Think Porsche parts are expensive? How about $200 for a spare key?
 

I bought a used 2005 Honda Accord a few months ago & wanted to get a spare key made. It has an immobilizer key which is programmed to match a device in the car when you try to start the car.

I went to a dealer & he wants to charge me $200 to reprogram the immobilizer in the car (which makes my current key useless) and program two blanks for me. He says they can't just program a new blank for me.

This dealer has a reputation for being a crook. Anybody here have experience with this issue?

Thanks.

Find a new stealership. That is high, too high. They are chipped, same thing with Camry's or anything else folks tend to steal a lot

no idea what the honda uses
but GM is simple

pass key teck/chip is just a resister
to swap a newer motor and CPU into a GM car
all they need to do is wire in a resister to beat the pass key

BTW if you take the vin# to a semi-honest st[d]ealer
they should be able to order a new key just like the old one
or maybe try a locksmith they are in the biz and know the tricks

VW is about the same for the FOB and programing. Maybe $250

My new key from Porsche for my 81 was $12. Woo hoo. But my brake rotors are $260 each. Sounds fair to me.

BMW keys are about that price too. At every dealer.

rjp

$12 ?

I think I paid $2 for a new key, plain key, no light or fancy end.

with apologies to Chuck Berry ;) My next new car will be a car I can afford...and I DO mean A Ford. Seriously guys, this is pure BS...a gouge the customer thing. Several years back, a neighbor girl locked her baby in the car...a Geo. Hearing me home, she came over. I just called the local GM dealer, gave a VIN, and the key was waiting when the mother & I arrived. $40 for the key. What pissed me off was that she never offered to pay the $40 back....

I was burgled a couple of years and the bad guys stole my Porsche keys - among other things.

To avoid a subsequent theft of the car, I decided to have the keys for the Porsche recoded - and the bill came to $1,283.- at the most reputable Porsche house in this town.

Now these swines also took my BMW. In fact they loaded it up with my stuff and eventually abandoned the car in an underground garage. To get the locks recoded, I also paid $1,200.- ...and the difference between the C$ and the US$ these days is negligible.

So from where I sit, the Honda cost for this sounds like a bargain.

Yes $12 from the dealer. I was impressed that they still had the code and could cut me a new key for a 20 year old car.

I didn't pay VW for a new FOB. I got a used one for $50 from VWVortex and got a new key cut from the code for $50. That was the cheapest way for me to get a sorta new VW fob.

Was the $2 key from a dealer?

Ford uses chipped keys as well.


BTW, caught this on Craigsliust a few days back...



Chip Keys.. Keyless Remotes.. Transponder Keys..!!!!!


We can come to you!!!!! Are you need of a duplicate key for your vehicle. Did you need a extra remote? We can help!!!! Did the dealer tell you that they are the only ones that can help? We are capable of cutting and programming most "Chip Keys". Most vehicles from 1996 + have computer chips built in the head of your key. Call for a appointment, we can either come to your location or you can stop into our showroom. We have state of the art key machines that can cut Laser keys ( General Motors, Ford, Toyota, Chrysler, Mercedes, Lexus, BMW , Land Rover, Saab , Volvo, Pontiac GTO, VW, Audi, and Porsche )

Contact Us: 732-899-1414
http://www.top-security.com/

Top Security Locksmiths, Inc.
2401 Bridge Ave.
Point Pleasant, NJ 08742

This is hard for me to believe

As far as Mercedes goes, I am really interested in how they do this as I have some experience here.

All infrared keys up to MY1997, SL's up to 2002 and all ML trucks up to 2005-
The only way I could see this happening is if HuF Germany sold this place the decoding equipment to copy the electronic code off of a working key that the customer already has. Making a copy of a metal blade is one thing, coding a key with a Drive Authorization system is another.
BTW- Although they have the ability to decode the metal blade MBUSA doesn't even have this machine. When the electronic portion of a key needs to be decoded (rarely) they send them to Germany. They could not get this info at a dealer as they do not have access to key code information.

OK let's just say somehow they did get a hold of this equipment.

Even then the key would have to be programmed to the car with yet another piece of equipment. This Hand held tester is at any MB dealer so easier to come by. The whole thing just seems unlikely as I can't see MB giving the OK to HuF to distribute equipment like this.

And keys 1998 and up? No friggin' way

They work on frequency instead of infra red. The electronic codes for them come straight from Germany to the MB key coding facility in Fort Worth Texas through internet communication.
The process is similar to the old keys but the key tracks are logged in Germany- not by the car which takes the Hand held dealer equipment out of the loop.
It's not happenin' here . No way.

If anyone uses this place for any late model German car I'd love to hear how it's done. I only know MB but I know VW and BMW work very similar to the MB early style keys mentioned above.

just looked..

Although Mercedes is listed in the craigslist ad , it's not mentioned on their website

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1149790232.jpg

What's up with that Porsche logo?