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Where did you buy your new chicken danceable KEY FOB, please?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Julia2001, Aug 2, 2012.

  1. Julia2001

    Julia2001 Member

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    friends.

    Just wondering if other members who have had success programming a new key fob using the CHICKEN DANCE method could tell me where you purchased your new key fob?

    My dealer wants $350.

    Anybody buy from eBay store owner "overstockremotes"?

    Thank you all very much.

    Julia
     
  2. MJFrog

    MJFrog Active Member

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    Find another dealer. They're not cheap, but you should be able to get one for at least $100 less than that quote.
     
  3. usnavystgc

    usnavystgc Die Hard DIYer and Ebike enthusiast.

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  4. usnavystgc

    usnavystgc Die Hard DIYer and Ebike enthusiast.

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    The ones available from "overstockremotes" are listed as used which to me means, they have been programmed to another vehicle. I would shy away from them.
     
  5. usnavystgc

    usnavystgc Die Hard DIYer and Ebike enthusiast.

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  6. Julia2001

    Julia2001 Member

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    Thank you very much, usnavystgc. I appreciate your response.

    They actually have some online currently stating that they are brand new, still in the plastic, never used. I emailed them asking for a guarantee. No reply yet.

    More importantly, if the "usnavy" part of your username indicates that you have actually served in the United States Navy, thank you beyond words for your service.

    Julia
     
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  7. Julia2001

    Julia2001 Member

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    Okay, so I just called my dealer back...the same dealer who quoted me $350 for a fully programmed second fob yesterday. I asked him what it would cost to simply buy the brand new never-married virgin fob from them and program it myself. He said, "Program it yourself? I wasn't aware that you could do that." I said I could. haha I talk tough, huh? :)

    Anyway, he said that to purchase just the key fob not programmed, he would charge me $230. He said he would also cut the key for me.

    If I were to purchase the virgin fob from ikeyless.com, it would cost about $60 less, however I would not have the ability to take it back to the dealer to be programmed, should I fail to be able to do it myself. Additionally, I would have to find someone to cut the steel key. I called the local locksmith and he told me that he cannot do anything related to hybrids, period. Yeah, I know...but I live in Maine. Trust me, it's mostly worth the remoteness. ;-)

    I would love to hear from anyone who purchased a virgin fob from ikeyless (or anyone else) and successfully programmed the fob using the chicken dance.

    I do so want to do that chicken dance!

    Thank you.

    Julia
     
  8. Julia2001

    Julia2001 Member

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    Just wanted to let folks on the board know that I received an email back from ikeyless.com, and they can NOT guarantee that a key fob that they send to us is actually NEW which, as we know, is important to the chicken dance process.

    I just wanted others to know this ahead of time in case you're thinking of buying from ikeyless.com
     
  9. Julia2001

    Julia2001 Member

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    In the way of additional information in case anyone in need of a Prius key fob comes across this thread, I have confirmed via email that the following Toyota dealer will sell the SILVER logo SKS smart key fob for $150, including a blank steel key. The dealer is in Cleveland but they sell online.

    http://www.metrotpn.com/ProductDetails.aspx?CollectionID=25&ProductID=193

    It is the best price I've found for a brand new virgin key fob.

    I hope this is helpful to others.

    Julia
     
  10. usnavystgc

    usnavystgc Die Hard DIYer and Ebike enthusiast.

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  11. Julia2001

    Julia2001 Member

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    Yes, Sir -- I have it bookmarked and ready to go when I receive my new key fob which I am in the process of ordering right now.

    The only piece of the puzzle I will have left (once I do the chicken dance successfully) is to find someone to cut the tiny steel key for me. I know my local dealer will do it, but if I don't buy the fob from him he may charge me an arm and a leg. And I only have two of each. ;-)

    Thank you very much again.

    Julia
     
  12. usnavystgc

    usnavystgc Die Hard DIYer and Ebike enthusiast.

