Who Says You Need To Get Spare Car Keys From The Dealer

Pop-A-Lock locksmith trucks are brightly marked and have big pictures of different automotive keys on the sides and back.  All the time, someone walks up to our trucks or pulls us over to ask if we make car keys.  We always tell them that we do, and we do many different types of keys – mechanical keys, keys with chips inside, key and remotes all in one, and proximity keys – the kinds where you push a button to start the car.  Most of the people say “I didn't know you could make that key.  I thought I had to go to the dealer.”

Dealers sure do have it easy considering most of those people didn't know about their options. Keep in mind that I do buy auto parts from a dealer, but only if I can’t buy them someplace else for less.  The $6 brake light bulb at a dealer is $2 at Autozone for example.  Its no different for your car keys, there are plenty of alternatives.

Pop-A-Lock sells, cuts, and programs car keys and remotes for the great majority of cars.  Our price for making a duplicate is typically about half of what the dealer charges.

What’s the downside of not having a spare key?  If you lose your only key, you essentially have 2 choices – call Pop-A-Lock to come out to where your car is located and make you a new key OR get your car towed to the dealer to make you a key.  If you happen to have auto insurance that covers towing, that’s helpful, but if you don’t, the cost of towing can be more than the cost of the new key itself.  Also, towing to the dealer takes time.  Given most people lose their key in the afternoon or evening, its most likely the dealership won’t get the key made until the next day, so you’re not going to have a car for awhile.

A locksmith like Pop-A-Lock is usually there in 30-45 minutes to start making you a key.   It typically takes 30-90 minutes to make a new key. Then you get to go home in your car. No towing to the dealership, no loss of use until they make you a key the next day, and the cost is less. So, why do you need a spare key?  The answer is that the cost for Pop-A-Lock to make a spare key is half the cost of making a key when you've lost your only key.  Why spend $200 to make a key after you've lost one when you can spend under $80 to make a duplicate?

So, make the right and cheapest choice, and call Pop-A-Lock. 24/7, we're ready to help you.

11 More Things Your Locksmith Won’t Tell You

The information following reprint was found in Readers Digest and all of the contributors were locksmiths from around the country.  I found it interesting and a bit surprising, so hopefully will you.

11. I’ve seen my share of dead bodies.  It’s always a bad sign when the landlord calls to get into an apartment and nobody’s seen the tenant for 10 days.

12. Divorce lockouts are a challenge. The soon-to-be ex-wife will call and say she’s locked out, so I get her in and change the locks.  The husband then calls with the same request.  I refer him to a competitor.

13. Don’t feel bad if you have to call me twice in a short span of time.  I once had a guy lock himself out of his house 3 times in one day.

14. If you’re locked out, please just call one of us.  More than once, I arrived at a lockout to find 2 competitors trucks already there.  At that point, we all agreed to leave and abandon the inconsiderate victim.

15.  Never tell me “don’t worry, it’s an easy lock”.  Every time someone says that it takes an extra 10 minutes to get it open.  Its the kiss of death. 

16.  If its 2am and some guy calls me because he’s locked out of his car at a strip club, a service call that’s normally $55 is now $100.  If he’s got money for club’s, he’s got money for me.

17. Don’t believe a car dealer who says only he can duplicate keys.  In most cases, a locksmith who specializes in automotive work can make you a key – usually cheaper.

18. Try the door.  I’ve gone to houses and found it open, but I’m still going to charge you for coming out.

19. If your key won’t turn, try WD40 or silicone spray.  Sometimes the pins get jammed and 25-40% of the time, that solves the problem.

20. Have a house keeper that needs a key?  Ask me to key your door so that your master key works on both the dead bolt and the door knob but hers just works the door knob.  On the day she comes, only lock the knob.

21. Many locksmiths in the phonebook or online are scammers.  They’ll quote you one price, but when they get there, they’ll say you have a special lock they can’t pick, so they’ll have to drill it open.  Then they charge you $125 or more for a replacement lock you can buy at Home Depot for $25.

These are all topics that locksmiths deal with on a daily basis.  As your trusted locksmith, Pop-A-Lock seeks to 1) educate consumers about best practices in locksmithing , 2) provide secure solutions at an affordable price, and 3) identify and take steps against the scammers that prey upon consumers.