Hi guys. I have posted this in another forum (VW specific) but it is important. Have seen here some people having doubts if the Mann made in Germany is better than Mexican or American made filters. But appears that it country of manufactoring depends on the car/engien the filter is made for. For one car it could be made elsevere than another.
I usually do not write much in forums but i think i got some very important clue. I was thinking the only other filter i would use is the MANN. Most of the VW Audi peope i know do the same. Did you think the MANN oil filter is second best after the OEM filter?
Looks like there are quite a lot of other brands the "outsource" their filter for the 2.0 engine directly from MANN. They basically have clone filters. And I found 2 better filter (there might be few more too)
I made a little bit boring video but better than nothing. The video is long but if you watch you will see that for Example Purolator Or STP have improved filter with synthetic media while Carquest, Napa, Bosch, WIX, Microguard and few others have the Original oem filter inside. Never knew when going to oreily can get you oem filter. Or even better according to me.
I will go over few brands here that I found to be exact oem filter and made in Germany
STP S10600 and S10600XL sold at autozone - the regular and the medium grade are made in USA with ok quality.
STP S10600ML - has oem made filter by MANN with improved "white" synthetic media
Carquest (advance auto)the very regular one has been US made (same as stp regular) and then they switched to german made by MANN which is exact OEM filter
NAPA - Proselect and gold are by now updated german made by MANN filter. Possibly the Gold is white synthetic media while the pro select is exact oem filter (exeption: some filters may be the Polish made which are updated by now but your store may still have the old one)
Microguard sold at oreily - this is also an OEM filter made in germany
WIX - Another oem filter. Wix does not make XP version of that filter.
FRAM - Previously made in USA (same as STP and mobil1 EP) but now made in china with surprising quality and the "Ultra synthetic" series is white media and mesh backed (or fronted actually)
K&N - USA made filter just like STP and Mobil1. K&N does not have the higher class "HP" series filter for this engine which is usaually the synthetic media for other cars.
Mobil 1 -20 000 miles extended performance - Disappointment from mobil 1. This is same exact filter as STP and I doubt it's the very best filter here. Although not a garbage they should not misadvertise it for 20000 miles. Or maybe the other companies misadvertise their filters instead.
MANN - It's a Mann filter lol
OEM - It's a Mann made filter and has 2 small differences, maybe so its not a direct clone and VW can say its actually different. The thread insert is tiny bit higher and made by different color steel. Also the plastic part on the bottom is different. Filtering media itself is 1:1
BOSCH Premium - Its Chinese made and very good quality. According to the catalog and looking at their extended performance filter is made in Germany by Mann but no idea which version of it. Bosch makes "Distance plus" filters which are made in Germany by Mann but have no idea if it is the exact OEM or the improved white media. They do not make the "workshop" one
Champ Labs - they have also updated their 2.0tsi filter to a German made MANN but no idea if it's the exact oem or the "white" filter
Penzzoil - I couldn't find where to buy it but looks like it is german made filter by MANN but no idea which one of the 2 it is.
There might be some other ones out there.
Let me know if you guy have any other info or there is something wrong with the review
https://youtu.be/4fmTeZMvzg4
I usually do not write much in forums but i think i got some very important clue. I was thinking the only other filter i would use is the MANN. Most of the VW Audi peope i know do the same. Did you think the MANN oil filter is second best after the OEM filter?
Looks like there are quite a lot of other brands the "outsource" their filter for the 2.0 engine directly from MANN. They basically have clone filters. And I found 2 better filter (there might be few more too)
I made a little bit boring video but better than nothing. The video is long but if you watch you will see that for Example Purolator Or STP have improved filter with synthetic media while Carquest, Napa, Bosch, WIX, Microguard and few others have the Original oem filter inside. Never knew when going to oreily can get you oem filter. Or even better according to me.
I will go over few brands here that I found to be exact oem filter and made in Germany
STP S10600 and S10600XL sold at autozone - the regular and the medium grade are made in USA with ok quality.
STP S10600ML - has oem made filter by MANN with improved "white" synthetic media
Carquest (advance auto)the very regular one has been US made (same as stp regular) and then they switched to german made by MANN which is exact OEM filter
NAPA - Proselect and gold are by now updated german made by MANN filter. Possibly the Gold is white synthetic media while the pro select is exact oem filter (exeption: some filters may be the Polish made which are updated by now but your store may still have the old one)
Microguard sold at oreily - this is also an OEM filter made in germany
WIX - Another oem filter. Wix does not make XP version of that filter.
FRAM - Previously made in USA (same as STP and mobil1 EP) but now made in china with surprising quality and the "Ultra synthetic" series is white media and mesh backed (or fronted actually)
K&N - USA made filter just like STP and Mobil1. K&N does not have the higher class "HP" series filter for this engine which is usaually the synthetic media for other cars.
Mobil 1 -20 000 miles extended performance - Disappointment from mobil 1. This is same exact filter as STP and I doubt it's the very best filter here. Although not a garbage they should not misadvertise it for 20000 miles. Or maybe the other companies misadvertise their filters instead.
MANN - It's a Mann filter lol
OEM - It's a Mann made filter and has 2 small differences, maybe so its not a direct clone and VW can say its actually different. The thread insert is tiny bit higher and made by different color steel. Also the plastic part on the bottom is different. Filtering media itself is 1:1
BOSCH Premium - Its Chinese made and very good quality. According to the catalog and looking at their extended performance filter is made in Germany by Mann but no idea which version of it. Bosch makes "Distance plus" filters which are made in Germany by Mann but have no idea if it is the exact OEM or the improved white media. They do not make the "workshop" one
Champ Labs - they have also updated their 2.0tsi filter to a German made MANN but no idea if it's the exact oem or the "white" filter
Penzzoil - I couldn't find where to buy it but looks like it is german made filter by MANN but no idea which one of the 2 it is.
There might be some other ones out there.
Let me know if you guy have any other info or there is something wrong with the review
https://youtu.be/4fmTeZMvzg4