melloh |
Posted
Tuesday, May 15th 12:58am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member Post nr. 557 California, USA (San Jose) 1980 320is, 1991 318is |
Some of you probably know this, but I was pleasantly surprised today. My old roommate lost the original key to my e21 so I only had the valet key (thankfully the trunk was unlocked already).
SO, went to my local hardware store (Southern Lumber/ACE) and had a spare made just in case my last remaining key also gets lost.
LO-AND-BEHOLD, the COPY of the valet key operates the trunk lock!
Thought I'd share this as it could save someone time and money from having to go to the dealer to get a non-valet key made. 3 keys made (one for e21, one for e30, and one house key) cost me <$5.00. Let's see the dealer beat that price... |
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Boost_me |
Posted
Tuesday, May 15th 1:15pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member Post nr. 222 Victoria, Australia 1981 BMW 323i |
I only have 1 key for my car and as far as I know it lock's/unlock's my 2 door's, boot, glovebox and my ignition......I never know they have a valet key??? I never got one upon purchase....I dunno
But I must agree with you when you say let's see the dealer beat that price....What sort of key did you cut it from?? Did you get that from BMW?? I don't think we can just go and buy car key's here (Aus), dealer's only, all the other keysmith's hold only house and garage/paddlock style key's..... |
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Madhatter |
Posted
Tuesday, May 15th 4:45pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member Post nr. 176
Australia - QLD E21, E24, E30 |
you can walk into any person who cuts keys and simply ask for a bw7. It is a common key, silca make them, among other companies, and anyone who has a decent stock of key blanks will have one. |
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Boost_me |
Posted
Wednesday, May 16th 7:51am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member Post nr. 227 Victoria, Australia 1981 BMW 323i |
Fair enough, all the key cutter's I've been too don't do car key's...... |
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melloh |
Posted
Wednesday, May 16th 10:09am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member Post nr. 560 California, USA (San Jose) 1980 320is, 1991 318is |
The only drawback for me sofar is the key looks... well... generic! It's not a cool oem-looking key w/ the BMW logo stamped on it. Oh well.
I'm not sure if the key machine was special in any way, but I imagine you could bring in a blank (buy one onnline or heck, I can get some here and ship em to you) and have them copy it to the blank you bring in. Of course, you may want to go and ask first. |
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pjs323i |
Posted
Wednesday, May 16th 11:38am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member Post nr. 51 Canberra, Australia '81 323i |
i have both original keys for my 323i, the larger main key and the spare. however my 318i was attemped to be stolen at some point (i think) as it only has one key which is a totally differnt type of key to the 323i and the drivers door keylock looks like its been tampered with. The ignition and boot lock also look differnt... |
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myersport |
Posted
Wednesday, May 16th 9:55pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member Post nr. 184 east tennessee '82 320iS. '91 327iC |
The difference in the master and valet keys is the actual thickness of the blank. The cut is identical, but the valet will not physically fit into the glovebox, trunk, or gas cap (if it is the locking style) because it has a thicker cross section.
--Dennis |
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NSR21L |
Posted
Thursday, May 17th 11:27am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member Post nr. 34 Sydney NSW BMW E21 323i |
If it's one thing i really hate is when thieves try to break into the car trying to bust the door locking barrel it's happend to my sister, leaving the car at the train station car park, i think one solution would be to eliminate the door locks all together weld a patch and reinforce it with Devcon F or stainless steel reinforced putty. although thieves can still get in via the windows!
Simon |
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