Lost all your car keys in South London? How a replacement works and what it costs
No spare, no key, car stuck on the drive? A new key can be cut and programmed right where the car is parked, usually the same day. Here's how it works, what you'll need to show us, and how it compares with the dealer.
Losing your only car key is a horrible feeling, and it happens far more often than people think: keys dropped on a walk, left in a taxi, stolen with a bag, or lost in a house move. If there's no spare, the car becomes a very expensive ornament.
The good news is that you don't need the old key to get a new one, and you don't need to tow the car to the dealer. A mobile car locksmith can make a new key from scratch and programme it to your car right where it's parked.
What you'll need
Because we're making a key that starts your car, we always check that the car is yours (or that you're allowed to use it). It protects you, and it's the reason a proper locksmith asks before doing anything. Please have ready:
- The V5C logbook in your name, or other proof that you're the registered keeper (lease or finance documents also work).
- Photo ID: a driving licence or passport, with the same name.
- The car's registration number, and ideally the year and model, so we can bring the right key.
If the documents are locked inside the car, tell us. We can open the car first without damage and check them there.
How a new key is made: step by step
- You call or WhatsApp us with the car and where it is. We tell you the price before we set off.
- We arrive and check the paperwork.
- We cut the blade (if your key has one) to match your car's locks, without taking the locks apart.
- We programme the key to the car's immobiliser, so the car recognises it and starts.
- We delete the lost keys from the car wherever the car allows it. If someone finds your old key, it won't start the car any more.
- We test everything: locking, unlocking, starting, and the remote buttons.
On many cars this takes around an hour. Some cars need more work, because the security data has to be read from a module inside the car before a new key can be added. That's where specialist experience matters.
Real jobs: when the car makes it difficult
BMW 1 Series, all keys lost. On many BMWs, a new key can't be programmed until we have the car's ISN, a security code stored in the engine control unit (ECU). We removed the ECU, read the code, refitted it and then programmed the new key. To the owner it was simply "new key, car starts"; behind the scenes it's careful work that many locksmiths turn down.
Toyota Yaris 2008. On some older Toyotas the immobiliser data sits in a separate box behind the dashboard. We took the dash apart, removed the immobiliser box, prepared it for the new key and put everything back, all on the street where the car was parked.
From a 2008 Yaris to a BMW i8, the principle is the same: a working key, made and programmed at the car.
Mobile locksmith or main dealer?
| Mobile locksmith | Main dealer |
|---|---|---|
Where | Where your car is parked | At the dealership: the car usually has to be towed there |
How long | Usually the same day | Often several days while the key is ordered |
Towing | Not needed | Often needed, at your cost |
Lost keys deleted from the car | Yes, wherever the car allows it | Yes |
Price | Agreed before we set off | Key, programming and towing often charged separately |
What does it cost?
All keys lost: from £150. The final price depends on the make, model and year of your car, and on the type of key (a simple flip key costs less than a keyless smart key). Tell us the registration number and we'll give you the full price before we set off.
Two tips that save money:
- Check your insurance. Some car and home insurance policies cover lost or stolen keys.
- Make a spare while we're there. A second key made at the same visit costs much less than a separate trip later (spare keys start from £120).
Lost keys? Call us
We're mobile car locksmiths covering South London and Surrey (SE, SM, CR, SW, KT and RH postcodes), available 24 hours a day. Call or WhatsApp us with your registration number and location, and we'll tell you the price straight away.