andytwonames

Hi all,
I've just purchased an S reg Fiesta Finesse Amnual 1.3 petrol.

It's the first Ford I've had for almost 20 years. It's very nice but only came with one key.

I'm getting conflicting advice on how and where to get an extra key and I would welcome your input.

1. Ford Main Dealer insists I have to buy a key for £30 and pay £90+ to get the car re-programmed to recognise the new key.
2. Auto Licksmiths will come out to me and supply a new key and program the car to it for £90. They too say the car must be present to work on it.
3. The dealer who sold me the car said I can take the working key to a shoe repairers and they can cut a new one and use a machine to match the new key to the existing one.
4. I went to a local cobbler and the chap grunted something about "we put on machine - maybe - maybe not"

Having only paid £700 for the car, I don't really fancy shelling out another £100 to get a key.

Is going to a shoe menders really possible or is this just cobblers? If the keys are going to go into a machine which can alter the chip on the key, is there a risk that the one working key will get corrupted?

What to do???
Please help

Regards
Andy.

andytwonames

Anyone?

phil_rs

iTrader: (3)

A new key will need to be cut and programmed, regardless who you use. SHop around though as prices vary

andytwonames

thanks for the response.

I do realise that some programming will be needed of either the car or the key but I am not clear as to which bits of the advice I have been given are genuine and which are not. I have no experience of Ford vehicles with immobilisers and was hoping to benefit from the experience of others on here.

1. The car dealer telling me I can get the local heel bar/key cutter to program another key from my existing key.
   • Did he just want me to buy the car and get me off his back?
   • Is it really an option?
   • Does it risk corrupting the existing good key?
   • Has anyone done this with success?
2. The Auto Locksmith says that the CAR has to be reprogrammed to recognise the new key.
   • He tells me option 1 will not work.
   • Is that true or does he just want £90 out of me?

I could just run on one key but then Sods law states thet I WILL lose the key. I've never lost a key in 30 years of motoring but I've always had a spare.

RichieST

iTrader: (2)

Some locksmiths / key cutting places have the facility to copy the code from your original key to a new one, try a few different places

RichieST

iTrader: (2)

Point one, true, point 2, false!

andytwonames

Great. I'll go to the local heel bar. My Stilettos need doing anyway.