Originally Posted by jpristel
I just checked my receipt, and no part number is listed for the additional cost associated with the oil filter, however the guy new as soon as I said "crossfire" that there would be an additional charge for the filter and that the engine takes more than 5 quarts, so... I'd give it a 50/50 chance of being a fleece filter. I guess the only way to know for sure would be to pull it out and take a look, but I have no idea what the fleece filter should look like, I assume it would look quite a bit like the older ones considering that it still has to fit in the same location.
I went by a Mobil 1 Express Lube and a Jiffy Lube shop that are listed on the Mobil 1 website and asked to see the oil filter they use on the Crossfire. It was a very cheap paper filter with "made in India" stamped on the top in large letters. Hardly MB quality or worth the extra $$$ they charged you for it. I would reconsider using them again, unless you bring your own OEM "fleece" filter.
As I said in another post, 5 Star dealers around town on average are charging $95.00 for an oil and filter change. Buy your own Mobile 1 0W/40 at $4.95 a quart at Walmart or AutoZone and go to the dealer. Have them do the oil change. Taking your own oil will bring the cost down to the $80.00 you paid at the Mobil 1 Express Lube... and if something goes wrong, you'll have an easier time of getting it fixed at the dealership.
Remember, MB stopped using the paper filters a few years ago to prevent engine problems. If it was my car, I would get a new filter and pop it in or get the oil changed again in a couple of thousand miles and use the OEM filter.
Oh, and check out the fleece/paper filters in my previous post above.