A friend of mine just went to Mitsubishi to get a key for his girlfriend's Galant. $115 EACH plus tax! ($50 for the key, 1 hour to program at $65).

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Bill Streep
San Antonio
'57 190SL (toy)
'08 S5500 (mine)
'09 CLK550 (wife's)
'06 SLK350 (daughter's)
'11 GLK350 (daughter's)
'03 CLK310 (spare)

My cousin's wife lost his laser key for his E430. It cost $1100 to replace!!

$1100 to replace a key? O..MG, what is the world coming too! Thank god my keys were only $9 a peice, and it's a 1995!! That is either 3 or more years newer, and $1091 have been added to the price?? WOW!!

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2006 E350 w/ 155k miles (Daily Driver)

Previous:
1993 300E 3.2L Sedan w/ close to about 300k miles
2003 E500 Brilliant Silver (Had 217k miles when totalled!)
1989 300E with 289,000 miles (had for <1 yr while in HI)
03 CLK 500 cabrio (Mom's)
2006 C230k (Dad's)
1999 S420 (Mom's/Dad's)
2000 C230k Sport sedans
2001 CLK320 Cabrio (Mom's)
1995 C280 My First Mercedes-Benz... (155k miles. EXCEPTIONAL AUTOMOBILE. Was Very hard to let go of!)

What is this key made of, gold? What does this key do, unlock the escape hatch to the space shuttle? Did jackmac's cousin make sure to mention CAR key, the one which starts the car and not the stealth fighter?

Kuan

I think it's a car sales gimic, cars cheep, key's expensive.

$1100 for the key?? You sure?? Maybe she has the whole ignition assembly changed??? Maybe even all the locks???

A key alone is around $70-90 US as I was told, which are send directly from Germany....Keys can't not be replaced locally....

Andy Kuo

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1992 Mercedes-Benz 400SE
http://members.shaw.ca/AKRY/W140_Side.gif

2002 Acura TL Type S
http://members.shaw.ca/AKRY/type_s_side.gif

Yeah, that smartkey is a heck of a lot less than 1100 dollars, don't know who is trying to fool whom. There is no laser involved, maybe someone is thinking LASER CUT key in regards to the metal blade. The smartkey remote has 2 different remote function, it has radio frequency (RF), which is for central locking, Infrared (IR) for convenience feature (summer opening and convenience closing), in addition to the metal blade (not included with a smartkey remote), and then of course the transponder for the actual DAS (driver authorization system), which contains 200,000 rolling codes per key. An additional smartkey I think runs around 100 bucks or so, and requires NO programming (works out of the box). A REPLACEMENT smartkey costs the same as a a additional smartkey, but requires up to 90 minutes to program, although the tech wouldn't need to be there to do the programming, the key is put into the ignition and the key programs itself......Gilly

I just called the dealership. They cost $175 to replace.

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2006 E350 w/ 155k miles (Daily Driver)

Previous:
1993 300E 3.2L Sedan w/ close to about 300k miles
2003 E500 Brilliant Silver (Had 217k miles when totalled!)
1989 300E with 289,000 miles (had for <1 yr while in HI)
03 CLK 500 cabrio (Mom's)
2006 C230k (Dad's)
1999 S420 (Mom's/Dad's)
2000 C230k Sport sedans
2001 CLK320 Cabrio (Mom's)
1995 C280 My First Mercedes-Benz... (155k miles. EXCEPTIONAL AUTOMOBILE. Was Very hard to let go of!)

Your cousin must have had some other work done, the key alone is not that much.

When I had my W202 C200 key replaced 2 years ago, that replacement costed me RM800-00, which is about USD250-00 (based on current exchange or about USD320-00 at that past exchange rate).

The reason it was much more expensive than conventional RM20-00 keys was because the W202 key had to be imported direct from the MB factory in Germany - and this was based on security reasons.

I had to produce proof of ownership before this application can be processed. I was verbally informed by the technician at the local dealer that Germany keeps 2 spare keys for us, and it may cost more to get further replacements. I can't seem to verify this fact.

All I know is that W202 keys cannot be duplicated - again for security reasons. So, I suppose the newer keys with laser would cost more.

What about if we loose our thumb on the keyless S-class? Do we get a replacement too?

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... Kerry

126 tailed by a 203, 129 leading the pack.

I'm not sure what you mean that W202 keys can not be duplicated. They are done by a very sophisticated machine, so they do have to be ordered. In Malaysia they may not be able to duplicate them in the country, maybe they are "OFG", order from Germany. In reponse to blackmercedes, they smartkey can be "blocked", if desired. This usually takes place if you believe someone has stolen the key with intent to steal, if blocked, the key won't unlock OR allow the key to turn or steering wheel to unlock. If later found or otherwise recovered, the key can be made to work again by downloading information via a special ordered "shopkey". In regards to key replacement, you can only have a total of 8 keys, the car comes with 3 already. Each key can be replaced twice. Once all of these keys have been used up, you need a new EIS (electronic ignition switch) as well as a new engine computer. It may require a new steering wheel lock as well. On a 98&99 ML, although not smartkey equipped, you can only get 8 total keys, these keys can't be replaced, so be carefull with these keys, as the truck will also need a engine control module and a AAM, or all-activity module (body computer is what it is), and I believe you may need to replace all the lock cylinders on an ML also. YMSIN, on the keyless-go "keyless" car, the thumb is not the determining factor to start-up, it is a transponder card that is carried by the owner which authorizes unlock and start commands, not a thumbprint......Gilly

Gilly is right, its not the thumbprint that opens and unlocks your car. Although there are some dumb carjackers out there who might think it is your thumbprint. That would really suck you know! If they were stupid enough to think that your thumb opens the car and cut it off the only thing you can do is get it back and have it sown back on in the ER.

Anything over ten bucks for a replacement car key is insane. I don't care what kind of car it is. If you paid more than ten bucks for a key, you got screwed.

That $1100 sounds like a fairy tale unless the some other work was done.I bought an additional remote locking key for my 1992 140 two years ago....I got it at a discount of $78.00.....I think full retail is $110.00


Warren
1992 300SD

Speaking of keys... I was told recently that Porsche and Audi now have a Valet key that alters the mapping of numerous control modules to allow only a small RPM or MPH. The ability to do that has got to be worth more than ten dollars.

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Steve Brotherton
Continental Imports
Gainesville FL
Bosch Master, ASE Master, L1
33 years MB technician