$133.19 for a #$%#$% key!!!

I went to my local lock & safe to get a key cut for my 04 msm, only to
discover it has a transponder which only the dealer can program. I call
the local Mazda dealer, Lakeland Automall (http://lakelandautomall.com) in
Lakeland, FL, and the fellow I spoke to said the key would be $46. A bit
of a ripoff but I only got one key with the car and need another for the
wife. So I make an appointment for the key, and also for an oil change and
to fix the CD changer (radio works but CDs will neither play nor eject).

I arrive on time for my appointment and they told me an hour and a half to
two hours. They also said it was impossible to return my CDs as the entire
player would have to be sent to the manufacturer and it would be up to
them to return the CDs to me. Is it really that hard to get the CDs out?
The woman at the service desk said they couldn't (e.g. wouldn't) do it.
They have ordered the CD player and said they will call whenever it
arrives.

Anyway, after three hours they finished the oil change and the key and
presented me with the bill: $171.70, including $15 discount.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The key, as they told me over the phone, was $46. They neglected to
mention they charge $87 to program the transponder (e.g. stick the damn
thing in a machine and press a button). I obviously got a bit testy but of
course they refused to budge. I shouldn't have paid for the damn thing.
I'm still mad. What a bunch of crooks.

I find it hard to believe it costs $133 (plus tax) for a key. It's not
like it's filled with gold or anything. Do all dealers gouge this bad or
am I just lucky?

Carbon > wrote:

>I went to my local lock & safe to get a key cut for my 04 msm, only to
>discover it has a transponder which only the dealer can program. I call
>the local Mazda dealer, Lakeland Automall (http://lakelandautomall.com) in
>Lakeland, FL, and the fellow I spoke to said the key would be $46. A bit
>of a ripoff but I only got one key with the car and need another for the
>wife. So I make an appointment for the key, and also for an oil change and
>to fix the CD changer (radio works but CDs will neither play nor eject).
>
>I arrive on time for my appointment and they told me an hour and a half to
>two hours. They also said it was impossible to return my CDs as the entire
>player would have to be sent to the manufacturer and it would be up to
>them to return the CDs to me. Is it really that hard to get the CDs out?
>The woman at the service desk said they couldn't (e.g. wouldn't) do it.
>They have ordered the CD player and said they will call whenever it
>arrives.
>
>Anyway, after three hours they finished the oil change and the key and
>presented me with the bill: $171.70, including $15 discount.
>
>!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
>
>The key, as they told me over the phone, was $46. They neglected to
>mention they charge $87 to program the transponder (e.g. stick the damn
>thing in a machine and press a button). I obviously got a bit testy but of
>course they refused to budge. I shouldn't have paid for the damn thing.
>I'm still mad. What a bunch of crooks.
>
>I find it hard to believe it costs $133 (plus tax) for a key. It's not
>like it's filled with gold or anything. Do all dealers gouge this bad or
>am I just lucky?

I don't know about that, but I hate those keys. I had a non chip key made
so that at least I do not have to carry two of those gigantic boxes on the
chance I lock my key in the trunk. It will not start the car, but it will
open doors and trunk.

You could have had a couple made for a few dollars and used it to lock
the transponder key in the trunk.

Leon
--
Leon van Dommelen Bess, the Miata Bozo, the Miata
http://www.dommelen.net/miata
The only thing better than a white Miata is two white Miatas

Carbon wrote:
> I went to my local lock & safe to get a key cut for my 04 msm, only to
> discover it has a transponder which only the dealer can program. I
> call the local Mazda dealer, Lakeland Automall
> (http://lakelandautomall.com) in Lakeland, FL, and the fellow I spoke
> to said the key would be $46. A bit of a ripoff but I only got one
> key with the car and need another for the wife. So I make an
> appointment for the key, and also for an oil change and to fix the CD
> changer (radio works but CDs will neither play nor eject).
>
> I arrive on time for my appointment and they told me an hour and a
> half to two hours. They also said it was impossible to return my CDs
> as the entire player would have to be sent to the manufacturer and it
> would be up to them to return the CDs to me. Is it really that hard
> to get the CDs out? The woman at the service desk said they couldn't
> (e.g. wouldn't) do it. They have ordered the CD player and said they
> will call whenever it arrives.
>
> Anyway, after three hours they finished the oil change and the key and
> presented me with the bill: $171.70, including $15 discount.
>
> !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
>
> The key, as they told me over the phone, was $46. They neglected to
> mention they charge $87 to program the transponder (e.g. stick the
> damn thing in a machine and press a button). I obviously got a bit
> testy but of course they refused to budge. I shouldn't have paid for
> the damn thing. I'm still mad. What a bunch of crooks.
>
> I find it hard to believe it costs $133 (plus tax) for a key. It's not
> like it's filled with gold or anything. Do all dealers gouge this bad
> or am I just lucky?

