best place to get spare keys made?

citrov6 · Post by **citrov6** » 08 Sep 2009, 17:17

been meaning to get a spare for a while, only having one set it is looking very worn.

would it be best to go to the dealers, i can imagine them charging a couple hundred for the priveledge.

where as i am also guessing a blank could be cut by a local keycutter and the imobiliser coded with lexia or some other method?

Ross_K · Post by **Ross_K** » 08 Sep 2009, 17:29

For a Xantia key, can't you just swap the blade and avoid reprogramming - any locksmith or shoe repair place should be able to do that unless the old blade is seriously worn? They might even be able to cut a new blade without seeing the old one if you have the key code on that little plastic card.

I would have thought you would only need a lexia if you were creating a whole new key...

citrov6 · Post by **citrov6** » 08 Sep 2009, 17:33

yes sorry, I meant to say a whole new key, wasnt very clear on that.

The car only had one key and no plastic tag when I got it a year and a half ago

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 08 Sep 2009, 17:43

As you say the key is worn it'd be pointless cloning the worn profile onto a
new key from a ketcutters where the blank and cutting will likely cost as
much a Citroen will charge for a pukka new one!

I'v just been to the local Cit agent about my non starting v6 Xantia and
asked about a key for another car I've mislaid the key for. If you have the
code from the original maintenance handbook pack they new key cut will
cost about 6 to 7quid. If you don't have the number for a key there needs
to be a search with an intermediary Agent to Citroen to pull the right code
from a database which will cost around 15 so a key this method will cost
around 23ish quid.

Andrew

citrov6 · Post by **citrov6** » 08 Sep 2009, 18:06

thanks Andrew, thats a good price. I'll go round get that done with them next week

JohnD · Post by **JohnD** » 08 Sep 2009, 18:57

My C5 came with two plips plus a key which would just unlock the doors - And start the alarm if the car had been locked with the plip. The key wouldn't start the engine. SWMBO lost that key and I also had one plip stolen. (My caravan was broken into in Spain) I was always a bit worried about just having the one plip.

My local dealer quoted me £146(inc vat) for a new one. I rejected that. Instead I got a key cut which unlocked the doors for 12Euros in Spain. Next I bought on ebay for £12 a C5 plip which was identical to mine but wrong blade. I removed the blade from the plip and replaced it with the recently cut blade. I asked Citroen if they could reprogramme the plib to my car. They tried unsuccessfully. I then gave this guy a ring:- http://www.theautolocksmith.co.uk/trans ... mming.html
He came to me within a couple of hours. He confirmed that the plip couldn't be programmed to the car. Apparently the chip was locked. He removed it and replaced it with another. He programmed that to the car so now I have a new plip which will unlock the car and start the engine. It won't auto-lock and it won't set the alarm - unless you do it with the key. It took him about 75 minutes and cost me £85.

citronut · Post by **citronut** » 08 Sep 2009, 19:10

Andrew wrote
"Citroen will charge for a pukka new one!"

its all very well getting a new key from citroen if you know the lock/s you want the key/s for is/are the originals it left the factory with

regards malcolm

citrov6 · Post by **citrov6** » 08 Sep 2009, 19:15

thanks for the link JohnD , I'll give him a call

wheeler · Post by **wheeler** » 09 Sep 2009, 08:58

Ross_K wrote:For a Xantia key, can't you just swap the blade and avoid reprogramming

No you can't do that, on a Xantia 2 remote key the transponder chip is in the the keyblade part. The remote only has the central locking/alarm control in it.