Can a locksmith make car keys?

Locksmith is a profession that has been around for hundreds of years and since then it has been growing and improving rapidly. First locksmiths were making the ancient locks and keys, but in today’s world a locksmith can do a lot of things. One of the most popular jobs a modern locksmith does is to make car keys either as a spare or a key from scratch in an all keys lost situation. Making a new car key involves cutting the metal key with a high precision cutter and programming the chip in a transponder key or the chip in a remote with a car key programmer. An automotive locksmith must be able to do both of these steps in order to successfully create a new working key for your vehicle. It’s important to note that each car is different in the way a locksmith can make keys for it and every locksmith will ask you for the make, model, and the year of your car before they are able to determine if they can make the key and how much it would cost. Typically Japanese cars and American cars are fairly easy to make car keys for and they are on the lower end of the cost spectrum. On the other hand the German cars such as BMW are much harder to make keys for due to the complexity of the system they have and the expensive equipment it requires to get the job done. Due to these reasons there are a lot less automotive locksmiths that are capable of making keys for a BMW car.

What makes BMW car keys unique?

BMW has always been one of the leaders in advancing the security and design of car key systems. BMW was one of the first cars to switch to high security transponder keys and later on they were one of the first cars to introduce the keyless entry system for their cars. It was not too long before BMW made smart keys that had to be inserted into the slot in the car instead of a traditional ignition that needed the metal key to be inserted in and turned. Ditching the ignition and having a system where you have to insert the smart fob into a slot that must have the matching code in order for the car to start. This system helps eliminate ignition issues that some people face when the ignition cylinder gets damaged. It also makes the car impossible to steal without having the original smart fob.

Earlier BMW models used transponder keys that have a metal key and a programmable chip inside the plastic cap of the key. BMW models made in the 1990s and early 2000s all have transponder keys. If you are in need of a new key or a spare key for your BMW that uses a transponder key then you will need to get a locksmith that will cut the metal portion of the key as well as program the chip into the car’s immobilizer system. There are online sources that sell transponder keys for BMW cars, however it is not easy to purchase the correct key online especially if you are not very knowledgeable about car keys. We do not recommend for you to purchase keys online because you might not be getting a good deal and there are cases of people getting scammed by online sellers who either ship out the wrong part or send a non-functioning chip. You should get a price quote from the locksmith for parts as well because the parts used by the locksmith will have a warranty on them whereas the ones you buy online will mostly likely not have any warranty.

Newest BMW car models come with smart keys that allow for keyless entry and push to start ignition. There are other smart functions on these smart fobs such as rolling down the windows by clicking and holding the unlock button, or rolling up the windows and locking all doors by clicking and holding the lock button. Some of the newest models even have a smart parking feature that allows you to pull your car forward into a parking spot by simply using your smart fob. A locksmith can make a lot of these smart key fobs, but there are some smart fobs that a locksmith cannot make therefore your only option will be the dealer.

Overall we can say that getting replacement BMW car keys through an automotive locksmith is a more affordable and quicker way to get new keys. You can call multiple locksmiths and get price quotes in order to find the best deal that works for you. However there are cases where the dealership will be your only option to replace your lost or broken keys. The dealership will most likely have to order a new key from Germany and it will take some time to get delivered. Make sure you check with couple of automotive locksmiths to see whether or not they can make a new key for your BMW, if not then you will have no choice but to go through the dealer.