If your fob is lost, you'll sob over cost

This is why the first thing I did was buy a third fob, which my parents have in a file at their house.

I have the other two fobs. One I keep as a spare. The other I use.

Learn the lesson well. If you lose one fob....get a second one made IMMEDIATELY. If you're smart, you'll do it before you lose any of them. (And don't throw away the little silver tag.)

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jkash @ Apr 4 2006, 08:00 PM) [snapback]235054[/snapback]</div>

I think Mr. Anderson paid too much. Both of my Smart Keys were stolen at Four Seasons Hotel in Vancouver last year. My Prius had to be towed from the long-term parking to the dealer. 2 new keys + labor cost me about $495. The loss was covered by my Home Insurance policy. So my out-of-the-pocket expense was far less than Mr. Anderson's.

 

Very clever (and accurate) thread title!

 

jkash posted:
Replacing a car key used to be as simple as visiting a locksmith or car dealer and plunking down a few dollars.
But when Tim Anderson lost the keyless key that allows him to start his Toyota Prius, it cost him about $800.

He considers himself lucky. The tab could have topped $1,000.


All new vehicles with the engine immobilizer feature are similarly 'threatened' Avy's, Corolla's, SUV's, Lexus', Acura's, etc, etc.

At 'list price' it's about $75-125 for a blank key/fob then roughly 1-2 hours of shop time $65/hr(?) to program the key to the vehicle.

The big problem is when you lose both, then both have to be replaced but then the 'engine chip' also has to be replaced and programmed to the two fresh keys. That's a lot more expensive

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Apr 5 2006, 12:30 AM) [snapback]235165[/snapback]</div>

Actually $300 is about right for 1 fob. On my invoice, the list price for the smart key is $197 each. The labor cost $120. I was thinking of getting just 1 fob. But the dealer told me it cost the same to program 1 or 2 fobs. The invoice did not show that they replaced any "engine chip". The description says:

"Perforned immobilizer key code reset & smart key reset. Programmed 2 master keys, oper ok."

 

wow, eight hundred bucks for one fob?

talk about getting bent over.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jkash @ Apr 4 2006, 10:00 PM) [snapback]235054[/snapback]</div>

USA Today had an article the other day that quoted $210 for replacing the Prius smart key fob, which was the most expensive of all the other cars listed.

 

They were talking about this on the local am station the other day... oh how i tried to get through to tell them that Prius Fobs are not $800... no luck on getting through though, odd it seems I can get on the air with them alomst anytime I call but not this time

It is not as if the price for a prius fob is all that bad when you consider other cars, my current car is $125 for a new key (cut and chip sync'd) and the alarm remote would be $90 + labor to have it set to the system total cost about $220 and I still have to fish my keys out of my pocket to start it <grrr> only a few days till the prius arrives and as with any car I will buy and extra key or at minimum go home and put the spare in a very safe location.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Apr 4 2006, 08:35 PM) [snapback]235072[/snapback]</div>

Hey, Godiva, how 'bout telling us what you paid for your extra fob, and where you got it.
Thanks!

 

I bought it from the parts department of a dealer online. I posted something about it but it was almost a year ago and it's probably gone in one of the forum crashes.

Looking through my back e-mails I bought it from Mike Calvert Toyota. Bill G. ([email protected]) was my contact. Price was $131 plus $7 shipping. $138 total. This included them cutting the key using the code from my little silver tag. (Don't lose that tag!)

I think programming it was something like $60-70 at my local dealer. Doing it this way was cheaper than buying the fob from my dealer and having it programed. I think they wanted over $180+ just for the fob, and that didn't include the programming.

 

Just picked up our Prius today. Am I correct in understanding the little silver tag on the key fob provides the number to order replacements? If so, isn't it better NOT to keep it attached to the key fob, and instead to keep it in a super-safe place?

If I ever need to order another fob, is the number enough, or do I need to have the original silver tag? Can I just scan the tag and save the image on my hard drive?

 

ummm. you guys didnt read the article???

it says

All told, he says, the experience, including buying yet another key and having it programmed, cost him about $800. He has since rigged his Prius so that it won't start unless the key is inserted into the ignition.

soooo, maybe he didnt get raped over the key. sounds like towing was involved along with other expenses... guess he has an 06 since roadside obviously didnt pay for anything....

bet he paid standard price for the key...

this article is CRAP and designed to put out total BS against the Prius. the language makes the author's intention pretty obvious. since when is a high tech vehicle "rigged" to only start when the fob is inserted??? that the best word he could come up with???

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Red Ginger @ Apr 9 2006, 05:30 AM) [snapback]237104[/snapback]</div>

No, the number on the silver tag is not enough for a new fob. The silver tag has the number used to cut the physical key that can be used to open the door. That's it. You need an original fob to program a new fob. I wouldn't scan the image and throw away the little silver tag unless I was obsessive compulsive about backing up my harddrive every night. It's a little silver tag. I keep it with my spare fob in a safe place.

And even though it is a lot of expense I had a third fob programmed. I'm single and the only driver. Why have TWO spares? Because I don't want to get in a situation when I have to spend over $1,000 to replace the car's computer because for any reason I have NO fobs left. So I have the fob I use. I have a spare fob and a spare fob is kept in a safe place at my parents' house. And if for any reason I lose my fob, I can call THEM and they can bring me the spare. At my house...the dog doesn't answer the phone.

Bottom line...be educated about the consequences then choose what works for you. This works for me.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Apr 4 2006, 10:35 PM) [snapback]235072[/snapback]</div>

Well, to shamelessly promote my eBay sale, check out my post here: Prius accessories for sale at eBay...I'm selling my fobs, mats, manuals, & cargo net from my 2005 that was totaled a week & a half ago.

 

I thought they couldn't be reprogrammed.

OH...and my fobs are NOT SKS. They are regular fobs. I have a package #1.