ask for an extra key when buying a new car?

[edwardh1]

to avoid the $400 key problem, seems you could get a 3rd key when you buy a new car ---to make the sale dealer might give you one at less price. or on slow days train salesmen to "cut" them.
they cant be expensive to make to the dealer. an extra key for each car on the lot
or the car maker could include 3.
what the heck do people do who are far away from the dealer on a 3 daY WEEKEND?

 

[SirTanon]

Not sure why you'd need them to include a 3rd. 2 Keys has been the standard for decades. I mean, if you're good at negotiating, and the dealer is a decent one, they would probably work with you on it if you really needed a 3rd, but it seems like extra work to me.

For me, when I needed an extra key, I just went on Amazon and bought one of these for $28. Once I had it in hand, I went to the local key cutting place and had them cut it, and then I did the programming myself. It worked great, and I've had zero issues.

 

[skyactiv]

Here's a thought, don't lose your keys. If you do, take responsibility and deal with it.
My dad had a 1990 Camaro Iroz-Z when I was a kid. I remember it having a special key you simply couldn't have cut
anywhere and start the car with.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Originally Posted By: SirTanon
Not sure why you'd need them to include a 3rd. 2 Keys has been the standard for decades. I mean, if you're good at negotiating, and the dealer is a decent one, they would probably work with you on it if you really needed a 3rd, but it seems like extra work to me.

For me, when I needed an extra key, I just went on Amazon and bought one of these for $28. Once I had it in hand, I went to the local key cutting place and had them cut it, and then I did the programming myself. It worked great, and I've had zero issues.


Two workable keys are needed for the at-home programming. So if you need a key in a hurry, odds are you won't have two on-hand.

So this purchase of a replacement key - then program it, needs to be done when you have both keys the dealer gave you.

 

[bdcardinal]

Originally Posted By: edwardh1
to avoid the $400 key problem, seems you could get a 3rd key when you buy a new car ---to make the sale dealer might give you one at less price. or on slow days train salesmen to "cut" them.
they cant be expensive to make to the dealer. an extra key for each car on the lot
or the car maker could include 3.
what the heck do people do who are far away from the dealer on a 3 daY WEEKEND?


People don't want to pay, even when you explain how good of an idea a third key is. Sales people will not be cutting keys at all. That is done by parts as keys are kept in parts inventory, I have probably 10-15 grand in just keys in stock. Also a lot of newer keys that are "laser cut" cannot be made on site and must be ordered from the manufacturer pre-cut, then programmed.

If I wanted a 3rd key on a new call, I would ask for one in the due bill at the time of purchase.

 

[csandste]

Had only one key on my now deceased '14 Encore. Got a local key shop to cut me one for about $50-$60. It would set off the alarm when the door was opened (no remote, just the key) which would stop when the ignition was turned on. However, it didn't cost $400, would get me home in a jam, and according to the locksmith-- save me big money on a reorder for a real remote key if necessary.

 

[maxdustington]

Originally Posted By: skyactiv
Here's a thought, don't lose your keys. If you do, take responsibility and deal with it.
My dad had a 1990 Camaro Iroz-Z when I was a kid. I remember it having a special key you simply couldn't have cut
anywhere and start the car with.


Ahhh yes the VATS system, it was simply a resistor in the key with one of 12 or so different values. Seems pretty simple and you would think it would stop all but the most determined thieves? Not good enough, we should probably make the keys and ECM/cluster tied together so we can charge $300 for every key instead of $20. No one will ever steal a car again.....

My first car was down to it's last key by the time I got it. I drove it for two years and never lost it, I still have it!

 

[PimTac]

You can buy trackers for your fobs so you can locate them. This is much cheaper than a third fob.

Here is one brand. https://www.thetileapp.com

 

[JamesBond]

Originally Posted By: edwardh1
to avoid the $400 key problem, seems you could get a 3rd key when you buy a new car ---to make the sale dealer might give you one at less price. or on slow days train salesmen to "cut" them.
they cant be expensive to make to the dealer. an extra key for each car on the lot
or the car maker could include 3.
what the heck do people do who are far away from the dealer on a 3 daY WEEKEND?


Before you buy the car is when you have some leverage, when you come in years later with no keys you have ZERO leverage.

 

[doitmyself]

I do what Sir Tannon recommends. Soon after my car purchase, I bought 2 OEM key blanks (Strattec) for cheap on Ebay, had a local shop cut them, and I programmed them per the owner's manual. I have one of those lesser desired simple vehicles discussed in a recent thread, so my entire 2 keys were less than $25.


Quote:
Here's a thought, don't lose your keys. If you do, take responsibility and deal with it.


It's even more responsible to be proactive to avoid the expense, time implications, and aggravation of things you sometimes have no control over.

