"No, impossible!" "Go to Germany" "OK, but it's $ 150.00!"

[strelnik]

Dealerships are amazing.
I bought a 1983 380SL that was a gray market 107.045.

Car needs some TLC but the 70 year-old owner only had the one key stub and had lost the rubber.

I go to the MB dealership to get a key made with license registration insurance blablabla.

1st time: " NO! It's IMPOSSIBLE!" TOO OLD! GO AWAY!"

2nd time, different guy: " That's a gray market car! Those are ILLEGAL!"

I show him my letters from the dealership in Germany where the original owner took delivery, including the original import documents:

"There's nothing on that car that's the same as the American ones (??) except the three pointed star!. Everything with that car has to be done in Germany!"

3rd guy, different day:

" Yeah sure, I can get you a key but you know these are rare and they will cost you 'bout 150 bucks, maybe more..."


I go talk to a guy whose wife works in this office to find out just exactly how rare gray market car keys are.
He laughs.
One week later, at his leisure, I have two hand cut keys, made on an Ilco MB18 blank

15.00

[Stretch]

And I was gonna offer some help - but I can't beat $15...

[Edward Wyatt]

I'm not suprised, the local dealer told me that my '59 W128 sedan didn't exist so I could'nt order a fuel filter for it even though it was parked 20 feet from the parts counter. I even had the chassis number, what I did was order a filter for some kind of rare injected Porsche the the local import parts guru was sure would fit. And it did.

From what I know, the keys ordered at the dealer are cut in texas by vin number. It's not a strech to imagine the the correct key code is somewhere in the archiver, as I'm sure you know that MB keeps very good records. Another dealer was able to order a cut ignition key for my W128 sedan, even though it was a euro delivery car sold to a american serviceman stationed in Germany in 1959. Now, this is anecdotal information from the mid '80s when I bought it. I couple of months ago I asked the local dealer about getting a front oil seal for the motor and they refused to help and refered me to the Classic Center. Even though I had the part number from the dealer parts book.

[compress ignite]

With the Advent of Overseas Courier Services that offer Pick Up in the E.U.
and Delivery in N.A. (AT Reasonable Prices!),The Stealership Clowns no longer
have the ability to shovel all that Excrement at you.

http://www.parcel2go.com/


BUT,It's still true,That a Valid Part Number(AND not on the Un-Obtainium list)
can be ordered by any Dealer anywhere.
[Remember all that "Every Dealer is an INDEPENDENT Franchisee" Bushwa ?]

[tgolden]

It's interesting that the original sales literature indicates that Mercedes Benz authorized service is available worldwide. But with, Mercedes Benz of North America it's always hit or miss if you will find a dealership that will cooperate with vehicles that were legally imported outside the normal MBNA imports. Back in the 80's, there was a lot of resentment over the lost sales due to the large number of gray market imports.

Regards

[Edward Wyatt]

Originally Posted by tgolden

It's interesting that the original sales literature indicates that Mercedes Benz authorized service is available worldwide. But with, Mercedes Benz of North America it's always hit or miss if you will find a dealership that will cooperate with vehicles that were legally imported outside the normal MBNA imports. Back in the 80's, there was a lot of resentment over the lost sales due to the large number of gray market imports.

Regards

Resentment didn't begin to describe the attitude over the gray maket cars. The local dealer wouldn't let one on the property, or even so much as sell an oil filter for it. The owner was so mad that he even threw me and my '67 230S euro out one day.


A whole cottage industry sprang up to service/sell those cars, but the exchange rate was so good, that you could buy a new MB for the price of a used model.

[strelnik]

Originally Posted by Army

And I was gonna offer some help - but I can't beat $15...

He is also making keys for:
my Citroen Traction Avant 1951 vintage and
my 1952 220 4 door Grouchomobile
my Borgward Isabella TS coupe

The guy is talented and it irritates him when he meets stupid people

He wanted to give me a bill for 7.50 for one kiey to drop off at the dealer, but why bother?

Soon I have to go extort my 500k mileage badge from these guys.

[Edward Wyatt]

Originally Posted by strelnik

Soon I have to go extort my 500k mileage badge from these guys.

I think there is a form you can download and fill out, and all they have to do is sign it.

[strelnik]

Originally Posted by Edward Wyatt

I think there is a form you can download and fill out, and all they have to do is sign it.

Yes, but that's a lot of effort for these guys.Especially without a payoff

[Edward Wyatt]

Originally Posted by strelnik

Yes, but that's a lot of effort for these guys.Especially without a payoff

From your earlier experiece with the keys, they might tell you that they can't sign it because it's a euro car.

[strelnik]

Originally Posted by Edward Wyatt

From your earlier experiece with the keys, they might tell you that they can't sign it because it's a euro car.

This dealership used to have an excellent parts manager who left for obvious reasons. They hired front office staff that don't know a lot of the basics about the cars.

Just for fun, I said onc"e " Did you know that Mercedes makes cars that are rear-wheel drive TOO? They said wow they didn't.

[Edward Wyatt]

Originally Posted by strelnik

This dealership used to have an excellent parts manager who left for obvious reasons. They hired front office staff that don't know a lot of the basics about the cars.

Just for fun, I said onc"e " Did you know that Mercedes makes cars that are rear-wheel drive TOO? They said wow they didn't.

They probably would have believed it if you said that the cars were left or right wheel drive.

My dealer refused to do an alignment years ago on my W115 because they couldn't figure out the gorilla knob and salt shaker to start it.

[meltedpanda]

find a locksmith that likes old cars and its amazing what they can do with key blanks, and key grinders , my recent 72 450 key cost me 3 bucks

[strelnik]

Originally Posted by meltedpanda

find a locksmith that likes old cars and its amazing what they can do with key blanks, and key grinders , my recent 72 450 key cost me 3 bucks

This guy did it almost for fun, but I am getting spares of all my keys from now on through him, screw the stealership.

[David Langsam]

There is a blurb in my 560sl manual about the dealer being able to store the hardtop and remove/install it for you. I once inquired about it and got the 'you're kidding, right?' response.

I understand if they don't do that anymore, they are just so rude about it.