I have a couple of maintenance issues for my 2006 C230 Sport

1. any problems a novice should know about when replacing the low beam?
The recommended lamps are H7-55W($) or D2S-35W($$$$$)
2. oil, air, and cabin filters change - should I use MB parts only or are subs OK

Thanks, Skcoj

Hey, we all like to save money! Sites like this and others have a wealth of information on DIY maintenance for MB. Generally, you can get OEM filters, fluids and other parts at a considerable discount from what a dealer charges. In some cases you need a few special tools to do the job right but they usually pay for themselves in labor cost savings.

Since my car is older than yours you may not have as many options. Most manufacturers have done their best to make self-service difficult. The internal designation for your car is a W203. Some sites like benzworld and MBworld have a forum where all of the W203 owners can get together and share information. Of course, you can always post questions here as well.

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Good luck.






1998 E320 Wagon

The "or" defines your issue. Do you have standard Halogen bulbs (H7) or HID (D2S)? It's easy to tell just by looking at the light, the HIDs are projectors.

So long as they are quality brands (Mann, Hengst, there are a couple of others but I'd avoid Mahle for the air filter) you're good to go. Two notes, however.

First, be sure to use the fleece oil filter. If you use one of the reputable online sites they should only show you the fleece filter for your car. But you can tell by the picture and item description.

Second, be sure to use only spec oil. The easiest to find in the US is Mobil1 0W40 (only that viscosity, the others do not meet MB spec). The trick is to read the back label, if it says it meets Mercedes Spec 229.5 you can use it.

Good luck.

Not aware of any gripes about the quality of Mahle, but anything Meyle is generally referred to as crap.

Buy the Mann filters online or go to the dealer.

__________________
'02 BMW 325i
'85 300D 450k
'93 190E 2.6 170k(killed by tree)
'08 Ducati Hypermotard 1100S 6k
'06 Ducati S2R800 14k(sold)

I was decidedly unimpressed by the fit of the Mahle air filter in my W210 airbox, it flopped around in there length-wise and width-wise. The depth and density of the pleats weren't as good as with the Mann, either. Yes, I'm extrapolating from a case study of *one*, but it's enough that I wouldn't suggest it to someone else who might not know what they're looking for.

There have been reports of counterfeit products, so keep that in mind. Meyle is crap; that much we know. Mahle? If you go to their website, they say 1 of very ten auto parts are counterfeit.

Mahle pistons for example are supposed to be rock solid, as in OE at least for the 617 diesel engines. Consumables I assume would follow suit. I've also read that Mahle is OE to BMW & VW so take that for what it's worth.

I know it seems a bit ridiculous that there would be counterfeit German air filters. Rest assured though that if there is an established brand making a certain item, there exists those who would counterfeit it.

I once bought a pair of counterfeit New Balance trail runners at a FootLocker. Anything can be knocked-off.

Meyle is not a victim of a bad reputation due to counterfeit products; they really do suck.

__________________
'02 BMW 325i
'85 300D 450k
'93 190E 2.6 170k(killed by tree)
'08 Ducati Hypermotard 1100S 6k
'06 Ducati S2R800 14k(sold)