Topic: No more keys?

[rumb]

Went to dealer to get new keys.  They said MB no longer makes keys for older vehicles as of 3 months ago.  I have also heard that R129 keys are not available either.


I have email tom hanson to confirm.

[ptashek]

Interesting. Keep us posted. I'll check with my UK "Classic Partner" dealership as well.
I'd expect demand to be still relatively healthy here, after all keys count as consumables (in my case "loosables").

I had a spare made by a local shop a few weeks back, and while its working OK and looks like the real deal (he had the correct base in stock!), it's been cut from a worn key and hence isn't perfect. If MB cut off the supply, I'll have to unseal the factory master after 38 years in it's plastic pouch on the data card. Shock! Horror!

[Zaxxon]

MB Key rumblings all over the place. Same stories on the W140 forums.

[Harv]

Had a local mom & pop locksmith place make me a key about a year ago. He had to use a special machine that took awhile. He came out behind the counter and tested it, nailed it first try. The brand was Silca. Says it's Italian.

I told him to make me 3 or 4 more while he had the machine out and set so I could have a bunch of spares. He says ''Well, they are $45 each.''

I told him one would be good for now.

[UTn_boy]

If it's the KESO type key used from late 1978 onward, then those haven't been available for a few years now.  Most others are readily available.  Though, they have a new way of cutting the keys, and they end up looking nothing like the originals, but they work. 

[marku]

Was told by the "Classic Partner" here some time ago that keys were no longer available. At first MB accepted order but after about six weeks came back and said no. Went in the end to a local auto locksmith because I also wanted a key for a replacement lock barrel for which I had no key. He had no problems and  the keys worked fine and if I remember were cheaper than MB.

[rumb]

Tom Hanson at Classic Center is getting keys for me.

[carl888]

Had no issues with keys of late, bought two sets recently here in Australia for the 1967 250 SL and they arrived ex Germany in three weeks.  They did cost $380 AUD however. (4 keys per set) and miraculously, all worked lol.

[rumb]

New Master key arrived, works great, 

 Valet key blanks are backordered at factory.

[marku]

That is good news. So have they changed policy? As I said when a couple of years ago I ordered a set and was told that they were available and would take about 6 weeks but eventually they came back and said NLA.

[LukeAnthony]

I ordered some spares from Thailand, Via Ebay. Here is the link.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/131552296890?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

[ptashek]

I've ordered mine today via MSL in Dublin. They still need to confirm the order with MB as my VIN was coming up as invalid in their version of the EPC, even though I gave them the original build sheet for the car, with both the VIN and key number on it. Bizarre

I liked that they required not just the logbook, but also photo ID to confirm I am indeed who the logbook says is the actual owner.

[marku]

They do that with all keys. Had the remote locking key on our current Mercedes fail with really odd results. It was still under warranty and even though I had been a customer for some years and knew everybody they still insisted that I prove who I was.

[ptashek]

I can now also confirm there's no issue with replacement keys supply, at least for late cars.
I've ordered three, however for unknown reasons MB in Germany could only supply two.
It took 2 weeks, and worked out at ~70EUR/piece (23% of that being tax).

I also got the W123 jacking point plugs, and will post pics of how they fit a W116 once I get the car out of storage.

[s class]

I had the dreaded ignition lock tumbler failure on my daily driver 500SEL 126, and had to butcher the lock and key out.  So my car had a full matching lock set, but now I have no key. 

MB says sorry, can't help with keys or even a tumbler for the car.  Would the classic centre be more likely to help?