Technological Keys Can Be Costly

Aug 19, 2016


nolan blog header graphic

It is in the best interest of car dealers and manufacturers to have you utilize their automotive service centers for any issues with your car, and replacement keys are no exception. As manufacturers add more and more safety features to car key entry systems and keys, it is forcing drivers to visit their dealership for replacements. Are all of these safety features actually saving you anything?

dreamstime_xxl_31259248Expensive Safety Features

Safety features added to car keys, locks, and ignition systems seem great, with no possible downsides. Feeling a fob or microchipped key in your hand somehow makes you feel safe, in knowing that your car is less likely to be stolen or broken into. But, is this really true? In reality, it is so unlikely that your car will be stolen by a thief that insurance companies automatically consider the primary suspect in every pending auto theft to be the owner of the car. Yes, you are the most likely person to steal your car.

Okay, but still, safety features are great, right? After all, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Well, not necessarily. It is actually far more likely that the safety features will make you sorry. For instance, replacing a car key for a vehicle from the early 90s would cost about 8-12 dollars, but that sum jumps to around 90 dollars for vehicles 10 years older, and replacement car keys for vehicles made now can be easily over 500 dollars. That’s a 6,150 percent increase in cost to replace a single car key over about 20 years.

Dealership Service = Big Business

Dealerships make most of their profits from their automotive service centers, and will gladly accept any excuse for you to use their service over another. The pressure put on manufacturers from dealerships to increase the likelihood your vehicle will enter their service bay is immense. In fact, some manufacturers are are attempting to make fobs for which they have sole proprietary claim on the ability create and recreate standard in all of their vehicles. It is a scary thought that future drivers could be forced to go only to a licensed dealership for a replacement car key, instead of an expert locksmith.

Call Your Local Locksmith First

You do have options. By choosing to partner with a local locksmith, you stand to save major money, and won’t be upsold into unnecessary repairs or installations. Here, that means contact the experts at Buckeye Locksmiths, Columbus’ Top Rated Local® locksmiths, before you call the dealership. We’ll come to you, and never attempt to pressure you with upsells.