Mark: Hi, it's Mark Bossert. I'm here with Bernie Pawlik, Pawlik Automotive in Vancouver. Vancouver's best auto service experience. And we're talking cars. How are you doing, Bernie?
Bernie: Doing well.
Mark: So today you did an A service on a Mercedes SLK, but there was something unique. What was unique about this service, which is typically just an oil change and a bunch of inspections?
Bernie: Yeah. Our A service is a basic service, oil and filter change, basic maintenance inspection, looking under the hood, under the car, adjusting the tire pressures, checking the lights, et cetera. What was unique about this service is the owner had specified, I really want a Mercedes Benz genuine oil filter in this car and a good request because you know, why not put the OEM high quality parts in a car that's a high quality car already. So that was the unique feature of this service and why we're talking today.
Mark: How often is this something that people request that they want the same, they want branded, there's our vehicle
Bernie: It's not that often most people just come to us and want us to do the repair and expect that we're just going to use the the best quality parts But as I said, it's not a bad request, I mean I own vehicles where I would rather use the OEM part as well.
We have a whole line of aftermarket parts that we use. And the point of talking about this is that the aftermarket oil filter we use is exactly identical to the Mercedes part. It's cheaper, it's made in the same factory and we'll just have a look at a few different pictures here. So these are the two oil filters.
The Mercedes genuine filters on the left and the MANN filter is on the right. You can see that they look exactly the same here.
If we look at the next picture, just take a minute to look at these pictures. You see that on the left is the MANN filter HU718/5 and the one on the right has the same MANN filter number along with a Mercedes logo and a Mercedes part number. Extra money to have that.
And the filter is no different in any way. It's all made at the same factory. Mercedes will order some of them and they'll be branded for Mercedes, but they're not any better quality.
Mark: So the point being that you're looking to save customers money but give them exact same high quality repair that they would expect if they went to the dealer or anywhere else. Is that correct?
Bernie: Exactly. Absolutely.
Mark: And also that if they really want the Mercedes branded or whatever brand, GM brand replacement part, Hey customers right. They get to pay the extra money for that branded thing, even if it's exactly the same. Or how often is it that in the case that the aftermarket products better than the OEM?
Bernie: Well, there are cases where the aftermarket product is improved over the original manufacturer. And there are a lot of cases where the part is equivalent like there's the same or better. So it's really just a matter of finding out. And there are many brands of parts that we deal with. And some of them, as is the case of this MANN filter are exactly the same as the original manufacturer. You know, Mercedes doesn't have an oil filter manufacturing plant.
They just contract out. And the same with almost every other car manufacturer. Most stuff is contracted out to somebody else. Whether that's Bosch, I mean there's so many brands of manufacturers out there that do that kind of thing. So we have suppliers where we can get those parts that are exactly original equipment and put them in and it'll work exactly the same.
And it is really important once you start getting into fuel injection systems and certain parts where you really have to have the right part. You know, for proper function.
Mark: So ultimately, because you guys are experts in this, you're making sure that the customer is getting the best value possible for their repair. The vehicle is going to be reliable, it's going to do the same job, and you might be able to save them a few bucks.
Bernie: Exactly.
Mark: So there you go. If you're looking for service for your Mercedes or any vehicle and you want the best bang for your buck, the guys to see are Pawlik Automotive. You can reach them on the website at pawlikautomotive.com. You can book there or you can call them at (604) 327-7112 to book your appointment. You have to book ahead. They're always busy. Pawlik Automotive in Vancouver. Thanks for watching and listening.
Bernie: Thanks for watching.
