What's Holding Back What's Holding Back The Car Key Replacements Industry?
Car Key Replacements Losing a key can be costly, regardless of whether it's a standard lock-and-key or a high-end key fob. It's ideal to keep a spare key in your wallet. If you lose a key, the cheapest solution is to hire an auto locksmith. A dealership could be more costly, but it's an excellent option. Mechanical Keys Your car keys will likely be mechanical if you have an old vehicle that doesn't use key fobs. These standard keys can be made of brass, steel, or a combination between brass and nickel. The keys are cut on a key duplicator, which uses the blank key as a template, and an original key against the opposite side of the machine. The original key is cut using a special cutter to create a duplicate. Transponder Keys The majority of newer cars are equipped with a transponder chip built into the key that is used to unlock and start the vehicle. These chips can be found in the ignition, or the key head. When the key is inserted into the ignition, the transponder transmits a signal that is received by the computer system of the car. The computer analyzes the signal and ensures that it matches with the correct serial number. This makes it almost impossible for a stolen car to be started without the owner's keys. If the signal is not in sync the vehicle won't start. This is a huge benefit to deter car thefts, as it decreases the chance of someone else driving off with your car. The downside of transponder keys is that it costs more than a standard flat metal key. The transponder is a microchip which is expensive to manufacture and put into a car key. These keys are typically expensive when bought from a dealership. A locksmith can offer cheaper and more trustworthy transponder key replacements. Beishir Lock and Security carries a large assortment of these keys and can even reprogramme the chip to work with your car in-the-moment for a fraction of cost of a dealership. Be sure to check out estimates when looking for the replacement transponder keys. The final price is influenced by a variety of factors, including the make and model of your vehicle, the additional features you can get on the key (such as a remote-control key fob) and the location you select to have it copied. Ultimately, replacement car keys should consider the advantages of a transponder key against the cost and convenience. If you value security and safety, then a transponder key could be worth the cost in the long term. Additionally, many modern vehicles have an immobilizer that will not allow the car to start if a key that is not transponder is utilized and this is a further reason to think about. Laser-Cut Keys Although they may appear like something from an sci-fi film Laser cut keys are in fact quite common and provide an additional layer of security for cars. They are created using specially designed key cutting equipment and are more difficult to duplicate or steal from thieves than traditional cut keys. In contrast to traditional keys with grooves cut into one side, laser cut car keys have slits cut on both sides. They can be put into the lock cylinder any way and still function. This means that they tend to be sturdy and stronger than standard keys. They can also be utilized as a bonus to unlock certain locks with high security. This is due to the slits being tooled into a specific depth that is compatible with various codes of the car manufacturers. Getting the right depth is crucial as an incorrectly cut blade could cause damage to the key cutting machine and cause the key to stop working shortly after being placed into the lock cylinder. The unique slits and increased thickness of laser-cut car keys make them more resistant to copying. A lot of these keys include a transponder that is unique to your car. This means that even if a person copies your car key with a transponder chip, they won't be able to start your vehicle. While these extra layers of security could make a laser-cut car key more expensive than other types but the truth is that they're still much less than buying a new one from your dealership. Locksmiths often cut these keys faster than dealerships for cars. A car key that is laser cut's quality can make a huge difference. A bad blade could easily damage the machine that cuts keys or your lock cylinder, which could result in a costly repair cost. This is why it's important to purchase your laser-cut car key from a reputable company that sells keys to auto locksmiths. Bibens Ace South Burlington offers an extensive selection of replacement car key fob keys for more than 250 different models and makes of automobiles, as well as laser-cut sidewinder key replacements. Visit us today to find out how you can save money on replacement car fobs, without having to go to a dealer! Remote Keys Not too long ago having lost or misplaced your car keys was not an issue. You could contact an expert locksmith, get an alternate and then drive away. Nowadays, however, cars are more advanced in technology and keys can be harder to replace and harder for thieves to duplicate. It's now more expensive to replace a lost car key. Depending on the type of key that you have, the price to replace it will differ. For traditional keys you can have a copy made for about $10 at a hardware shop, or you can hire an automotive locksmith to come to you and create a key right there. If you have an intelligent key, transponder key with switchblade, or a transponder key with remote start, you will need to visit your dealership to get it replaced. This can be very costly and could take a while to obtain the new key from the manufacturer which will delay your getting back on the road. Sometimes, as with any other electronic device keys for cars will stop working without reason. This can be due to extreme heat or cold however, it can also be caused from an unsatisfactory battery or water in the keyfob following rain. If you notice that your car key isn't responding, you should consider trying to reset it before calling an auto locksmith. It's also important to know that your key fob can only function when it's within reach of the car. This is the reason it's essential to keep your key fob close to you at all times and never let it go out of your pocket unless you're sure that you can return it promptly. A majority of people lose their keys to their car by dropping them or misplacing keys. In some cases this could cause it to break or get stuck in the lock and this is why it's always an ideal idea to have an extra available at all times.