Why choose an automotive locksmith over a dealership?
Losing your car keys or dealing with a faulty remote can be stressful. Many drivers immediately think of calling their car dealership for help — but that’s often not the quickest or most affordable option. A professional automotive locksmith like Mr Car Keys can provide the same, if not better, service with several added benefits.
Here’s why choosing a locksmith over a dealer often makes more sense.
Faster Response Times – We Come to You
If you lose your keys and contact a dealership, you’ll often need to have your vehicle towed to their workshop. This adds time, cost, and inconvenience. You may also be waiting days for parts to arrive from a different workshop or dealership.
Here at Mr Car Keys, we operate as a mobile service. We come to your location — whether you’re at home, work, or stranded in a carpark — and cut/program new keys on the spot. In most cases, you can be back on the road in an hour or two.
Lower Costs – No Towing or Mark Ups
A dealer’s pricing often includes high mark ups for keys and remotes, plus towing fees if your vehicle isn’t drivable.
An automotive locksmith typically charges 30–50% less than a dealer. Because we come to you, there’s no towing fee. We source high quality keys and remotes without the dealership mark up. Often times, the “genuine” key is sourced from the same place but has a sticker attached.
Just recently, a customer was quoted $3800 for 2 replacement keys for his late model Ford Ranger. After coming to us, we were able to help him out within 24 hours, creating and programming new keys for under $1000.
Same Day Service for Most Makes & Models
A customer recently came into Mr Car Keys enquiring about replacing lost keys for two different cars as he had lost his keys at the beach.
Had he gone to the dealerships, he would have had to go two different dealers, where they would often need to order keys in from interstate or overseas, meaning you could be without your car for several days.
We were able to help him the same day, with one of our technicians going to his house and creating some new keys for him at a fraction of the cost. Our mobile technicians carry a wide range of keys for most cars and have the skills and equipment to be able to program just about anything.
Emergency Lock Out Assistance
Although many car dealerships offer roadside assistance, they do not actually do much of the work themselves. They will often subcontract the jobs out to experts such as us. We are the preferred supplier for many roadside services such as the NRMA and even some of the dealerships directly.
Here at Mr Car Keys, our qualified locksmiths specialise in non destructive entry — we can unlock your car without damage in minutes, cut a spare key on the spot, and get you moving again without the wait.
Personalised Service
Dealers work with hundreds of customers. Often the technicians who do the work are not the ones who speak to the customer afterwards and it can be difficult to find out any information.
We offer a more personal experience, explaining your options, showing you how your new remote works, and often providing extra tips for key care to save you money in the future. A simple example of this is having a new key replaced and having a discussion about the importance of regularly swapping spare keys to avoid batteries being drained.
While dealerships have their place for major mechanical work and warranty servicing, when it comes to keys, remotes, and vehicle access, an automotive locksmith like Mr Car Keys is usually faster, cheaper, and more convenient.
If you need a spare key, have lost all your keys, or are locked out, skip the tow truck and call us on 0404 621 621 or visit us at www.mrcarkeys.com and submit an online enquiry— we’ll get you back on the road without the hassle.
