Lost Car Keys

2016-12-30 by Todd Franklin

Sometimes we seem not to lose our car keys. It is as it they developed a mind of their own and wander of. We tend to look for them in the unlikeliest of places; coat pockets or underneath the couch cushions. Sometimes we find them again, at other times though, we lost them completely. At times like this, the logical option is to get a replacement.

Well this was a viable option over a decade ago before the 90s when you could easily walk into a hardware store and purchase a spare key or walk into a locksmith shop and leave a freshly cut car key. Another option could be to request a spare key from an auto dealership shop. Back then, car keys could be replaced with relative ease. Unfortunately, the simple nature of car key design made it an easy target for car thieves. Cars were stolen from where they are been parked because their keys had no security feature to such theft. Today, advances in key technology make car theft very difficult, but this welcome development comes at a great cost the high cost getting replacement car keys.

Should you need to replace your car key, why not take a look at some likely costs you might incur along with some other alternatives for replacing them. These quotes are not exhaustive; they were gotten from auto dealership shops in few major cities in the USA. I must not forget to tell you that an hour of labor in these regions costs over 100$, this is to guide your decision making, the prices herein isn't definitive.

Basic keys and fob

Car keys were originally designed to be functional and were without any security feature. They were not designed to provide secure access to cars. In fact, prior to the mid 90s a car key could easily pass for a house key as it had cuts and groves similar to that of a house key. Due to its simple design it wasn't difficult to get a locksmith to produce a replacement key in case you lose your car key. At those times, car key accessory such as its key fob could be purchased from a locksmith or from an online shop. Until the past decade, car key replacement was not expensive but that cannot be said of our times. They are now variety expensive alternatives to choose from.

Transponder keys

A greater emphasis on creating car keys with advanced security features began in the mid 1990's. From that time on cars makers began to have a transponder chip embedded in the key head. This new security feature made cars more secure. The embedded chip communicates with a receiver in the car ignition via signal to authenticate that the right key has been inserted into the ignition, is it detects that a wrong key has been used, this chip acts as an immobiliser by preventing the car from starting.

Laser cut keys

Another product of advancement in keys technology is the laser cut key. These keys are quite distinct because they are not cut out like the regular keys we see around. Their shanks are a little bit thicker and have fewer grooves on it. Its distinctive feature makes it uneasy to come by because the equipment needed to make this type of key is quite expensive than a regular key cutter equipment. As such, it is rarely replicated due to the rarity of the machine at the local hardware store or locksmith shop.

Switchblade key

Another type of car key is the switch blade. It is an improvement over the laser cut key. Its features combine security and cost effectiveness. It possesses a fold-able shank that can be folded into the fob when not in use. These keys are designed in way that their components may be purchased separately. This makes replacing this type of key cheaper because should any part of the key be damaged, take for example the shank, only that shank need to be replaced, which can be bought at about 60-70$ depending on where you live.

Smart key

These types of keys are actually not the common keys we see around. Smart keys are basically keys with a fob but without a shank, so the fob is actually the key. It is a technologically advanced key that operates using electronic signal. They are now advanced such that they need not to be inserted in the ignition of the car to turn it on, through the touch of one button, a vehicle engine can be turned on or off.

Better Safe than Sorry

Losing one's car keys isn't a palatable experience. The expense and stress involved while trying to get another one especially when there is an emergency can be wearisome. It is therefore important for one to mitigate these conditions by getting a spare key, program it all by oneself in order to reduce to the labor costs incurred when purchasing a key. Having considered the various ways by which cost can be reduced, the best option will be to get a spare key long before an emergency as this will enable full advantage of the most cost effective alternative at your disposal.