Have you seen the Mann cabin filter for the 202 series cars?
Lacks the perimeter hard plastic surround and ability to fit the foam surround snuggly like the OEM. The paper element also lacks the solidity and heaviness as the OEM filter.

I thought we were talking about oil filters?

Mercedes will supply one of several different manufacturers filters. Sometimes there is a choice (I believe engine air filters are like this) and also spark plugs MB will give you an option, although individual dealers will normally decide to stock just one of the part numbers.
Oil filters, I think you get the filter du jour , won't know until you open it which one you have. I agree, any of the previously mentioned filters are what you normally get, and they are all OK.
In one of the threads mentioned (or actually in the "wiki" description of an oil change) they show a Mann filter set, the manufacturers can and do offer them under their own name.
Gilly

I'm getting ready to change the oil in my '96 c220 (60k miles), and i'm having second thoughts after looking at this link. Is there not a drain plug? why were they sucking out the oil?
The only reason I havent DIY yet is b/c i couldnt get under the merc like i can with my jeep.

Also, would I be okay with switching to synthetic oil on a 10 year old car? although the miles are still low, i'm not sure if there will be a problem with the seals.

drain plug
 

your model indeed has a drain plug,

In Europe, they've been using oil suckers for years. We've also done it this way for years in the marine industry, nothing new. When you think about it, if that's all you really want to do is change the oil and adjust tire pressures, is it REALLY neccesary to hoist the car? If you have a means to extract the oil from the overhead position, it's alot easier. Also take note of where the filters are on a Benz, they ALL come out from the top, the last one that didn't was the 107 chassis SL, which was introduced in 71-72 era and made until 89.
You'll be fine changing to synthetic if you want to, won't hurt seals.

Gilly

Synthetic indeed will not hurt the seals, but if your seals are already getting brittle/shrunken, it will expose their faults. I changed to syn at 75k, on a 97 c230, and within 1000 miles had leaks. That's just because of its excellent flow properties. The better oil slipped past the failing seals.

OEM filter with synthetic
 

My '70 SL comes out the bottom... Are you off by a year or is my car REALLY a '71?

So if I make the switch over to Synthetic, will the standard bosch filter be good enough? I've always heard to use mobile1 (expensive) filters with the expensive oil. Would I just change out the filter half way through oil changes?

Will_w202, what brand, weight, and how many quarts of oil do you use?

Topsider method
 

I've been doing it this way since my second-to-last oil change on my lamented W126. I was using one of those plastic pans from AZ or PB, the kind you can seal up and take to recycling. Part way through the drain, the pan began to leak! Not a drop or two, a steady stream. Thank GOD it did that before I put it in the trunk! Of course I could take it back for a refund . . . but I still had to get rid of the old hot oil!

I wound up dumping the pan and bought a Topsider the next day. Okay, I get odd looks from people as I change my oil -- it looks like I'm giving the car a transfusion -- but that's okay. The big metal can seals up securely, and I take it to Autozone and recycle the oil without any hassle.

A '70 SL is a 113 chassis. 1972 was the first model year SL for the USA. The LAST MB I am aware of with a bottom filter was the 107 chassis SL, which was made until 1989 and was still bottom-filtered. The 126 used essentially the same motor but different filter arrangement. There were cars made AFTER 1972 with a bottom filter, such as the m110 engined cars, but the 107 was the last made.

I used Mobil 1 SuperSyn 0w40 when I got the leak, in the winter, but except for the 3 coldest winter months, I run M1 15w50

Honestly, 15w50 is fine year round in my climate, but I just liek max cold-start protection if it's below freezing.