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