laser cut key for sks fob

I believe the bad situation will be if you are away from home and you lose the FOB along with the laser cut key. Also, at my office, sometimes I have to leave my FOB with the parking attendant and if I don't retrieve my FOB in time, I can't get it until the next day (already happened a few times). I hid the spare laser key outside the car and hid the FOB wrapped in aluminum foil inside the car (some say to remove the battery) so I can always get into my car and start it. So, just to be safe, you always want a spare of each, someplace.

I'm getting another spare (used) FOB to leave at home so that my girlfriend can always get into my car (she lacks understanding of the concept of the hidden laser cut key and FOB in aluminum foil concept). I'll see how that works once I get it and get it programmed to the car (or however that works). If this all works out, I'll get another FOB and give it to my girlfriend to hold (it's actually more symbolic but will guaranty much less grief than I already must deal with).

Mike

 

Our experience is that your local dealer is the last place you want to go for an SKS fob or a laser cut key.

We lost one of our fobs about a year ago. Contacted the local dealers and were dismayed by the prices quoted for both the fob and the key. Highway robbery.

We ordered an couple of SKS fobs from Wholesale OEM Toyota Parts - Metro Toyota Parts Now and a couple of key blanks from iKeylessSales. We had to have the fobs programmed at our dealer but it was the same price to have two programmed as it was to do one. We had a local locksmith cut the blanks using our one remaining lasercut key. (We did not treat the last step as particularly urgent and it took us about 3-4 months before we got around to doing it.)

Batteries would still be cheaper than duplicating a key, but the amount we spent was low enough that we didn't worry about it.

 

I am at Toyota of Plano now here in Dallas getting scewed on a key price. I was given the new key for $200 and the programming for $50. That does not include having the key itself actually cut. Moving forward I will be looking into this forum for better data.

 

It's being worked on. see the linked thread http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii-2010-prius-technical-discussion/103614-laser-cut-key-cutter-options.html

 

Those are actually quite good prices. Many have paid far more.

Getting the key cut is your next adventure. Low price on that is free, and the high price seems to be my local Toyota dealership where a cut key is over $100 ($110? $140?, I forget). $35 seems to be a fair price at a locksmith's shop. Now just try and find one with the equipment...

 

Ok... so something very irritating is realizing that when the key was put into my hand, if I did not order the "Key" with the "Key Fob" then I can't attach it to my key ring. I wish I could be one of the cool kids who is keyless everywhere they go... but I am not. So now where do I get the best price for a blank laser key so I can put this dang thing on a key ring? I should have had the VW dealer handle this before I picked up the car.

 

parts.com has OEM blanks for $28, plus crazy shipping & handling. Includes the ring.

Ebay, $4-$9, depending on quality. No ring. Both knock-offs appear to have more copper content than OEM, based on there golden color. The plastic head appears similar, and the key fits the fob as well as OEM.