What's the least expensive way to get a working spare key fob?

M

murky

:
2018 AWD GT Premium Red/Black
I've got a 2018 GT. The battery for my key was getting low, so I ordered 2 new ones. I put the one in my key, then went to put one in the spare. Where's the spare? I can't find it. My wife probably cleaned it up and it will turn up in a couple of years.

In the meantime, I need a spare key. I have a working one, what's the least expensive path to getting a working spare. It's not an emergency. I see there are keys on Ebay and Amazon for $60 or $70. Has anybody had one of these cut and programmed by an independent locksmith? What did it cost?
 
After I lost one fob, I bought 2 spares online to be sure I had 2 left in case I lost one again! I paid $120 for a locksmith to program them and cut the spare key inserts. One caution. The model # on first set of fobs I got differed by I digit at the very end from the original. I thought they were just an updated model # since they were listed as working for my CX-5. However, they could not be programmed! I had to return them and get an exact match. Oh, the price included a discount because I had AAA.
 
minnesotaart said:
After I lost one fob, I bought 2 spares online to be sure I had 2 left in case I lost one again! I paid $120 for a locksmith to program them and cut the spare key inserts. One caution. The model # on first set of fobs I got differed by I digit at the very end from the original. I thought they were just an updated model # since they were listed as working for my CX-5. However, they could not be programmed! I had to return them and get an exact match. Oh, the price included a discount because I had AAA.
Click to expand...
Yeah, most of the ones that look identical to mine are one digit lower in the number.
 
Bought one on eBay for $100. Dealer programmed it for $100. Saved $100 over what dealer wanted.
 
$200 bucks / $120 bucks ouch.

My 2nd car's key - a physical one was broken at the casing. It was a Toyota so I got the immobilizer out and bought a pair at $6 on eBay. My wife got it cut from her yota dealer for free.
$6 for a spare and a spare blank in case I need it in the future.

Price of entry and price of staying are two very different things.
 
Price for convenience. My fob for my 1994 Saab wasn't cheap either.
The Fob for my Mazda isn't going to "break off" in the ignition either. Don't lose the fob and you should never NEED to replace them.
 
7eregrine said:
Price for convenience. My fob for my 1994 Saab wasn't cheap either.
The Fob for my Mazda isn't going to "break off" in the ignition either. Don't lose the fob and you should never NEED to replace them.
Click to expand...
I lost the fob :)

It's probably in my house somewhere. But that doesn't do me any good if I can't find it when I need it. I'd rather spend $150 or so for peace of mind, even if my 2nd key shows up later. I hope I don't have to disable that 2nd key in order to get a 3rd to work. But I will if I have to.

I'm the guy who rolls my eyes when relatives say they've lost their key and they only had one. "Why didn't you have a spare, how irresponsible". I don't also want to be the guy who needs a spare and doesn't have one.
 
Oh, I am that guy, too Murky. Especaily because, going back to my Saab days, if you lost the immobilizer fob for that car and it was locked, that's a $1,200 fix.
Why do you think I bought a second one off eBay?

What's the quickest way to find a key you lost in your house?
Buy another one.
Sure as hell... 2 weeks after getting my replacement programmed, can you guess? And since I didn't have it when the other 2 were programmed, it's useless now. But I have a backup if I lose one now.
 
I've attached one of these to all of my keys (two cars - both sets) I bought the 4-pack when it was on sale.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned)

Besides finding misplaced keys from my phone, I can also find my phone using my keys. There are similar products that are cheaper. One extra feature I like is when out-of-range (Bluetooth), any other Tile customer's phone can locate it's general location. Chances are good it will eventually show-up.
 
St1ngy said:
I've attached one of these to all of my keys (two cars - both sets) I bought the 4-pack when it was on sale.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned)

Besides finding misplaced keys from my phone, I can also find my phone using my keys. There are similar products that are cheaper. One extra feature I like is when out-of-range (Bluetooth), any other Tile customer's phone can locate it's general location. Chances are good it will eventually show-up.
Click to expand...
That's a good idea for the spare. I wouldn't want one on my keychain because of space.
 
7eregrine said:
Oh, I am that guy, too Murky. Especaily because, going back to my Saab days, if you lost the immobilizer fob for that car and it was locked, that's a $1,200 fix.
Why do you think I bought a second one off eBay?

What's the quickest way to find a key you lost in your house?
Buy another one.
Sure as hell... 2 weeks after getting my replacement programmed, can you guess? And since I didn't have it when the other 2 were programmed, it's useless now. But I have a backup if I lose one now.
Click to expand...

You were right. All I had to do was order a replacement key and my wife found it in a seldom used jacket's pocket.

I ordered it Tuesday from a place with "same day shipping". Hasn't shipped yet. We'll see if I can cancel it and buy a key finder for my spare instead.
 
Anchorman said:
You can buy this scanner for about fifty bucks and do it yourself if you have a blank.
Click to expand...
Thank you Anchorman, you are a wealth of information. Now I'm intrigued to try it, even though I probably don't need a 3rd key.

I've read that Mazda has updated FW that make some 3rd party tools no longer work. That gives me a little hesitance to go this route, but at this price it isn't a huge deal to play around with it.
 
Got one. Looks like the Autel MaxiAP AP200 doesn't have immobilizer function for anything newer than 2011 or so for a Mazda, from what I can tell.
 
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