C Class 3 Button Key, Replacement, Ebay?

[MSG2004]

Hello

My sister has a C class Mercedes, 2002/W203, Elegance 180k.

She has lost the spare key & MB quoted about £160, not sure if vat was inc or not.

I was going to get her a 3 button key from Ebay.

My question is, can the keys be reprogrammed and would an E class work on a class, S class, etc?? In their adverts, most claim that all C class 3 button keys work with other models that had 3 button keys & can be easily reprogrammed by MB

Is the above true? The keys sell for about 20 quid on Ebay.
Thanks

 

[seymansey]

Nope. I bought a bling chrome key for £9. Utterly useless, noone outside MB can program them*.

*there was a link posted a few weeks back about a chinese operation selling programmers, but could work out if it was authentic.

 

[mr. shr]

General rule is that all MB keys sold on eBay are a total waste of money.
As stated, only MB can program them and I doubt very much they will agree to program a key bought externally (i.e. eBay etc)
Or if they do agree, it will probably be same price originally quoted.

eBay adverts will tell you anything to get you to make a purchase.

I've no idea about this chinese programmer, but doubt it's legitimate.

 

[mr. shr]

Nope. I bought a bling chrome key for £9. Utterly useless, noone outside MB can program them*.

*there was a link posted a few weeks back about a chinese operation selling programmers, but could work out if it was authentic.

Did you buy the key because your original one had died?
If your orignal one it still working, I believe you can swap the internal gubbins over to the new one and apparently it will work.
I think some on here might have done this?
Anyone?

 

[seymansey]

Did you buy the key because your original one had died?
If your orignal one it still working, I believe you can swap the internal gubbins over to the new one and apparently it will work.
I think some on here might have done this?
Anyone?

Don't want to hijack the thread, but...

I bought the bling key simply because it looked pretty and i was wrongly under the impression that it could be re-programmed. This was about a week before I had the actual car. No loss really as i've had 2 good batteries out of it anyway :bannana:

Not sure about swapping out the internals, it all looks a bit different and i THINK that the keys are sealed shut.

 

[MSG2004]

Thank you all.

Are you saying that a key purchased from Ebay cannot be reprogrammed by a main MB dealer? ((obviously, my sister would take her car, existing key & proff of ownership)

TIA

 

[mr. shr]

They probably wont.
Or if they do, the price will probably still be very high, so you wont be saving anything by getting a key from eBay.

Best bet is to ring them and ask if they'll program a key you supply yourself.

 

[MSG2004]

thanks

 

[mr. shr]

Let us know how you get on.

 

[MSG2004]

will do

 

[seymansey]

When I went to the dealer with my chrome key, it was an outright 'No', since they explained that the keys are programed from blank in Germany via MBs key database. Realistically speaking they probably are reprogrammable, but I suspect the practice is restricted for security reasons.

 

[verytalldave]

...............and we should all be very glad things are as they are.

I wouldnt want keys to be easily available or reprogrammed.

I would much rather it stay within the confines of MB almost regardless of price.

MB cars are still amongst the most difficult in the world to steal without the key.

Which in my book is all good news.

The simple answer is DONT LOSE YOUR KEYS.

 

[kwakdonut]

....or buy one with only one key!

 

[verytalldave]

....or buy one with only one key!

Nearly did just that.

Haggled and got an agreed price only to suddenly remember to ask whether the car had the required 2 keys.
To which the reply was no - only one - but they would get me another included in the already agreed price.
Which was a little bonus.
So I got my car with one of the older style all black plastic keys - and a brand new chrome flashy one.
Result.

 

[partsspecialist]

In the UK there is only one place that can program keys and thats the main place at M Keynes. Once the key has been written thats it. No way of re-writing even at MK or we would be able so send back thw hordes of odd keys we have had to destroy due to people not picking them up after ordering them.

As for ordering keys, heres a nice little poster i made for our customer counter

Your Mercedes-Benz car key plays a major role in protecting you against theft, thanks to advances in mechanical and electronic security.

Working with police authorities across Europe we have developed a secure procedure to ensure that only you, the owner, can order and receive replacement keys.

It takes a bit longer to deal with your order, because we take great care at every stage in the process of issuing a new key. So we recommend that if you are using a spare key, you order the replacement now to avoid any unnecessary inconvenience.

Please contact any member of the parts staff or take a leaflet for details of the documentation required to order a replacement key.

 

[flango]

In the UK there is only one place that can program keys and thats the main place at M Keynes. Once the key has been written thats it. No way of re-writing even at MK or we would be able so send back thw hordes of odd keys we have had to destroy due to people not picking them up after ordering them.

As for ordering keys, heres a nice little poster i made for our customer counter

Your Mercedes-Benz car key plays a major role in protecting you against theft, thanks to advances in mechanical and electronic security.

Working with police authorities across Europe we have developed a secure procedure to ensure that only you, the owner, can order and receive replacement keys.

It takes a bit longer to deal with your order, because we take great care at every stage in the process of issuing a new key. So we recommend that if you are using a spare key, you order the replacement now to avoid any unnecessary inconvenience.

Please contact any member of the parts staff or take a leaflet for details of the documentation required to order a replacement key.

As always top advice from PS

 

[crockers]

Lost one of mine -- ordered a new one (nice and bling)....only to find the "lost one" in my wife's car.... ..

So when I sell mine it comes with 3 keys.......

 

[ken vipond]

I have just ordered a replacement key for my 2014 c class from the main Mercedes dealer in Sunderland,the cost for the key is £230 and will take about a week for delivery,once they have the new key then it will have to be programmed to my car at a cost of around £100,so total cost of around £330,so please be warned and take care of your car keys.