I use Mann filters for the BMW since Mann makes BMW oil filters. I've got a Mann oil filter and a Hengst oil filter for the Mercedes. Which one would you guys recommend?

 

do either tell you specs? like beta ratios or micron rating or pressure drop curves?

If not let your wallet tell you

 

I use Mann from Advance Auto. I don’t think it makes a difference. Changing oil at the right interval is more important than the filter.

It’s like healthy eating: food quantity is more important than food type. Too many calories of “healthy” food still leads to obesity. Calories of “less healthy” foods, equal to or below one’s daily caloric requirements, leads to weight management or weight reduction.

Summary: change the oil on time and don’t worry about the filter brand. There is a lot of rebranding in the aftermarket parts biz where products are removed from one brand’s box and placed into another brand’s box for sale.

 

Regardless of brand, I believe that a fleece filter is required if you ever need to make a warranty claim on engine parts. We recently had a check engine fault code that led to ~$4,000 in top end parts only and I'm sure that they would have found a way to dodge covering it if we hadn't have had it dealer serviced with the OEM filter.

Edit: It turns out that MB no longer requires fleece filters like they used to.

 

Which brand offers a fleece filter?

 

Where does it say fleece filter in any of the manuals an owner is given when purchasing the car?

MB would have to dictate this in their warranty doc which I doubt they do.
Also the I believe our Fed gov has laws in place forbidding manufactures from forcing maintenance being ONLY done at dealers to honor warranty.

 

I have used both, and can't tell the difference.

 

Agree. I think the idea of fleece filters comes from the 1980 300D days.

Change air and oil filters on schedule (brand doesn’t matter) and enjoy happy motoring.