topic Re: highway robbery! in Community Spirit

highway robbery!

davidc4430 — Wed, 20 Jan 2021 02:49:34 GMT

my commodores key has started not wanting to unlock my car

i figured its got a battery in it and prolly needs replacing

so today i dropped into my local former holden dealer (they still have holden stuff everywhere inside)

they took a look at my key and gave me the 'oh yours doesnt have a battery it has a CHIP'

so instead of replacing a battery i need to replace the whole bit with buttons ect, just the key bit could be transferred over

how much i ask?

lets see, $120 for the part, then $100 to recode it to your car!

$220, i walked away saying 'rediculous'

Re: highway robbery!

4channel — Wed, 20 Jan 2021 03:30:02 GMT

Once upon a time things were made to last. That was discovered to be a bad idea as one item lasting a lifetime for a person means a non-returning customer for that item.

Sorry to hear of this that has happpened to you. It is a rip off. Total bull**** that they put on you too.

Re: highway robbery!

imastawka — Wed, 20 Jan 2021 03:39:05 GMT

David, the remote is only for your convenience.

You can still unlock, lock and also drive the car using the key manually.

Remember when we used to have to do that?

Re: highway robbery!

zanadoo_56 — Wed, 20 Jan 2021 03:55:13 GMT

Crikey. What are you going to do next?

My last car had conventional keys - thank goodness.

But I had a boss who was prone to mislaying his car keys - once to his work assigned car unfortunately - and it had electronic locks. He looked everywhere for it but no luck. Eventually he was given a replacement key. Then it happened again and though he again got a replacement, procurment were very frosty about it despite his senior position. I had an awkward conversation with them assuring them he wasn't losing the key on purpose. LOL

When we got a new boss, he decided his office needed rearranging. He got someone in to help and we (his staff) asked them to keep a look out for the car key (or keys)! They never turned up though. Whenever the car got serviced or cleaned we also asked maintenance to look out for the key(s). No luck then either.

At the time when the second key was replaced, it was only then when I found out how expensive those keys are. I used to watch people open their car doors long before they got to the car with those keys.....and wondered what was the point. I had my car with its 'old fashioned' key for about 16 years before I had to sell it.....and of course its conventional keys still worked.

Re: highway robbery!

lyhargr_0 — Wed, 20 Jan 2021 04:04:35 GMT

@imastawka wrote:
David, the remote is only for your convenience.

You can still unlock, lock and also drive the car using the key manually.

Remember when we used to have to do that?

We still do, no fancy nancy cars here

Re: highway robbery!

davewil1964 — Wed, 20 Jan 2021 04:20:24 GMT

$220? Bargain.

I had to get a new key for my Hyundai and it cost $450. Would have been another $70 if the blade needed replacing. The worst was that the old fob was okay, but the recoding made it useless. So I didn't even get a spare mobiliser.

Re: highway robbery!

not_for_sale — Wed, 20 Jan 2021 04:21:39 GMT

If it were me, I'd be ringing Holden to check if it is correct that the remote had a chip, and the cost to replace and recode it.

Re: highway robbery!

davewil1964 — Wed, 20 Jan 2021 04:22:45 GMT

@imastawka wrote:
David, the remote is only for your convenience.

You can still unlock, lock and also drive the car using the key manually.

Remember when we used to have to do that?

Generally the im/moboliser needs to be present to enable the ignition. If the chip has malfunctioned (as appears to be David's case) the car won't start.

Re: highway robbery!

domino-710 — Wed, 20 Jan 2021 04:27:02 GMT

Do we need a wire coat hanger & a lesson in hot wiring.

Think my vehicle is too old - has the remotes - but the key opens the doors & starts the car.

Re: highway robbery!

lyndal1838 — Wed, 20 Jan 2021 04:38:36 GMT

$220 was a real bargain.....I had to replace the keys to a 2012 Toyota HiAce with an alarm.

Toyota quoted me nearly $1000 but took pity on me and told me whick local locksmith did their work and who to ask for. I got out of that one for just $460.....and found one of the original keys two days later.....now it has to be reprogrammed.

Re: highway robbery!

imastawka — Wed, 20 Jan 2021 04:40:43 GMT

@davewil1964 wrote:
@imastawka wrote:
David, the remote is only for your convenience.

You can still unlock, lock and also drive the car using the key manually.

Remember when we used to have to do that?
Generally the im/moboliser needs to be present to enable the ignition. If the chip has malfunctioned (as appears to be David's case) the car won't start.

We bought our car brand new - one key with transponder and a spare without.

