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Without KeylessGo, MSRP retail is $200 for the part. Most dealers will charge around $250 and also claim you need a service visit for an additional $150 for "programming", which is actually not needed. As long as all you want is an extra key, it comes ready to use. For KeylessGo, MSRP is about $425 and it does require a service visit, so expect to pay over $500, unless you have SDS and can talke the delaer into skipping the service visit.
I was quoted about $600 (pre-paid) for a new key from a Mercedes dealership here in Sweden. And almost a rectal exam's worth of trouble to prove who I am and that it is my car. (Which, obviously, is a good security for all Mercedes owners, to avoid "Gone In 60 Seconds" incidents...)
Yeah, but if you will remember, the "Gone in 60 Seconds" guys had an inside man a the prats getting them the keys.
There was a recent news story about thieves using some fairly simple RF repeater equipment to steal "KeylessGo" cars. What they do is find a car sitting in a driveway, but the key will likely be in the kitchen or bedroom, too far away for the car to recognize it They use a pair of transceivers to act as a "man in the middle". One transceiver is at the car and listens for its beacon and send it to the other transceiver. That one is aimed at the house where the key is likely to be and repeats and amplifies the car's beacon signal, while its sensitive receiver listens for the key's signal. When it picks it up, it sends it back to the transceiver at the car which then repeats it, and now the car recognizes the key and can be unlocked and started. Once the car is safely driven away, they either reprogram the ignition system or just strip it for parts.
It's too bad someone doesn't use this system for good rather than bad. Just make such a device to build a key emulator so they can make spare keys. This would work for KeylessGo because it always sends the same code when polled. It would not work for using the key in the ignition switch because it uses special hash code that is re-programmed into the key each time it is used.
I know, Rodney! What is the world coming to?! That has actually been quite a big problem here in Sweden when it comes to upper class Mercedes, Audi & BMW models. Maaany high-end vehicles have gotten stolen out of driveways in that exact way.
I read stories in our newspapers that the best thing is to keep your "KeylessGo"-keys in a sealed metal box/container, because then the signal will not transmit to the street. I actually thought to myself just the other day that I may as well just keep my SL key in a little Altoid-box, because well, it can't hurt?!
@bellwilliam I paid $428 last week for replacement key fob (Keyless Go), key blade, and programming for my 2008 SL550 from a Dealer in Tennessee. When I bought the car, I only received one key and I wanted a spare.
They did not break out programming separately on the invoice, only the following:
230-905-7-39-9999 Key K-GO $ 356.40
203-766-50-06 Key (blade) $ 36.00
plus tax ($36), Total $ 428
They said I would need to make two trips. First trip to bring the car, title or registration, and picture ID to order the key. Then return trip to program, etc. I actually left the car with them (they were replacing SBC under warranty and passenger SAM).
Not sure if I over paid or not, but at least I now have 2 keys. I would be curious what others are paying.
Actually, what i do is keep my whole SL in a sealed box (i.e. my garage).
Haha ditto. But it makes me wonder.. If today's sophisticated thieves can drive by a house with a live tracker, locate & duplicate the signal from a little key randomly located inside of a house, shouldn't opening an electric garage door be child's play?!
They don't even have to hack the garage door opener - they can just push against the top edge of the door and reach in with a wire to hook the emergency release cable (see below). In my case, my garage door is integrated into my alarm system. Also, for those not familiar with the Great State of Alabama, we tend to have more guns than citizens.
2005 R 230 SL350 (M112 3.7). Sold the 1966 W113 230SL recently
Alabama - of course I had to look that up. Keep my eye on the world somewhat educated. Why is it then, that when I type ‘Alabama’ in Google Maps, I get this streetview panorama?
That's my next door neighbor's house. Mine is the one with the alligator roaming around and the two old Ford pickup trucks on blocks in the front yard full of holes from all the target practice.
Oh, here's the guy down the road:
(In case you don't recognize it, that's the MBUSI factory in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama)
Without KeylessGo, MSRP retail is $200 for the part. Most dealers will charge around $250 and also claim you need a service visit for an additional $150 for "programming", which is actually not needed. As long as all you want is an extra key, it comes ready to use. For KeylessGo, MSRP is about $425 and it does require a service visit, so expect to pay over $500, unless you have SDS and can talk the dealer into skipping the service visit.
