£168 for spare key

[RichardSEL]

Popped down to my friendly dealer spare parts dept. yesterday
Chap before me had a Golf Mk V (think it was) and wanted spare key
Had all his docs and current key

Costs overheard were £137.85 for key inc VAT plus £25 +VAT for
immo coding in workshop

Another for Gordon Bennet? Surely there's gotta be a better way?

[zollaf]

in the old days before all these computers, you could get a key cut for your morris 1000 by anyone with a key cutting machine for 50p
, but you didn't need to as any piece of wire could be used to start it. the doors could be opened with another bent piece of wire, making it very easy for your car to be stolen.
go forwards a few decades and cars are almost impossible to steal without the keys. this does come at a price though, but then we don't want our cars to go missing, do we ? obviously the insurance companies get to pay out less for vehicle thefts and the thieves now have to break into our houses and hold us at gunpoint to get our keys. technology, don't you just love it. next they will be making finger print keys so the thieves will remove a digit to take your pride and joy.

[RichardSEL]

It's our fault too. The customer just paid up without a wimper

Nobody would've wanted any of my old cars back then (they'd be worth a mint now except perhaps the Marinas). Even though I'd left them unlocked, "forgotten" to close window, parked on main road...

When I got this proper car, insurance companies used to make a big thing about it having Thatcham 5 immo and give a good premium discount. Don't see that now...

Oh well, that's progress

[zollaf]

give it 5 years and even marinas will be worth a small fortune. try buying a mk1 escort to run around in, a 1300 auto even ? how much money ??/

[Teflon]

The best was the Mk2 Jag (Morse style). The door and ignition key number was engraved on the front of the lock barrel in the middle of the dash. So all you had to do was look through the back window with a telescope or some binoculars and nip down to the local car spares shop for key number FP nnn. Same for some Wolseley models.

The same lock barrels were used for the majority of UK made desks, so if you ever locked yourself out of your Moggie, it was always a good idea to try the key to your desk before you got the bus home for the spare.

[size12]

If you do need a key to any car your are probably best to find a good auto locksmith in your area. Cheaper than main dealers and probably have keys on the shelf.

[RichardSEL]

Except that the immo portion of the key is programmed into it from VIN # -- so all fobs are unique -- from a secure database in Germany via VAS. The conceirge portion can be done so at least you could gain access, say if your luggage was locked in. Or your battery went flat as happened to me in work car park after late shift. Since B4 (earlier?) VWs deadlock on when battery dies...

Getting a bit forgetfull now, so have my keys attached to belt.
Dunno who put my slippers in the 'fridge though :confused:

[size12]

Richard if using the right kit component security can be read from the car and programmed to the immobiliser. I made keys to 2012 a3 yesterday inc remote fob.
No need for dealers anymore my friend.

[RichardSEL]

Heard about BMWs being a bit "available". But didn't realise all were this vulnerable.
Excluding call-out charge, how much for a spare B6 fob then?

[size12]

Given enough time and money all cars are available just some more than others.
There are devices that I have seen that you plug into the obd port on some vags and you can drive away without a programmed key :eek:
Depending on year as they changed the chipset on the b6 in 2009 ish but about £120 +vat all programmed up using genuine parts.

[actionman]

there's plenty of people other than the dealers that can do keys cheaper & will come to your home or work to make it even easier, shop around, look on other VAG fourms for info etc