shaw01

Hi all, I have a 2001 S500 and bought a key online that needs to be programmed for my car. Am I SOL or can Mercedes or anyone else do this? I just feel robbed paying $250 for a key at the stealership .. will if that's the only way, I jus don't like being raped when I can help it.

Thanks in advance!

MB-Dude

A couple months back I asked the same question, though I got my 2 extra keys for free at a local junkyard. A word of warning though... if you think you might feel raped at the dealer for a replacement/spare key, wait 'til you see the price of the reprogramer. Post #3 is the one you want.

https://mbworld.org/forums/mercedes-...rogrammed.html

Since my extra keys were free, the answer for me was simple. In your case, it may be a bit more difficult. The good news is that the price of the reprogramer has come down.

Cheers,
Jeff

shaw01

Ok, $250 for a new key to the stealership it is then. I find it odd that. It even Mercedes will reprogram a key (assuming all proper documents of course). I assume they're just protecting their bigger slice of the pie in making you purchase a new key from them.

Sigh

MB-Dude

Zero arguments here ~ I agree with you 100%. When you have a captured market, there's little motivation to loosen the profit margin. Good luck.
Cheers,
Jeff

hcetzneb

Ya the dealer robbed you not the guy who sold you a key knowing they cant be reprogrammed or near imposiable to find someone with a working programer.

shaw01

Actually he didn't rob me in the least .. I love Pay Pal, every dime back. MB will not give back to $250 I'm going to pay them, standing by my post.

shaw01

Maybe just maybe they make it so difficult to copy for theft deturent?? there is a reason mercedes very rarely get stolen or ifv they do they did it with the key....

Sigh

And you're wrong here too, sigh.

They require a copy of the registration and ID to order a new key, which I provided. Heck, I have the original key and we went to the car to check it out .. please to explain how it is more secure to take the exact same info and send a new key for $250 vs same said info and reprogram an old key? I told them I'd give en the key to reprogram at the place they program new keys too ..

Maybe just maybe you're thinking you have a deeper insight into these things when in reality you do not??

lkchris

The $250 covers the programming effort and the record keeping. The cost of the actual hardware is less, of course.

Taking up their time reprogramming an old key with possibly who knows what wrong with it is uneconomic.

And, programming is NOT done at dealer.

MB-Dude

I accept that this is a free enterprise society and I actually subscribe to that philosophy. But here is an excellent example of how a 'company' - in this case, Keyless - is selling (duping?) potential customers into buying keys for their car. Refer to the attached screen shot.

To add insult to injury, the advertisement is on the same thread as an owner who is struggling with programming a key that was purchased through one of these guys. Sure, they're selling keys for 90% of dealer price. Very legally, too! There is nothing wrong or illegal about selling blank, un-coded keys. But where/how does one program the key after they receive it? Ahhh, the hidden cost that these leeches don’t tell you about.

In my mind, the seller here is taking advantage of the unsuspecting consumer. Is it illegal? No. Simply reaffirms the old adage, Caveat Emptor - Let the buyer beware. The more deeply discounted something is, the more likely there is a problem or ‘story’ behind it that is unspoken. Lesson to be learned here – research thoroughly before investing. Time to get off the ol’ soapbox.

Cheers,
Jeff

hcetzneb

For the 250 you get a brand new working key, new design that looks better i think so why would mb give you money back.... Price other companies asian, american new electronic keys coded to cars with remote functions and see what they cost 125-200 so why are you crying about 250..

You bought a benz boo hoo wah wah now you dont want to pay for the parts... and are trying to be cheap and blame a dealer..

Im all for bargin shopping and checking prices and doing proper reasearch but this constant crying
stealer this and stealer that.....

