Expensive Car keys to watch out for

Rusty, smoky or stuck, are the three reasons that cars used to end up in the scrapyard. Normally the bodywork would be patches, on patches, seal welded upon seal. Or driving would be like being part of the Red Arrows, with a stream of white smoke as part of the display. Maybe your scrapper was due to the gearbox, which meant it was going nowhere, stuck on your driveway? I can’t imagine anyone would believe a car could be scrapped because of expensive car keys.

However, I believe we’ll be seeing this within the next five years. Perfectly good cars will be consigned the scrap heap, because of expensive car keys.

To explain what I mean, here are a few cars that are at risk of scrappage due to expensive car keys. Check they come with two keys before you buy.

Peugeot 108 Citroen C1 Toyota Aygo Proximity Key 2014 –

This little car will be the bread and butter first car for learner drivers all around the UK. They are cheap, small to manoeuvre and park. The predecessor has proved to be a massive hit (despite terrible keys and locks). Therefore, it makes sense that this car will follow suite. However, there is a version of this car that we believe should be avoided, simply due to expensive car keys.

There is a version of the car that has a smart key, one that you can simply put into your pocket. It’s a nice idea and one that is now common place on new Ford cars (we don’t like then, find out why). This week we were asked to organise a spare key for a second-hand car, recently sold. Once we priced it up, we knew you should know about it.

Expensive car keys £500 bill

For a start, just to buy the special proximity remote is £320 plus vat. In real money that’s £384. Next, the key needs to have an emergency blade, that must be cut to the lock. Lastly, the new key needs to be coded to the car.

Whoever programmes this key will need to have spent a lot of money on expensive equipment, as the software isn’t available commercially to independents like ourselves. This means it needs the dealer tool and most probably a trip to the appropriate dealer.

This key will end up costing around £500. While the car is worth £10,000, then it can get lost in the price of the car when it’s sold. However, think about a few years on. When this car is sitting on a car sales forecourt at £2500, then a £500 will be unacceptable.

Once the car is only worth £1000, then who’s going to spend out to replace a lost car key? Unnecessary and out of place on this small run-around, just bad design. Look out for this car in the future, being scrapped for expensive car keys.

Need to change the key battery?