https://www.g28carkeys.co.uk/northampton-auto-locksmiths-near-me/ The Cost of Car Key Cutting Car key cutting is a service many car owners depend on. It's important to know the cost prior to you make a decision. Many hardware stores and box shops have key-cutting machines where you can easily make copies of your keys. These usually cost you a few dollars. Cost of Key Blanks For basic key types like house keys, car keys and key fobs the cost of cutting them usually only a few dollars. Most hardware stores have key duplication equipment which can cut keys in one step. This method uses the original key as an example, and the blank key is cut using a special cutter which cuts both keys simultaneously. This makes it easy to design a new key that matches the original in terms of shape and size. However, these basic machines aren't able to duplicate more sophisticated key types that use transponder chips or remote functions. These keys require a professional to program them on the spot before they can work with your vehicle. Many people will go to a professional locksmith or a dealership in the event that they need to replace their keys. Although most hardware stores are able to copy these more advanced keys however, not all stores do. This means that if you are driving a newer model vehicle, you may need to visit your dealer to get a duplicate key made. If you want to avoid this expense, consider buying an empty key blank from an online retailer. These packages are available for a fraction the cost of what you'd pay in a physical store and include blanks of all shapes and sizes. Key blanks in bulk allow you to create more copies of the same key at the lower cost. Ron Sparer lost the key to his car a few years ago. He was aware that it was time to replace it, however, he didn't want spend $300 at a dealer. He searched for a solution and discovered that a few Ace Hardware stores had a software to assist him in creating an identical key that would work with the car Toyota. T