Losing car keys is an experience most car owners face in more or less equal frequency. It can hide anywhere inside the drawers, coat pockets or beneath the couch cushions or it can simply disappear not to be found anywhere.
Earlier Scenario
As we were discussing with the Acura Valencia experts, before the 1990s, losing car keys were not considered to be a big deal. One could get a spare key from any hardware or locksmith shop, and the best option was the car dealership itself. But then this easy process of duplication encouraged thieves to steal your car. But today, after the technological advances in cars and keys, it has become very difficult to steal a car, but simultaneously it has increased the work in replacing the keys making the price much costlier.
Basic Keys and Fob
The basic car keys, which was found common in cars till the mid or late 1990s, had no extra security feature apart from its unique cut in the shank (the long metal part of the key) and grooves that made it look like a house key. To make a duplicate, the locksmith didn’t have to use any extra equipment.
But today in most modern cars, we find an electronic key fob that we know as the remote or transmitter which is held as an integral part of any modern car key set. Though aftermarket fobs are available that one can purchase online or from any locksmith. But as any other aftermarket part, the quality might not be satisfactory though apparently, they are less expensive an alternative, if one has lost his fob.
Transponder Keys
The other kind of car key is the transponder key that has a chip in it that is programmed before it is ready to start the vehicle. All recent dealerships are generally having the related machines that can easily program the key. So if you lose one, the dealerships can be ready to program for you at times even free of cost, especially if that is the dealership from whom you purchased the car, but others would charge the cost of an hour of labor.
Third or Spare Key
Now, this is not like we are blaming you, but there are people who are mostly absent-minded, and they are found to be frequently losing keys, especially car keys. If you are one among them, then the experts of Valencia Acura dealership would suggest you to get a third key to have as spare.
Better Be Safe Than Sorry
As replacing the modern car keys are highly expensive, the best way to find a solution is taking some preventive steps before you enter an emergency situation. The first option is getting yourself a third or spare key programmed by your own dealership. The second option can be taking advantage of the dealerships to program another key for yourself or programming the key yourself. The third and the last option would be getting an aftermarket fob from the retail shops. Lastly you can also invest in the latest key locator gadgets and trace your car keys through a ringtone.