E46 additional key - main dealer best bet?
Discussion
The dealer I bought my E46 from is being slow to locate and send me the second key for my car. I'm not happy having just the one so am looking at getting an extra one made plus I need it for logistical reasons over Christmas.
BMW have quoted ~£140 but am I better off seeking out an indy would they be likely to be any cheaper? If so, can anyone recommend a company in the Sussex area?
BMW have quoted ~£140 but am I better off seeking out an indy would they be likely to be any cheaper? If so, can anyone recommend a company in the Sussex area?
Smuler said:
I'd expect the dealer to pay!
Nearly happened to me and my dealer would have paid.
He may well do the right thing and cover the cost of the key if he can't find the missing one. It's been a fortnight now though and I'm getting fed up with waiting. In the short term, I just need a spare key for the car even if I have to cough for it myself.Nearly happened to me and my dealer would have paid.
This guy on eBay seems to get good reviews on the forums etc.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/262510050782?_trksid=p20...
Located in East London, but you can post your module to him for him to code the keys. He said £60 for a non genuine key, cut and coded.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/262510050782?_trksid=p20...
Located in East London, but you can post your module to him for him to code the keys. He said £60 for a non genuine key, cut and coded.
Longnose said:
I've used this person and it all worked very well. There's just a slight nagging doubt that your name, address and car key details are out there. I suppose it would be the first place the rozzers could go if your car disappeared.
Not if you drive to him? Unless I'm missing something!I ordered his service on Ebay to repair my spare key and then drove to him when it transpired that the key and car needed some sort of resync. Like I said, it all worked very well and he explained a lot of how it works to me. He also deactivated other 'lost' keys which previous owners may have kept. Very interesting to see how much data is stored in the car and the key memories.
On a similar note the battery in my key (E39 but same style key) has given up (works occasionally to lock - rechargeable not holding power is my suspicion).
Is there any way to get the battery changed or is it new key time? Have seen the repair kits but does anybody know where to take it to have it done? (Unless a main dealer new key is the best bet).
Is there any way to get the battery changed or is it new key time? Have seen the repair kits but does anybody know where to take it to have it done? (Unless a main dealer new key is the best bet).
The key isn't user-serviceable, but you can change the battery yourself anyway: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=138...
My fixed key has been working fine until about a month ago, when it started to become unreliable again. I haven't investigated properly yet (next week, probably...), but hopefully it's just my dodgy soldering come loose.
Worth having a go at fixing it as the battery was £7 - 1/20th the price of the official replacement. On the other hand, getting inside the key caused a lot of damage, so it's now held together with gaffer tape, which is a look that might not be to all tastes.
(I started out with electrical tape, which was marginally less obvious, being black, but it ended up falling off quite quickly. Gaffer tape seems to be grippier, and generally more able to withstand heat from being kept in pocket, use of car heater, etc.)
My fixed key has been working fine until about a month ago, when it started to become unreliable again. I haven't investigated properly yet (next week, probably...), but hopefully it's just my dodgy soldering come loose.
Worth having a go at fixing it as the battery was £7 - 1/20th the price of the official replacement. On the other hand, getting inside the key caused a lot of damage, so it's now held together with gaffer tape, which is a look that might not be to all tastes.
(I started out with electrical tape, which was marginally less obvious, being black, but it ended up falling off quite quickly. Gaffer tape seems to be grippier, and generally more able to withstand heat from being kept in pocket, use of car heater, etc.)
Edited by to3m on Saturday 17th December 22:55
For posterity and/or google searchers finding this in the future: the problem turned out to be very obvious. My atrocious soldering had come completely loose on one terminal, and one of the joints on the PCB had gone a touch wobbly as well. (The innards of the key aren't all flush any more once closed, thanks to the extra blobs of ineptly-positioned solder, and I'm guessing that was causing a bit of stress at that joint.) So after a bit of work with the soldering iron, the key has been working nicely again. Confidence in money-saving DIY fix: restored.
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