Whether you intend to buy a new automotive key as a spare or have misplaced the original ones, knowing the different key types that you can purchase can avoid you from having to spend hundreds for it. Automotive keys can be purchased from car dealers, hardware depots, and your local locksmith shop.
Automotive Key Types
Automotive keys come in various types, the most basic of which costs about $3 and doesn’t contain any particular features such as anti-theft that protect the car from getting stolen. It is much cheaper to have it done by a local locksmith than to get one from a car dealer, who can charge up to three times the price, especially for those who want it with the car brand on them.
The second and most common type is transponders. When the correct key is identified by the automobile’s computerized database, it contains a small microchip that provides the codes to start the car’s ignition. Depending on the car brand, mechanical or laser transponders are used. Because the chip in the key is passive, it costs less because it does not require a battery to function.
A master-key alternatively is the most costly costing hundreds for a replacement. It’s used to reprogram the vehicle’s safety information in case the original keys were misplaced and a new one is purchased. Master keys are inadequate these days because car manufacturers are now depending more on smart or VATs keys.
Locksmiths can replace or repair automotive keys
We all know how costly replacement or repair can be if you head to the car dealer and ask for an extra to be made for you. As an alternative, you can have the replacement or repair done by your local locksmith. Locksmith Arlington TX offers a wide range of lock services and keys, including vehicle keys that are less expensive than those sold by car dealerships.