Affordable Ways to Get New Car Keys
Car keys aren’t made the way they used to be. You can’t just take your car key down to the local hardware store and have a duplicate cut. Nowadays, car keys have chips inside that are specially coded to the car and can be programmed to perform different functions. Some car keys don’t even look like keys at all. They are small orbs that have buttons on them that can be pressed to lock or unlock the car or set the alarm. The fob has a chip inside that is detected when it’s close to the starter, and you just have to push a button on the dash to start the car.
These keys are not cheap to replace. You can spend a few hundred dollars on the more advanced keys. But you also can’t afford NOT to get a replacement key in Mesa. You need a spare so that you aren’t left high and dry if you get locked out of your car or if you lose your keys. Here are a few ways you can get replacement or spare keys affordably:
Replace the Batteries
Before you look into buying a new car key, start by making sure the key you have doesn’t just need new batteries. The fix can be as cheap as a few dollars and take you less than a minute.
If you have a key fob and a car with push-button start, just having dead batteries in the fob can be enough to leave you stranded. The car won’t start without that fob, and the fob won’t work without batteries. Keep spare batteries on hand in your home and in your car. Also pay attention to your car’s warnings that the battery is getting low. Don’t wait for the battery to die to replace it.
Go to an Auto Locksmith
Perhaps the easiest and most affordable way to get a key replaced is to go to a Mesa, AZ auto locksmith. You can have the key made based on your vehicle identification number, which is found inside the door panel on the car itself as well as on your insurance paperwork. In some cases, you may be able to get a key made based on the make and model.
An auto locksmith also specializes in on the spot car key making in Mesa, such as when your key breaks off in the ignition or when your keys are locked in the car. You can have a key made in an emergency, or you can see the locksmith ahead of time to have a spare made. You’ll end up spending far less with an auto locksmith than you would with the dealership.
Buy from a Dealer
Dealer costs are almost always more than anywhere else you will shop, no matter what you are buying. But sometimes, you have no other choice than to shop with the dealer. You might have a specialized key that has parts that can only be replaced by the dealer or that can only be programmed by the dealer. This would be rare, but it is worth calling the dealer first to ask if this will be the case for your key. That way you will save money on going to another provider and paying for a service visit just to be told that they can’t complete the key.
Buying spare or replacement car keys can be expensive, but there are ways to save if you are savvy. Just don’t wait until you are in an emergency situation to get the key, such as losing your only key or breaking it off in the lock. Shopping on a time limit and without options means that you’ll always pay more.
In Arizona, U.S. Key Service offers mobile car key making and basic services such as creating duplicate keys. We offer on the spot car key making if you get locked out or break a key in the lock, and we can also repair door locks and ignitions. But we also make duplicate keys for both foreign and domestic models, and we program transponder keys. Call us in Arizona today to get a spare key made, or put our number in your phone for the next time you need mobile car key making in an emergency. We offer 24/7 emergency service in Arizona.
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