Cost of a chipped Volvo key?

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max - 16 Jun 2005 03:42 GMT

I had to have a spare key made for my '99 C70 recently by the dealer,
and I was pretty surprised at the cost.

Key blank - $50
Key program - $35
Labor - $67

Total - $152!

My wife's non-chipped '97 key only cost $27; still expensive, but not
in the same league.

Are these normal charges? Can you get these anywhere besides Volvo?

I'm getting used to paying a ton of money whenever I take the silly
things in for any service, but this was a bit of a shock, even so.

TIA!

max

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Bev A. Kupf - 16 Jun 2005 12:58 GMT

> I had to have a spare key made for my '99 C70 recently by the dealer,
> and I was pretty surprised at the cost.
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
> Total - $152!

That's a little high. Two years ago I had a chipped key made at my
Volvo dealer for about $120.

> My wife's non-chipped '97 key only cost $27; still expensive, but not
> in the same league.

I can get regular Volvo keys made for $10 - $12 (eg. 850, 940).

> Are these normal charges? Can you get these anywhere besides Volvo?

Non-chipped keys -- pretty much anywhere. The chipped keys -- only
at the dealer.

Beverly

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Many a smale maketh a grate -- Geoffrey Chaucer

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Joe Blizzard - 17 Jun 2005 13:19 GMT

> Key blank - $50
> Key program - $35
> Labor - $67
> Are these normal charges? Can you get these anywhere besides Volvo?

Depends on what you mean by "normal." It's totally outrageous, but you can't
get them anywhere else so they can pretty much charge whatever they want.
I'm in the same boat with a 2000 V40 that I just bought last week. Smith
Motors (only dealer within a reasonable distance for me) wants $48 for a
key, $88 for labor, and $30 if I need a software update. Says he won't know
about the software until I get there. The labor charge is their flat rate
for an hour. This for a job that's going to take maybe ten minutes tops. If
I want to include a replacement remote to go with my key, I'm looking at
over $300.

What really burns me up is that I bought my Volvo used from a Ford dealer
and after I got it home I found some service receipts in the glove
compartment with the previous owner's name and number on them. I called and
asked if he happened to have a spare key, and he said he gave the Ford
salesman two sets. Nobody at the Ford dealership knows what happened to the
other set. I'm sure they have $300 worth of key and remote for my car stuck
in a desk drawer or sitting in a stray key bucket somewhere over there, but
I can't get it and they don't seem too concerned.

The up side, I guess, is that the previous owner said he never had any
trouble with the Volvo, just wanted something bigger, so he traded it in on
an Explorer.

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Gaz - 20 Jun 2005 02:22 GMT

Okay guys here is the skinny!!!

If you want to have a car that is virtually impossible to steal then when
you loose a key or remote then expect to pay huge. The technology that goes
into stopping thieves from taken your car is costly. If you have a problem
with the costs associated with Volvos then buy a G M and shut up!!! This
kind of theft prevention comes with a cost, but you should be happy that
Volvo's can not be stolen unless they have a key!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MOVE ON!!!!!!!!!!

>> Key blank - $50
>> Key program - $35
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
> trouble with the Volvo, just wanted something bigger, so he traded it in
> on an Explorer.

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Joe Blizzard - 20 Jun 2005 04:30 GMT

> The technology that goes into stopping thieves from taken your car is
> costly.

The "chip" in our keys is a rfid device. Similar to the little disposable
gadgets that Wal Mart eventually plans to put into everything they sell. I
should be happy paying $50 for this?

> This kind of theft prevention comes with a cost, but you should be happy
> that Volvo's can not be stolen unless they have a key!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I should be happy being charged an hour's labor for a five minute job?
(Impressive use of the exclamation mark key, btw.) Oh, and about this being
the ultimate in security:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/29/national/29key.html "Graduate
Cryptographers Unlock Code of 'Thiefproof' Car Key"

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Michael Pardee - 21 Jun 2005 13:49 GMT

> I should be happy being charged an hour's labor for a five minute job?
> (Impressive use of the exclamation mark key, btw.) Oh, and about this
> being the ultimate in security:
> http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/29/national/29key.html "Graduate
> Cryptographers Unlock Code of 'Thiefproof' Car Key"

Dang - now we are going to have graduate cryptographers stealing our cars
;-)

Mike

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Joe Blizzard - 21 Jun 2005 15:02 GMT

> Dang - now we are going to have graduate cryptographers stealing our cars
> ;-)

Yeah, those sleazy bastards.

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Spectre - 23 Jun 2005 11:01 GMT

ROFL, two words TOW TRUCK.................... GONE in 60 seconds chip or NO
chip.

There is NO way to stop a thief if he wants your car! However, the key thing
is B.S. down here in Miami they want $85.00 labor, $72.00 for the key and
another $40 to program key. Also, if your car has more than 3 (or 6) already
on it then it will cost you another $85.00!

> Okay guys here is the skinny!!!
>
[quoted text clipped - 33 lines]
>> trouble with the Volvo, just wanted something bigger, so he traded it in
>> on an Explorer.

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Michael Pardee - 24 Jun 2005 01:41 GMT

> ROFL, two words TOW TRUCK.................... GONE in 60 seconds chip or
> NO chip.
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> key and another $40 to program key. Also, if your car has more than 3 (or
> 6) already on it then it will cost you another $85.00!

Ahh... with prices like those, who needs thieves?

BTW, pulling in forward and turning the wheel far to one side when parking
is an effective deterrent to tow trucks, since they rely on rapid hook and
run. They can find easier cars to steal than ones that try to drive off the
side of the road. It's all about reducing opportunity and increasing risk of
getting caught.

Mike

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Joe Blizzard - 24 Jun 2005 16:51 GMT

> Ahh... with prices like those, who needs thieves?

Indeed.

For the benefit of anyone who might be following my saga, I just got an
apologetic message from a guy at the Ford dealership saying he could get the
Volvo dealer to sell me a key at the price they'd charge him. (I may save
about $10.) I had contacted this guy by email ten days ago and never heard
back. Curiously the reply came right after I sent another message, cc'd to
everybody at the dealership, bemoaning the lack of so much as a courtesy
reply and suggesting that the "Customer Relations Manager" title was largely
ceremonial.

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.. - 24 Jun 2005 21:14 GMT

Hey, dude...there's not need to get all bent out of shape about someone
balking about the high price of a key. The price of virtually everything
on a current-model Volvo is abominably high. Just think of the cost of
replacing the viscous drive on my XC once it reaches ten years old.
I can see the number of Volvos in junk yards tripling in the next ten
years due to the costs of replacing a component. My strut inserts on my
XC are already shot and not under warranty because they are "not
broken", (leaking). So, when I pick up my car tomorrow, after lightening
my wallet for over $600.00 USD (Not done at Volvo of Las Vegas), I'll
have new front shocks.
Maybe you should make yourself a nice cup of Celestial Seasonings
Tension Tamer Ultra!!!

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