Getting a new key for a used car.

[SDG 3319]

Surly’s help me out here.  What’s the best/cheapest way to get a spare key for a used car you bought that only came with one?  Is the dealership my only option?  
 

I have a 2012 Mini Cooper that I bought to drive around because it’s manual but my OCD keeps bugging me about a spare key...

[TwiceHorn 31686]

Are you talking key key or remote or both?

Dealer is of course the most expensive option.  Amazon and ebay have much cheaper remote options and some include a key blank and some don't.  

I am fairly certain that by 2012 all keys have to be "cut" by the dealer using the VIN, which is going to cost more than a locksmith or home depot, but if you can bring the fob with a blank, you'll save some.

Remotes usually can be programmed DIY using instructions from the manual or found online.

Edited March 6, 2021 by TwiceHorn

[KYHorn 17278]

Yeah, lots of factors here. As twice said, a regular remote is pretty easy to find cheap and program. But, if you have keyless entry or other more complex features, it's much more difficult to avoid the dealer.

[TwiceHorn 31686]

I found myself in a similar situation, buying a car that came with only one key.  I bought another off ebay or amazon and spent the extra to get one with a key in it.  I wound up never getting the key cut.

But, it saved my bacon once as something happened to change the programming/setting that wouldn't let the car lock automatically with the key in it.  I stopped at a grocery store on the way back from an MTB ride and had my keys in my camelbak and got out of the car.  It beeped normally to indicate hey, dummy, keys in car.  Then it beeped again and I couldn't get back in it.  Not sure what was going on there.

Anyway, I was able to go home and get the other fob and unlock it.  I never used the metal key to open a door or the trunk except as an experiment in 8 years of ownership.

[SDG 3319]

It’s a remote that has a laser cut key. 

[VirginiaLonghorn 4808]

... tried and true. 

[TwiceHorn 31686]

Looks like the going rate is about $40 on amazon.  https://www.amazon.com/mini-cooper-key-fob-replacement/s?k=mini+cooper+key+fob+replacement

Not quite clear to me whether most, all, or none of those include the key blank.  Just be aware that some of the fobs/remotes will not include the key blank.

Edited March 6, 2021 by TwiceHorn

[SDG 3319]

2 hours ago, VirginiaLonghorn said:

... tried and true. 

If having only one key triggers my OCD what do you think that would do?  
 

csb ~ I once drove home, only about 2-3 miles, because I remembered I left a kitchen cabinet door open and needed to shut it.  I was 10-15 minutes late for work...

 

im not major ocd or anything but little details, like the key thing, bother me enough that I want to fix them.  I bought the car knowing it had 1 key so it isn’t the end all be all.   

My only goal here is to keep the cost under the 3-400 the dealership is going to charge and I know others on surly have probably had to get new keys.  

 

 

[VirginiaLonghorn 4808]

19 minutes ago, SDG said:

If having only one key triggers my OCD what do you think that would do?  
 

csb ~ I once drove home, only about 2-3 miles, because I remembered I left a kitchen cabinet door open and needed to shut it.  I was 10-15 minutes late for work...

Imo not major ocd or anything but little details, like the key thing, bother me enough that I want to fix them.  I bought the car knowing it had 1 key so it isn’t the end all be all.   

My only goal here is to keep the cost under the 3-400 the dealership is going to charge and I know others on surly have probably had to get new keys. 

I figured it was a solution to having only one ignition key.

However, being a whack job is a completely different topic ... good luck with that around here.

[SDG 3319]

4 minutes ago, VirginiaLonghorn said:

I figured it was a solution to having only one ignition key.

However, being a whack job is a completely different topic ... good luck with that around here.

Lol. Everyone on this site is a whack job (read the game threads).  I take pride in my wackiness being stuck at level 1 compared to most of these assholes.  

[fattyflattie 4639]

Wife’s last ride only had 1. I intended to, but never got another made. I don’t know how it never got lost in 9 years we had it.