW filters just as cheap as the aftermarket ones?

I would expect genuine parts to be the most expensive and not around the same price as a regular aftermarket filter. I can easily find filters that are more expensive than the VW ones..

 

Tried searching on the forum but can't find much about the quality of those VW filters.

 

The same goes for the VW LongLife oil. It's cheaper than some Shell/Castrol oils.

Are they in any way of low quality?

I used Bosh Fuel and Oil filter from carparts4less. They were the most expensive ones and they look and feel good quality. A VW mechanic friend of mine said that the after market ones are always better (the expensive end) and chenge all filter and oil more frequent than the recommended interval change. I changed my oil filter, fuel filter, oil at 7k miles and it was black and thick. Can't imagine the good it would have done another 3k. I hope this helps.  

Thanks. Yeps, I always do that.

I always use MANN filters, all the OEM filters I've used in the past were stamped with MANN.

 

Eurocarparts usually have some good offers on, enter 'SAVE30' at checkout for a 30% discount...

 

http://www.eurocarparts.com/

Thanks silver, but I don't live in the UK and apparently the code won't work when trying to order from Eurocarparts on ebay. :(

Different prices can indicate a difference in filter media used between manufacturers. There are 2 main areas to consider, pressure drop and dust capacity. Some cheaper filters have low pressure drop because of big "holes" (still microscopic, but big in relative terms) in the media. This is good for engine breath-ability, and therefore low pressure drop, but allows bigger particles of dust through which can damage your engine in the long term.

Mann, Mahle, Hengst are all good, and to be honest at the margins they make on car panel air filters, they are all about the same. 

 

(I used to work for an air filter manufacturer who supplied OEM - it's not a name you would recognise)

I've had my car since July 25th 2015 and always use Mann filters from Eurocarparts but use whatever oil to 507 spec is on special offer .... Tesco are currently selling 2litre bottles for only £6