[defever]

Hello everyone,

One weird question but fellow watersports-men (and women) might understand my reasoning!

I'm looking to get a spare key cut JUST to lock/open the doors and not for turning the engine. I go surfing often and I had a key blade cut on my old '99 Audi A4 which cost me £10 to just for this purpose (no chip, no transponder, just piece of plastic and the metal blade key). I used to take this key with me in the sea (looped and secured inside my wetsuit) and have the main key locked in a keypod and hidden somewhere inside the van (instead of having the keypod on display outside the van, which many "surfers" do).

I went to a car key shop earlier and asked for this: the guy said £15 for the key and another £25 for the "code". I insisted that all I need it is to lock/open the door. He still said that the key needs "coding" and he needed to figure out which of the two coding the key is set in. He didn't explain to me clearly what he meant by coding. So I felt like I've been fobbed (pun intended!).

I thought £40 is steep to just get a key cut isn't it? Audi key only cost £10. Does a spare key need "coding" even just to open the door?

What do you think?

Many thanks and happy motoring!

 

[T5White]

Hi - I needed just exact same.
Got mine from Busfest back in September from a guy there, and all it does is open the door only, then a minute or two later alarms go off - which is correct. You then get your coded fob out and do the necessary!
He needed the fob because of the key obviously, so if you send it to him or see him at shows, a god send!
He is VW Keyman on Facebook - go search out.
Cost £12, but you'll have postage too.

 

[Hoovie]

No, no coding needed.
I got my "surf key" at the same time I got a new 'full' spare key made at the Leeds VW Festival and essentially was thrown in for free. Think the price would have been £10 otherwise.

 

[defever]

Okay thanks very much both.

So I probably wont go back to that shop. That was the same shop that I had my Audi key done for £10. Maybe he wasn't in a good mood when I spoke to him. I'm glad I know little enough to sniff something not right!

I'll try the "key cutters" at a supermarket and see what they say!

Thanks again both.

 

[Yellow Campervan]

Surf key. £7.50 from Timsons and proves that your immobiliser works

 

[craig10]

£15 round this way

 

[CUMBRIA LAD]

£3 from marketstall key cutters, for our '98 1.9td

 

[defever]

Quick update. Just went to Timpsons at a local supermarket.

Told the guy I just want a key only for the door. He said, are you a surfer? haha. He knew the story so he cut me a key for £15.

Opens the door, no problem.

Sorted!

Thanks everyone for your comments.

Happy motoring!

 

[Yellow Campervan]

I am not a surfer but I still wanted a key.. when I am at work and van is secure in the car park, I hide the proper key in the van and just carry the surf key..

Also wanted to prove that the immobiliser works and it does

Engine only runs for one second if started with the surf key..

Mine is a 2.5TDI ACV as well. ..