Price of a new remote and key blade...

[ssks]

I need to buy a new remote and key blade for my 1998 E320. The dealer is asking $30 for the key blade and $135 for the remote for a total price of $180 including tax. The dealer also tells me that since MB has changed the design of the remote, I need to buy both.

I find $180 too excessive for an extra key. Has anyone been able to find a cheaper source/price?

[Gilly]

They are correct about the new key being different, it changed in 2000 or 2001, right around there. It is a shorter key, which requires a shorter metal blade. The only other difference is the position of the panic button is out towards the end of the key (the side which goes into the ignition) rather than the other small oval button.
MB will however sell the old style "long" blade for the old style key, but not the old style "long" key itself.
I believe the prices are in line. Well, what I mean is, yeah, that's what they cost.
I doubt there is much you can do, unless there is another dealer you can ask. It is the kind of thing where MB will only sell to the dealers for security reasons, and the dealer will want to make sure you are actually the vehicle owner, so even if there is a dealer several hundred miles away who sells at less mark-up, they still will want you to come in person with the registration for the car and your drivers license before ordering it. (sorry about the run-on sentence )

Gilly

[ssks]

I found several used and barely used key remotes on the web in $10-$20 range. They all claim that the remote can be programmed by the dealer for free. Does anyone have any expreience in programming a used remote key? Do dealers really do the work for free?

[Gilly]

NO NO, this is ABSOLUTELY false. These keys are vehicle-specific, the dealer can NOT make a key work on your vehicle that came from another vehicle.

Gilly

[ssks]

The seller tells me that if my original remote key has code FCC IYZ 3302 printed on the side of the remote behind the skinny key, the remote can be programmed. He claims many other people have purchased and programmed these remotes. I checked my remote and the numbers match.

Are you certain that even remotes with the same FCC code can not be programmed?

[blackmercedes]

He lies.

The keys are specific to the car and are produced that way. You cannot take a key from another car and "remake" it for your car.

Now, you can take a key that exists for your car and "delete" it so that the ignition enabling device will no longer enable the ignition for your car. This is handy in case you lose a key. However, someone cannot take the found key and make it work with another car.

The technology in the SmartKey is incredible and it's easily the most sophisticated key system available on ANY car made. In the grand scheme of things $180 for a key sounds really expensive for those of raised on a dozen keys cut for a dollar, but when you consider the size of the investment the key is designed to protect, it's cheap.

[Gilly]

The seller just wants your money. It will NOT work on your car.

Gilly

[ssks]

Thanks for all your advice. I was able to cancel my purchase before the key was shipped.

This forum is so great!

[Gilly]

I checked EBay and did see a number of smartkeys for sale. The weird thing is that if I look back in the history of a few of these large sellers of keys like this (Remotekeys and a few other sellers) although they have large amounts of sales of other keys and remotes (VW, Audi, etc), I couldn't locate the auction sale of a smartkey. The purchasers seemed to be satisfied with those. One thing I'd add is I'm not 100% sure that you wouldn't be able to program the key to lock/unlock the car, but NO WAY is it going to START the car!

Gilly

[Turk53]

Hey I have a mercedes Benz Year:2000 model type C280. I need a new smart key. I found a 1999 smart key remote thatis identical to the one I have right now and the FCC ID is the same.will this work on my car?