When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
To be honest I'm not sure if it's considered fraternizing with the enemy if I post a link to a different forum but in my opinion this is the most helpful resource I've found for information on the fuel filter. There are pictures of the two different types of removal tools on the last post, I found that the plastic tool worked much better for me than the metal one because it fit into the clip better. Regardless of which tool you choose I recommend a little PB blaster or WD-40 to make things easier on yourself.
I'm not certain about the 2004 but if your filter has plastic clips rather than the metal quick release then your new filter should come with replacement plastic clips, in which case go ahead and bust those things off and replace them with the fresh ones.
Remember to be patient, fuel filters can be a frustrating job, but if you keep your cool you'll find that it was an easy process when all is said and done. Be sure to have some rags handy because there will be a good amount of fuel spillage. Hope this answers your question, good luck.