Here’s How Much More It Costs To Replace A Modern Key Than A 1990s Key

I recently bought a 2014 BMW i3, which I love. What I don’t love is that it only came with a single key, which may seem like a minor problem until you realize: A replacement key costs as much as a car. Here’s how much more a new key for my i3 costs than a new one for my 1994 Jeep.

This is my first time looking for a replacement key for a modern vehicle with a key fob, and I have to say: I’m appalled. Ever since I could drive, I’ve only ever purchased cars with basic keys like this one in my 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Have a look:

This is about as simple a key as one can ask for. There’s no fob, no chip — just a metal key that needs to be cut just right to actuate the tumblers in the doors and ignition switch.

My 2014 BMW i3, though, comes with this key fob, which has within it an old-school key that’s there just to be used in case of an emergency:

I recently stopped by Ace Hardware to get a new key for my 1994 Jeep, and as you can see, it was dirt cheap:

Only 5.99! Even that is a bit more than I used to pay, but I’ll take it. Meanwhile, the quote I got from BMW for a new i3 key? Oh boy:

FIVE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-SIX DOLLARS AND EIGHTY-THREE CENTS! Sorry for all the caps, but that’s over $570 more to replace my i3 key than to replace the key for my Jeep, which I bought for less than $500. And sure, I get that the i3 key is more complex, but their functions — and what they represent to their owners — are the same. The key lets you in the car and lets you start the car. It is a critical function, and therefore having to replace it should be affordable.

It’s not just me saying it. The Center for Auto Safety agrees, as you can see in this story from about 20 years ago:

Technology was supposed to set us free, but in the car industry it’s locking us out of our vehicles. And as many more car keys contain electronic chips and come equipped with computerized anti-theft ignition systems, this problem looks set to worsen, experts say.

The days of visiting a hardware store for an extra car key are quickly vanishing, and consumers and advocacy groups say the time needed to replace missing or lost electronic keys is inordinately long and expensive and drivers may have no recourse when dealerships are not open. Getting a new electronic key can cost hundreds of dollars, including the cost of towing a car.

Unlike an old-fashioned mechanical key, which unlocks a door or starts an ignition with its teeth, an electronic car key works by sending a code that must be read electronically before a vehicle’s engine will start. The technology for these keys is evolving rapidly and only a few locksmiths are investing in the technology needed to replace them, meaning most drivers who lose their keys are forced to visit a dealership for a replacement.

The Center for Auto Safety, a consumer advocacy group founded by the Consumers Union and Ralph Nader, recently petitioned the Federal Trade Commission to investigate auto companies for not releasing the codes needed to duplicate keys and for charging high fees for replacement key and for reprogramming car computers with new codes.

 

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So this isn’t anything new. It’s just that prices have gotten out of hand. Look at this person on Reddit who recently replaced their i3 fob:

I got a second fob for mine recently and the key and setup at the dealership was 750$.

$750 for a key fob; unreal.

For what it’s worth, there are a few success stories floating out there of folks having local locksmiths come out and program keys for $300, but it looks like many of those had to use a different key than the one the i3 came with from the factory, and it seems people’s success rates on that vary.

Anyway, this is just me yelling at a cloud. I’ll be buying an Apple AirTag so I can make do with this single fob. No way am I spending over $550.

Image: eBay seller; DepositPhotos.com