c5 key cutting cost

[boristhespie]

I got a plip key and have a Lexia but jeeze could I find anyone to cut it. They all said they could not because the key is also cut on the sides and they don't have the ability to do that. Lastly these car key van men don't seem to operate in NE Scotland so they are out. So one useless plip and a nervous driving caking the consequences of losing the key when abroad.

[xmexclusive]

Cutting the Citroen cruciform keys is a bit of a pain.
Being virtually unique to Citroen cars few lockies have the proper cutting machine.
Now Citroen no longer fit cruciform to new cars the key situation will get worse not better.
Ideally the correct two adjacent sides need to be cut as a pair.
The lockies reference point is the nose of the key not the tang on the rear used for normal key cutting.
A few Citroen dealers have the cutting machine fitted with the specialist key carrier for this cutting.
Some but not all of these dealers only allow trained staff to cut keys.
This is important as even with the correct machine you can pair the wrong sides to cut.
Your local locksmith needs to be very precise if he has to manually reposition both the key and the original 4 times to cut each side.
I no longer have a key cutting Citroen dealer in the area as he went bust a couple of years ago.
His success rate was typically 2 in 3 useable.
I was very dissapointed the cutting machine was not in the auction of tools.
This problem with making a good copy is the reason I advise getting a factory cut key from code where possible.
The cost is very little different than buying a Citroen blank.
The only problems are being sure that the correct code is specified and the wait while the keys are cut and delivered from France.
I will see if I can find a competent key cutter before I send out the keys I have promised.
We need a reasonably priced way forward with this regular problem.

Edit note:
I have just been down to the local locksmith that I regularly use for security keys and locks.
Never tried them for car keys before.
They have a suitable cutting machine but would need to obtain the cruciform key adaptor from another branch.
It transpired that they have two adaptors in the group.
One does the rounds between the shops on demand.
This is because of the high cost of the adaptor does not justify supplying to all their shops.
The other adaptor is kept on a dedicated machine at their branch that specialises in auto lock work.
It is not so far away so I will pay a visit in the next week or so and report back.
The range of Citroen blanks held will be worth checking.

John