The spare works just fine

Re: highway robbery!

kopenhagen5 — Wed, 20 Jan 2021 05:48:04 GMT

I got 2 keys with my car and everything works with both.

Except when I use the spare, the mirrors and seats move to a different position.

Haven't had time to look at how to change the driver 1 and 2 settings.

david, never heard of a key fob without a battery. Unless yours doesn't unlock doors remotely.

Re: highway robbery!

rogevibe — Wed, 20 Jan 2021 09:31:42 GMT

As my car is now of not much worth on the open market and so not attractive to common thiefs i would prefer to have no electronic anti-theft device at all - transponder keys in a car of little value is just another expensive thing that can go wrong.

Even disconnecting the battery will immobilise the car - and resetting is convoluted switchology - which is recommended to learn or at least mark on the owner's manual for reference so as to exclude the immobiliser as the source of the unexpected

Re: highway robbery!

davidc4430 — Wed, 20 Jan 2021 11:19:51 GMT

@imastawka wrote:
David, the remote is only for your convenience.

You can still unlock, lock and also drive the car using the key manually.

Remember when we used to have to do that?

yes i can unlock the car with the key the old fashioned way

but (theres allways a but)

it seems to set off the cars alarm when the electronic thing doesnt work

btw, i wouldnt class a 15 year old commodore fancy (not aimed at stawks)

Re: highway robbery!

davidc4430 — Wed, 20 Jan 2021 11:22:00 GMT

i did a google search and looks like i can buy a new key on ebay with a device that will program it for $135

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/MAP-Complete-2-Button-Remote-Key-DIY-Programming-Tool-Kit-for-Holden-VS-VZ/233569184533?fits=Model%3ACommodore%7CPlat_Gen%3AVZ&hash=item3661ceeb15:g:20UAAOSwjW5eqPdJ

might go with that

Re: highway robbery!

imastawka — Wed, 20 Jan 2021 13:20:07 GMT

@davidc4430 wrote:
@imastawka wrote:
David, the remote is only for your convenience.

You can still unlock, lock and also drive the car using the key manually.

Remember when we used to have to do that?
yes i can unlock the car with the key the old fashioned way

but (theres allways a but)

it seems to set off the cars alarm when the electronic thing doesnt work

btw, i wouldnt class a 15 year old commodore fancy (not aimed at stawks)

The alarm stops once you put the key in the ignition

Re: highway robbery!

imastawka — Wed, 20 Jan 2021 13:27:33 GMT

@davidc4430 wrote:
i did a google search and looks like i can buy a new key on ebay with a device that will program it for $135

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/MAP-Complete-2-Button-Remote-Key-DIY-Programming-Tool-Kit-for-Holden-VS-VZ/233569184533?fits=Model%3ACommodore%7CPlat_Gen%3AVZ&hash=item3661ceeb15:g:20UAAOSwjW5eqPdJ

might go with that

I don't see any negs for that (and they have a ton of negs) so could be a go.

But (and there's always a but, hahaha) they use Fastway if that's a problem for you

Re: highway robbery!

katistrophik — Wed, 20 Jan 2021 14:55:54 GMT

My son has a Honda CBR 500 - with some you beaut safety thing on the ignition [ISS, sounds great doesn't it, good idea for a motorbike] that is until you lose your key.

Okay, his fault he lost the key, and $800 later he was set to go again with a key and a spare! They had to rebore the ignition barrel aparently - needless to say I hold his spare key now just in case.

Isn't tech wonderful LOL

Re: highway robbery!

davidc4430 — Thu, 21 Jan 2021 02:58:04 GMT

@imastawka wrote:
@davidc4430 wrote:
i did a google search and looks like i can buy a new key on ebay with a device that will program it for $135

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/MAP-Complete-2-Button-Remote-Key-DIY-Programming-Tool-Kit-for-Holden-VS-VZ/233569184533?fits=Model%3ACommodore%7CPlat_Gen%3AVZ&hash=item3661ceeb15:g:20UAAOSwjW5eqPdJ

might go with that
I don't see any negs for that (and they have a ton of negs) so could be a go.

But (and there's always a but, hahaha) they use Fastway if that's a problem for you

its fataway if you want express but australia post if i just select standard free delivery

i thinks

so many horror key stories

seems its lucky i have an old holden together

i took a gander and can see the spot ya plug the programmer thing in so ive ordered, fingers crossed

Re: highway robbery!

davewil1964 — Thu, 21 Jan 2021 04:38:39 GMT

Keep us up to date. It would certainly (if Hyundai ones are available) be cheaper for me than paying over $500 for a spare key.