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    Like I stated in an earlier post, WalMart did mine for free (and they use a high tech cutting machine that takes an image of your key). I'm thinking its some sort of low level CNC machine. They did a great job and it works fine.
     
  13. Julia2001

    Julia2001 Member

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    Thank you again for this reminder, Sir. Do I just go out to their tire and lube area to have the key cut?

    And also, are you referring to the tiny steel key that hides within the fob itself? They can actually cut those?
    I thought your earlier post may have meant that they could cut a key with a regular head.

    My apologies if I misunderstood your original post. I've read so many posts about key fobs today that my head is a bit of a jumble at this point.
     
  14. usnavystgc

    usnavystgc Die Hard DIYer and Ebike enthusiast.

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    They can cut any key, even the tiny one (as long as you have an original). Yes its in the tire and lube section (where they sell keys). Give them your original, and the new one and they can hook you up. Literally any place that makes keys really should be able to do it. Its really not high tech (just small).

    PS: My heads always in a jumble :)
     
  15. usnavystgc

    usnavystgc Die Hard DIYer and Ebike enthusiast.

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    If you were really adventurous (like me), you could even do it yourself with a metal file. Just place the original key on top of the new key, draw the outline of the original key on the new key with a sharpie and file away all the black (of course checking it periodically along the way).

    That's what I was going to do if Wal Mart wouldn't do it for me.
     
  16. Julia2001

    Julia2001 Member

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    Wow! That IS adventurous! Geez, and I thought changing my oil was being adventurous. :rolleyes:

    Thank you very much. I think I'll try Walmart first! And I really appreciate that tip about Walmart, by the way. I'm pretty sure the Toyota dealer would not be happy that I purchased my fob from a dealership in Cleveland. He might just charge me the $200 I saved to cut the steel key just to teach me a lesson! (You can laugh, but unfortunately these sorts of things happen to women all the time.)

    He actually seemed a little annoyed when he told me that he wasn't aware that the fobs could be user-programmed.

    I don't believe that, though. This is not a big secret. It's all over the net. It's even laid out step by step in the "eHow" site:

    How to Program a Prius Key Fob | eHow.com

    They know it can be done. They just wanna get 200 bucks for doing a little chicken dancing and then laugh as we drive away!

    Not this chicken!
     
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  17. h00ktern

    h00ktern Member

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    Odds are they wouldn't use the chicken dance procedure. They would plug the OBD cable into the port, click a few times on the diagnostic screen and be done smoking a cigarette before you could add the powdered creamer to the tiny cup of courtesy coffee. Then you'd pay them a ridiculous fee for time spent sitting in an uncomfortable chair in their service department customer lounge, watching a channel you're totally not into...

    I can add a new fob in less than four minutes, plug in to plug out, if the computer is already booted. It's freaking theft what they charge, IMHO, of course.
     
  18. Julia2001

    Julia2001 Member

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    H00ktern! Have you heard??? I DID IT!

    I received the new key fob (silver logo) in the mail and I chicken danced until I got it right. Now I've got two Fully functional key fobs, SKS included. :)

    Oh...and it cost me just under $160 with shipping, instead of the $350 my dealer wanted. Hahahahahahaha.

    Thank you once again for all of your guidance and encouragement.

    Julia
     
  19. oocutioo

    oocutioo Junior Member

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    Julia. Did you buy the key in this post? Is it the one with silver logo on the back? Aka sks one? Thanks. I asked because it says non smart key on the website

    Nexus 7 ? 2
     
  20. Julia2001

    Julia2001 Member

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    oocutioo: yes I did buy the one in the link you posted, HOWEVER, if you look again you will see that right above where it says "add to cart" there is a tiny arrow pointing downward? Click on that arrow and a drop-down menu will appear which will allow you to choose "Prius 2004-2009 WITH SMART KEY SYSTEM", with a listed price of 150.00. THAT is the key fob I ordered. Works GREAT! AND saved me $200 plus time spent in the waiting room of my local dealership!

    I hope this is helpful to you!

    Have a great week.

    Julia