Laser cut key cutter - Options?

As noted, the Prius's mechanical key gives every indication that it is milled and not laser cut --- the depth of cut is constant and the center groove is obviously cut with a circular cutter whose axis is perpendicular to the key. Perhaps a laser is used in the factory to somehow position the blank and that gives the key its name?
In any case the pricing of the mechanical key gives me pause. Other vehicle manufactures sell similar side-milled, factory cut keys for less than $50.

 

I don't need a key right now, but I just wanted to say that I think it's awesome what you are doing h00ktern. Keep up the good work and when I need a key cut I know where to go.

 

hOOktern, you have the spirit of an early internet open-sourcer. A rare and valuable breed, not often spotted in its natural habitat.

Although my in-laws have a Toyota Camry Hybrid, our immediate family is still hanging onto our 2004 Honda Civic and 2005 Honda CRV. Both are past 150,000 miles. My son drives the Civic, and has lost both of his original keys. I bought a replacement fob, but have yet to program it.

My wife drives the CRV and both of our keys are starting to fall apart (fragile design). I recently bought a couple of CRV blanks on ebay and then ran up against the $100 replacement key-cut challenge.

I have only read through this thread once, so I am not sure if you are offering your service openly, and what you are asking your fellow Prius Chatters to contribute to the machine's upkeep and your time expended.

If this is available to non-Priusers, like us, I am interested.

Thanks,

OldDean

 

My turn to apologize for slow response. Thanks again for your generosity. RE: CRV key blank... extremely cheap models from China. Given my experience with other items from mysterious sources, I wouldn't ask you to risk your expensive equipment so I can save a few bucks (the key blanks were really cheap $). In the meantime I found another solution. I just used 1/2 of the body of the replacement key clam shell (the part that had fallen apart) and attached it with the tiny screw to the main body of the original key. It may not be perfect, but it is stable. As long as I don't use the key as a pry bar, we may be ok for a couple of years.

My son's Honda Civic '94 -- is a different proposition. He has lost the two original keys (which I think may have an embedded transponder?). He is using the third key originally supplied (valet key?). I don't remember how it is different... it may not open the glove box... But it is our only key for the car.

So I have solved the CRV question, but am willing to be advised on the Civic keys. It may be a moot question, since I don't know how he would manage without a car for a week. We will probably need to solve it locally. In any case, thanks for your trouble.

Best wishes, OD

 

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I've only purchased a few parts from Toyota, but I have found their pricing to be extraordinary -- $93 for a mechanical key? This past year I purchased "laser-cut" keys to hide on my other vehicles and only spent under $40 per key at dealerships.

The thin plastic panel (molded polyurethane?) that goes under my Prius bumper cost $175. I also paid $33 for a positive battery terminal for a 2009 Camry just a few weeks ago. This part is just a plated sheet-metal stamping.

 

I worked at a Toyota Dealer for over 4 years. Conventional keys were cut at the dealership, on a key machine that cost the dealer $6000. "Laser" cut keys were ordered from Toyota, via fax, and sold for about $100, including overnight shipping. Toyota charged the dealer around $75 + shipping for the cut key, if memory serves, so the "stealerships" are hardly making a killing on them. As far as adding the electronic keys to the vehicle: The dealership has to pay a technician book scale, which is 30 minutes to add a key when the customer has an existing master key with them. If all keys have been lost, a "seed number" has to be retrieved from the car's ECU, uploaded to Toyota, and then a new program is downloaded and flashed to the computer, at which time two new master keys can be added. This job pays an hour per the book. The dealership I worked at would do the 1/2 hour job for free, if the service manager or a lot attendant they had trained on the procedure was available to do it. If neither was available, the customer could either return when they were there, or pay for a technician to do the addition.

 

No offense taken. I was simply attempting to shed light on the situation from the opposite side of the counter. There are other expenses involved, like lease on the building, utilities, etc. and car dealerships are not non-profit organizations. They also have to pay the parts countermen, technicians, cashier, etc. I don't know if you are familiar with the shop rate book, but it doesn't matter how long a job actually takes. The technician gets paid whatever the book says. Some jobs the book allows for more time than is needed, others, there is not enough time allowed. If the tech is good, and can beat the clock, he can make money by billing more hours of shop time than he actually puts in on the job, much like a lawyer's "billable hours". Some companies charge a couple of thousand dollars to create a web site. It's not a labor intensive job, but if that is the going rate, then that is what you will pay if you want a website, and are unable to do it yourself. You might consider it theft, whereas the person who is doing the work considers it how they make their living.

 

H00ktern,

I maybe missing something here .... Did you paid $2600 for a piece of equipment to cut your own keys to avoid paying the dealer a couple of hundred bucks to do the same? I'm not sure I see the economic side of your decision. How long before you brake even?

We are talking about the mechanical key hidden in the FOB? Correct? How many people actually use/loose these?

Just curious....

 

I'm just happy us Prius chatters have one more choice when it comes to getting additional keys.

Keep up the good work.
Thank you.

 

Got my keys in today from h00ktern and they worked perfectly. Mailed them out on Monday (WV) and have 2 working cuts back on the same Saturday at half the cost of 1 key from the stealership... Awesome in my book.

 

Hi h00ktern, I have been reading this thread with real enjoyment! I love the idea that someone would put the effort into thwarting this absurd cashgrab on the part of Toyota. To be honest I feel kinda victimized at the thought of having to pay hundreds of dollars to replace a key. Let's face it - people lose keys, it happens. To be asked to pay a not insignificant percentage of your car's worth just to replace a key on a non-emergency basis is just a greedy way for Toyota to suck more money out of us.

My question to you is - have you chosen to continue looking into programming the fobs? I love your can-do attitude and if given the choice I would much rather give you money than Toyota! We have 1 key left and that card/barcode thing they give you with the car.

We are in Los Angeles, though, and I don't know if this kind of thing can be done remotely. Thanks for any info/advice you can give!