The $150 Key.....

[sundaypunch]

So I checked today about getting an extra key for the new-to-me '01 XC70. The dealer says a spare key is $150. It involves a chip, software, programming, and a group blessing by the dealership employees (OK, I made up that last part). While I wasn't expecting to get a $1.99 blank ground at the local hardware store I am hoping to find a cheaper source for a key that will probably never be used.

Are there any tricks to getting these things that I might be missing?

[RedXC]

The key are expensive. I got a discount on mine back in the days. You can either order the key from a independent volvo shop, if they can program it from VADIS then you all set. If not, you might have to bring it to the dealer.

[dr.tb.xc]

Dear sundaypunch,

Welcome to the family. Glad to have you among us.

Sorry about the reality check regarding the price of Volvo keys, but hopefully this will improve your mood.

I recently lost one of those uber-cool spring loaded flip-out key remotes for our '05 S60R. It had the fancy little steel R on the back and everything. It deserted me when the stupidly designed metal attachment ring worked its way open. Volvo no longer makes them with this egregious design flaw.

For now I'm getting by with the valet key, which pi$$es me off every time I use it. If and when I bite the bullet and have a replacement made, it's going to set me back around $230 for the part and the programming.

There, feeling a little better now? $150 keys sound like a real bargin to me.

-Todd

[philosophicaldreamer]

For now I'm getting by with the valet key, which pi$$es me off every time I use it. If and when I bite the bullet and have a replacement made, it's going to set me back around $230 for the part and the programming.

There, feeling a little better now? $150 keys sound like a real bargin to me.

-Todd

Todd:

Spoken like a true physician: "Sir, you need to have heart transplant but you should not worry because the guy next to you has a lung cancer" Volvo should be embarrased for charging so much money for bloody keys. I bet you that the key itself costs them $5 and programming another $5, and they want to charge you $230. As much as I love these cars, I do think that Volvo dealers take us for idiots. I had to buy brand new remotes on ebay because my Volvo dealer wanted a silly amount of money for them; the ironic thing is that I bought brand new remotes for $16 from another dealer.

Hope you are doing well.
Ta-ta, j.

[MD-Daddy]

Volvo should be embarrased for charging so much money for bloody keys. I bet you that the key itself costs them $5 and programming another $5, and they want to charge you $230.

Two points I wanna make concerning electromechanical keys before the thread goes dead (my post have a way of doing this for some odd reason).

1) Research and Development is expensive. The cost to Volvo over time should bring the price of todays keys down, but what about the next generation of keys? Research and Development is not cheap, nor are our cars. A $1.99 ACE Hardware Store key to my Ford is nice on the wallet, but in reality the locking mechanism for my Ford is by far inferior to the Volvo's. Simply you get what you pay for...I expect inferior locks from Ford.

2) Every year thousands of young and old 'hobbiest' attend conferences and practice/fiddle hundreds of thousands of hours picking locks. One of the most successful 'hobbiests' from Denmark loves a challenge and was presented with 30 mechanical locks from vendors around the world...12 minutes. This included the famously hard to pick German and Swiss vendors. Then he was presented with an electromechanical lock from German...he's still working on it. [Note: Question of legality and ethics are welcomed, but remember this is a global village we are all in today where information (how-to) and toolz (eBay.ru) flow freely.]

Multi-factor security works. The combination of mechanical and electronic access controls works not to STOP the bad guys, but to slow them down. Sure, a hammer solves the 'access into the car' problem, but they'll not turn over the car without the key. Sure, a JarrDan lift solves that problem, but if your advasary is willing to buy a $30k lift (or borrow or SocialEngineer one to tow 'his car') you've successed in slowing the atacker down.

We have three keys; two switchblade type and one valet. One of the switch blades sucks...its battery dies after 2 days. On the next run to Volvo we'll get it fixed, so I am using the vale key...and yes it sucks too. But it works; my only saving grace.

R/
MDD

Some Links:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pmtorrone/tags/locks/ From DefCon in Vega
http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/24/t...secure-part-i/ BumpKeys
http://www.worldwidewardrive.org/dclp/DCLP.html 'Rules' to a years past Contest

[Willy]

Hello,
Yes, the keys are expensive, but I do agree with MD-Daddy, the keys
used in current day cars are one (if not the) reason that far less cars are stolen.
unfortunately, car-jacking is the result, but this at least proves the success
of the keys, (or perhaps better: the key-system).
Does anyone know if it just Volvo charging such high prices, or are these
keys/immobilizers/coded remote controls expensive for other cars as well?
Willy

[Art]

After reading this article, the cost of acquiring a replacement key on this side of the pond doesn’t seem too bad.

[billy780]

For what its worth with the 2004 Saab 9-3 that I just sold if you lost both keys you would end up having to have the computer main brain changed out and you would have to buy 2 new keys/remotebuilt in. From what I had heard it was to the tune of $1000 plus.

[John@CdnRockies]

A key and fob for my '99 Maxima was $250 plus taxes last year. I'm more than happy to pay that price given the additional theft-deterrent factor.

John

[MD-Daddy]

Hello,
Yes, the keys are expensive, but I do agree with MD-Daddy, the keys
used in current day cars are one (if not the) reason that far less cars are stolen.
unfortunately, car-jacking is the result, but this at least proves the success
of the keys, (or perhaps better: the key-system).
Does anyone know if it just Volvo charging such high prices, or are these
keys/immobilizers/coded remote controls expensive for other cars as well?
Willy

Car Jacking is harder too with a Volvo...so long as you keep the doors locked and the windows up while driving. The safety glass is designed to shatter in a very unique fashion: from the inside you can shatter the glass and push it out, however an attacker that shatters that glass from the outside cannot (easily) push it inward. Just keep those doors locked and windows up... sounds like I am encouraging anti-social (bubble like Living) behavior. Life is full of Risks. *sigh*

MDD