 

[JTK]

I don't see why not. You can negotiate anything you want, or at least attempt to.

 

[SirTanon]

Originally Posted By: Triple_Se7en
Originally Posted By: SirTanon
Not sure why you'd need them to include a 3rd. 2 Keys has been the standard for decades. I mean, if you're good at negotiating, and the dealer is a decent one, they would probably work with you on it if you really needed a 3rd, but it seems like extra work to me.

For me, when I needed an extra key, I just went on Amazon and bought one of these for $28. Once I had it in hand, I went to the local key cutting place and had them cut it, and then I did the programming myself. It worked great, and I've had zero issues.


Two workable keys are needed for the at-home programming. So if you need a key in a hurry, odds are you won't have two on-hand.

So this purchase of a replacement key - then program it, needs to be done when you have both keys the dealer gave you.


I know this, and I agree, but the OP's argument was getting THREE keys at time of purchase. My comment was regarding buying the 3rd after you have the car (and two dealer-issued keys) and then programming it. It's what I did. I had two, I made a 3rd using the key in the link, and now use THAT one which I reprogrammed as my everyday key. The two originals are kept somewhere safe. If the one I use ever fails or gets lost, I have the two originals to work from, which I can then use to reprogram another 3rd.

It's simple.

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

Originally Posted By: skyactiv
Here's a thought, don't lose your keys. If you do, take responsibility and deal with it.
My dad had a 1990 Camaro Iroz-Z when I was a kid. I remember it having a special key you simply couldn't have cut
anywhere and start the car with.


In the days of the no Bull Scat deal!

 

[Wolf359]

With Mercedes, they don't even make the key at the dealership, they send them out to be made in Texas and it takes a couple days to get them. I just have two keys for each car though. At about $500 each, you learn not to lose them. It's easier to lose a key when they're only $20-$30 each. I try to have them on a keyring with a bunch of other keys or a key chain so they're harder to lose. I have no plans for getting a 3rd key and don't plan on losing any keys.

 

[miden851]

I have one key for 8 years now for my Mazda; I think it was part of the deal(the great deal) when I bought it used I think; meanwhile, I cut the spare one on but it was not programmed; however, I've never had the problem of loosing a car key;

 

[edwardh1]

Im the op, never lost one either.
I just think the complex keys are stupid, never had a car stolen.
add cost but no value

 

[Kira]

I like the comment which read, "A third key is extra work". Well, DUHHH!

Reminds me of a coworker who saw a grey water recycling system (for flushing toilets) in dry regions. He said, "That costs more".

Brilliant.

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted By: edwardh1
Im the op, never lost one either.
I just think the complex keys are stupid, never had a car stolen.
add cost but no value


That's why you haven't had a car stolen. I've had mine stolen before in the past. Then the next car I got LoJack, that one never got stolen. Next car had factory anti-theft, that one never got stolen either. The manufacturers are jacking up the price though, I remember buying a Ford rfid key chip blank for $10 on eBay.

The value may be something you don't really notice, lower insurance rates due to less cars stolen. My comprehensive portion of my insurance is pretty low.

 

[93cruiser]

Originally Posted By: SirTanon
Not sure why you'd need them to include a 3rd. 2 Keys has been the standard for decades. I mean, if you're good at negotiating, and the dealer is a decent one, they would probably work with you on it if you really needed a 3rd, but it seems like extra work to me.

For me, when I needed an extra key, I just went on Amazon and bought one of these for $28. Once I had it in hand, I went to the local key cutting place and had them cut it, and then I did the programming myself. It worked great, and I've had zero issues.


When I got my 2007 tundra, it came with 2 keys/remotes and one valet key. Same with 2008 4runner. 2013 Rav4, two keys. I don't think 2 keys has been standard for decades.

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: 93cruiser
Originally Posted By: SirTanon
Not sure why you'd need them to include a 3rd. 2 Keys has been the standard for decades. I mean, if you're good at negotiating, and the dealer is a decent one, they would probably work with you on it if you really needed a 3rd, but it seems like extra work to me.

For me, when I needed an extra key, I just went on Amazon and bought one of these for $28. Once I had it in hand, I went to the local key cutting place and had them cut it, and then I did the programming myself. It worked great, and I've had zero issues.


When I got my 2007 tundra, it came with 2 keys/remotes and one valet key. Same with 2008 4runner. 2013 Rav4, two keys. I don't think 2 keys has been standard for decades.


Ditto, I think all my late models came with 3 keys.

Too bad these systems couldn't be easily removed past a certain age. Out where I live no one locks their cars (or houses). Back the company I work for was in the small city of Concord I saw guys leave their keys in their car while at work.

I understand why they are expensive, but, at some point the car doesn't have the value to justify it any more.