Should I Purchase A Spare Key?

[friendly_jacek]

Originally Posted By: The Critic
My Prius came with two keys, but one of the keys is at my parents' house and let's just say that it has to stay there. Don't ask me why.

Somehow I suspect you didn't pay for the car.

I personally don't care for the smart keys. I wish one could opt out, but no, Toyota decided Prius has to have smart keys, even though it works only on driver side (in my trim II).

 

[Trav]

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40...-All-Categories

 

[91344George]

Hard to believe that the Prius doesn't come with a "valet key" most cars used to at least. This key will only start the car and unlock the doors. Glove box and trunk cannot be opened.

I thought most cars came with three keys ...two masters and one valet.

 

[Bill in Utah]

Prius does not have a trunk.....

Most SUV, Trucks, Crossovers don't come with valet keys either. My Corolla did and its one of the chip'd keys.

Bill

 

[91344George]

I know the Prius has a hatch (mistakenly wrote trunk

), and I also have a late 90s VW Golf and it has a hatch of course and it also came with 2 master keys and one valet key.

In any case this nonsense of having to pay hundreds of dollars to the dealer for a key is one more reason why I don't want to bother with a new car.

 

[Bill in Utah]

Of my 3 vehicles only one takes a chip'd key. The 2004 GMC and 2011 other brand does not.

My 2005 Corolla chip'd key cost $47. ($35 for the blank and $12 to cut it and for them to program the system to accept it)

When you are hundreds of miles away from home (all the time) a extra key works wonders *IF* you need it.

I actually carry two extras, one chipped and the other will open the door but since it does not have a chip will open the doors.

So far I've never locked myself out of a vehicle. The time I don't have an escape plan will be the first time I 'm sure I'll do it.

For the cost that Mike is quoting I'd NOT get an extra. I'd go down and have a locksmith make him up something that will allow him to get into the car which should cost less than $10 even in CA.

Bill

 

[morris]

yep yep yep. every one says " i wont for get my key" ME? i KNOW ill for get me key.

 

[Towncivilian]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
Originally Posted By: Towncivilian
Who will make a dumb key? Lowes refused to make one when I asked, claiming some nonsense about the car being confused if one uses a non-chipped key to unlock a door.


This is plausible! I bet the dealers LOOOVE that the manufacturer put all these traps in, in the name of security. Though as I understand it, whole car thefts are down, people just steal rims and accessories like roof racks now.

Plausible for some vehicles, perhaps. Not on my Pathfinder. I just want a dumb key. Time to see if the dealer will cut a blank 1987-1995 Pathfinder. A blank key costs only $13.65.

 

[45ACP]

Spare key should always be in the currency fold of the wallet, yes.

I always cringe when i realize i may have just locked myself out of a running truck! Now of course the lock is supposed to not close in a locked position or un-lock when it hits the door.. but, still. Scary stuff.

+1 to Bill. And The Critic, yes your parents want to be able to have access to the car at all times. Its ok. Just move the car if they need it when you do. That way it doesnt matter if they have the key, they dont have the car

Been there done that. Possession is 9/10ths!

 

[doitmyself]

Is a locked Prius accessible by the tow truck genies with their arsenal of break in tools? They unlocked my Caravan last year in 30 seconds with no damage whatsoever.

If the answer is yes, then just pay the extra $15 dollars a year to have this service on your insurance.

But, you will still be out of luck if you lose your key. It just depends on how much inconvenience you are willing to accept.

 

[Virtuoso]

Always have a spare key.

 

[harry j]

I now always carry two keys, it has served me well.
I think we have all locked a key in the ignition at
one time or another. The last time I did that, it was pouring
rain and I had two hands full of groceries. A taxi ride
later to fetch my spare key, I vowed to never let that
happen again, hence TWO KEYS.

 

[Cutehumor]

I went through this saga for the past few weeks for my inherited 2009 chevy cobalt. grandma can't drive anymore so she gave us only one transponder key and key fob. since my wife and I will drive the car, we need a key each. I checked with home depot, lowes, ace hardware, and true value. they say they can't do chipped keys. true value said they didn't have blanks for my model, so they gave me a regular key. so I went the locksmith route, it was 45 bucks total for a cut transponder key. no tax included. seemed like a good deal until I saw eljefino got a $7 transponder key blank from ebay and had hardware cut for $2? that's awesome. with my luck, hardware stores here wouldn't touch it. kept saying no equipment for cutting transponder keys or mess up car computer.

 

[eljefino]

^ my "chip" key was just a resistor, your passlock is a newer, pricier generation.

 

[Norm Olt]

Originally Posted By: 45ACP
Spare key should always be in the currency fold of the wallet, yes.



Makes a lot of sense to me: then, when you lose your wallet the person who finds it can come directly to your home and steal your car...

Cheers!

 

[Cutehumor]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
^ my "chip" key was just a resistor, your passlock is a newer, pricier generation.


Last night, I did find blank chip keys for my 09 cobalt for around 15 bucks on ebay.