Why are car keys so expensive?

[Mr2Mike]

Look in the yellow pages for "auto locksmiths". There are numerous mobile locksmith companies that will supply and code a key for quite a wide range of vehicles without having to get reamed by outrageous dealer parts and labour charges.

JackDaniels said:

The RRP of the key or any other part is set by the manufacturer not the dealer.
The cost price of a key generally is about 10-20% below the RRP so not a great deal of profit there.

Perhaps you should buy the keys from the automotive locksmiths then...

[MitchT]

As a teenager I once bought a blank Ferrari key (Mondial/348/testarossa version) purely for posterity and as something to possess which would remind me of one of my life's ambitions. It cost me £7 from a Ferrari main dealer at the time. Now they're £190 on Eurospares! Should have bought a box full of them

[MonkeyBusiness]

After spending the best part of £160 for a new key from Land Rover, guess what turned up this week?
Yep, only the bloody keys I'd lost.

I've now lost my only key to the garage door

[garycat]

I asked Mazda what it would cost to get a new remote fob for my 6 MPS and they said £250. So I bought a fob off ebay and found this reprogramming sequence which worked a charm.

This works for the keyless entry but not for the immobilizer key.


Step 1: Open drivers door and leave open.

Step 2: Lock and unlock the drivers door using the power door lock switch on the door.

Step 3: Insert key into the ignition.

Step 4: Turn key to on position and return to off position. (IMPORTANT - use ON position NOT ACC position). Do this 3 times within 10 seconds. Leave key in the ignition.

Step 5: Open and close the drivers door 3 times. (Door should be left open after this step).

Step 6: ECU should respond by locking and unlocking the doors.

Step 7: Press any button on remote #1. ECU responds by locking and unlocking the car doors.

Step 8: Press any button on remote #2 (etc.) Each time the ECU will respond by locking & unlocking the doors.

Step 9: Remove the key from the ignition and the ECU will respond a final time with a series of door locks and unlocks. You're done!

[quiraing]

First car was a Escort Mk1 1300E which you could unlock and start with the handle of a teaspoon.

[Buff Mchugelarge]

quiraing said:

First car was a Escort Mk1 1300E which you could unlock and start with the handle of a teaspoon.

My mates old, worn Toyota Celica key could (and did!) open quite a few old Fords.

We'd unlock them an rearrange everything (move seats/ pile things up on the dash etc)and lock them up again.

I've got 4 spare keys for my Mx5 and two for my Fiat.
I'm quite handy with a coat hangar too, so I can't imagine spending £££ on keys any time soon

[safehandsgk1]

Buff Mchugelarge said:

quiraing said:

First car was a Escort Mk1 1300E which you could unlock and start with the handle of a teaspoon.

My mates old, worn Toyota Celica key could (and did!) open quite a few old Fords.

We'd unlock them an rearrange everything (move seats/ pile things up on the dash etc)and lock them up again.

I've got 4 spare keys for my Mx5 and two for my Fiat.
I'm quite handy with a coat hangar too, so I can't imagine spending £££ on keys any time soon

Pretty sure I was one of your victims...!! Also, it must be catching. That's the state I find my cars in when I'e let my missus drive 'em!

[ch108]

When I bought my current car from a dealer despite asking if it had two keys, it only had one when I went to pick the car up. I forced the garage to get me another free of charge. Pretty sure if I hadn't have done so they certainly wouldn't have offered. Just found it unbelievable that after spending about £6k on a car they would then expect you to supply your own spare key!

My previous car was a Renault that had one of these horrible plastic cards to start the car. I was always worried about breaking it, or the cost if I had to replace it. As it turned out I think it was only about £20 dearer than some cars with a conventional key.

[N7GTX]

JackDaniels said:

Name one.

PSA Group. Remind me just how much the French government bailed them out last time? Was it 11 billion euros for both the finance division and the manufacturing side?

[N7GTX]

Most keys can be bought from the likes of http://www.hickleys.com/diagnostics/keys_main.php then search for an auto key programmer online.

