November 2020

D emand for quality filtration products by technicians has never been greater, according to MAHLE Aftermarket UK, which recently surveyed its parts distributor customers. “In total,” said Jonathan Walker, Managing Director of MAHLE Aftermarket, “more than 1,300 customers were questioned on their expectations and requirements concerning filtration in modern passenger cars. 75% clearly stated they would buy a filter from a recognised brand like MAHLE – a point widely endorsed by technicians. “The research reiterates that the aftermarket is taking the importance of quality filtration and quality brands very seriously. Now, as garages are facing a busy Autumn period, technicians are becoming much more vocal about their preferences and recognise a quality brand and product. Filter quality is not just confined to the product itself, it’s the company and brand that goes before it and MAHLE has 100 years expertise supporting its offering.” Expectations Commenting on fitment, Jonathan said: “The oil filter should always be replaced when carrying out an oil change, as only a clean filter has sufficient capacity to remove contaminants. This includes dust, metal and combustion residues from the oil. “As an OE quality supplier, MAHLE products have been tested to the most stringent of standards and have unrivalled technical support. MAHLE has a range of literature available to help support motor factors when reminding garages to promote regular filter replacement to motorists.” Precise How is the changing face of the vehicle engine affecting filters? “With engines getting more and more precise and technically advanced,” said Jonathan, “high quality filter media can trap harmful or unwanted contaminants more easily without restricting flow. This is essential to avoiding long-term problems to costly engine components. “As the automotive industry approaches an extremely busy Winter period with vehicles previously exempt from an MOT now needing a test, MAHLE is urging the aftermarket to always put quality first to avoid multiple replacements within a shorter service interval, which in turn leads to poor customer service.” On new tech, Jonathan added: "MAHLE has pioneered an oil management module for vehicles with electric drivetrains. This provides cooling for e-motor and transmission. The module features an integrated oil reservoir, electric oil pump, oil filter, heat exchanger and thermostat, de-foaming unit, pressure and temperature sensors. The benefits of this module are in reduced noise and increased performance of the oil pump. The high level 32 AFTERMARKET NOVEMBER 2020 FILTERS www.aftermarketonline.net FILTERED REALITY In a new world where we all think about sifting impurities, filters are at the forefront Above: Fitting a cabin air filter of integration has reduced costs due to less interfaces with drivetrain and vehicle.” Reliant “As the number of vehicles back on the road continues to increase despite localised lockdown restrictions,” said Fatiha Laauich, Pan European Strategic Marketing Manager at DENSO, “motorists are particularly reliant on the performance of their vehicle’s air conditioning systems. “Since most cabin air filters are situated either under the bonnet where air enters the climate control system or just behind the glove box, they are relatively easy to access and straightforward to replace. They’re also often easy to point out to the customer during a vehicle walk-around, particularly when asked to check the air conditioning system. Doing so gives an ideal opportunity to explain the benefits of cabin air filter replacement and potentially benefit from lucrative upsell opportunities.” Health benefits A global study from Emissions Analytics in 2018 revealed huge variation in the ability of vehicle air conditioning systems to purify incoming air. “During its research,” observed Fatiha, “Emissions Analytics discovered up to 57,000 particles per cubic centimetre in some roadside air samples. As people typically inhale around 55cc of air, that means pedestrians are potentially inhaling 28 million particles per breath. “By helping customers pay attention to the condition of their cabin air filter and offering regular replacement, up to 100% of dust, pollen and solid particles as small as 0.01 microns can be prevented from entering the vehicle, improving air quality for driver and passengers alike.” “DENSO recommends that cabin air filters are changed