Extra key

Any options to get a replacement key for a BMW other than through dealership? Have one for car bought recently (used) and need 2nd

This probably won't help you much unless you're in my State (Connecticut). But I know of a place in the City of Fairfield (on the outskirts of Bridgeport, CT) that specializes in cutting Keys for Luxury cars including (but not limited to) BMW, Lexus, M-Benz, Infinity, ect. I used to own a Lexus ES300, and I ended up with no key. He cut a new one (Cost $140, and I had to drive from my city (New Haven, CT) to pick it up.

Long story short, I was able to get back into my Lex and I had the option of making the new key into a MASTER key. I'm sure there must be alternatives across the US. Ask your local locksmith if they could cut a key for you based on your car's VIN. They will most likely say "NO", then ask if they know anyone who wuld have the ability. Let us know how things go afterwards by postin up here. Thanks in advance. Hope this helps.

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As far as I know the only source of keys is the dealership. Even if you could get a key physical cut somewhere else it needs to be coded to the car, which requires the dealer or someone with that equipment. As I understand it BMW keeps the key stuff close to the chest to avoid theft issues.

The keys from the dealer are expensive ($150ish I've heard) but if you have to do a bunch of running around the difference in cost quickly evaporates.

Tim

Last week I lost a key, was quoted

"320.52 Plus $65.00 to program the comfort access feature into the key."

please PM me if you have a cheaper alternative

I bought a key (fob + hidden) for what alcw stated (no comfort access).

Originally Posted by rosinbag

Any options to get a replacement key for a BMW other than through dealership? Have one for car bought recently (used) and need 2nd

Why not the dealership? Too far away? IMO, if you want the real thing go to the dealer. Why take a chance, for a little bit of $$? MY car is a major part of my life. Losing access to it would be devastating to me and my family. A couple of hundred dollars to prevent that is invaluable to me.

I had the independent dealer I bought the car from get me a second key through BMW. $200.00 and I activated it right away. Comfort access etc already to go. Maybe you could talk to an independent in your area.

If you buy an extra key (with the chip, ready to be programmed) you have to initialize the key. I'll find the forum post regarding the initialization process. That way yu can say "Eff [ST]ealerships" and go with my route of purchasing the key from the locksmith's auto specialist or watever they're calling themselves these days. I'm pretty surei posted on this topic. Read that and look out for my nxt post. Sorry for the abbreviations. This message was.....

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"Txtin is wayyy different than Texting"

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=580496

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Previous "Girl" - '97 Chevrolet Tahoe LTS
Current "Girl" - '97 BMW 740IL

I recently bought a used BMW and it only came with one key. I bought the car at a dealer in the East Bay San Fran area, so I had to go to my local BMW dealer to order a new key. I paid $195 (-$19.50 BMW CCA discount). I had to provide my VIN, proof of ownership, and my ID. They ordered the key, it was Fedexed by BMW NA, and arrived at my dealer the next day, already cut for my car. I drove back to the dealer and one of the service guys did the procedure as indicated in the link that Koolkidd89 provided.

Unfortunately, the guy that did the programming was an idiot because when you initialize a new key you apparently also have to initialize the old key at the same time. He didn't, but fortunately I hadn't left before I discovered that the original key didn't work at all. Another service guy reinitialized both keys and everything was working OK.

One of the "key memory" features for this particular model is the ability to remember various settings to each key, such as seat position, mirror, radio stations, etc., just like our 2011 335is Coupe. Unlike the 335is, this has to be done by the dealer. Unfortunately, because I didn't buy the used car at this dealer they wanted to charge me $175 to program this! Had I known this I would have insisted that it be done at the selling dealer.