$113 for a key!?

Earlier today I had a second key cut for our new-to-us '06 Pathfinder (shame on me for walking out of the dealer with only one key). When I went to pay for it, the cashier told me it was going to be $113! $30 for the key and $70 for labor to cut said key and program the chip to the car itself. Needless to say, I was a little upset about paying 70 bones for 5 minutes worth of "labor".

Is there any way to program these keys yourself? I'd like to take the key back, get my money back, go to another Nissan dealership, have them cut me a key, and then I can get it to recognize my car on my own. Any tips? Thanks.

All I know is that I had a similar experience getting a key for my mustang a few years back (only had one key when I got it and to program your own you needed 2 working keys in addition to the new one) Still havent gotten a spare remote for the locks due to expense.

Dave, Unless you're willing to lay out about 5K for the computer and software, plus the cost of a key machine you're out of luck. Next time check with a local locksmith and see if he has the machine to cut and program the key. I work for a local locksmith and we charge about half of what the dealer charges if you can bring the car to us. I'm pretty sure Nissan doesn't have an on board programming option, let me check when I get to work tomorrow and I'll let you know for sure. Apex, same advice applies for the remotes.

DustoffDave wrote: Earlier today I had a second key cut for our new-to-us '06 Pathfinder (shame on me for walking out of the dealer with only one key). When I went to pay for it, the cashier told me it was going to be $113! $30 for the key and $70 for labor to cut said key and program the chip to the car itself. Needless to say, I was a little upset about paying 70 bones for 5 minutes worth of "labor". Is there any way to program these keys yourself? I'd like to take the key back, get my money back, go to another Nissan dealership, have them cut me a key, and then I can get it to recognize my car on my own. Any tips? Thanks.

When I worked as a subcontractor for a group of Ford/Lincoln/Mercury dealers I took the same issue when I needed a spare key for my truck. It turns out on the Fords (at least 5 years ago) the ECU had a program written in that when you wanted to program a new key, the ECU "interrogated" the computer for between 20 and 45 minutes. Although obviously the process could be made instantaneous, Ford didn't think it made sense for someone with the right software to bypass their PATS in 20 seconds in a parking lot, the way they figured, thieves wouldn't want to sit in a parking lot for 40 minutes with a computer hooked up to the ECU to steal your car. Obviously there are other ways around the system, and you can debate the merits of this "feature," but no matter how you look at it, your car is tying up a mechanic's bay for 1/2 an hour during which he can't earn any other money (arguably) working on other jobs. Soooo you pay him for that time spent, even though hes sitting on his hands waiting for the computer to do its thing. If you don't like it, you always have the option to buy older cars without PATS.

I suggest buying a Volkswagen.

Key: $75.00

Cut $25.00

Transmitter $75.00

Key Adaptation $25.00

Total $200.00

Most PATS type factory anti theft systems are set up so that the owner can add a key, but as Apexcarver pointed out you have to have at least 2 valid (already programmed) keys in order to program a 3rd, 4th or whatever. It's much more sophisticated than the old GM system with the resistor in the key.

If you have only 1 valid key, then any additional keys must be programmed by a dealership's computer system. As noted, that's for the owner's protection. I'm going to guess from the $70 labor charge that was probably 1/2 hour labor plus whatever additional fees. That's about right. In fact, it's sorta cheap, the more sophistcated keys that Chrysler uses can have as many as 5 functions, the keys can be as much as $160 plus the $49 programming plus sales tax etc.

And Wowak's right on the money about tying up a productive service bay.

John Brown wrote: I suggest buying a Volkswagen.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

I suggest jumping off a cliff. Either way, you are berkeleying yourself

does anyone know if dealers are jacking prices up on parts to help boost sales?

I stopped at the local Chevrolet parts guy to get touch up paint and asked for a quick price on 2003 Trailblazer hoses since the part numbers were on the hoses. $35 upper + $75 lower.

$8 upper + $15 lower at an online parts guy selling Dayco or Gates.

My dealer doesn't seem to be. In the past couple weeks I needed a tranny cooler line and a hazard switch/flasher unit. The tranny line, which is two hoses/ metal lines and a few fittings was $51.00 and the switch was $25, neither seemed unreasonable.

Remember that while Dayco and Delphi (and others) build many of the parts for the OEs they do not sell the same spec to the general public. Those parts are reserved specifically for the OE supply chain. There IS a difference but sometimes the difference is not enough to warrant the greater cost.

Our dealership makes a very low margin on most parts. Much less than I made at NAPA.

Jensenman wrote: And Wowak's right on the money about tying up a productive service bay.

Hey now, don't you go calling my service bays productive.

