AKSwift

Hello all,

I may have been dumb enough to let my wife drive over my car key (for our 2024) and it's a write off. Has anyone had to get a replacement key recently? Just curious what the going rate is...

Thanks

AKSwift

Apparently, the answer is $1100. No typo.

wildta

Past threads have said around $500 for key and $200 programming but the last part might be a dealer fee since they order it pre-programmed straight from MB based on your VIN and should be programmed to work out of the box
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Hopefully someone else will confirm.

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jkaetz

How insane for a "key" that doesn't seem to stop criminals from doing what they do.

mikapen

I'm not sure I understand. Can you explain?
This isn't Kia Hyundai Genesis that we're talking about, or are we?

jkaetz

I should have been more clear with my assumptions. I suspect they justify the difficulty and expense by claiming to make you "secure" from car theft. I also expect that bad actors who want a modern MB aren't going to try and get a key from the dealer, they will either use a relay attack, steal the key itself, or simply load the vehicle up on trailer/flat bed and haul it away. Like DRM, they have made things more difficult for the regular consumers than the bad actors.

AKSwift

The best part was the part where he said "the blade for the car key comes from Germany". The car is made in Alabama. Are they really sourcing all keys in Germany? Even so, shipping it is 5 bucks.

I had to replace a GLC key 5 or so years ago, it was 450 bucks and that hurt. At least that car was made in Germany, so the "blade from Germany" was plausible, if ridiculous. I'm pretty sure this key does not have an extra $650 of technology in it.

I have the old key, I'm going to open it up to see why it doesn't work. I know it's missing the plastic battery tray, but I can work around that. Key parts must be something I can buy on eBay...

jkaetz

Realistically if the board isn't physically broken it should be a matter of powering it. If it does you may well be able to put it in a new case and have a third key unless they dumped the old key out of the system.