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Garage => Interiors & Exteriors => Topic started by: rumb on 01 December 2016, 05:01 PM

Title: No more keys?
Post by: rumb on 01 December 2016, 05:01 PM
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.

Title: Re: No more keys?
Post by: ptashek on 01 December 2016, 06:21 PM
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! :D
Title: Re: No more keys?
Post by: Zaxxon on 01 December 2016, 07:00 PM
MB Key rumblings all over the place. Same stories on the W140 forums.
Title: Re: No more keys?
Post by: Harv on 01 December 2016, 10:14 PM
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.
Title: Re: No more keys?
Post by: UTn_boy on 01 December 2016, 11:13 PM
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. 
Title: Re: No more keys?
Post by: marku on 02 December 2016, 12:19 PM
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.
Title: Re: No more keys?
Post by: rumb on 03 December 2016, 06:42 AM
Tom Hanson at Classic Center is getting keys for me.
Title: Re: No more keys?
Post by: carl888 on 05 December 2016, 12:46 AM
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.

Title: Re: No more keys?
Post by: rumb on 11 December 2016, 08:07 AM
New Master key arrived, works great,  ;D

Valet key blanks are backordered at factory.
Title: Re: No more keys?
Post by: marku on 11 December 2016, 11:23 AM
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.
Title: Re: No more keys?
Post by: LukeAnthony on 24 January 2017, 11:55 AM
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
Title: Re: No more keys?
Post by: ptashek on 24 January 2017, 12:08 PM
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.
Title: Re: No more keys?
Post by: marku on 29 January 2017, 11:43 AM
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.
Title: Re: No more keys?
Post by: ptashek on 17 February 2017, 07:32 PM
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.
Title: Re: No more keys?
Post by: s class on 04 April 2017, 06:33 AM
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?
Title: Re: No more keys?
Post by: ptashek on 04 April 2017, 07:07 AM
Quote from: s class on 04 April 2017, 06:33 AM
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?

I've ordered directly from a parts desk at a Dublin dealership. The order went straight to the classic centre anyway.
As I understand it, internally the CC takes over all parts and orders for models which have been at least 20 years out of production.

Have you tried at another dealership?
Title: Re: No more keys?
Post by: rumb on 04 April 2017, 08:11 AM
Yes, contact the classic center,  My dealer said no key available and Tom got one for me.
Title: Re: No more keys?
Post by: marku on 04 April 2017, 12:47 PM
As I said before MB accepted an order for keys from me but then after some weeks came back and said no. Took the barrel to a local auto locksmith who did a great job and supplied replacement keys and cheaper than MB.
Title: Re: No more keys?
Post by: beagle2022 on 04 April 2017, 09:20 PM
That was my experience too.  Local car locksmith was quick, friendly and cheap. Quite the contrast to MB dealers.
Title: Re: No more keys?
Post by: hamidagha on 04 February 2021, 01:48 PM
The SLShop here near Birmingham have a service where you email a photo of your key and they cut you a copy. I had one done last month for £45 and it was posted within a day. The key is not genuine MB but looks identical except for the MB badge. The key works great and I would recommend them (for the key service)
Title: Re: No more keys?
Post by: marku on 07 February 2021, 01:11 PM
I didn't know that had my key cut at a local auto locksmith just took him the barrel. Have had a few things from the SL Shop for the 116. Pity their classic car parts closed and they are back with the SL only.
Title: Re: No more keys?
Post by: gavin116 on 14 February 2021, 03:54 PM
Wrong thread. See "W116 without keys and doors locked ? (https://forum.w116.org/mechanicals/w116-without-keys-and-doors-locked/msg149715/?topicseen#msg149715)"  :o
Title: Re: No more keys?
Post by: Engineerd3d on 04 March 2021, 05:27 PM
I wanted to say i got my keys for under 20usd shipped to my door. These are the high security keys uncut. The quality is very good.

I ordered these from ebay, not affiliated with the seller. https://www.ebay.com/itm/253796501239

I had both keys cut for 70$ by a local locksmith. He had to set his computerized machine to 1986s class to cut them as the 1980 showed regular keys. Not sure if my car had something weird or the people who made the machine were wrong. The keys work very well. I am looking forwards to disassembling the cylinder out the dash for a good cleaning and graphite lube.

Obviously not a cheap way to go, but i expected worse. I was prepared to scan the key the car came with and transport it to cad and mill out the keys on my cnc mill otherwise. Glad one of the local locksmiths got it done. He was surprised mercedes used high security keys in 1980.....