Mahle Oil Filters: Austria vs China Manufacturing. Two 300Tdis with 112k and 200k miles

[@laversog]

Interested in the follow up video about engine oil analysis!

[@u.e.u.e.]

Both will do their job! 😉👍

[@csabazsinko3749]

Just bought an Omicraft oil filter for BMW 3 series diesel. It says Made In Austria. Genuine OEM BMW oil filters are also made in Austria and look identical but 400% more expensive. As Austria is such a small country I wonder if they made in the same factory and then packaged differently

[@jacqueshickley]

I also use Mahle filters on my ROW 300Tdi. I did use Cooper oil filters but they had the nasty habit of coming undone. No matter how tight I tighten it. On one trip that had 700Km of tar road and 300Km of corrugated gravel road it unwound itself by ¾ of a turn. As I still had another 600Km of gravel road left, I put a big pipe clamp on the filter and locked the filter with locking wire to the engine block.

[@AJ-qn6gd]

No doubt the Chinese one costs less to manufacture but costs the customer the same !

[@TastySurrealBowl]

Just to confirm - both filters here have the exact same part number? My Kia only takes a Mahle oil filter, and the part number is only made in China but I’ve noticed that the filter media and packaging isn’t consistent in color from one to the next. Even though I buy them online from various Kia dealerships (based on pricing) I’ve never had Mahle oil filters until this vehicle, and I’m curious about the consistency of quality in their manufacture. The differences you noted are surprising - like the different spacing of the holes coming from the same manufacturer in two countries. I would think one part number would have consistent specifications for all the components - especially within one brand.

[@YZJB]

No, two different part numbers as he says at the start of the video

[@TastySurrealBowl]

@@YZJB Oops - you’re right. I rewatched and the second time I caught the part numbers (OC261 vs OC236). It would be helpful for comparison if they had been the same Mahle part number from two different factories in order to tell what differences are just different part specs vs. different quality.

[@Eric-kn4yn]

To factory specs both ?