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I need another key for a BMW.
The dealer wants £130. A bit steep!
You can buy the blanks on ebay that would suggest you can get non-BMW dealers to copy them. However, I was told that they are tied to your chassis number somehow and you have no option but to pay the main dealer prices.
Does anyone know of cheaper option than £130 for a key?
Don't know about BMW but Vauxhall and Piaggio (Vespa) keys can be bought and the code copied onto them at any decent key cutting place, and Ford remotes can be bought off ebay too, you just have to programme them as in the manual
Just do what they did in Gone in 60 Seconds (except don't get caught by le Flics).
Pretty sure you can get a copy made from a spare key elsewhere but not without it
There are a lot of people out there who can do this for you - just Google 'car keys' and see what comes up.
It's still be £60 upwards though
I made a copy of my key for about £30. This is for a Seat mind.
Bought the key off ebay, got the chip out the spare key, got the key cut to the spare, spare key in door. New key in ignition. Keep turning till you hear a beap. They your new key is coded and all works fine 🙂
No idea if you can do this for a BM. I'd do a google search and look through forums. That will tell you.
Dunno about BMW, but I've reprogrammed Ford keys a couple of times. I've seen two different methods of this, one which requires a special red master key, and one which just involved stepping out different positions with the ignition switch to put it in programming mode.
Thinking about it, the red key might have been Vauxhall, not Ford. Either way, not a BMW.
Point is, you might be able to do it yourself. There's almost certainly a BMW owners' forum that'll tell you in seconds (or roll their eyes because you haven't read the FAQ).
What BMW?
I enquired with a few auto locksmiths last week. 1 said he couldn't do BMW keys and it was dealer only, the other 2 came back with prices of £160 and £170 for a transponder key for a 52plate 330ci.
It seems the dealers are the cheapest. You can get the 'security/concierge' key for about £20 from BMW I believe though.
Oh, and if you find a cheaper solution can you let me know. Thanks.
It's for a 54 plate Z4.
It would appear that the dealers are the only option.
I have googled it several times now and it wasn't clear from various companies but I think I have finally worked out that the blank keys on ebay are used if you want to transfer the internals from an old key thats a bit a battered, into a new case.
Thanks for all your help.
Go to the Bimmerforum and look on there.
AA key assist will come to your house and do it.don't know if it's much cheaper than a dealer though.certainly less hassle.think you can get a quote on the AA website.
markyboy - got a link? I can't find it on the AA site or via Google.
Thanks