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Expensive car key!

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Sherlock

Sherlock

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Thankfully not my story but...

A co-worker lost his keys today on one of our many lines (recycling facility), anyway he owns a newer-model Dodge minivan and the key is a special laser-cut, so it will cost him $675 to get a new key from the dealership :crazyeyes: plus the cost of towing it to the dealership, when he told me that it blew me away, that's as much money as a major repair job...
 
The replacement key itself is $675????

Good grief. So ... exactly what's the advantage for the driver in having a laser cut key?

oy

Tom
 
Dang! I wanted to buy a spare key for my wife's BMW and that was $185. I thought that was expensive (well, it is, but $675??? good grief!)
 
Ouch!
I just bought a spare, electronic "chip key" for my '09 Chevy Express van. $35
<span style="font-style: italic">(and that seemed like a lot to me)</span>
 
Many of the immobilizer keys we do at work are in the $200 range. more if they have the remote built in, and even more if they are the "smart key" setup.
they get really pricey when the key its self is one of those side groove things.
Things get fun when a person loses all the master keys to a vehicle, and we have to "re-seed" the immobilizer ECU. that requires Master Tec access in the Toyota Information system, and a lot of verifications before Toyota allows it to be done. and it adds a lot of cost to the labor.
 
Banjo said:
... that requires Master Tec access in the Toyota Information system, and a lot of verifications before Toyota allows it to be done. and it adds a lot of cost to the labor.
Click to expand...

Hmmm, Big Brother :wink:
 
Banjo said:
Many of the immobilizer keys we do at work are in the $200 range. more if they have the remote built in, and even more if they are the "smart key" setup.
they get really pricey when the key its self is one of those side groove things.
Things get fun when a person loses all the master keys to a vehicle, and we have to "re-seed" the immobilizer ECU. that requires Master Tec access in the Toyota Information system, and a lot of verifications before Toyota allows it to be done. and it adds a lot of cost to the labor.
Click to expand...

I'm wondering if some the large cost is the labour, since there is no key to work with at all and they have to start from scratch...
 
Andrew Mace said:
My idea of an expensive key is paying $10-20 for an NOS Wilmot-Breeden key for the Herald....
Click to expand...
.

I'm with ya, Andrew. They think we're made of money!

And the Alfa blanks are steel, so a lot of locksmiths don't want to cut 'em. I've resorted to a vise and "swiss file" the things by hand.
 
I would think 675 is way over the top unless they are charging quite a lot for towing, labor and incidentals.
I have a 09 Town and Country and a new starter module, multi function remote, or whatever the heck it is called (cant really call them a key anymore) is $200.00, which is still ridiculous. The kid's 07 Caravan only costs abut 60.00... ONLY??
 
Well... Talking to another guy at work today, he thinks there is more to this story than meets the eye, some possible financial difficulties, it did sound a little unreal when he mentioned it but then it's none of my business ultimately...
 
Yeah, another sticker shock item for me, also.
When we recently bought my wife a used Honda civic
the dealer had only one key for it.
No problem, I'll just get some blanks and cut em myself.
My first experience with chip keys.
Nobody had what I needed except for a Honda dealer, for 200.00.
Finally had a locksmith make up one for 90.00.
I know...
I got off cheap by comparison.
If I knew at the time I would have made the salesman cover the cost.
 
It's usury!
 
Yeha, I bought a used Ford Explorer a few years ago only to find it just had one key. The salesman said that's how they got it so that's how they sold it. Thought about that and went back next day. Reminded salesman that my check had not yet cleared and he could have the truck back. Manager finally agreed to make another key. I was shocked to find out his cost was close to $200. Glad I stood my ground.
 
1996 Jaguar key - $300+. Don't remember exactly how much but then it was a bitter, bitter memory. Actually needed both keys so this was for 2. End of story - about a month later opened the trunk and there was that 'lost' set.! :wall:
 
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