Also remember that dealer parts are guarenteed to fit the intended vehicle. Altho sometimes their useful service life is suspect. Aftermarket parts are not.

As to boosting sales, yes and no. It really depends on if the dealer is using matrix pricing or not. Basically slower moving parts get a higher retail price. The faster the part moves the lower the price, sometimes below SRP.

lewbud wrote: Unless you're willing to lay out about 5K for the computer and software, plus the cost of a key machine ...

This is one of the primary reasons why I sold my locksmith shop several years ago. Automotive locks have gotten so incredibly complicated lately, and it was hard to justify the investment to continue doing auto work. I figured that it would cost about 4 grand just to cut the first key, and then have customers complain because of the high price of the transponder keys. It's hard for many folks to understand the PIA that goes into duplicating the keys.

The earlier VATS keys were not too bad, but the PATS transponder thing just seems a little over the top. OTOH, they did have the neat feature of being able to delete individual existing keys; probably handy in a divorce, etc.

$130 sounds cheap to me... well over $200 if I want a replacement VAG flip-key for my TDI. IIRC, the key alone is $260...

Ian, you need to drive to Lansing for your keys. I am $212.00 out the door with tax adapted and cut.

When I needed a key duplicated for the Jeep I went to Ace Hardware. I think it was $1.99 for the key, plus $3.00 to cut it. The Protege was the same. So was the van. And the racecar. And the WRX.

not sure about keys.. but last I heard with my saab, if I lose both keys, they need to get a new computer for it with the attached keys.. at a price that would be about twice what I paid for the car

Hey, be lucky you didn't lose your only key. Yo'd get to add a tow bill into the mix to go with it.

IIRC, some of the Lexus required replacement of the PCM if all keys were lost. So the new pricing would be:

Tow: $100

Key: $90

Remote: $120

PCM: $1200

Programming: $100

Total Bill: $1600+

John Brown wrote: Ian, you need to drive to Lansing for your keys. I am $212.00 out the door with tax adapted and cut.

I'll keep that in mind if I'm ever driving through Lansing...

I did get a OE-style (plastic "Ram" fob") key for my Dodge at a car show for $5.

I will stick with my Olds and Dodge. 2 keys for the Olds (doors and ignition) maybe $3.00 and one for the Dodge about the same $3.00.

I could buy almost 19 sets of keys for both my rigs and still have a $1 left for what you just paid

DILYSI Dave wrote: When I needed a key duplicated for the Jeep I went to Ace Hardware. I think it was $1.99 for the key, plus $3.00 to cut it.

Boy, did they see you coming! You probably could have started the Jeep with a screwdriver.

Woody wrote:

DILYSI Dave wrote: When I needed a key duplicated for the Jeep I went to Ace Hardware. I think it was $1.99 for the key, plus $3.00 to cut it.

Boy, did they see you coming! You probably could have started the Jeep with a screwdriver.

:)

DILYSI Dave wrote: When I needed a key duplicated for the Jeep I went to Ace Hardware. I think it was $1.99 for the key, plus $3.00 to cut it. The Protege was the same. So was the van. And the racecar. And the WRX.

My local Ace claims to be able to do "chip keys" as well. Dunno how sophisticated a key they can duplicate, but it's worth checking as an option.

Factory immobilizers cause problems for engine swap guys as well. We all dread the "I'm putting a 2002 Miata engine in my (Morgan/MG/Fiat/Nash/Model T/Camaro) and I can't get the car to start..." phone call because all we have is bad news.

Keith wrote: We all dread the "I'm putting a 2002 Miata engine in my (Morgan/MG/Fiat/Nash/Model T/Camaro) and I can't get the car to start..." phone call because all we have is bad news.

Why would you do that and not MS it?

I know a guy who installed a VR6 in a Fiero. He had to jump through some hoops to get the ECU to work since he didn't want to use the VW dash/column/key/etc... But he does this stuff for a living (www.hausofguru.com) and he's "got people..." so was still less work for him than doing a MS conversion... but for us mortals, I'd have to think MS would be the way to go... especially for a Miata and the new PnP system.

Well, if it's a Miata engine with the factory immobilizer, that means it has variable valve timing. And MS can't cope with that. A couple of other ECUs can though.

But many people don't want to bother with aftermarket engine management. Maybe they want to save money and not drop another grand into this project. Maybe they're mechanical guys who don't like dealing with electrons. Maybe they want to take advantage of the hundreds of man-hours involved in programming the stock computer, as they're planning on running a stock engine, just in a different wrapper. To many people, "you can't use the stock computer, you have to do something else" is bad news. Heck, my LS-powered MG is going to keep the standard GM engine management and wiring, because it works better than any tuned version I've come across so far and because it won't cost me a cent.