What a Car Key Costs at Your Car, and at the Dealer
A smart key from us is $229 to $399 and a chip key $125 to $199, programmed where the car sits, with no trip fee in the county.
Every figure on this page is the full amount at your car, with cutting, programming and travel inside it. The dealer column is what dealerships in San Diego typically quote for that key, not counting tax or a tow.
Start with your key type, then check your make for its from-price. The exact number for your car comes on the phone once we know what you drive, and it stays put from then on.
With a dealer quote in hand, send it here for a straight comparison on the identical key.
Download the one-page price sheet (PDF)
Spare key prices by key type
With a working key present. Dealer figures are typical San Diego quotes for the same key before tax.
| Key or job | Typical dealer | Value Car Keys | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic metal key (no chip)Older cars and door-only keys. Cut by code at the car, no programming involved. | $49 to $89 | see note | |
| Transponder chip keyA metal key with a chip in the head that the car has to recognize before it will start. Most 1998 to 2015 cars. | $125 to $199 | $105 to $181 | |
| Remote head keyA chip key with lock and unlock buttons built into the head, including flip keys. | $165 to $259 | $135 to $191 | |
| High-security laser-cut keyThick blade with a groove milled down the middle instead of teeth on the edge. Needs a different cutter, which is why hardware stores send you away. | $145 to $249 | $125 to $201 | |
| Smart key for push-to-startThe fob that stays in your pocket. Programmed to the immobilizer and the remote system in one sitting. | $229 to $399 | $171 to $351 | |
| European smart or remote keyVolkswagen, Audi, BMW and older Mercedes keys. Older Volkswagen remote keys sit at the low end; BMW and Audi smart keys at the top. They take dealer-level tools and more programming time, which the price reflects. | $209 to $449 | $171 to $451 |
All keys lost
If no working key exists we pull the key code from the VIN and program the immobilizer from scratch. That adds $60 to the spare-key price on the row above.
| Key or job | Typical dealer | Value Car Keys | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transponder chip keyA metal key with a chip in the head that the car has to recognize before it will start. Most 1998 to 2015 cars. | $185 to $259 | $45 to $121 | |
| Remote head keyA chip key with lock and unlock buttons built into the head, including flip keys. | $225 to $319 | $75 to $131 | |
| High-security laser-cut keyThick blade with a groove milled down the middle instead of teeth on the edge. Needs a different cutter, which is why hardware stores send you away. | $205 to $309 | $65 to $141 | |
| Smart key for push-to-startThe fob that stays in your pocket. Programmed to the immobilizer and the remote system in one sitting. | $289 to $459 | $111 to $291 | |
| European smart or remote keyVolkswagen, Audi, BMW and older Mercedes keys. Older Volkswagen remote keys sit at the low end; BMW and Audi smart keys at the top. They take dealer-level tools and more programming time, which the price reflects. | $269 to $509 | $111 to $391 |
Other jobs
Programming a fob you already have, batteries, lockouts, ignitions and broken keys.
| Key or job | Typical dealer | Value Car Keys | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|
| Program a fob or remote you already haveYour fob has to be new or never paired to another car. Most used fobs from a salvage yard cannot be reused, and we will tell you before we drive. | $79 to $119 | $41 to $81 | |
| Car lockoutKeys locked inside, or a fob that died with the doors locked. No damage to the door or the weatherstrip. | n/a | $79 to $129 | see note |
| Ignition repair or replacementA key that will not turn, a cylinder that spins loose, or a worn ignition that eats keys. Replaced and keyed to your existing key so you keep one key for the car. | $179 to $349 | $171 to $351 | |
| Broken key extractionA key snapped off in the door or ignition. Removed without drilling. A replacement key is priced separately if you need one. | n/a | $89 to $149 | see note |
| Key fob battery, replaced at the carThe low end is when we are already at the car for another job; the high end is a standalone visit. A parts store sells the cell for a few dollars if you would rather do it yourself, and we will tell you which one on the phone. | $20 to $45 | see note |
By make: chip key and smart key
The dealer figure is struck through, ours is next to it. Each make page lists every key type by model year.