When I first got my car (2002 MX-5, Miata to you?!) I noticed it didn't have
a spare so I asked the dealer (Mazda) and they sorted one for me for free.
However, had I not just bought the car from this particular dealer, it would
have cost around £110 (ish), which back then was probably around the $210
mark! I reckon other dealers might not have been so friendly, this
particular dealer had a good reputation...

I agree, seems like a bit of a rip-off to me.

R.

I got boned to the tune of about $130 for 2 new keys for my 2000 Mazda 626.
Took them around 3.5 hours while I waited in the show room. I figured
correctly that they would program both keys for one fee. They had one bad
key that disrupted the whole process and had to locate another key and start
over. They washed my car for free to TRY to make me happy.

The 626 had a Bose in it that ate the damn CD too and quit working before
the son changed out the headunit. It's still in there. Sounds like some
things never change.


"Carbon" > wrote in message
...
>I went to my local lock & safe to get a key cut for my 04 msm, only to
> discover it has a transponder which only the dealer can program. I call
> the local Mazda dealer, Lakeland Automall (http://lakelandautomall.com) in
> Lakeland, FL, and the fellow I spoke to said the key would be $46. A bit
> of a ripoff but I only got one key with the car and need another for the
> wife. So I make an appointment for the key, and also for an oil change and
> to fix the CD changer (radio works but CDs will neither play nor eject).
>
> I arrive on time for my appointment and they told me an hour and a half to
> two hours. They also said it was impossible to return my CDs as the entire
> player would have to be sent to the manufacturer and it would be up to
> them to return the CDs to me. Is it really that hard to get the CDs out?
> The woman at the service desk said they couldn't (e.g. wouldn't) do it.
> They have ordered the CD player and said they will call whenever it
> arrives.
>
> Anyway, after three hours they finished the oil change and the key and
> presented me with the bill: $171.70, including $15 discount.
>
> !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
>
> The key, as they told me over the phone, was $46. They neglected to
> mention they charge $87 to program the transponder (e.g. stick the damn
> thing in a machine and press a button). I obviously got a bit testy but of
> course they refused to budge. I shouldn't have paid for the damn thing.
> I'm still mad. What a bunch of crooks.
>
> I find it hard to believe it costs $133 (plus tax) for a key. It's not
> like it's filled with gold or anything. Do all dealers gouge this bad or
> am I just lucky?

There is usually a way to get the CD out. It's likely that the Dealer's
mechanics know only how to change out the electronics, not trouble shoot
them, other than by the book. The last time I got into something like this,
it was dead light bulbs in the digital radio/clock panel. The repair center
wanted to replace the whole display panel at some really silly price. (As
much as a new radio) I ended up getting the radio apart, then the lcd
assembly. A quick trip to radio shack for some "grain'o'wheat" bulbs with
pigtails (You have to replace all of the bulbs to get balanced lighting on
the display.) For less than $5.00 in parts and several hours of fussing
around things were back to normal.

"Mike" > wrote in message
...
> I got boned to the tune of about $130 for 2 new keys for my 2000 Mazda
626.
> Took them around 3.5 hours while I waited in the show room. I figured
> correctly that they would program both keys for one fee. They had one bad
> key that disrupted the whole process and had to locate another key and
start
> over. They washed my car for free to TRY to make me happy.
>
> The 626 had a Bose in it that ate the damn CD too and quit working before
> the son changed out the headunit. It's still in there. Sounds like some
> things never change.
>
>
> "Carbon" > wrote in message
> ...
> >I went to my local lock & safe to get a key cut for my 04 msm, only to
> > discover it has a transponder which only the dealer can program. I call
> > the local Mazda dealer, Lakeland Automall (http://lakelandautomall.com)
in
> > Lakeland, FL, and the fellow I spoke to said the key would be $46. A bit
> > of a ripoff but I only got one key with the car and need another for the
> > wife. So I make an appointment for the key, and also for an oil change
and
> > to fix the CD changer (radio works but CDs will neither play nor eject).
> >
> > I arrive on time for my appointment and they told me an hour and a half
to
> > two hours. They also said it was impossible to return my CDs as the
entire
> > player would have to be sent to the manufacturer and it would be up to
> > them to return the CDs to me. Is it really that hard to get the CDs out?
> > The woman at the service desk said they couldn't (e.g. wouldn't) do it.
> > They have ordered the CD player and said they will call whenever it
> > arrives.
> >
> > Anyway, after three hours they finished the oil change and the key and
> > presented me with the bill: $171.70, including $15 discount.
> >
> > !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> >
> > The key, as they told me over the phone, was $46. They neglected to
> > mention they charge $87 to program the transponder (e.g. stick the damn
> > thing in a machine and press a button). I obviously got a bit testy but
of
> > course they refused to budge. I shouldn't have paid for the damn thing.
> > I'm still mad. What a bunch of crooks.
> >
> > I find it hard to believe it costs $133 (plus tax) for a key. It's not
> > like it's filled with gold or anything. Do all dealers gouge this bad or
> > am I just lucky?
>
>

On Wed, 11 Jul 2007 23:33:33 +0000, Leon van Dommelen wrote:

> I don't know about that, but I hate those keys. I had a non chip key
> made so that at least I do not have to carry two of those gigantic boxes
> on the chance I lock my key in the trunk. It will not start the car,
> but it will open doors and trunk.
>
> You could have had a couple made for a few dollars and used it to lock
> the transponder key in the trunk.

