HELP!! Mercedes 280 a sitting duck!!

[blueyedlocoman]

PLEASE HELP ME!! I bought an old Merc off some guy on Ebay, and it doesn't have a key for the doors! He let me drive away without any way to secure the car. Short of sleeping in it every night, what can i do to prevent it being stolen???

 

[Alex M Grieve]

PLEASE HELP ME!! I bought an old Merc off some guy on Ebay, and it doesn't have a key for the doors! He let me drive away without any way to secure the car. Short of sleeping in it every night, what can i do to prevent it being stolen???

If your car is pre-electronic keys, then the ignition key will lock and unlock it.

If you have an electronic key, with a key ring on it, the end of the key adjacent to the key ring has a sliding switch. Move that away from the keyring and you will find you can withdraw a metal key which will lock and unlock the car.

If the electronic key does not work electronically, may just need new batteries. Might need to be reprogrammed, which is a separate issue.

I suppose it is possible that the door locks have been changed at some point in the past (following theft or vandalism) and the ignition key does not operate the door locks. You might need a new lock set if that is the case.

With your vehicle particulars (VIN), I believe that a Mercedes agent can order you new keys, but have never tried it.

Hope this helps in the first instance (doesn't it always happen on a Bank Holiday).

I am sure others will advise.

 

[simon_wall69]

Keys for ignition and doors are different on some older mercs, mine certainly have been on my 3 w123s and i don't think that this can be coincidence.

I ordered replacement keys for a w126 once, they cost only a few pounds (much cheaper than the replacement key for my old Mk2 Granada limousine), were made for the next day, but I was asked for the v5 and some id.

 

[philharve]

PLEASE HELP ME!! I bought an old Merc off some guy on Ebay, and it doesn't have a key for the doors! He let me drive away without any way to secure the car. Short of sleeping in it every night, what can i do to prevent it being stolen???

Hi blueyedlocoman

Do you not have any disabling devices: gearstick/handbrake/steering wheel locks?

As a last resort if you have a friendly, car-owning neighbour you could try parking your car in such a way that it cannot be driven. For example, park very close to a wall and have the neighbour deliberately block you in. I did this once when my car keys were stolen and I feared it would be driven away in the night. I had a couple friendly neighbours block me in, front & back, bumper to bumper. My car was going nowhere.

REGARDS

Phil

 

[blueyedlocoman]

Thanks for all your suggestions and kind concern... i have secured the car with a heavy duty steering wheel lock, and so far so good. Unfortunately the car may have to go to the scrapyard anyway, as my garage tells me it needs several hundred pounds worth of welding done, along with various other jobs!

 

[Xtractorfan]

PLEASE HELP ME!! I bought an old Merc off some guy on Ebay, and it doesn't have a key for the doors! He let me drive away without any way to secure the car. Short of sleeping in it every night, what can i do to prevent it being stolen???

BlueyedLOCOman and there was me thinking the LOCO was all about trains

 

[jberks]

Keys for ignition and doors are different on some older mercs, mine certainly have been on my 3 w123s and i don't think that this can be coincidence.

Just for the record for what it's worth - they weren't when it left the factory. I dare say a fair few have had a barrel replaced at some point and not matched to the original but certainly our 123 when new back in 1980 had 1 key. It also had a chauffeurs key (round handle) which didn't open the boot or glove box but the standard single key with the square handle did everything.

 

[Blobcat]

Just for the record for what it's worth - they weren't when it left the factory. I dare say a fair few have had a barrel replaced at some point and not matched to the original but certainly our 123 when new back in 1980 had 1 key. It also had a chauffeurs key (round handle) which didn't open the boot or glove box but the standard single key with the square handle did everything.

Agreed, that is how my S123 works key wise