djumblatt

Hey everyone,

I had to order a new key. Long story short, I went in to pick up my car today and I had a 60 dollar labor charge for programming the key. Doesn't this take like two minutes? The manager is calling me tomorrow to discuss it and I want him to take the charge off. Is this fair of me to do so?

waybomb

I bought two new keys for my 210, bought two new keys for my ex-163, and 1 new key for the 202. Never been charged for programming, and in fact, never even went to the dealer. Did it all through the mail.

I did have to provide scanned ownership proof via email.

Call Rusty at buymbparts.biz to see what you should have paid for the key delivered to your door.

djumblatt

I think there is something about the new chrome key that requires the dealer to plug it into mercedes equipment. i have been told thought that is is a quick job.

Ausmbtech

It depends what sort of key you have ordered.
There are 2 types of keys replacement and additional keys.
Replacement keys replaced a lost, broken, stolen key. A replacement key needs to be programed and can take some time depending on the vehicle.
An additional key is just that, additional. It doesn't require programing.

Technically the dealer can charge you to program the key if required but in reality it is usually put down to goodwill if you are a regular customer. If you have no history at the dealer than it's quite justified to be charged for the service.

djumblatt

it is a replacement key. i assumed it would have been put down to goodwill but seeing as this is only the first time i had my car serviced at this dealer i guess they did not lend me any favors....

waybomb

My w210 keys are the newer style chrome keys. Somebody programs them for sure, but that dealer that charged you should be avoided at all costs. What's the point of buying a key unprogrammed?

Just curious, how much did you pay total. I believe mine were in the 140 range, delivered.

lkchris

Goodwill is not for strangers, no matter how friendly.

SoCal208

3 years ago, when the new MB chrome is come out, I ordered 2 keys (1 for my 00CLK320, another for my 00E320) by mail (no longer accept now) I need for FAX the proof of ownership to them. Both keys cost me $200.00, both keys work out of the bag, NO PROGRAM whatsoever. Look like your dealer do some trick to charge you $60.00 for programming the key. Run....run from this dishonest dealer, try make extra $60.00 from you. Find another dealer for your future need.

vettdvr

Someone has to pay the guy who orders, stocks, bills/invoice, and hands it to you.

amdeutsch

Why is it that so many members recommend going to another dealer without the knowledge if another one is easily available, aka multiple dealers in a (lets say) 50 mile radius? Not everybody has that luxury; Idaho, Wyoming vs Socal, SoFL, DFXTX, etc. There is more to the world than "your" neck of the woods. I bet that someone in Norcal, semi close to the OR border, would have similar issues.

waybomb

Because you don't have to go to a dealer to get OEM Mercedes parts at screw-you prices.

I can guarantee you that the outfits selling OEM parts are making plenty of money at their 10%-50% off pricing. I am not talking aftermarket; I am talking real Mercedes parts, like keys.

I bet the dealer charged him over 300 bucks for the key programmed. My guy sold me them for 140 each, and he made money. What is a fair profit?

Eurosport

as some of you remember the best deal was the OG chrome key programmed, shipped to your door for $72 too bad it didn't last long heh

JonMBZ

I don't know where you are getting your pricing waybomb, maybe you are just on an anti-dealer rant, but you cannot purchase keys outside the dealer network and the MSRP on keys are over $200 without any programming.

djumblatt

the key was $280 total, plus he wanted to charge me 60 bucks for labor. I had him call me back yesterday and he agreed to talk to charge off. I am at least satisfied with the way he handled the situation, but of course I still think the key is insanely priced.

sosh

In addition there is the cost of the equipment to do the programming.

waybomb

I got the through buymparts.biz, Rusty. I had to scan a copy of my documents indicating ownership. been dealing with him for many years.

Yes, I hate dealers/stealers and avoid like the plague. I get all my parts through Rusty. Even dealer only items.

And like the one guy said, for a while you could get the new chrome keys online for less than 100 bucks. But that evaporated just before I needed one. My luck.

Go to buymbparts.biz, call him on the phone number listed, and get a price for your key, as I stated above. It comes programmed to the car, and battery installed. I took it out of the package and used it, with no intervention on my part. each and every one of them.

JonMBZ

I know how it works and what you are referencing, but that was long gone and they no longer do it because it's in direct violation of MBUSA's TRP policy on key delivery/ordering. The problem I have with the post is that you are setting people up to thinking they should be paying 140 for a key, which isn't true and it will end up frustrating people and cause them to think they are being taken advantage of which also may not be the case. Programming is needed if the person lost a key and needs to disable the lost/stolen keys. There is no way to do this without hooking it up to the star and if it is the case the dealer is required to perform this procedure.

mtrevelino

I just emailed my service rep last week and told him that I purchased a key off of the internet. I asked him how much to program the remote, how much to cut a new blade, and how much for a new remote. I received the following:
$59 to program the remote
$19 for a new blade including cutting it.
$200 for a new remote, plus $59 to program.
This was from ASC in Arlington, VA.
I am going to bring the car in in a couple of weeks. I am hoping that they can "reprogram" the remote I got off the internet. I heard that you can only program them once, but that does not make sense.
Mike T.

JonMBZ

Sorry dude , you will not be able to program a remote from the internet. It must be purchase through the dealer. Your sevice advisor must be new or uneducated in the key ordering process.

waybomb

I stand corrected. I contacted Rusty last night and yes, the program is no longer available to parts resellers.

But, everybody is being taken advantage of. IF Rusty could sell me preprogrammed keys from Benz, Benz made money, he made mone3y, and I saved about a hundred bucks per key. So, no the stealer is making their original profit, Rusty's profit, plus the hundred bucks I saved. That is not even close to being right.

Ya, I hate dealers, and this pulling the keys in house and raping their customers is bull****. Why can't a key last more than a few years??? At almost 300 bucks, it should last a lifetime and be 24k gold plated.

Ausmbtech

The key's aren't that unreasonable. Benz have been using these keys since about 1997. They have the key's secure enough to keep using the technology for over 13yrs, if that means I have to pay a little more for a key then so be it.
In Sydney a few years ago there was a spike in Benz's getting stolen and driven away. They worked out that the theifs were actually breaking into the home first then taking the key's from the hall table/handbag then drivng off with the car.

Anyway, even for a additional key there is some programming done at MB parts (not the dealer, but at parts distribution). basicly they take a "blank" key and program it with all the information required to make it specific to your car (VIN, track number, etc) so that when you get it, it just works.

You can't reprogram a key to work in a different car once it has been programed, no point buying a 2nd hand key from ebay.