Back in the day, if your car key was stolen or lost, the only option you had was to tow your vehicle to the location where it could be serviced. This often left car owners with a hefty towing bill and other costs. Upon arrival at the dealership location, you also had to deal with the hefty labor charges and service queue.
Replacing a key could cost hundreds of dollars, as well as a whole day wasted. It was a very tedious process, but thankfully, times have changed.
Here are a few easy tips to help you save money on replacing your car keys.
Get Help From a Locksmith
A car locksmith offers key replacements at much better rates than in the past. On average, remote car keys cost around $250, while non-remote car keys cost about $200. The model and the make of your car are factors that determine the replacement key’s price.
In most cases, a car key replacement locksmith will come to where your car is and make a new replacement key on the spot. This process takes about 30 to 60 minutes. This is the most preferred alternative to ordering the replacement keys from your dealer.
Make a Car Insurance Claim
If your car keys have been stolen or lost, you could register the complaint with your insurance company. Ensure the missing keys have met all the time conditions that have been defined in the policy or your claim could be denied.
Insurance guidelines provide in detail how much they cover for lost keys, along with any other restrictions or requirements for coverage. Therefore, you should carefully read the agreement before you sign up for car key replacement insurance.
Keep a Spare Master Key in a Safe Place
You should always have a spare set of car keys. The cost of getting replacement car keys can be quite expensive, and can take a significant amount of time from your day. This becomes a high price to pay for losing what you can easily keep safe somewhere else. Be sure to have a spare car key somewhere safe to ensure that losing your keys doesn’t become a significant inconvenience. If your key is a remote fob, make sure the batteries in your spare set are also working, in case you need them at a moment’s notice.
When buying a new car, make sure you ask about getting an extra set of keys. Most dealers provide two sets, but they are not entitled to do this. It is easier to get a spare master key at the time of purchase than trying to have one made at a later time.
If you are always locking your keys in your car, a better alternative is to get a simple car key with no transmitter. This basic key will do everything apart from starting the car engine. This can come in handy when you leave your keys in the car.
Key Locator
You can also consider getting yourself a key locator device if you often lose your car keys. A key locator is a small electronic tile designed to help locate lost or stolen objects such as keys, cell phones or even luggage. After you have placed the small receiver on your item, you can use the remote to send out a signal to help find the receiver that’s attached to your item. The technology uses Bluetooth technology or radio frequencies.
Some of these car key locators even have geofencing features, which help you get an alert on your phone whenever your car keys are out of range. Just make sure that if you’re choosing a locator with this feature and the battery is fresh. As soon as the device starts to light up or beeps, you will know you have found your keys.
Opt for Cost-Effective Solutions
It can be very stressful and frustrating to lose your car keys, especially when you are in a hurry or in an area where you cannot easily get help to replace them. Opt for these cost-effective car key replacement options and prepare in advance for the possible loss of your car keys. That will help save your hard-earned money and give you peace of mind.
