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key cost??


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Just bought an 05 LGT, but it came with only one key. Carlsen Subaru in Redwood City said it will cost something like $120 to get a second key (key is $40 and then $80 to reprogram)...does that sound right?

 

There has got to be a cheaper way...

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The only difference between the key you get at the hardware store and one from Subaru is the ability to start your car. If you don't need that ability, you can just get a key from the hardware store. A non-coded key can open the door and turn the car on, but it won't let you start the engine.

 

If you are going to get a key, make sure you buy all the keys you want and have them all present as they initialize it. All the keys registered to the car must be programmed at the same time. Say you are on vacation and you lose your key and get the local dealer to program a new one, now the keys at home won't work and you will need to get them all programmed again. PITA.

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the ford service dept i work in charges $105 for a programmed spare key, unless the person has 2 keys. the ford system can be programmed by the customer, but only if the ignition system sees 2 keys first.
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There are venders on Ebay that are pretty good. I have bought a few keys from Ebay before..And if you have a decent dealer, they may program it for free.

Fat people are hard to kidnap!!!

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The cheap a$$hat that sold you the car should cough up the other TWO keys the car came with from Subaru...especially if it was a Subaru dealer you bought it from.

 

Thats what I was thinking, to hell with paying for new keys. Car should have come with them in the first place.

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The cheap a$$hat that sold you the car should cough up the other TWO keys the car came with from Subaru...especially if it was a Subaru dealer you bought it from.

 

Yeah! My first LGT came with 2 keys and 4, yes 4! valet keys. Who goes out that much that they need 4?

My current LGT came with one key. :confused:

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I just got another 05' and the dealer handed me one key. Made him get me another one. They sent me to their Subaru dealership in that chain. $50 for the key. $30 for the fob. $75 for labor. They already got enough money from me. I wasn't going to give them another $150 ;)
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I'm having the same issue - my 05 LGT came with only one key. If the dealer won't give me a new key and a valet, I'll have to buy them on my own. Found a reference to www.streetkeys.com in the Archives - $56 for the blank isn't great, but better than $120. I'm just not clear what the difference is between the three listed keys and if activation is really included.
Kyle "BlackHole"
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  • 1 year later...

I have a 2008 Outback. I misplaced one of the key FOB's. The dealer wanted $220 for a replacement.

 

Can I buy a FOB off eBay and reprogram it myself? (I was able to do that with my Mazda with some instructions that came with the FOB.)

 

That is I see i can buy one for about $15 but it says a dealer or locksmith needs to program it, whereas with the Mazda I could do it myself. Does a dealer charge $200 just to (re-)program them? Can a locksmith do it rather than a dealer and are they cheaper?

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yes you surely can do that. I have three that I bought off ebay as a set (fobs) for 25 bucks. The programming instructions are right in the manual under keys and entry. Look it up, the process is kinda annoying and might take you a few tries, but its not hard, and certainly cheaper than the dealer.
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Hey thanks for the cite. Well all else fails, read the effing manual (which I haven't reread yet). I remember the procedure for my Mazda was annoying also - opening and closing doors and cycling power locks and ignition with certain timings and sequences.

 

Anyway, I did find a dealer who said they would charge a half hour at their usual hourly rate, so the cost would be $49, but now that I know I can do it myself, i will do that.

 

Thanks.

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Just so there's no confusion between the immobilizer system and the keyless entry system.

 

You can program a new key fob code into the keyless entry system (instructions in your manual) but you CAN NOT reprogram the immobilizer chip in a new key. Only a dealership can do that.

 

At least that's what I gather from the manual. YMMV.

 

Cheers!

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  • 3 weeks later...

yeah they are not cheap...

 

I got a 2nd Valet key when i picked up my car, $78 after the Key, and reprogram etc.

and that was time of purchase, and Employee cost.

 

oh, and word of advice... when you buy a new key, bring ALL your keys in.

when they reprogram the new key... they need ALL keys, if not the one you didn't bring in, won't work.

found that out. my key was in my pocket, and nobody even thought about it till i tried to leave.. lol. we caught the service manager as he was leaving, i felt bad we made him do the whole thing all over again.. :(

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