Warranty would cover a fob that stops working, but not for one lost. Some extended service contracts will cover one fob replacement (the Mopar contract I had on the MY12 Jeep Grand Cherokee did) but not many do. And the level of security these days pretty much means there are no non-OEM fob replacements. (Some OEM fobs cannot be reprogrammed, too, so folks have to be wary of buying "used" fobs and expecting them to be able to be programmed for their vehicle. Always verify the capability first before plunking down money for a "used" fob)
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The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...
My current vehicle (aside from the bus) is a 2013 Outback that I bought last year and which only has one key. I have been careful not to lose it and so far that has worked, but there's always a chance of things going wrong. Maybe I should get a spare before I have an emergency.
The interiors also wear out, and in 20 years it could be a problem. I've got an old Honda from 2006 that's starting to show it's age. Had to replace the headliner (fabric in the ceiling) a while ago because the glue started to fail. Also replaced both axels recently. The seats are still in good condition, but I'm waiting for the driver side one to wear out. I've got 200K+ miles on it, and still going strong, I'm expecting to get another 100K, which is maybe in 5 years, so I think we're already there with 20-30 year old cars, IF you want a car to last that long. Most people don't seem to want to do that for whatever reason.
I'm also reminded of the $5K electric car which is popular in China, but a lot of analytics say won't make it here because people don't want cheap, basic transportation.... (And then complain about how they're broke and can't make it in this country)
OTOH, I have to wonder what compromises have been made. My brother has a business flipping golf carts, and most of those are going for 6-8K, used, with far less body work.
Yoga class makes me feel like a total stud, mostly because I'm about as flexible as a 2x4.
"Design"? Possibly. "Intelligent"? Sure doesn't look like it from this angle.
We used to be hunter gatherers. Now we're shopper borrowers.
The three most important words in the English language: "Front Towards Enemy".
The world makes a lot more sense when you remember that Butthead was the smart one.
You can never be too rich, too thin, or have too much ammo.
Yes, And if you loos one, get a replacement and get both the new one and the existing one reprogrammed, great.
Then you find the lost one - it will not work because the others were reprogrammed (2015 VW)
Howard Garner
There are variations on the theme for sure. In some vehicles, for example, you can add a fob, but must have the originals available for the technician to do their thing. In others, they can just add one. It varies. The worst possible case is losing all your fobs and also not having the little ID tag that came with the fobs when the vehicle was new. Ching, ching...
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The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...
The "key" for my car is an oddly shaped fob that has a rectangular stub at the end that plugs into the "ignition switch". You turn it just like a normal key, but you could use any key fob from any other Chrysler product with the same system and turn the key so far as I know, but it wouldn't start the car. I suspect there is an RFID chip or something in the fob that actually authorizes the key.
Last edited by Brian Elfert; 04-25-2022 at 12:01 PM.
Yoga class makes me feel like a total stud, mostly because I'm about as flexible as a 2x4.
"Design"? Possibly. "Intelligent"? Sure doesn't look like it from this angle.
We used to be hunter gatherers. Now we're shopper borrowers.
The three most important words in the English language: "Front Towards Enemy".
The world makes a lot more sense when you remember that Butthead was the smart one.
You can never be too rich, too thin, or have too much ammo.
Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.
Oh yeah, it takes a Porsche-specific service computer that they protect like nuclear codes. There are aftermarket equivalents, but they can't do things like this. And it also required a VIN-specific unlock code from the Porsche distributor back east: the shop had to fax them my registration because I was an "unknown" owner.
On a vaguely related topic, don't get me started on how you can't buy factory service manuals anymore. For Honda, you have to pay for a limited-time subscription to the online version...and it's not cheap.
Yoga class makes me feel like a total stud, mostly because I'm about as flexible as a 2x4.
"Design"? Possibly. "Intelligent"? Sure doesn't look like it from this angle.
We used to be hunter gatherers. Now we're shopper borrowers.
The three most important words in the English language: "Front Towards Enemy".
The world makes a lot more sense when you remember that Butthead was the smart one.
You can never be too rich, too thin, or have too much ammo.
I called the dealer and was quoted $250 for a fob from Subaru and $120 to program it. I guess I'll just keep on not losing my key, at that price. I've been a licensed driver for 17 years and haven't lost a key yet, but I have been told that there is a first time for everything.
Yoga class makes me feel like a total stud, mostly because I'm about as flexible as a 2x4.
"Design"? Possibly. "Intelligent"? Sure doesn't look like it from this angle.
We used to be hunter gatherers. Now we're shopper borrowers.
The three most important words in the English language: "Front Towards Enemy".
The world makes a lot more sense when you remember that Butthead was the smart one.
You can never be too rich, too thin, or have too much ammo.