Why are car keys so ugly?
Discussion
bobbo89 said:
greghm said:
motoroller said:
This one for me
Excellent one. Quick question, do you think an experienced key cutter can reproduce a key using just picture (the classic ones obviously) ? Cut the blade off the old key, cut the screw driver down, weld the blade on and carefully grind and smooth the weld back.
Corranga said:
I bought the Landy key about 6 months ago, and haven't yet got around to it. There is a post on SELOC with a bit of a how to I think.
Back on topic, I remember when my dad collected his first new car, an Alfa 156. At the time, this thing looked amazing:
I mean, it's red, and all of the other keys I'd seen were really crap.
Fast forward a little and I now have my own Alfa, a 159.
The detailing in the key is nice, with the Alfa badge on an alfa style grill, shame they felt the need to hide / disguise it though!
At least it's saved by having one of the best looking badges to adorn a car
With the newer Alfa's the key goes a little further than the 159 with the shape of the grille being obvious. I quite like it even if it is a bit of a lump in your pocket...Back on topic, I remember when my dad collected his first new car, an Alfa 156. At the time, this thing looked amazing:
I mean, it's red, and all of the other keys I'd seen were really crap.
Fast forward a little and I now have my own Alfa, a 159.
The detailing in the key is nice, with the Alfa badge on an alfa style grill, shame they felt the need to hide / disguise it though!
At least it's saved by having one of the best looking badges to adorn a car
I've encountered a fair few keys in my time. Some high (low) lights:
Current Rolls-Royces are a let down as they are just re-badged BMW keys with chrome. I get Rolls try to do understated, but this fails.
Volvo XC90 as mentioned previously, looks and feels nice but the slim buttons aren't quite so easy to work, and the fob is a bit bigger than pictures might have you believe.
Mini - previous generation flying saucer key wasn't too bad, but it's got out of control with the new one.
Merc do a good job generally if, but I was really surprised when a brand new £120k S-class Coupe (built 2015) did not have keyless entry, and you had to insert the plastic plug into the dash and turn it like a traditional key to start it. First world problems etc but if you pay that much for the flagship car crammed to the rafters with the latest tech (night vision cameras anyone?) it seemed bizarre having to fish around for a key to unlock the door.
Worst so far that I've handled is from a Bentley Bentayga. The blob is unnecessarily vast (not unlike the car itself, get inside - where's all the space gone?), devoid of any heft and made of cheap plastics completely at odds with the nice materials found inside. Worse still - it had a remote for climate control/pre-heater, which is a separate fob as big as the main key fob (Range Rover ones are little things). With a couple of buttons looking lost in a sea of plain plastic. So leaving the car one has to squash two massive bulges into a trouser pocket... maybe that's what Bentley's customers asked for..? I would be annoyed lugging those keys around all the time.
I have a Ford with keyless entry, and the small, neat teardrop fob is fairly innocuous and slips into any pocket with ease. All things considered it's rather good. My Mazda's flip key forever unhinges in my pocket, I've stabbed my thigh sitting down a few times. I don't miss long key blades for that reason.
Current Rolls-Royces are a let down as they are just re-badged BMW keys with chrome. I get Rolls try to do understated, but this fails.
Volvo XC90 as mentioned previously, looks and feels nice but the slim buttons aren't quite so easy to work, and the fob is a bit bigger than pictures might have you believe.
Mini - previous generation flying saucer key wasn't too bad, but it's got out of control with the new one.
Merc do a good job generally if, but I was really surprised when a brand new £120k S-class Coupe (built 2015) did not have keyless entry, and you had to insert the plastic plug into the dash and turn it like a traditional key to start it. First world problems etc but if you pay that much for the flagship car crammed to the rafters with the latest tech (night vision cameras anyone?) it seemed bizarre having to fish around for a key to unlock the door.
Worst so far that I've handled is from a Bentley Bentayga. The blob is unnecessarily vast (not unlike the car itself, get inside - where's all the space gone?), devoid of any heft and made of cheap plastics completely at odds with the nice materials found inside. Worse still - it had a remote for climate control/pre-heater, which is a separate fob as big as the main key fob (Range Rover ones are little things). With a couple of buttons looking lost in a sea of plain plastic. So leaving the car one has to squash two massive bulges into a trouser pocket... maybe that's what Bentley's customers asked for..? I would be annoyed lugging those keys around all the time.
I have a Ford with keyless entry, and the small, neat teardrop fob is fairly innocuous and slips into any pocket with ease. All things considered it's rather good. My Mazda's flip key forever unhinges in my pocket, I've stabbed my thigh sitting down a few times. I don't miss long key blades for that reason.
greghm said:
Excellent one. Quick question, do you think an experienced key cutter can reproduce a key using just picture (the classic ones obviously) ?
I think it's theoretically possible. A poster earlier had a small black square on the photo over the end of an older type of key, as those are very basic to replicate from a picture. epom said:
OwenK said:
HardtopManual said:
Ferrari got keys right with the 355
Why is it shaped like a guitar 
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=chris+rea+ferrar...
Fun Bus said:
Gentlemen, I introduce to you the key card for the Renault Kadjar (Nissan Qashqai equivalent) that I had for a few weeks last year. Lovely car but the key had a fundamental flaw - can anyone spot it?
There's nowhere to hook a keyring onto it? (I was going to be mean and say the Renault badge).Theophany said:
Compared to the current crop of BMW keys and they're vaguely nondescript fobs, I quite like that my E63 has a proper key. The plastic feels horribly cheap and brittle though.
I like the fact that they charge from the ignition barrel so no need to change batteries. Discovered this when 'my' key for my wifes car started playing up as I didn't drive it enough.I don't know if any other cars do this?
Vocht said:
Not a car key but the key for a BMW R1200CL motorcycle is lovely. It's made to look the same as the tank on the bike.
The picture doesn't really do it justice as it looks and feels really lovely. Much heavier than you'd expect,
BMW have a track record of innovative keys.The picture doesn't really do it justice as it looks and feels really lovely. Much heavier than you'd expect,
This is an air-cooled Boxer key - the plastic bit sits flat against the dash when inserted.
bigkeeko said:
A key shouldn't just be a key or a computerised box of tricks. It should involve some kind of emotion or give some kind of reaction when you go to get it.
I disagree. A key literally is a key.
How does the one you've shown manage to provoke emotion? How does it react to you?
Jimmy Recard said:
I disagree. A key literally is a key.
How does the one you've shown manage to provoke emotion? How does it react to you?
Had a quick look through your posts there. Turns out the majority involve you being deliberately contentional. How does the one you've shown manage to provoke emotion? How does it react to you?
How about you go and sit in the shed with the rest of the tools?
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