New Ford Keys.

[Guest dinger]

I'm all for getting a bargain and dont like getting ripped off, And often see dealer labour rates of over £100 per hour, Key programming is a specialist area and the hardware and software cost thousands of pounds and when every manufacturer uses different software I can see why they charge 55 quid for a key,

And its a constantly changing world so new software and updates all cost alot of money, All the consumer see's is a few minutes of their time for the price,

 

Mercedes used to supply new keys to customers without the vehicle being at the dealer, The key would come ready programmed with settings from the factory in Germany, All you would need is ID and a logbook in your name, this was until someone with Fake ID and a Fake logbooked ordered a key for an £80,000 AMG model, then stole the car with the keys,

Now they ask for the car to be transported to the dealer before the key is ordered, The key can take upto a week to arrive and they charge you storage for the car until the key turns up,

 

Now, Most breakdown companies do not cover you for lost keys imagine the cost to the consumer of all this,

 

 

Oh, on top of that, In the 8 years I have been in the breakdown trade, I've not yet met a vehicle locksmith that will have the software to programme a merc key,,,

[Guest gdc]

nigel you forgot the lube £120 to make it comfortable

[Al Milton]

Different angle but similar theme, don't lose the immobiliser code if you have a VW/Audi etc.

 

Mate of mine had his diesel injection pump changed at a non franchised dealer 3 weeks ago.

Because the pump is linked to the immobiliser, the garage needed the code in order to reset and 'teach' the new pump to the immobiliser.

 

Suffice to say, as he bought the car second hand he didn't get the code. After searching t'internet, every avenue pointed to main dealer, £125 for 10 mins work as it can only be reset by the factory in Germany!!!

Alas, the local dealer is being a little snotty (because they didn't get the original work?) and has said they can't do this for 3 weeks - he is still waiting for the car to come back, there is no option B. But the main dealer will not give you the new (or reset) code once they have programmed in.

 

But there are legal cases going through the courts in the US (where else?), whereby they are challenging this. Their case is, if you own the car, then you own the code in order to operate the car. The code is not the property of the manufacturer.

 

Similar to buying a house but then having to buy the keys separately I guess.

 

Just a heads up!

 

Al