Car Keys & Remotes

A Little Car Key History and How We Can Save You Time, Trouble and Money

Every car since the introduction of the Ford Model T to the brand new Tesla, requires the driver of these automobiles to use a key to start the engine.

In 1995 the car companies responded. The use of a Transponder Key was introduced. These keys are basically a regular mechanical key coupled with a very small radio transmitter inside a ceramic wedge or glass tube. The chip is so small that you can't see or detect it as it is buried inside the plastic or rubber head of the key. These keys are often called "Computer Chip , Smart, Immobilizer or Programmable" keys. Combining the words “Transmitter and Responder”, to form the word "Transponder", these keys communicate with the car's on-board computer or, as it is known, the Engine Control Module (ECM). A minute radio signal, operating in the frequency range of 125 kHz, "talks" to the ECM and if recognized, will allow the car to start. This communication occurs in less than a second when you turn the key. You are not aware of this process when you start your car.

The use of this technology has drastically lowered the percentage of car thefts and it seems that this form of theft prevention will be with us for a while. That is some great news. Now for the bad news. These keys can be very expensive. The average transponder key at the car dealership is about $150.00 with the necessary programming fees. Some keys can cost well over $300.00. Almost extinct is the $3.00 car key.

If the Service Writers at your car dealership tells you that they are the only entity that can make keys for your car, they are either mistaken or you may have been mislead. In most cases we can perform this exact same service. Our customers don't have to pay top dollar for keys either. We can duplicate or copy your keys for about half the rates of what the dealers charge. By setting an appointment with us, we can generally have you in and out in a matter of 10 or 15 minutes. There is no need to leave the car at the dealership for several hours any more. Our professional staff will insure that we have the proper keys and remotes before you arrive so we can assure you that your request will be fulfilled promptly. Some Roadside Service Companies will let us do this work for you at a reduced price or in many cases, for free. As you can see, it is time consuming and costly to get transponder keys. Can you imagine if you only had one key and you lost or broke it? Your situation will be much, much worse. Get that extra key TODAY.

Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) fobs, or simply, "Remotes" work in a similar manner as a transponder key and of course, we stock and replace these too.

These actually do take batteries unlike the transponders and the most common problem is a dead battery. We always have fresh batteries on hand and am glad to install them in your remotes.



Please call us FIRST and we can explain all of this in greater detail.

Is your Honda key hard to enter the door or ignition lock or difficult to turn?

Did your Toyota, Chrysler product or Mercedes ignition fail to turn with the proper key?

Is your Ford Focus ignition causing you to cry?

Did you lock the keys in your BMW and no one else could get them out?

Did your Lexus key break away from its plastic case?

These and many other questions are easily answered here. We get many, many complaints about the above problems and we have years of experience repairing and resolving these issues. We take care of these quickly and as always, you will find our rates to be very reasonable. We will cut a new key set to factory specs or replace the plastic housings or shells.

You may be aware of keys which are known as "Sidewinder Keys" or "Laser Cut Keys". The name implies that Hi-tech laser cutting equipment must be used to cut these keys and only a car dealership with a tremendous budget can afford to buy the equipment to produce these keys. Don't let the name fool you. There are no laser beams cutting your keys. These keys are cut with the same machinery that we have. It is true that a good key machine is expensive and we do have a serious investment in them but this translates to an accurate and reliable key for you.

If you are driving an older car, we stock many door, trunk and ignition locks. Let us do this work for you. Your car mechanic can do a lot of this work too, but as we specialize in this area and probably already have the parts, we are going to be less expensive. We also key any new or repaired auto lock back to the original key. No need to carry 2 or more keys to your car. Your mechanic or car dealership CAN'T do that.