scottster77

smart key will fit the smart hole.... regardless of length.. the end of the key where it is inserted into the ignition should all be the same...

jimmydagreek

I don't know but maybe it's the other way around??? Maybe the new key fits the old key slot but the old key doesn't fit the new one. I just ordered mine last week so let's see how it goes...should have it any day now.

Wadster

I got mine from Hammersley a few weeks ago. The old key now sits in the safe. The new key seems to have greater range.

jimmydagreek

Got my new key from oempartsdirect and it's beauuuuuutiful...

Peter Guenther

The smart key system will allow a maximum of 24 keys per vehicle, and up to eight can be valid at a time. Three are used from the factory, two remotes and an emergency key. if an additional key is purchased it will use up a spot, if a repacement i used it will also use up a spot but will delete the origional, that is where the process of letting it communicate with the car comes in and might take up to 90 minutes.
The data base is stored by MB (parts depot) for each car, and once a key is programed to a particular vehicle it can not be changed. The remotes on E-Bay are good for replacement housings only, no matter what the seller says. Those come from either parking valets who find your spare, and sometimes from detailers who also make off with your owners package also.
There was a detailer who was selling items on e-bay

thedes

oempartsdirect.com is the way to go. I called them, faxed my registration etc and within 1 week (and I am in Canada) the key was in my hand. It worked stright away!!

jimmydagreek

Belificus

I have a 1999 CLK 320 Convertible that I just bought. I ordered two Smart Keys that are exactly like the one that I got with the car from ebay, some guy in Canada who is a jerk - different story.
I took the keys to Continental Imports and they told me that the keys were dead - no charge, have a nice day. I took the keys to the dealer ( Duval Motorcars, Gainesville, Florida ) just to be thorough because I was trying to make a claim against the guy who sold them to me. Duval charged me $ 105 to tell me my key could not be programmed on their computer and to leave the keys in my car for 5 hours and then they would start the car. They said there are two kinds of smart key and mine were the kinds that needed to sit in the car to sync. Oh, and to maybe put a charger on the battery whilee this was going on. So I left with exactly what I had shown up with, minus $ 105 bucks. The key that has been in for 5 hours does not work. Tthe guy who sold them to me claims that they were "salvage" and worked on the car that he got them from. I read on the forum that keys that have been assigned to a car previously will never work in another car. is that true for all smart keys? If it is not true for all, how do I tell if mine will work? The dealer says they will - but so far the car ignores the key.
Thanks!
Douglas

raymond g-

Smartkeys coded for one car (by VIN#) will never be able to function...by any
means...with another car with different VIN#. they cannot be 'synchronized',
reprogrammed, recoded etc.




http://w210.pietrzyk.net/82bodyelectricalDAS.htm
http://w210.pietrzyk.net/electrical_rclatapse.htm

Belificus

I bought one Smartkey from Continental Imports and one from oempartsdirect. I also reasoned with the Mercedes-Dealer to obtain a refund of my service fee on the grounds that they have a responsibility to know what can/cannot be done with their product. I also contacted other people that ARAM BAKLAYAN sold those particulr style of smartkey to on eBay. None of them had been successful in using the key he sold them.

raymond g-

glad to hear of the refund. i totally agree with you on your assertion.

EKaru

Is the key no longer available at OEMPARTSDIRECT?

"Your search “2117663606” did not match any products."

Belificus

I bought a key and it worked fine. Whether they still have them or not - I don't know. They were very nice to talk to on the phone though, give them a shout.

raymond g-

OEMPARTSDIRECT hasn't had a web entity for parts shopping since the Fall.
Bluntly put, they went down the toilet. Anyone who got them for $60, then
$120 should be thankful, as finding an Internet Smartkey supplier is extremely
difficult to locate now.

jimmydagreek

thebenzbar

Any suggestions on ordering Smart Keys now (where/how)? I’m even afraid to ask how much the local stealership will charge for these gadgets?... I'll be in for a if I do!

ohlord

your vin,your registration,and your first born child.Then they will tell you the price
ohlord

thebenzbar

Hahaha, that was funny ohlord! ...not!

raymond g-

the avg is $200. some members reporting about $120-150 low from their
dealer. others are quoting upwards of $275. pretty much all have been
walk-in sales - no Internet purchases.

mod RBrenton tried to help us out but his contact/dealer put the kabosh on
his plan to get us dealer pricing for the Smartkey.

tj99e320

Just ordered a smartkey for my W210 from Phil at Mercedesshop.com and although I'm a bit bummed about having to spend $176 (with blade shipped) instead of the $50 or so that the early birds bought theirs for, I'm extremely happy with the key.

TJ

raymond g-

nice to know this (Phil) is an online option, so thanks for posting this. that
price will beat most walk-in dealer price. did Phil ask for VIN# etc?

Air Marshall Eldritch

Let me clarify the situation. I can get you a key for cost - $130 including the metal blade. I could have gotten one for everybody, but the guy who programs the keys according to your VIN does not want liability in case of theft (which did happen in the past, not by me). If I fax him a VIN, he will do it if the owner is in Jersey. When I fax him VINs for cars in California, he gets scared and turns down the request.
Could he contact the owner directly to verify it? Yes. Will he? No.

So you must put in the request via a local Dealer. Or register the car in Jersey, or maybe PA.

In fact, I may get one for myself.

Some dealers will give a fair price, and some will not. If you have several in your general area, call around.

And to add, do not buy keys on Ebay or anywhere else. They cannot be re-programmed once a blank is 'cut'. The circuits are burned according to a specific VIN. I find it amazing that people continue to bid on these auctions.

wsblack

The plastic housing on the smartkey for my 2001 E430 is cracking in the area over the "lock" button. Is it possible to take these keys apart and put the electronics in a replacement housing (from eBay or elsewhere)?

Also, does anyone know of a dealer in the mid-atlantic region who sells replacement or additional smartkeys at a reasonable (for a dealer) price?

Thanks!

fosmith

I have the same issue with one of my keys. I've been trying to find a dead key cheap to experiment with trying to take it apart. The prices they seem to get on ebay (for keys that, as I understand it, can't be reprogrammed) are too high unless I know the electronics can be taken out without ruining it. If you figure this out, I'd certainly appreciate an update to this thread.
Thanks,
Fred

raymond g-

you can remove the board w/o ruining it...if you're careful. just don't ham-
fist it and it should be fine. others have done this and posted their success
on this forum. just be sure you're purchasing a key of the same design. there
were two all-plastic body designs. gen1 is about 20% larger than gen2.