Had a bunch of keys stolen, which included one of my car keys. I still have the 2nd key.

So, I need to get replacement key fobs so that the thieving swines can’t return with the stolen key & be able to use it.

Am I best doing this through a Vauxhall dealership, or are there any independent companies who can sort me out? (i.e. recommendations)

Cheers.

How old and what sort of key is it?

You might only be able to get new ones from the dealership but if it’s slightly older Timpsons or other key cutters can often make/program replacement car keys.

They’re 11 years old & have the glass chip that’s linked to the alarm/immobiliser.

I’m pretty sure getting replacement keys isn’t a problem, & getting the vehicle re-coded can be done also.

However in my situation it’s really a case of needing new locks as well, not just replacement keys.

I expect realistically it’ll be best going through my car insurance as I imagine new locks etc is a pretty costly exercise.

However, the car’s a 2001 Y, 80k+ miles, bodywork’s a bit tatty, rear bumper’s been slightly crumpled due to a slow-speed rear-end collision … definitely worth less than £1k I reckon … so the insurance might decide the cost of replacing all the locks & issuing new keys etc is more than they think is worth coughing up for

In which case, I might need to look at a new car 😕

Dont suppose you’ve got sentinel card protection have you? You can get car keys replaced under this. We were burgled a couple of years ago and they took the car keys.

grim – Nope … although that’s worth knowing for future reference.

Damn you hindsight!! 😀

In which case, I might need to look at a new car

Or just accept that one morning it might be gone? Probably cheeper to write it off the £800 or so you think it’s worth in your head then if it gets nicked just accept shit happens than pay the excess and increaced premiums etc?

I’d phone the insurers and see what they say, I know mine won’t pay out if the keys are left in or arroudn the car (i.e. in one of those combination lock keysafes whilst I go surfing), but should cover it if they boke into the house and took them. The lowest cost option for them would presumably be to do nothing and see if it gets nicked as well? Presumably if they wanted the car they’d have taken it to start with?

just accept that one morning it might be gone? Probably cheeper to write it off the £800 or so you think it’s worth in your head then if it gets nicked just accept shit happens than pay the excess and increaced premiums etc?

That’s one option!

However it doesn’t sit well with me if I do one day need to phone the insurance company knowing full well that I’d be lying to (or even defrauding) them by not admitting the stolen key …

should cover it if they boke into the house and took them. The lowest cost option for them would presumably be to do nothing and see if it gets nicked as well? Presumably if they wanted the car they’d have taken it to start with?

Keys were taken from in the house, so pretty sure insurance will cover it (and there’s no excess to pay according to my policy documents).

I don’t think the thieves knew they’d got the keys initially as they were in my camelbak that they pinched – if they’ve since realised, they may return.

Although my wife’s convinced the burglars are some locals (youths) who are already ‘well known to the police’ (apparently) and have a bit of a history with crime … but that’s a whole other story, not to mention speculation 😀 …

Our house insurance wouldn’t cover the car keys so we used sentinel for one and the car insurance for the other. We couldn’t claim for replacement documents either ( driving licences and passports etc )

You should be able to buy the keys from Vauxhall, check yellow pages for an auto-locksmith (yes really) and get him to do the programming. Round here its £30 for the re-programme though you have to go to him if he’s not in the area.

The old keys can be removed from the immobilisers authorised list at the same time.

If the insurance company write it off, just buy it back off them for a song and keep driving it?
Big old steering lock thing on it, job’s a good ‘un

I had a car recoded and new keys cut by a locksmith in Dewsbury a few years back now. It was something like a third of the price a dealer wanted for one key to have the locksmith do a pair of keys. And the car was recoded, so even if someone found the old keys and matched them to the car, it couldn’t be started.

If you want a full new set of locks the best bet is to get on Ebay and buy a set from a dismantler. Another option would be to pull all the old lock barrels out and reorder the wafers so the old keys don’t work, then get new ones cut to match. The big cost will be in the labour to strip out door cards etc. if the locks can’t be removed externally – there’s generally a DIY guide online if you fancy an afternoon’s faff.