One of the service advisors told me the secret code for the SKREEM is the VIN. Anybody who replaced a SKREEM know if that is true? And if you bought the unit from a dealership do you know if it came to them preprogrammed or did they do it? Saying "Life is too short..." seems misplaced with issues like this. Stuff with computers and this security system has to be exactly right, letter perfect or your car is useless. Has anyone ever swapped all the components with one of those eBay kits and had it work? Details please. The goal here is to get an established place to get the parts needed and the proper installation/replacement. Without that the value of these cars will continue to drop like a rock.

MB buyers with an SLK can buy the parts and DIY, or go to the dealership, and probably an independent shop that does MBs as well. We are screwed - no part availability, dealers who can't, won't or don't have the tools to fix them. We need the whole thing corrected, and competitively priced. I think SKREEMS have been an issue going way back to when Crossfires were still being manufactured. Nobody did anything - except perhaps Needswings. We absolutely need to get this fixed.