Car Key Replacement

Dealerships have massive overhead - showrooms, sales staff, service bays designed for full repairs. When you need just a key, you're paying for infrastructure you don't use. Their parts markup is also substantial - a key fob they charge $350 for costs them $80 wholesale.

We operate differently. Mobile service means no showroom costs. Direct relationships with key blank suppliers mean better pricing. Specialized focus on locks and keys means efficiency - we're not a general repair shop that occasionally deals with keys. These savings pass directly to you.

We also don't require towing your car to us. Dealerships often insist you bring the vehicle to their service bay, which means a tow if you've lost all keys. We come to wherever your car is parked - your driveway, your office parking lot, the grocery store where you're stranded. This saves you the tow truck fee and the hassle.

For Austin drivers, typical savings range from $100-300 compared to dealership pricing, depending on the vehicle and key type. That's significant money staying in your pocket for the exact same end result: a working key programmed to your car.

When you call, we need some basic information: year, make, model, and VIN (Vehicle Identification Number). The VIN lets us verify the exact key type your car requires and whether any special programming procedures apply. You can find your VIN on your registration, insurance card, or the metal plate visible through the windshield on the driver's side.

We dispatch a technician with the appropriate key blanks and programming equipment. For common vehicles - Toyota, Honda, Ford, Chevrolet - we stock blanks on every truck. For less common vehicles or luxury brands, we may need to source a blank, which could add time but rarely more than a few hours.

On site, we cut the physical key using either your existing key as a template or by decoding your locks. Then we connect to your car's diagnostic port (the OBD-II port under your dashboard) and program the new key's chip to match your car's immobilizer. The entire process typically takes 30-60 minutes.

You receive a fully functional key, identical in operation to what the dealer would provide. Most keys include a standard warranty against defects. If something goes wrong within the warranty period, we make it right.

Lost all your keys? This is more complex than adding a spare when you still have a working key. Without an existing key to clone, we need to generate the key data from scratch. This involves decoding your door or ignition lock to determine the physical cut, then using specialized software to program a new transponder code to your car's computer.

All-keys-lost situations cost more than simple key copies because the process takes longer and requires additional security verification. We'll need to see identification and vehicle registration to verify ownership. This protects you - we won't make keys for someone trying to steal a car.

Some vehicles have complex security systems that make all-keys-lost replacement more expensive. European luxury brands like Mercedes, BMW, and Audi often require dealer-level programming tools. Tesla keys are tied to their app and account system. We can handle most vehicles, but we'll be upfront if your car requires dealership-only service.

Even in all-keys-lost situations, we're typically same-day service and significantly cheaper than towing to a dealer. An F-150 owner stranded at a job site in Pflugerville gets back to work faster calling us than arranging dealer service.