MB - parts/programming other than dealer?

[AndyL]

Ok,

Totally unimpressed with the benz dealers I contacted today... Seriously you can't possibly hang up on one customer 3x in a row - by accident. And lets not discuss the service adviser who claims a keyfob is a thousand dollar part (but he'll throw in free programming!) - this is not 1972 - the interwebs do exist - some of us research first :)

So, I need a new keyfob cut & programmed... Do any non dealers have STAR system able to program in a keyfob?

And a couple lock actuators - supply only (Yeah I'll curse and swear my way through the install)

Advice?

[dj_rice]

Theres no way a keyfob is $1000.

At most, the keyfob is around $298 and the mechanical key portion is $77.

As for the mechanical key insert, that has to be ordered straight out of the Benz dealer as its laser cut from the factory.

For the fob portion, not sure if you can get one after-market or not. From working at Benz in parts, the key fobs works on radio frequency and each key has a "track" frequency. So if you order a new fob from the dealer, the old "track" is disabled on the old key fob thus rendering it useless and not usable.


As well, the key fobs, when ordered from a dealer, already come pre-programmed to the vehicle from the factory, thats why the VIN# is needed. But this only applies to certain years and models, so un-sure which model yours is. So not sure about this "free programming". Even then, it should only be an hours worth of labour time, which should be $145/hr. So whatever Benz dealer your dealing with, is marking up things INSANE.