E30 OEM KEY OCD Thread

[agisthos]

Can any of you guys measure the E30 key length you have? I have previously purchased a VIN coded key for my E30 that was nothing like the ones I have here. So I presumed the locks had been changed in the past. But now its possible the locks/keys might not even be from an E30 (maybe an E21 ?).

I just got 2x blanks (51211900892) from Germany and they are 3mm longer than my key.

BLANK - from bevel point 28mm (total length 38mm)
MY E30 - from bevel points 25mm (total length 35mm)

The locksmith would not cut them. Besides the length they are identical steel, but the black finger grip on my old one s rounded more around the edges, not sharper edge like the new one.

[Albie325]

Albie325 I had no idea you could order the door VIN sticker! Thanks so much for posting. Hope to see you and the ride at The Vintage!

Yessir, it's not the same in appearance as the original however does still look very sharp. Definitely planning to be there, we'll have to link up for sure

[bradnic]

Albie325 I had no idea you could order the door VIN sticker! Thanks so much for posting. Hope to see you and the ride at The Vintage!

[Albie325]

So I'm completely shocked and pleasantly surprised, but last week I placed an order through my local dealership for a lighted master key, spare key, and a vin sticker (painting my car now and needed a new one). I needed title, my driver's license, and for the VIN sticker I needed a picture of the old original sticker (thankfully I took one only so that I could put the new one in the proper place) as well as a signed reason for why I needed a new sticker.

I placed the order for my factory coded keys on 9/8, and my dealer called on 9/11 that they were already ready for pickup! 3 days?? I was expecting 4-6 weeks. The best part: I put them in the ignition and they actually worked! Am rebuilding the door and trunk locks but was worried about the ignition. I can't believe how fast a turnover it was:









I obviously needed them. As for pricing, with a BMW CCA 15% discount:

Lighted Master: $124.41
Spare: $60.61
VIN Sticker: $32.27


I just can't get over how fast they were ready

[projectJTv4]

Not sure if anyone has had this issue recently, but I contacted a local dealer and they gave me BMW's Key Replacement number, 888-575-5397. I called them and they told me they cannot provide a VIN cut key car models older than '98...

So I stopped by the local dealer and placed the order with my DL and registration last week. Yesterday, the dealer contacts me and says they are having difficulty getting it cut.

Any suggestions? The copies I have from the PO aren't in the greatest shape. I have also rebuilt the driver's side and trunk with new wafers.

[LateFan]

I talked with the dealer and they re-ordered a new key, which came out correctly and works all the locks. No charge.

[KIRIEIW]

I just bought a new key pre cut from the dealer last week, doesn't fit. I gave them my VIN and registration (required when buying a key). I'm assuming a shop or someone changed all the tumblers on my car sometime within the last 30 years unfortunately.

[iansane]

Hi -

I haven't been around lately. Yes, my son rebuilt the drivers lock with the factory kit with all the pieces. There was quite a bit of wear on some brass pieces.

We had a local old skool locksmith look at it and make a brass copy off the original and some numbers he looked up. It works perfectly in all locks. When you compare them with a magnifying glass, he showed us where they new BMW key isn't symmetrical as far as where the pattern starts on each side. There should be an equal flat on each side before the pattern starts (on ours). So if one set of tumblers was aligned, the opposite side where just off a hair and it won't turn.

We called the dealer we got it from, they were skeptical, then called back to say they had already reordered a new one for us. He says the sides are just right on this one. We sent him close-up pics of both keys.

Here's the first new factory key they sent. See the flat on one side and barely a notch on the other. I think they just cut it crooked.

I just ordered new keys/cylinders from BMW last summer and had a similar issue. Unless it's perspective, your two sides don't match. They should be equal all the way up. I got two keys and one was perfectly even and worked great and one was off like yours (well, even farther) and the key didn't work in the cylinder. Told my local dealer and they cut a new key and it worked great.

[LateFan]

Hi -

I haven't been around lately. Yes, my son rebuilt the drivers lock with the factory kit with all the pieces. There was quite a bit of wear on some brass pieces.

We had a local old skool locksmith look at it and make a brass copy off the original and some numbers he looked up. It works perfectly in all locks. When you compare them with a magnifying glass, he showed us where they new BMW key isn't symmetrical as far as where the pattern starts on each side. There should be an equal flat on each side before the pattern starts (on ours). So if one set of tumblers was aligned, the opposite side where just off a hair and it won't turn.

We called the dealer we got it from, they were skeptical, then called back to say they had already reordered a new one for us. He says the sides are just right on this one. We sent him close-up pics of both keys.

Here's the first new factory key they sent. See the flat on one side and barely a notch on the other. I think they just cut it crooked.

[bradnic]

LateFan you replaced all the springs and tumblers on the door lock? assume it's the driver's door we're talking about? would be great to see the new and work keys side by side. Assume you've tried some graphite powder on the new key with the rebuilt lock.

what about the other locks - glove box, pass door.

[Albie325]

Interested to see how this is resolved, I've already purchased the trunk and door lock rebuild kits but my big hesitation with ordering the new keys is this exact scenario.

[LateFan]

Some follow-up:
Got our new BMW-cut flashlight key for $140 shipped. They were very helpful.

The key works perfectly in the ignition and the trunk. It will not open the door. (The door lock has been recently rebuilt with the factory kit)

Ideas? It is a hair thicker than the original. The original is very rounded off with wear. Maybe new sharp key with new sharp lock pins?....but then when you bought the car new everything was sharp and worked fine...

[LateFan]

Thanks to the OP and all those above for this useful thread. We have only one original illuminated key, with a lot of wear. Cheap hardware store copies have sheared off in the door - luckily we got it out with a long tweezers.

We rebuilt the drivers lock with the BMW kit. I was about to order the illuminated blank until I read this thread - best price I found is $68 at ECS.

I called my closest dealer with the VIN and he found that the illuminated key is still available, in the 10001 master series, cut for $131, so not much more really. They need the VIN, registration, title, your driver's license, and they can order it. Then we can order the BMW "General key" blank in steel and have them cut locally for spares. Our locksmith has the steel cutter.

Thanks again for the info here.

[Fusion]

So the dealer doesn't see the code, but I got some new info today. They were a little confused, probably because they don't have to order locks very often.
First the guy thought the "CODE" for the part numbers was an immobiliser code, so I explained that it's the code used for cutting new keys. Then he told me that when he enters my VIN into whatever software they use to order parts, only the ignition lock with CODE 44000-> is not greyed out, so he can order that or the "generic" part with the key (random code).

Now, the locksmith told me I have either ISN773 code HB18xxx or ISN774 code HB44xxx (he gave me the whole numbers).
So it seems that BMW uses ISN774. And I now have high hopes that the ignition lock could match my current keys, unless someone swapped in a set of locks with the same 44000 range.
Should arrive within a week.

[bradnic]

Order your coded key first. Dealer should be able to confirm your code. Then you can order the correct coded ignition cylinder if needed