Total BS with acquiring a fresh new key

[CaptainJ]

So apparently some mental midget in California had no permission or training to use the priceless key machine for a certain type of keys put his fat dumb hands on it and managed to destroy it beyond chance of repair . And they refused to send them a priceless replacement machine, and I'm the first customer to come up since this happened six months ago. So it's been back burner and nobody in the USA has any plans on what to do now, go figure .

So since I'm a local southwestern German also I'm going to call Mercedes-Benz Classic in Fellbach who still does have a functioning machine for an early series 1978 300 CD coupé key, so we'll see how much that costs or if they send me one for free With Apologies.....

I already drove a six and a half hour daytime round trip in 104+ degrees heat plus my fuel costs so they owe me now Not the other way around........

We'll see won't we. Will Advise .

[Hexadeca]

I assume from the story that you don't have an original.
Just now I walked a $20 blank into my local locksmith. $5.

[cth350]

Ouch. If you have a functioning key, my local locksmith actually has the machines & knowhow to do what you need done. No clue if he has the right blank at the moment, he'd want to see your key first. -CTH

[Frank Reiner]

That is quite a bit of whining Capt; W123 keys are edge cut, and the blanks are all over ebay. They are an easy key. Lets see a picture of yours.
The difficult keys are W126; they are side cut in four places.

[CaptainJ]

There's no key anymore, the old man died over two years ago nobody knew anymore. And there are no qualified locksmiths within hundreds of miles of where I and the car am to just come measure it and make me up a key.

I wasn't able to call Fellbach yet because the bank thought me putting balance on my Voice to make calls to Germany was a fraud attempt because I'm out of state So they locked me out of my card long enough til their business hours started that it was already Friday evening in Germany and now I have to wait til Sunday night after midnight to call them the first time .

If I was trying to copy a key I obviously wouldn't be trying to order a new master key like some amateur , I would order 4 blanks for twenty bucks myself and have copies made up at the local Ace Hardware. But I'm not trying to make copies, I'm trying to acquire a key normally so I don't have to power tool mutilate the lowest mileage 123 that I personally have ever owned just to be able to start and drive it....

[cth350]

Pull the lock from the glove box and check it for a code on the barrel.
If that fails, look at the lock on the driver's door.

-CTH
PS. I sent you an email.

[CaptainJ]

I have the keycode for the original master key already, California gave it to me in case I would need to have it.

It's number HU6377 ....

[CaptainJ]

Originally Posted by cth350

Pull the lock from the glove box and check it for a code on the barrel.
If that fails, look at the lock on the driver's door.

-CTH
PS. I sent you an email.

I saw your email and think that's the perfect idea, I knew somewhere in the country someone would have something going, it has to be, huge country after all......run that masterkey number by him I sent you on the email and see if he's ok for that and I'll eagerly await your email reply, thanks friend , greetings from the southern border....

[Hexadeca]

Originally Posted by CaptainJ

...the bank thought me putting balance on my Voice to make calls to Germany was a fraud attempt because I'm out of state So they locked me out of my card....

Probably some ppl think you are rambling / crazy but...
Yes, the real world is EXACTLY like this. Had it done to me, and I'm still pissed. Lol.

[tgatlin1]

Contacted the classic center recently via email and sent proof of ownership they asked for. Paid the man about $40 and it showed up fairly quickly. Called like five dealers beforehand and none of them were ANY help. Nice to have a genuine fresh key, although I did find that the old one apparently wasnt as worn as it looked. Ah well.

[momentumkiller]

oof, that's rough. I might be off base here, but could you possibly get the lock cylinder replaced instead? Might be easier than tracking down an original key. Just spitballing ideas here.

[subforry]

A lock shop in Redmonds in Redondo Beach, CA cut a blank from the lock code for a w114.

[Idle]

Originally Posted by momentumkiller

oof, that's rough. I might be off base here, but could you possibly get the lock cylinder replaced instead? Might be easier than tracking down an original key. Just spitballing ideas here.

I have always found the to be the case. The cost is not cheap at around three hundred bucks installed but the problem, for the most part, is not the worn key. It's the worn lock cylinder.

I was told that in America people use key rings with many keys on them. The weight wears on the lock cylinder and just tears it up. All the new keys in the world will not fix a worn out cylinder.

If you think a 123 is bad about this try owning a E class from 1986 on. They are the worst for this.

On the plus side the lock cylinder comes with two new keys.

I have considered drilling them out and just using a screwdriver to turn the lock. I have done this on American cars but I don't know if it would work on a 123.

[Hexadeca]

Originally Posted by Idle

... It's the worn lock cylinder...

Good info, all, this thread.
New keys did not change my difficult lock operations.
Will have to go down either OP's path or this path.
Pita either way.

[Idle]

One thing about Mercedes ignition locks is they are one big unit with the switch. On some Japanese cars you can pull the ignition switch off the end of the lock and turn it with a screwdriver. Mercedes are all built inside that housing.

Of course, this also makes them easier to replace of you have the time. There are usually just a few bolts holding it in but they can be tough to get to.