Oil Filter Numbers

[5 Star Auto Spa]

For all the shop owners that perform a considerable amount of oil changes, where do you look to find the correct oil filter? We use All Data Repair and All Data Manage as our repair information/shop management software and it is not currently located anywhere in the system. The OEM oil filter part number is available but we do not use OEM oil filters and it requires an additional step to cross reference to an aftermarket filter, like Purolator. Is there an easy way to find this information in Mitchell or any other auto repair program other than cross referencing this information in another online webpage?

[John Pearson]

I use carquest filters and carquest has supplied me with a book or I can look at their website.

[5 Star Auto Spa]

It would be nice to have all of the relevant information (oil filter, oil weight, oil capacity, tire pressure, tire torque) all in one area in the same system so there would not need to be any additional work (having to look it up on a supplier's website or book). I was hoping that some of the Mitchel users would respond and tell me that the oil filter number is available in Mitchell? We do a large amount of oil changes here at our shop and any place that you can shave off time/additional work helps......

[stowintegrity]

We use Champ brand filters. They have a free "lookup" on their website that lists the part numbers for the oil filter, air filter, cabin air filter, fuel filter, and transmission filter (all, if equipped). Since we use this brand, and know that one of our broadline suppliers stocks it, a simpke lookup and use of the Copy/Paste command, and we can easily "dump" all the filter information into the Memo field for the customer's vehicle.

 

You're correct, I think - Mitchell only references the OE numbers. If you can't find a similar lookup tool for the manufacturer of the line of filters you use, the OE numbers can at least be used in the interchange field in any Nexpart electronic catalog. If you have the catalog installed in Mitchell...it's just a few extra clicks before you're looking at the filter numbers associated with the OE number....and all the ones that your supplier stocks for you.

 

Happy hunting!

[ATLAuto]

Agreed on Champ filters. Their website lookup is great.

 

With that said, any POS software system worth its salt will be able to build an oil change with the filter, oil type, and capacity.

 

Two off hand that I know about are Vast and RO Writer.

[5 Star Auto Spa]

I was thinking the same thing ATLAuto. I would have ASSUMED that All Data and Mitchel being the largest shop management / repair software that is geared towards the aftermarket repair shops would have a cross reference functionality built into the program as most independent repair shops do not use OEM oil filters for oil changes. I know that there are numerous websites available that my techs can access to do the cross referencing but its one more step in the process I was hoping to eliminate.

 

ATLAuto, do you know if Vast and RO Writer only include the OEM filter number or is the cross reference after market filter (Purolator, Champ, etc) built into the software?

 

Stowintegrity, the Nexpart catalog that you are referring to, once it is installed will it cross reference Purolator oil filters? We are using All Data and I do not believe there is any catalog that we can install in All Data to do the cross referencing. Once installed in Mitchel, do you access the the interchange field in the Mitchel software itself?

Edited July 4, 2015 by 5 Star Auto Spa

[stowintegrity]

  On 7/4/2015 at 2:06 PM, 5 Star Auto Spa said:

Stowintegrity, the Nexpart catalog that you are referring to, once it is installed will it cross reference Purolator oil filters? We are using All Data and I do not believe there is any catalog that we can install in All Data to do the cross referencing. Once installed in Mitchel, do you access the the interchange field in the Mitchel software itself?

The answer is yes, but I don't want to mislead you...

 

Nexpart is the electronic catalog "platform" used by several of my aftermarket suppliers. Essentially, it connects my POS software (Mitchell1) with their electronic inventory on their end, so I can pick & choose what parts to drop to my estimate. Knowing that they sell me Champ filters, for instance, I used the Mfr. lookup to get ALL the filter numbers in a single lookup, then once it's added to the vehicle's info, we always now what parts that car uses.

 

The Nexpart catalog interface will, in fact, interchange Purolator numbers...absolutely. There's a "tool" built into the catalog that let's me enter the number I already have (OE, Champ, whatever), and even if my supplier doesn't normally carry the other brands (Fram, Purolator, Napa, Carquest, etc.) it will give me a list of all the filters matching the number I entered. I didn't want you to think that I've found a way to automate the filter selection completely...I just know what numbers I need after our first contact with a customer.

 

I know there's a piece of software (It doesn't link to Mitchell1 that I'm aware of...) That you purchase one time called Chek-Lube. It's target market is the quick-lube industry, and when you enter a year/make/model car, it will return the following: ALL filter numbers (Oil, fuel, air, cabin air, transmission), ALL belt numbers (serpentine, accessory), ALL automotive fluid capacities (in quarts or liters), Wiper blade sizes (front, rear)...and more. The parts numbers returned from the lookup are chosen from a pretty good list of aftermarket manufacturer's brands that you select in the software setup. The page can be printed, if you want, or the information copied/pasted into your POS. The data is based on the Motors database, and furthermore, includes limited labor time information and chassis lube points. I think it was a couple hundred dollars.

 

Happy hunting!

[Jeff]

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[alfredauto]

We use Napa filters, we have a Napa filter book. While using a book may be old school it really is the fastest and easiest way to put the right filter on the car. That being said 99% of oil change customers are repeats, so we just look at the number of the filter coming off the car. The frustrating part is stocking 50+ oil filter numbers.

[stowintegrity]

  On 7/26/2015 at 2:41 PM, alfredauto said:

The frustrating part is stocking 50+ oil filter numbers.

Wow, 50 filters? I can never get a bearing on the scope of my business as it stacks up against other successful shops. We only stock 20 oil filters, and have a car count of about 55-60 weekly. We'll probably do an oil change on 50-75% of those (in addition to whatever other service/repair they need), and we probably only run into 1-2 filters a week that don't happen to be one's we stock.

 

Am I likely missing a large part of the market's potential?

[SMMotors]

  On 7/26/2015 at 3:31 PM, stowintegrity said:

Wow, 50 filters? I can never get a bearing on the scope of my business as it stacks up against other successful shops. We only stock 20 oil filters, and have a car count of about 55-60 weekly. We'll probably do an oil change on 50-75% of those (in addition to whatever other service/repair they need), and we probably only run into 1-2 filters a week that don't happen to be one's we stock.

 

Am I likely missing a large part of the market's potential?

 

I'm doing the same. We average 250 cars per month and I stock about 25 filter and this includes euro # s as well. It is rare that I have to order anything. I'd be happy to post what I stock if it would help anyone.

[alfredauto]

I'm in a college town, you name it from 1990-2016 we get them. I have 15 #'s that I stock 6 of, the rest I keep 1. I don't anticipate getting 2 diesel Benz's or BMW 540i's in one day, so one is enough. Subaru's or Caravans are a different story. We might do 5 a day. I'm also in a rural area where the parts stores don't stock European or even some Japanese filters. If I don't have a filter in stock when the college kid is heading out of town I miss the opportunity to get them as a customer.

 

Now, if I had more time or more employees, or if the store had more delivery drivers, I would stock just one of each number and just reorder throughout the day. But with parts deliveries taking an hour on average I like to avoid waiting for an oil filter.

[ATLAuto]

  On 7/4/2015 at 2:06 PM, 5 Star Auto Spa said:

ATLAuto, do you know if Vast and RO Writer only include the OEM filter number or is the cross reference after market filter (Purolator, Champ, etc) built into the software?

 

VAST will cross over to whatever filter you are using. When we build a work order, we click package, and it spits out filter number, oil viscosity, and capacity:

PH500 filter

5W30 Syn - 4.5qts

 

We use Champ, but it will cross to anything that VAST loads in. We debated Mighty for awhile, which would also work.