There is no single price for a car key, because a 2008 Corolla key and a 2022 BMW key are completely different jobs. Here is what actually moves the price, so you know what to ask when you call.
The type of key
A basic chip key (a transponder key) is the simplest. A remote head or flip key adds buttons that also have to be paired. A push-to-start smart key is the most involved, because the car has to accept it as a proximity key.
For reference, our published Dallas–Fort Worth prices run from about $130 for a basic transponder key to around $520 for many European keys. In Orange County we quote each job on the phone, because the mix of cars here is different and we want the price to be exact, not a range.
A spare costs less than a lost key
If you still have one working key, adding a second is the cheapest key job there is. When every key is gone, the key has to be made from scratch and the old keys erased, which takes more time.
European and luxury cars
BMW, MINI, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Porsche and Land Rover store key data in a security module. The data has to be read and written to the new key, which takes better tools and more time. A few of the newest models can only get keys from the dealer, and we tell you that on the phone before anyone drives out.
Why the dealer is usually more
Most dealers need the car on their lot, so if you have no key you pay for a tow, then wait for an appointment and sometimes for the key to be ordered. A mobile locksmith brings the key machine and the programming tools to the car.
How to get an exact price
Call with the year, make and model, tell us whether you still have a working key, and tell us where the car is. That is all we need to give you an exact price before we drive out.
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