| Make | Chip key | Smart or remote key | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota | up to $251 | ||
| Honda | up to $241 | ||
| Ford | up to $211 | ||
| Chevrolet | up to $211 | ||
| Nissan | up to $271 | ||
| Hyundai | up to $231 | ||
| Kia | up to $231 | ||
| Subaru | up to $241 | ||
| Mazda | up to $231 | ||
| GMC | up to $211 | ||
| Jeep | up to $211 | ||
| Ram | up to $211 | ||
| Dodge | up to $211 | ||
| Acura | up to $261 | ||
| Lexus | up to $291 | ||
| Infiniti | up to $281 | ||
| Volkswagen | up to $291 | ||
| Audi | up to $331 | ||
| BMW | · | up to $351 | |
| Mercedes-Benz | · | up to $291 |
How the numbers combine
- Every price includes the drive, and nowhere in San Diego County carries a trip fee.
- The figure you hear on the call, before the van leaves, is the figure you pay.
- Lost every key: add $60 to the spare-key price for that make and key type.
- A fob you supply is programmed for $79 to $119, provided it is new or has never been paired to another car.
- You pay only once the key works, by card or cash.
- The one-year warranty on the key, remote and programming comes with every price, not as an add-on.
What moves the price
Key type
The biggest factor by far. A plain metal key without a chip is $49 to $89, a transponder chip key $125 to $199 and a push-to-start smart key $229 to $399, since each step up adds electronics and programming time.
Make
Two cars with the same kind of key can differ by $20 or more. A Chevrolet chip key begins at $125, a Honda at $139 and a Lexus at $149. Each make page, such as Toyota, lists its key rows by year.
All keys lost
With no working key, the key code is looked up from the VIN and the car is programmed with no original to copy. That puts $60 on the spare-key figure and calls for proof the car is yours, such as a title or registration plus an ID that matches it. The lost car keys page walks through the visit.
Model year
The year decides which key the car left the factory with. Most 1998 to 2015 cars use a chip key, while push-to-start models carry a smart key near the top of the range. The year also tells us which programming steps your car will ask for.
European makes
Smart and remote keys for Volkswagen, Audi, BMW and pre-2014 Mercedes run $209 to $449 from us, where dealers ask $380 to $900, because the programming runs longer and needs dealer-grade equipment. Keys for most 2014 and later Mercedes models come only through Mercedes, and you will hear that on the call.
Questions people ask
Is there a trip fee or an evening charge?
No. The drive is part of every price anywhere in the county, from Oceanside to San Ysidro and east past El Cajon, and a call at 8 PM costs the same as one at 8 AM. We work from 7 AM until 9 PM daily, with no after-hours rate inside those hours.
Why is each key type shown as a range instead of one number?
Because the exact key depends on the make, model and year. A Chevrolet chip key and an Audi chip key are different parts with different programming, so the range spans both. Once we know what you drive, or have the VIN, you get one fixed number up front.
How much more is it with no working key?
$60 more than the spare-key figure for your make and key type. The extra covers looking up the code by VIN and the longer programming when no original exists. Proof of ownership is required, and once the new key works, the missing one is deleted from the car free of charge.
Can I supply my own fob, bought online?
Yes, as long as it is new or has never been married to another car, and the charge is $79 to $119, where a dealer asks $120 to $200. Used fobs from salvage yards usually refuse a second car, and we will tell you on the phone if yours looks like one of them. The fob programming page has more.
Do I pay anything before the key works?
No. Payment comes after the new key runs the engine and the remote locks the doors, and you can use a card or cash. The amount matches what you heard on the phone, since every part of the job was counted in it before we set out.
Does a lockout or a broken key cost the same as a new key?
No, those are separate jobs with their own prices. Opening a locked car runs $79 to $129, and pulling a snapped key out of a door or ignition is $89 to $149. If you also need a replacement key, it is priced at the normal rate for its type, with the drive already counted.
Get the dealer's key without the dealer's bill
Call or text (619) 340-1518 with the car's year, make and model. If a dealer already quoted you, send that quote over for our answer on the same key.