Originally Posted By: 1JZ_E46
Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
It's been a toss-up. It was Purolator in the 80's, and has been Mahle or Mann depending on application.
You're right about the abbreviation, but a little wrong about the definition. OEM parts come in a branded box (BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, etc) and OES (original equipment supplier) would be your Mann, Mahle, Hengst branded filters.
Splitting hairs, I know - but it's why we're here. Do the parts that make it into OEM boxes have the same specs as OES? Do they have an additional level of quality control? Don't know - maybe.
That is my understanding as well. OEM is brands like BMW, MB, etc., while “OE” is brands like Mann, Lemforder, etc.
MB, BMW, VW, Audi, etc don't manufacture the oil filters, air filters, etc. They have contracts with Mann, Mahle, Sachs, etc to produce parts to meet their specifications and have licensing agreement to allow them to sell the identical product as an aftermarket item. The automakers in certain cases are also the manufacturer of parts, such as when they stamp body panels for the factory and to sell as replacement parts. Do you insist the MB, BMW, VW, Audi, etc are also the manufacturer of oil too? Hey, it comes in their branded container, so they must be the manufacturer, not Castrol, Shell, etc.
To prevent single point failures for parts, automarkers will use multiple suppliers, so they can award multiple contracts for things like oil filters, air filters, etc to Mann, Mahle and Hengst at the same time.
OES is usually used interchangeably with OEM, as the supplier of the part to the automaker is the manufacturer. Another confusing way to look at it, the supplier to the dealership parts department is the automaker's parts distribution network, ie themselves.
My VW dealership tried that definition on me. You didn't use VW D3S bulbs. I told them I used Osram D3S bulbs, which is the OE Manufacturer for VW. I told them, pull a VW D3S bulb from the shelves, and you'll see it's a Osram bulb with no VW/Audi markings (just the box will have the VW/Audi markings).