{"id":245407,"date":"2023-11-16T17:21:51","date_gmt":"2023-11-16T17:21:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/automotobuzz.com\/?p=245407"},"modified":"2023-11-16T17:21:51","modified_gmt":"2023-11-16T17:21:51","slug":"ive-been-a-mechanic-for-56-years-dont-fall-for-a-common-dealership-key-rip","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/automotobuzz.com\/car-reviews\/ive-been-a-mechanic-for-56-years-dont-fall-for-a-common-dealership-key-rip\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018I\u2019ve been a mechanic for 56 years – don’t fall for a common dealership key rip-"},"content":{"rendered":"

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A new spare key from a car dealership can cost as much as \u00a3400 ($500) \u2014 but an experienced mechanic has outlined a few straightforward steps to prevent you from falling into this money pit.<\/p>\n

The auto technician, Scotty Kilmer, published his advice on YouTube, with drivers reacting to the lesson in comments.\u00a0<\/p>\n

First, Scotty (@scottykilmer) explains in his YouTube clip that you always need two car keys since most keys nowadays come with anti-theft technology, meaning they\u2019re programmed to only work on your vehicle, so losing your only copy spells bad news.<\/p>\n

Misplacing your only key will make the replacement more difficult and expensive, given the original version won\u2019t be there to streamline the process.<\/p>\n

Scotty first instructs viewers with one key to go to eBay or Amazon to buy a blank key for their car.<\/p>\n

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Next, he recommends visiting a locksmith so you can have the blank key cut to match your original.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He clarifies locksmiths will reprogram a blank fob to match your vehicle if your car uses an electronic key.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Scotty estimates this locksmith stage will cost around $50, which he emphasizes is less than an average dealership\u2019s rates.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

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Lastly, Scotty urges viewers to safely store their vehicle\u2019s second key in an organized drawer so it\u2019s easily accessible if needed.<\/p>\n

One viewer commented on Scotty\u2019s video: \u201c50 bucks![?] Ford dealerships ripped me off. I paid [$]350 for a new key and key fob.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Another YouTube account gave Scotty a testimonial: \u201cYes, thanks, Scotty \u2014 took your advice on the Locksmith to fix a proximity chip issue with one of my vehicles; [it] was 1\/3 the cost of what the dealer wanted!\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n