In 2013 I bought a 2009 CLK with one key, my closest dealer quoted $350.00 while another that was recommended by someone quoted $280.00 for the electronic part and $22.50 for the blade key, then proceeded to give me a discount that they always give the guy that recommended them:$242.50 total! Glad I mentioned the recommender's name! After proving ownership via email, they shipped me the key and it worked right out of the box, no programming needed.
In 2013 I bought a 2009 CLK with one key, my closest dealer quoted $350.00 while another that was recommended by someone quoted $280.00 for the electronic part and $22.50 for the blade key, then proceeded to give me a discount that they always give the guy that recommended them:$242.50 total! Glad I mentioned the recommender's name! After proving ownership via email, they shipped me the key and it worked right out of the box, no programming needed.
In need of a spare key myself.
Would love to know the name of the recommended supplier, and the name of the person who recommended them!
PM me if you prefer to keep that private.
Thanks!
just picked up my key fob from West Covina Mercedes. it was $280. mine is NOT keyless-Go.
called another dealer, that wanted $400. also a private shop that wanted $250.
had to make 2 trips. first is ordering the key fob, had to bring in the registration paperwork to prove ownership. after a couple of days. had to drive my SL in, so they can make sure it works before handing it over.
btw, it is the new type of key fob with chrome sides.
I just received my new key. It was about $350 USD from the local Mercedes dealership here in Sweden. To my surprise it did NOT include the little mechanical key that you can pull out.
I have the Keyless-GO, but the dealer said they didn't need to program anything, the key came ready to go directly from Mercedes in Germany. Yeah well, the key works to unlock & lock the car, and to insert & turn to start, but the Keyless-GO does NOT work. So it is not a "SmartKey", which I thought I had purchased. I suppose it's just a minor first world problem, and it's much better than having no secondary key at all, but sheesh, you'd imagine the major Swedish Mercedes dealership knew better?!
SmartKeys come from the factory pre-programmed for RCL (remote central locking, using the fob buttons) and DAS (drive authorization by inserting it into the ignition switch). It will work out-of-the-box for those functions. However, for KeylessGo, it MUST be programmed using SDS.
SmartKeys come from the factory pre-programmed for RCL (remote central locking, using the fob buttons) and DAS (drive authorization by inserting it into the ignition switch). It will work out-of-the-box for those functions. However, for KeylessGo, it MUST be programmed using SDS.
Thank you so much for that information, Rodney! Seeing as how you're the SDS genius, would you also be able to tell me approximately where to do this in SDS? I am quite sure my local Mercedes guru has never done this before..
I was told from another person that the frequencies of the American and European keys are different, much like the garage door openers. May that affect my key in any way? (My R230 is a US model imported to EU.)
I’ll add another data point. I used https://www.luxeautosd.com/ in San Diego for a replacement key,
Shipped my EIS, old key, copy of registration and drivers license, and $145 to them.
6 days later my stuff and a new chrome key with mechanical cut key returns.
Could not be happier for taking the risk that my EIS would return.
I’ll add another data point. I used https://www.luxeautosd.com/ in San Diego for a replacement key,
Shipped my EIS, old key, copy of registration and drivers license, and $145 to them.
6 days later my stuff and a new chrome key with mechanical cut key returns.
Could not be happier for taking the risk that my EIS would return.
Yep, If you have a little locksmith you can trust and you can remove and ship the EIS, that is the cheapest way
They use Xhorse or similar
They Chrome key you have is of course NOT a new model but a new model housing imitation. But it looks perfect
If you have Xentry/Das
The other method is to order a new programmed key from Mercedes. 250$, before that you have to lookup what slot in EIS is available
Then when you get the key coded to your vin and available slot it takes 2 min to adapt it to your car
avantage here is that if you have no Keyless Go or Keyless go in card instead of key, you can retrofit to Keyless Go on-key Option
by just buying a shifter knob and a keyless go module
Last edited by pmercury; Jan 25, 2020 at 04:01 AM.
I have heard that most dealers are now NOT selling keys through the parts department. They are REQUIRING a service visit to "program" the key. So in addition paying ~$250 for standard key or ~$350 for a KeylessGo key, you now have to pay another $100 or more for a service visit. What aggravates me is that if all you do is order an extra key that does not lock-out a lost key, and it;s no KeylessGo, no programming is needed - it works out of the box. If you do need to lock-out a key, then yes, they have to hookup to SDS and determine which key track to order. For KeylessGo, it does require SDS programming.
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