Replacement key fob 2006 Passat estate (Spanish import)

[Avantgerbrochen]

Hi Everyone, haven’t posted on here for a few years.
I’ve just put my only key fob through the washing machine. I lost the spare a few months ago and that was the one that had the manual key in it. I’m in Lincolnshire. Emergency locksmith wants £260.00.
Any information on what I can do before I bite the bullet and go to a main dealer will be appreciated. Thanks

[Quatrelle]

I think it will be a visit to the dealer unfortunately. It's a while ago since anyone tried one from ebay, but at the time it was shown they were all a waste of money.

A couple of years ago, when one of mine wouldn't open the driver's door, the dealer said that they couldn't recode it and that a new one was the only answer. I had no way of knowing if they were just trying to sell me a new one.

Edit: forgot to add that the last para above suggests that it's no good buying a secondhand one and taking it to a dealer for recoding.