Originally Posted By: accent2012
OEM MANN filters are still made in Germany for BMW/AUDI, etc.
However, all aftermarket variants for Chrysler, Hyundai, etc. are all from China.
IT's called BRAND manufacturing.
They are no longer selling a product with their name on it. They are selling their name on a product. That is a big difference.
The way manufacturing works in China is a company like Mann wants a minimum amount of units of their product and gives x-amount of money to the manufacturing plant to make them. BTW, that plant probably makes filters for FRAM and other "brands". The goal for that manufacturing plant (in order to make a profit) is to churn out MORE products than requested using as little materials as possible. This is where you get defects because a company like MANN may test one filter out of a batch of say 500 and the filter they "randomly" select is often placed there in order for that batch to be accepted.
Now replace MANN with any other company out there that has their product made in China or any other third world country. THat is how things are made there and this is most specially true for clothing manufacturers. Ever wonder where that "fake" gucci bag came from? No, not a sweatshop in Mexico or US, etc, but from the same manufacturer who makes the REAL gucci bag - they are just "defects" in the eyes of gucci brand that were rejected and are resold on the street.
As for the whole Apple thing... another example of a capitalism being practiced in China. Apple does have stringent QA criteria. They ALWAYS paid more money to Foxconn than any other manufacturer to ensure top quality products. It's just that Foxconn was always greedy and subjected their employees to these conditions long before the US media got a hold of it. Dell gets their components from Foxconn and look at how low their quality has dropped over the years.
Hope this insight helps!
I just bought an OEM BMW (Mann) filter from the local BMW dealer in fairfax and it was made in Mexico. filter was $9. It came in an original BMW box. Now go on the AutoZone website and check out their K & N filter for the same application (03 BMW 330xi) and it is the same Mann filter, but it's made in Germany. Go figure.