Extra key (and remote) with the correct immobiliser

[gregozedobe]

There is no way that the Skoda/VW keys have anything more expensive or tricky in them, and previously cars used to have instructions in the manuals describing how to program the remotes by pressing certain buttons inside in the car in a certain order without the need to get your dealer to do it. Our old 95 Falcon Futura even did. Hmm very good way or VAG to make things more expensive/tricky for no real reason except to make more $$

We can program our cars ourselves to accept new remotes without any special tools (it is described in the owner's manual).

New remotes and key blades are readily available from non-VAG sources for sort-of-reasonable prices (I got a complete, working spare key for my VW for under $100, which is why I tried to do the same for my Octy).

The real tricky thing is getting the correct transponder (immobiliser chip or RFID) for the latest model cars. Skoda (and I would guess all the VAG brands) are continually improving the security on these, and the fact that it locks you into them as the sole supplier (at whatever cost they want to charge) would be seen by Skoda as just a pleasant side-effect. I have bought ID48 transponders for only $6.00 each, but cannot program them correctly.

I guess it is a pain when you are trying to buy a new key, but the rest of the time it makes your car very hard to steal. I believe they are near impossible to drive away without the right key, and that is generally a good thing.

[brad]

OR NOT, AS THE MODS SEE FIT!

Fixed for you.

Wrong forum / wrong mods / wrong car brand Mister. Bored?


Back on topic.

A replacement "key" for swmbos Outlander is ~$1000 according to her fleet manager (somebody else in her company lost one). That's the full keyless entry & start unit (great stuff it is too - not a gimick)

I'm at a bit of a loss how you lock the keys in the car though.

[gregozedobe]

I'm at a bit of a loss how you lock the keys in the car though.

Yeah, in theory you could only lock your keys in the boot if you had the car locked, unlocked the boot, put the keys down in the boot while you got something out of the boot, then shut the boot lid. The car will then lock the boot voila, keys locked in car !

In practice there must be another way of doing it, as an awful lot of people seem to manage it somehow (not via the boot). I gather Skodas aren't that hard to get into, or maybe in these circumstances they are only locked rather than deadlocked, as the motoring assist people in the UK seem to be able to help out.

I have programmed myself and my Missus to physically check we have possession of the remote before we shut the last door or hatch. With our previous cars all we had to do was make sure we locked the car with a key or remote, but these "self-locking" ones are slightly more demanding.

I also have a back-up plan, but cannot reveal that on a public forum (think plain "dead" key).

[wombatoutofhell]

I read a long term test online where the tester unlocked the car and opened the passengers door to put something in and threw the keys onto the drivers seat. The car locked-I think it's because it does that if the drivers door hasn't been opened withing 30 seconds or something?

[ron3kl]

I'm not sure how much the dealer would charge you for a complete key, last time I asked about a VW one it was around $500 plus coding.

As gregozedobe already knows, I bought my RS from the same salesman as him and when taking delivery of the car it went like this:

"Ron, do you want a second key for your car?"

"Um, yes...."

"Well that'll be an extra $500!"

stunned silence

"No, No, just kidding Ron! You get two keys!"

"And how much is a spare key actually then?"

"They really are $500, so look after them Ron. You don't want to lose one."


Funny guy, but I think that even the Skoda sales staff were aghast at the cost.

[gregozedobe]

"They really are $500, so look after them Ron. You don't want to lose one."

At least you do know they are very expensive and difficult to replace quickly, and so can make sure you look after them carefully.

I feel for any poor sod who loses or damages the only one they have because they thought they were only $50 or $100 to replace and you could get one without any drama at any locksmith or dealer. Imagine their shock when they find out the truth (and then get told they can't drive their car until the new key arrives from overseas ! ).

[Zombie]

I just phoned the local dealer who advised it was $440 for key and remote for my T5.

..around $200 for key alone without programming.

It's totally out of control...

[wfdTamar]

Well, I've just bought a brand new complete uncut Skoda key off ebay UK for $95 so it'll be interesting to see if it works after I get it cut and code it with the VCDS. At worst it'll allow me to get into the car if I lock the one key I have inside.

[redline3345]

So, after all this, my advice is:

1 Don't lose your keys, they are precious and difficult to replace.

2 If you want a spare, buy the key half from your local dealer, and buy the remote half from fleaBay (or me, I have 2 "spare" spares).

3 If you think you may end up locking your keys in your car (very easy to do), it is fairly cheap to get a "dead" (ie no transponder) key, and hide it somewhere on your car's exterior (please, be creative about your hiding spot, otherwise you may find your insurer asking awkward questions). This will allow you to get into your car, but it can't be driven away with this dead key.

.

Can you explain what you mean by the "key half" and the "remote half"?
My keys only have the battery compartment lid come off, and don't appear to disassemble any further than that.

[gregozedobe]

Can you explain what you mean by the "key half" and the "remote half"?
My keys only have the battery compartment lid come off, and don't appear to disassemble any further than that.

Hmmm, sounds like Skoda has followed VW's recent lead and changed the Key fob so it is a one-piece unit. So now you can't buy a separate remote half for these newer ones.

The older versions of fobs were a two piece unit. with one half being the remote (locking and unlocking doors only), with the key (blade) and rfid (immobiliser) chip for the ignition switch being the other half (they literally separated into two pieces, each about the same size as each other).

This will probably mean Skoda is the only practical supplier for key fobs (as the correct rfid chips seem to be very difficult/near impossible to source - I never did find any that would work for my Octy, and they seemed to tighhten these security thing up as newer models come out).

So my previous advice is more relevant then ever - look after your Skoda keys, they are expensive and difficult to replace.