[N7GTX]

ch108 said:

My previous car was a Renault that had one of these horrible plastic cards to start the car. I was always worried about breaking it, or the cost if I had to replace it. As it turned out I think it was only about £20 dearer than some cars with a conventional key.

I have a gadget that programs virgin Renault key cards in just 10 secs. Renault dealer says it can't be done (of course). Same with Nissan and Ford (and others on the way).

http://www.keyprogrammers.com/true-code.html

[VWDaz86]

had ham said:

Ask your R35 dealer why they are taking the piss. I did, and cancelled.

Not sure what the price is for one of these, but I promise you it aint £850.



After a long time with Nissan, it's why I'm going elsewhere next year for my next car.

That key looks familiar

[Triumph Man]

Nedzilla said:

MajorTom said:

tbc said:

Nedzilla said:

Nissan GTR intelligent key......£850+vat

could you not just get one for Micra and get it reprogrammed

the boot lid thing wouldn't work but then who buys a GT-R for the boot

When you own/run a GT-R you don't worry about £850 bills.

You do when its just for a fking key!!

My inner nerd is telling me that the GTR and Micra "emergency" blades inside the key are different. I think the GTR is the more modern internal cut and the micra one is the old fashioned type.

[wildcat45]

BriC175 said:

My brand new E36 key was only £55 from BMW I love having an oldish car!

Same here with my MGF. It came with one key and one fob. Both bought from EBay.

My local key cutter cut it for free because he couldn't guarantee an exact copy. - it's actually perfect . My MG/Rover ex-dealer programmed the fob for something like 20-quid.

I keep my Land Rovers keys very safe

[omfgmynamewontfi]

wildcat45 said:

Same here with my MGF. It came with one key and one fob. Both bought from EBay.

My local key cutter cut it for free because he couldn't guarantee an exact copy. - it's actually perfect . My MG/Rover ex-dealer programmed the fob for something like 20-quid.

I keep my Land Rovers keys very safe

200 quid to get a disco 4 key programmed
had to buy a blank, get it cut then go to land Rover steeler cunch

Robbing jobby heads

[anonymous-user]

Dracoro said:

tbc said:

Land Rover / Range Rover / Jaguar will price these whatever they like because they know the majority of their customers are more than capable of affording their cars and themajority will think little of parting with £150 if it means being able to drive their overpriced and unreliable RR and Jaaaaaagggsss again without much hassle.

You do realise replacement keys are this expensive for most cars, NOT just premium ones. For example, how much do you think it costs for a humble Golf or suchlike?

You seem to have a chip on your shoulder regarding nice cars BTW

To the OP, it's not really a key that you are replacing (the metal key part can be cut reasonably cheaply) but it's the cost of the remote/security/immobiliser programming.

For sure it's expensive and manufacturers can charge a lot knowing you have little choice but I guess nowadays people take more care of their keys and make sure spares come with a car they are buying.

OP, ask LR WHY they can't re-program a key you provide them. I suspect they're scaremongering so you buy from them full whack.

Also, the remote function can often be programmed by yourself (there may be instructions in the manual or online) and as you can get the metal part cut/lasered, it's only really the immobiliser programming that you need the dealer's assistance for.

Me MK4 golf key cut programmed was £96



Dealer too

[fatjon]

I got stung with an L200 key, £282. I could get a clone key with the chip programmed to start the engine but they could not replicate the alarm/central locking functions on the 2 buttons so all I could do with the replica was drive around in a car with the alarm blaring after unlocking the door manually.

[Dabooka]

I need a Suzuki smartkey, the one shown above.

£350. Dealer says second hand ones can't be reprogrammed blah blah blah.

US forums suggest the car actually is programmed to the key (max 5?) so not sure why a used one can't be paired if that is the case

[Agent XXX]

VW Crafter van key £135. (3 years ago!)

[wildcat45]

omfgmynamewontfi said:

200 quid to get a disco 4 key programmed
had to buy a blank, get it cut then go to land Rover steeler cunch

Robbing jobby heads

Indeed.

I guess with the average smart phone nd car keys, a lot of folks are walking round with getting on for a grand's worth of very looseable gear.