A clean 124 oil filter change? Is it possible?
 

Anyone have a secret to replacing the oil filter on my 300te without it dropping oil on my engine? I stuff rags around it, but I always make a mess. I tried punching a hole in the top of the filter, thinking that it would release pressure and the oil would empty from the filter, but NOPE!

Always replace filter with oil.

Change the filter after the oil is drained, prior to addition of new oil. I do it this way and i don't think I have ever gotten oil all over the engine.

actually, I don't think there is a clean way to replace the oil filter on the 3 litre 6 without making a mess....the only other car engine that I have seen with an upsidedown oil filter is a Ferrari, at a car show, and I thought then that that seemed screwed up and then I end up with this 300TE...same thing....not only that, but the method originally subscribed was this pump that sucked the used oil out via the dipstick tube , so you didn't have to, you know, actually have to drain it via a drainplug...God Forbid....I still think that it's suspect.....and I also believe that Mercedes has discontinued that stupid idea....and I don't want hear about dry sumps....

Technically the anti-siphon valve in the proper German oil filters should keep the oil in the filter when its removed....but it still seems to leak out. I've found that loosening it and then gently screwing it back on allows most of it to drain down to the pan without much mess.

I agree, I have found that if I drain the oil and wait a while (there's always something else to check for 20 min. or so), the oil filter comes out with less oil and no drips.

Same for me. I have never had a mess removing an oil filter from the M103 engine. I've always drained the oil first, then removed the oil filter.

"Proper German filter" is the key. The fact a PepBoys filter dumps is a clue.

Yep, the Bosch filters through on-line sources are generally the real deal German ones, the ones through local stores are knock-offs. The Mobil 1 line of filters sold at Autozone are quite good though, but they cost about 2x what a German Bosch online does.