Took the key to my '80 300SD to the dealership today and they told me it would be $50 to make one copy. WTF, over? Is there an alternative to dealing with the interesrting pricing and distain for anything older than this year's model at the dealership? Thanks.
At present I've been unable to find an alternative since the MB keys are steel and not brass. Even if you had a new blank you wouldn't be able to get your local locksmith to make you a new key because their equipment is not made to cut steel. However, it would seem your local dealer is gouging you a bit since I've only paid $35 per key for replacements at my local MB dealer. They do require I bring in the registration before they'll take my money and order the key using the VIN number. Good luck.
Check with a local locksmith...I had some extra keys made for my 92
190E.with no problem in the San Diego area. Not all locksmiths carry the blanks and the cutting equipment so you will have to ask or look around a bit.Peter
Check with other MB dealer.
If YOU are in business and someone knocks on your door for something rare that YOU have and THEY want, what would you charge?
Remember, it's a Mercedes, not a Dodge or a Ford; so THAT raises the price too!
They told me it had to be cut in some secret underground key cutting bunker on a remote island in a land far away with a glod plated laser cutting tool. Then the new key is kissed by a dozen local virgins and delivered to my door by the President of MB himself. It costs $2.49 for the local locksmith to cut copies for my Ford and Dodge. $50 by the MB dealer seems, well, pardon the inability to look at this more positively, but a damn good reason to never go back to that dealer again. I've been in business my whole life and if I ever displayed that degree of greed to my customers, even if I am the only one who has what they want, they'd come back one last time, with axe handles and a rope. The person who waited on me, with a great deal of displeasure, would be fired on the spot if he worked for me and did that to one of my customers. I thanked them by not preglowing my car and driving a couple times around the lot, blowing smoke and sharing the splendor of my multicoloured body panels and awesom seven-watt stereo blasting bad country music. Thanks for your comments. I will try a dealer in a bigger city.
I paid them about $8.00 for a standard 'master' key, rather than the $45.00 quoted for a remote control key. Had to do the present registration bit and wait for it to come back from the land of locksmith elves.
Canoli
Yes. Look for a "High Security Locksmith" in your area (who is probably used by your MB dealership). Example:
-OR- Buy your MB key blank on eBay
The key for my 1984 500 SEL cost $19.00 + tax. I got the key from the local MB dealer. I gave them the VIN of the car, 2 or 3 days later I was called by the dealer to say the key was in. Picked up the key showing them proof of ownership. When I got a key for my 1991 300D, I know the lock cylinder had been changed as the Ign and door locks used a different key. I ordered the lock cylinder with 1 extra key (one comes with the lock cylinder) using the same proceedure. Total cost $68.00 + tax. Now both cars have new keys and the locks all match for the 300D for $87 + tax. What more can you ask for? PS this was at Beck Imports in Charlotte, NC.
Paul
Slow down a moment. If you will look at your key you will see that it is very different than the key for your Ford or your house key. It does require a special machine to cut one and the blanks are very pricy also.
You can get these cut at your local locksmith, if they have the machine. Not all locksmiths have them however. You will probably get them cheaper than at the dealer but they still are going to be pricy.
Again, thanks for all the comments. The ignition and door/trunk are keyed the same. The dealer told me the key was a "special security key" that had to be laser cut. I'll try the dealer in Portland (Wilsonville), Oregon and see how they are.
Just call them
I recently had a key made for my '91 300D. I only went to the dealership at all because the guy down at the hardware store said he couldn't duplicate the one on my keychain due to its design. When I stated my needs to the girl at the dealership's parts counter, her immediate response was, "License and registration, please!" "Excuse me?" I said. "What's _this_ about? Are you going to give me a ticket?"
I'm getting really tired of being asked for my ID so much these days in the course of my day-to-day life (such as, more and more often when I pay with a credit card), and I confess that that impatience is becoming increasingly evident.
Another employee standing nearby overheard our exchange (and no doubt, the note of irritation in my voice) and allowed as how this rule has to do with these newfangled Mercedes keys with the elec- tronics in them, which can be "cloned" by bad guys. I allowed as how right back at him that since my car was a '91 and didn't have one of those keys, perhaps we could dispense with the bullshit and save me a trip out to my car to collect the registration document, and commence to making me a pisscutting ignition key on the Q.T. Rules, of course, were rules.
And on top of that, it cost me $25 and took a week to get, the latter because it came from someplace in Texas. They don't even make the bloody things on site. (And you had to pay $50? Ouch!)
Why is everything so goddamned complicated anymore?
"I'm sorry, sir, b-but...you can't just..."
Geoff
Sounds to me as if you are pissed off at life in general. Would you rather have just anyone take your key, dupe it, and sell it to just anyone? "Pssst, wanna buy a nice Mercedes for $500? I need a fix."
Think man, this world isn't the 30's any longer. Read the paper and you'll see worse things than you being asked for your ID. I'll bet you don't sign your credit card as, "Reguire photo for ID."
In the '40's I had a paper route in Miami, Florida and often had over $300 on collection day; that was before anyone paid via credit card or mail. I'd no longer do that in fear for my life.
No, they're making sure they only give keys to your car to you.
Used to be, I could order a key to YOUR car via a phone call, email or a fax. Now you can only get a key from a dealer, in person, with license and registration to the car you want a key for.
While this will nor prevent all criminals you can't really say it's a horrible idea!
The key to my 1987 300E is a blade with four separate "keys" ground out only partially through. The local locksmith wanted the car there to test the key on after grinding the four separate "keys" into the four sides of the blade. If one of the four is not ground deep enough or ground too deep the key will not work.
Cost was $47 with the locksmith supplying the blank. Of course as soon as I bought the replacement key the missing one showed up rattling around in the bottom of the washing machine.
Pete Cowper
1987 300EThe biggest problem with locksmith keys are you are copying 'worn' keys... so all the duplicates you got are 'worn' keys...
Unless you happen to have one key not use at all to be used as master... I just don't see the value with locksmith keys... We had that done once... and it was not worth it... ignition will work... door will work... but won't work on trunk. The biggest thing of all? You need to wiggle the key to make it work every single time!
I am a locksmith. When I would duplicate a key that was worn I would compensate for the wear and urge the customer to bring it back with the car if it didn't work good. This is s quality of work/ warrantee issue not a problem with the ability of all locksmiths.
If the key works in the passenger door but not the trunk it is possable that the locksmith used the valet blank to copy the key. Drive the car back to him and bring your old key and your copy. He should make it right.
I agree, the quality of locksmith workmanship will vary. Fortunately, I have found an old school oldtimer who takes exceptional pride is his work, and recalibrates his equipment frequently to ensure top quality results.
DanlK, ~~~\8-O FYI Services Collectibles
Probably less than $50, if what they wanted was a key.
Why should that raise the price of something as simple as a key? At least, why should it raise it by that much?
I don't mind paying a premium for certain parts for my cars; I think of it as a "quality surcharge." But for a friggin' *key?* C'mon!
Geoff
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