If it wasnt for techs or people the good people that work at dealers that are on here helping out with ?? and diagrams and bullitens ... but everytime im on here i here this sh*t about stealers and crooks at dealers.... and peoples there lieing.

hcetzneb

How am i wrong genius!!! i was explaining why and how benz does it and explaining that they make it difficult for proper reason.... How does that make me
wrong? If MB would let customers send keys to them for reprograming that would be great BUT maybe its because MB dosent want the liability for someones 2,3,4
year old key..

i feel so bad for you that parts are so expensive by a kia

shaw01

great that you're a lover of paying higher prices .. $250 for a key is silly IMHO. I bought the car and pay for all the repairs like anyone else, but when possible I like to pay a reasonable rate.

to say the key can't be reprogrammed for any reason other than they want the revenue for a new key at a 500% markup would be disingenuous at best.

for some things, dealer only .. but they get the moniker of "stealership" with ridiculous markups for everyday items.

and i have no idea what your language your last sentence was in.

shaw01

how are you wrong, here is the answer to your query.

your quote:

"Maybe just maybe they make it so difficult to copy for theft deturent?? there is a reason mercedes very rarely get stolen or ifv they do they did it with the key.... "

nothing at all to do with "theft deturent" if they have the exact same info from the purchaser for a new key or a reprogramed key. Therefore, you are wrong.

I realize now you're saying maybe they don't want liablity .. I'd disagree but admit that it's a possiblity, whereas your first point was wrong.

Hope that explains it for you, and thanks for calling me a genius! Though I'd say above average intelligence is more accurate.

TC!

Benz-O-Rama

A replacement key for my 2007 Full Sized Range Rover Supercharged was $400, programmed.

$250 seems like a bargain.

shaw01

Nice .. do they supercharge the key too? lol .. enjoy in good health!

Benz-O-Rama

No, but the ignition carried low voltage that recharged the key's battery.

Is this your first modern Benz, by chance? You sound like me, 6 years ago. This price is not unreasonable for a transponder type key. You may have purchased your car at a deeply reduced price from new MSRP, but the maintenance costs, and accessory pricing, never depreciate.

$250 is not a bad price for a programmed key these days.

shaw01

Not my first and not my last .. and I understand cost structuring but don't accept BS lines like "they can't be reprogrammed for security reasons".

The internals of the FOB is not new technology and I'm just not a fan of paying a higher price simply because a company can. IMHO, this is the type of markup that makes people like me believe they think we're stupid.

I get Taylormade is going to screw me when I get an R11s next week, but that's a product I'm choosing to buy, I'm paying for R&D and, well it's a hot product they can mark up.

If they try to come back and say only Taylormade grips and they run you $30 per grip .. and no, they're not better than other grips it's just how we roll, I'd be pissed.

And yeah, more likely Titleist would do that than Taylormade

In the end, $30 for a grip, $250 for a key .. the $$ amounts are not big amounts, it's the idea that I'm being charged an unreasonable markup because they were devious (or smart from their perspective) enough to eliminate other options.

I'm not rich, not poor .. but a lot of rich people get that way by making smart decisions with their $$. Looking at an Aston and it'll be worse I'm sure, but I'll make sure to go in with eyes open so I don't get all butt-hurt by costs I can afford but didn't expect!

All the best!

hcetzneb

Yes it is!! A new key fob is much diffrent case for one, skeleton key is diffrent,
processing is much faster and number of rolling code strings is completely diffrent..

oh i just remembered if you have a old key you will need the new style skeleton
key to fit the new key dam MB add 25 dollars to that price

shaw01

different than what? the code strings have not changed in years, that's part of why the new keys still work on 10 year old cars.

but you've got me, it's an all new skeleton (actually several years old and before that it was the old Maybach one, but let's not let facts derail this), and a new shell is the same thing as new technology.

when you have a minute I'll send you some pictures of an old ipod in an iphone 4s case .. i'm sure you'd be happy paying full 4s price since you'd be getting the new tech!

i'm done here .. was simply saying that i don't feel the cost for a key from Mercedes is appropriate. i'll still pay it, it's not nothing but it won't put a dent in any accounts, for those of you who feel the pricing is fair that's fine too!

tc all and happy motoring!

Philzson19

I just took the mother board out of my old key an put it in my new key FOB took two seconds

rfdesmond

I have an old FOB from my 2011 E350 that I would like to use for my 2014 E250 Bluetec since it only came with one FOB. Can I get it reprogrammed to work for the new car?

GLENN S.

There's a current thread about this. Did you look at the year of these posts?

rfdesmond

Mercedes dealer wants $490 for new FOB. I think I can live with one FOB for now. There has to be a cheaper solution out there somewhere.

GLENN S.

Check the other thread, someone said they got a used one programmed