What is the range of those keys anyway? Will the car start if a
transponder is merely nearby?

Carbon > wrote:

>On Wed, 11 Jul 2007 23:33:33 +0000, Leon van Dommelen wrote:
>
>> I don't know about that, but I hate those keys. I had a non chip key
>> made so that at least I do not have to carry two of those gigantic boxes
>> on the chance I lock my key in the trunk. It will not start the car,
>> but it will open doors and trunk.
>>
>> You could have had a couple made for a few dollars and used it to lock
>> the transponder key in the trunk.
>
>What is the range of those keys anyway? Will the car start if a
>transponder is merely nearby?

When I had the non transponder made, I tried playing a bit around, but IIRC,
the key must actually be in the lock. It does raise a good question whether
you can take out the transponder and install it in the shroud next to
the lock though. I think at the time I was considering just leaving a
key in the glove compartment. If I remember it Monday, I will try once more
what the range is.

Of course, you hate the idea of taking a $200 key apart on a guess.

Leon
--
Leon van Dommelen Bess, the Miata Bozo, the Miata
http://www.dommelen.net/miata
The only thing better than a white Miata is two white Miatas

On Sat, 14 Jul 2007 14:20:05 +0000, Leon van Dommelen wrote:
> Carbon > wrote:
>
>>What is the range of those keys anyway? Will the car start if a
>>transponder is merely nearby?
>
> When I had the non transponder made, I tried playing a bit around, but
> IIRC, the key must actually be in the lock. It does raise a good
> question whether you can take out the transponder and install it in the
> shroud next to the lock though. I think at the time I was considering
> just leaving a key in the glove compartment. If I remember it Monday, I
> will try once more what the range is.
>
> Of course, you hate the idea of taking a $200 key apart on a guess.

If it's an RFID chip it ought to be good for a couple of feet at least. I
think I'll get a non-transponder key made anyway. Maybe I can hide the
spare transponder key in the trunk or glovebox.

I've talked to some other people about these keys, and apparently all
dealers charge similar amounts for this type of key. Amazing.

What upset me was that the fellow I spoke to on the phone quoted me $46,
the price for the key alone. Pretty useless if it won't start the car.

Carbon > wrote:

>On Sat, 14 Jul 2007 14:20:05 +0000, Leon van Dommelen wrote:
>> Carbon > wrote:
>>
>>>What is the range of those keys anyway? Will the car start if a
>>>transponder is merely nearby?
>>
>> When I had the non transponder made, I tried playing a bit around, but
>> IIRC, the key must actually be in the lock. It does raise a good
>> question whether you can take out the transponder and install it in the
>> shroud next to the lock though. I think at the time I was considering
>> just leaving a key in the glove compartment. If I remember it Monday, I
>> will try once more what the range is.
>>
>> Of course, you hate the idea of taking a $200 key apart on a guess.
>
>If it's an RFID chip it ought to be good for a couple of feet at least.

But is it? I am pretty sure now that I tried holding the chip key real close
to the lock while trying to start with the plain key and that it did not
work. On the other hand, the metal seems to be just one piece, with nothing
to close a circuit. Then again, with high-enough frequency, maybe you do not
need to close the circuit.

Anyway, I will try again tomorrow.

> I
>think I'll get a non-transponder key made anyway. Maybe I can hide the
>spare transponder key in the trunk or glovebox.
>
>I've talked to some other people about these keys, and apparently all
>dealers charge similar amounts for this type of key. Amazing.
>
>What upset me was that the fellow I spoke to on the phone quoted me $46,
>the price for the key alone. Pretty useless if it won't start the car.

You probably talked to a parts person. They know how to go through the
Mazda data base to find parts, but have no clue what it takes to install
it.

Leon
--
Leon van Dommelen Bess, the Miata Bozo, the Miata
http://www.dommelen.net/miata
The only thing better than a white Miata is two white Miatas

On Sun, 15 Jul 2007 23:02:52 +0000, Leon van Dommelen wrote:
> Carbon > wrote:

>>What upset me was that the fellow I spoke to on the phone quoted me $46,
>>the price for the key alone. Pretty useless if it won't start the car.
>
> You probably talked to a parts person. They know how to go through the
> Mazda data base to find parts, but have no clue what it takes to install
> it.

That may well be. Perhaps I'm predisposed to think the worst of this
dealership. The day we bought the wife's Protege the salesman installed
the license plate for us. He used the wrong size screws and made two dents
in the sheetmetal. We discovered this some months later and tried to get
them to fix it. They said no proof, etc. etc. The salesman had a guilty
look on his face but of course he "didn't remember anything like that".

We've had pretty good luck with independent mechanics over the years. But
I have never found a decent dealership, Mazda or otherwise, ever.