How Much is a Car Key?

This is obviously a very common and basic question when exploring the purchase of new key for your vehicle.

The easiest way to explain it though, is not a 1 price fits all scenario. Cost will be made up from a number of factors. We need information to these basic questions in order to fully understand the job you require us to do.

We need to know the following information:

1. The vehicle make?

2. The model of the vehicle?

3. The age of the vehicle?

4. The type of ignition system of the vehicle?

5. Whether you currently have a working key for the vehicle?

6. And finally, where about are you located?

Why do we need this information, and why cant we just give a price out?

We will explain how and why for you now:

• In the case of 1 & 2 we need to have some idea of the make and model of your car as we really dont know what you drive. It might seem obvious but...... we have no idea until you tell us.

• The age, number 3 allows us now to see what key and rough part number this left the factory with when manufactured now allowing us to mentally picture the key that you require.

• Number 4 is where we need to know if the key you have for your car is a newer moden push button to start keyless ignition system, or a more traditional turn the keyblade in the steerling lock column to start. We require this as on your age and model of vehicle, some manufacturers have both systems in use over that vehicles platform for a number of years, and we need to know which we are quoting you on.

• Do you have a key currently and does it work? Number 5

  This allows us to know if your existing key can be used to help us create a duplicate. ie does it have a keyblade we can copy from, or do we need to make a new one from scratch. Alot of immobiliser systems now only allow access with a working key. So turning the ignition on with an uncoded key will not allow security access for key programming. This may require the removal of vehicle instrument clusters, (clocks) ECU, immobiliser modules, comfort control modules to access the security data that we need for coding and un-coding keys.

• Finally, where are you located? Number 6

  We are a local small company based in the North West of England, and we dont cover nationally. So if outside of our area, sorry, we just cant help you. If you are local, it allows us to work out roughly how long we need to use for travel, both to you and from you, to our next job. This is useful for us to route our jobs and the days travel.

  If ofcourse you are going to be paying us a visit, we dont need to know where you and the vehicle are. However, please note. We do require the vehicle present for programming / coding. We cannot make a key work your vehicle without 1st adding it to the cars security system.

So...

1. The vehicle make? (Ford)

2. The model of the vehicle? (Focus)

3. The age of the vehicle? (2015)

4. The type of ignition system of the vehicle? (Proximity - Push Button)

5. Whether you currently have a working key for the vehicle? (No - All keys have been lost)

6. And finally, where about are you located? (CH65 3DU)

The information above now allows us to see the key required, the system thats fitted to the car, what BCM (Body Control Module)/ modules that will be fitted. Any other things that may help or hinder our process in order to proved you a great service.

Simply A "Ford Focus" since start of production until today has had countless models, keys, and modules over the years. We need to know exactly which one.

Other factors that can affect car key pricing:

Depending on make, model and age, some vehicles will require keys and or fobs supplied from the dealer. Sadly in some situations this is the case.... There is no aftermarket application / parts availiable. The cost of the £300 dealer key to you, will be the very same £300 cost to me. The dealers, although like us to help them out, dont like to help us out. The do not like us carrying out security access work to their cars. So no, unfortunaely we dont get 80-90% off the bill buying it ourselves.

This takes us onto the actual coding of some manufacturers. Unfortunately with some makes and ages, the only tool to code security and modules is the main dealer themselves.

For Example: Mercedes Cars from 2014 onwards, is dealer tool only.

Hopefully this helps as an insight as to why there are not generic price lists for every option of vehcle and key. We still sometimes have to price parts and stock availiability, that may take a few hours for us to do so.