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Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,609
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Lost Car Key Replacement


@Biftu wrote:

My friend lost his Subaru car keys while food shopping.  A store employee helped him look to no avail.  He called me to pick him up so he could go home and get his other car key.  He called the dealer and they charge $340 for a new key!  Has anyone run into this problem?  


@Biftu   Be glad it's not a BMW key fob.  For the 530i, it would cost $750.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,960
Registered: ‎05-21-2010

Re: Lost Car Key Replacement


@Desertdi wrote:

@50Mickey     I have a full 19" wheel from my previous car stashed in my current trunk.    The new car only came with a "tire inflating kit".    I said to the salesman....."You think I'm gonna stand by the side of the road and do something like that?"     So he switched the kit for the old wheel......for free.


@Desertdi    Exactly. Driving back from Atlanta to Savannah once I had a blow out on 1-16 around 9:00 pm. With trucks zooming past me I was terrified that I was going to be killed. What good would a tire inflating kit do if the tire is shredded? If I purchase a new car that does not have a spare you better believe that I will find a tire and a tire changing kit ASAP. To me this is a safety issue that the car manufacturers are skimping on. 

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Honored Contributor
Posts: 24,105
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Lost Car Key Replacement


@50Mickey wrote:

@Desertdi wrote:

@50Mickey     I have a full 19" wheel from my previous car stashed in my current trunk.    The new car only came with a "tire inflating kit".    I said to the salesman....."You think I'm gonna stand by the side of the road and do something like that?"     So he switched the kit for the old wheel......for free.


@Desertdi    Exactly. Driving back from Atlanta to Savannah once I had a blow out on 1-16 around 9:00 pm. With trucks zooming past me I was terrified that I was going to be killed. What good would a tire inflating kit do if the tire is shredded? If I purchase a new car that does not have a spare you better believe that I will find a tire and a tire changing kit ASAP. To me this is a safety issue that the car manufacturers are skimping on. 


Car manufacturers are cutting out spare tires to help them meet modern mileage standards. Every ounce of weight added to a car takes a tick more fuel to power the car and thus lowers your mileage. Spare tires weigh about thirty pounds so they can save a lot by leaving them out. You won't find a lot of steel in modern cars. Aluminum, carbon fiber, composites, plastics, weigh less, so they get used more. If you're a car designer and you can find a way to save a few ounces on the weight of a new car, you're a hero within the company. If you can save thirty pounds, you're a god. With the volume of wheels/tires car manufacturers buy the cost-saving is likely well under $100 for leaving out the spare tire, but the weight saving is more significant. 

 

The current penalty for car companies that fail to meet the CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) standards is $55 per every MPG they fall short per car they sell. If their car falls five MPG below the CAFE standard they have to pay $275 per car. In 2006 Mercedes Benz paid over $30 million in penalties as their cars fell 2.2 MPG short of the standard. In addition to the costs, the CAFE standards, according to a study done by the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis, found that an additional 2,200-3,900 motorist deaths per year were caused by those standards as carmakers make their vehicles smaller and lighter to try and meet the CAFE standards and avoid the government fines and penalties. 

Fly!!! Eagles!!! Fly!!!
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,179
Registered: ‎02-05-2011

Re: Lost Car Key Replacement

I noticed that Amazon has blank car keys for different model cars for $50.  Looks like you can bring the blank key to a locksmith to cut.  Wonder if this is an option.

Super Contributor
Posts: 405
Registered: ‎07-17-2020

Re: Lost Car Key Replacement

Mine was 200.00 to go thru the dealer! It's insane~

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,640
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Lost Car Key Replacement

All this talk about dead batteries in car fobs inspired me to change the batteries in my 2017 Subaru Forester fobs last night.  I've had the car for 4½ years now & I couldn't recall if I'd ever changed them.  The car has the push button type starter.

 

I kept setting off the alarm on the car out in my closed garage while swapping the batteries out on my kitchen counter at 11pm!  I was trying to keep the fob steady on the counter & the alarm button kept being inadvertantly pressed against the coutertop.  Oy! The fob I carry with me has a silicone skin on it & it took me awhile to get that thing off so I could work on getting the fob itself open to change the batteries.  I hope I'm good for awhile now!

Honored Contributor
Posts: 10,152
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Lost Car Key Replacement

@aubnwa01 - The saleswoman told me, when I got my new Forester last week, that the fob battery seldom dies and, even if it does, you can still start the car by holding the fob against the starter button.

 

She said there would still be enough power to start the car.  I never had to replace the battery in my 2012 key fob, nor in my DH's 2015 so far.

Contributor
Posts: 43
Registered: ‎12-02-2020

Re: Lost Car Key Replacement

Most Auto Insurance Companies will cover key replacement if you have Roadside Assistance on your policy.  The claim does not have an impact on your rates unless you are a frequent abuser.  In most cases you need to pay for the key and then submit the receipt for reimbursement.  It's woth calling your company to ask if you are covered.