# Affordable spare car keys???

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/affordable-spare-car-keys/640476>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [November 9, 2012, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/affordable-spare-car-keys/640476 "2012-11-09T13:40:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/affordable-spare-car-keys/640476/21 "2012-11-13T17:05:55Z")

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> [@Broomstick](#):
>
> The shoe shop I work in, in our big box store locations, has a side business in key cutting. We can cut/program a lot of chip keys prior to 2010 for between $25-60, and our lock-out door-only keys are $3.20 with the sales tax included.
> 
> Our local locksmith can do almost all of the chip keys and has remotes, as well as making lock-out keys.
> 
> The dealers are a rip-off - shop around a bit, there’s good chance you can get your keys copied for under $100.

I’ve been looking to find someone to do my 2004 Mazda 3 key. I’ve tried a couple of Ace Hardware and Home Depot locations, all of which say they do chip keys, and none of them can do my Mazda. Does anyone know for sure who might be able to do one? All the self-programmable key stuff I’ve seen on eBay says you need TWO Mazda 3 chip keys to program a blank, and I only have the one key. Am I perhaps misunderstanding something?

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**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/affordable-spare-car-keys/640476/22 "2012-11-13T21:31:51Z")

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Alas, Mazdas are not one of the ones we can do. Different makers use different chip/software combinations. I’d suggest you try an actual locksmith rather than a big box hardware store or even an Ace Hardware.

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**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/affordable-spare-car-keys/640476/23 "2012-11-13T23:49:55Z")

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I think I’ve officially become an angry old man. My reaction to this thread is, “This is what advances in technology have brought us? $100 or more to copy a freakin’ key?!”

Is it really worth the money for whatever these chipped keys do if you have the temerity to lose it?

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**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\
**Post date:** [November 14, 2012, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/affordable-spare-car-keys/640476/24 "2012-11-14T00:19:35Z")

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Personally, I’d rather NOT have a chip in my vehicle key. At all. But some makes/models don’t give you a choice any more.

And it’s not just $100 - plenty of people coming to me were asked for more than $200 by a dealer to copy their key.

I’ve also cut chip keys for people doing their own programming - just charge them the usual $3.20 for a non-chip key since they’re supply the hardware and doing the programing themselves.

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