Having keys made

[alpinee30m50]

Anyone ever had a key made without the original? My dumb ass lost the only key to the e30 and now i need to have one made, but i dont know where to have it done or how much its gonna cost me. Id like to avoid the stealership if possible but im thinking its the only way to do it.

Care to enlighten me?
-Jesse

[wodcutr]

take your trunk lock down to the locksmith and they will make you a key!

[Dirtbleed]

It was like 20 bucks at the dealer. I just brought my registration. they cut it from the vin number. easy

[Need4Speed1299]

If you go to walmart to make copies, make sure they push it all the way into the machine. I ended up using the machine myself because they are "special" when it comes to machines. They were upset.

[lole30]

Head down to your local bmw dealership. Bring your reg/pinks they will give you the code for the key. Then they will either A. cut a key on site B. Send you to their keysmith they might still charge an arm and a leg.

Best thing is to call around for local keysmiths and get the best price.

Something similar also happened to me. I went to my local dealership and they referred me to their keysmith and they wanted to charge $50 to make a key from code. Went to the keysmith down the street from my house. Got 2 copies for 30 bucks.

Also if you can get a steel key. Brass keys are easy to bend and break.

If you go to walmart to make copies, make sure they push it all the way into the machine. I ended up using the machine myself because they are "special" when it comes to machines. They were upset.

I have had this happen with a few house keys, I just go to local hardware store to avoid this now. Also my walmart doesn't even carry bmw blanks

[Jean]

Best thing to do if your car has original locks / key is to get a new key cut by the vin from your local dealer. It is of much higher quality than any run of the mill locksmith.

The problem doing this though is if the lock(s) on your car have been changed, the new key won't work. You'll then need to remove the non matching cylinder(s) and have a local locksmith re-key it to match the new key

[alpinee30m50]

Alright looks like ill go to the dealer, 50 bucks isnt too bad not nearly what i expected. Thanks for the input guys

[DJB]

A local 'good' hardware store will make the key copies correctly if you ask them -- they hand-align to the shoulder, instead of the worn tip. Once you get a good, aligned copy, keep that as a master.

It's still better to get a new 'punched' code-cut key.

[md-va]

This is good info. I need some new keys as well. I only have one right now and I'm afraid I'll lose it or misplace it.

[clavinZERO]

I did mine by fax with dealer. Faxed in drivers license with registration showing I own it and showing the VIN. The new dealer keyes are excellent quality (steel) and come in lighted or unlighted varieties. I would not go any other way, even for the $40.