Dealer charging for key

Well spoken.

Well spoken.

Completely reinforcing my initial assertion ; CARS COME WITH TWO KEYS ! ! ! The car’s computer knowns this, the dealers computers know this, the used car dealers know this and if the car buyer knows it too they wouldn’t be unneccessarily paying for their second key. A second key is NOT a “spare” key. It is part of the operating system. Key #3 or 4 are spares. This is why, if you’ve lost all of your keys, the dealer must program 2 initially. Also, this is why the owners manual tells you how to program more yourself IF YOU HAVE THE ORIGINAL TWO to begin with, the car’s computer proves ownership in this way. Don’t ask…TELL the used dealer to get you your second key with the purchase !!!

I guess you would feel better if they just raised the car’s sale price by $50 and gave you two keys instead of one?

i believe i would have to say…

Baaaaaaaa Baaaaaaaaa and waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaalk awaaaaaaaaaaaaay

Get a third key made. Many vehicles are easy to program a third key if you have two keys. I bought a new key on ebay for $10 delivered, cut at local hardware store for $2.

Absolutely. It is the responsibility of the dealer to prep the vehicle properly. Would you buy a car that need its 30k performed in only two weeks ? The cost base to the dealer will always be figured in no matter if it needs tires or not, detailed or not, filters, tune up , or a paint job. For the customer to be surprized by work that should have been pre-done is absolute pisspoor PR. Whether it’s joe’s auto sales or CarMax, used cars come with 2 keys period. The only time a customer should settle for less is buying from a private individual “as is”. Youall need to see a few customer’s faces here at the Ford dealer when they learn how much trouble ( time and money ) their used dealer just cost them .

Personally, I would rather not have a used car dealer touch a car I was considering buying. I would rather take it to my own independent shop and have it evaluated (before the sale) and have any required maintenance/repairs performed under my direction (after the sale). How many keys the car has would not be an issue, not more than any of the other $50 nits that I will have to correct after the sale (and there will always be plenty of nits that need correcting). The sale price should reflect the additional work that will be required for me to be happy with the car. If the customer is “surprised” by anything, the customer wasn’t paying attention. Regarding keys, I would rather go to the dealer after the sale and buy the correct OEM key than have the used car dealer go get one from bubba the locksmith.

How true and practical for us car nuts who know these things, to negotiate down the “as is” price. But my point is probably more for “joe public” who really isn’t sure just what points to negatiate on. The second key issue surprises 99% of used byers as a previously unknown feature of these newer cars and the used dealers are either un-informed or getting away with it. Those of us who know must put our foot down as we have our used dealers trained here now.