Brewmaniac

My managed to lose 3 sets of keys in about 3 months. Tonight came home and put keys in purse then fliped her purse over her sholder and heard the dreaded sound of keys. Our driveway has about 5 inches of snow 3 people searched 3 times.

So how can we get it started or an other key it's a 94 escort.

Any suggestions?

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shakran

get the VIN off of the plaque on the dash in front of the gauge cluster. Take it to the dealership and have them cut you a new key.

Brewmaniac

shakran, your da man! Thanks

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pig

brew,

if you look around, you can almost definitely rent a metal detector to locate the keys in the front yard. i had to do it when i was in my teens.

but shakran is right on with the vin # - in fact, i'd bet dollars to donuts they already have a key for your car sitting at the dealership. i believe that automakers only have a set number of actual "unique" key cuts; they just rely on the statistical improbability that your set of escort keys will fit the one down the street.

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Brewmaniac

Great idea VIN # but the car is too old the dealer doesn't keep codes that old. Locksmith wants $200. We're screwed!

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vanblah

It's not difficult to change the ignition switch. Shouldn't be too expensive either. Of course, you'll never be able to lock your doors.

Brewmaniac

She found a key in a compartment in one of her purses, it's still not the one she lost in the snow. Bye the way I found a guy with a metal detector he searched the driveway but said there was too much steel to get a reading.

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SirLance

Dumb idea, but do you have a bulk eraser and an extension cord... probe driveway with electromagnet, suck keys up through snow...

No guarantees....

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pig

yeah, i was thinking along those lines too Sir, but wasn't sure to what extent you could get it to go. Maybe just a big-ass magnet from the hardware store stuck on a string or something and trawl for keys...personally, i'd worry as much about house keys, work keys etc being out there.

good luck brew

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c172g

We own a lockshop, get a spare key cut for every vehicle you own! In most cases, it's $2-$5 instead of hundreds. The VIN usually only works for cars less than 7 years old. There are exceptions. We get calls daily from people who think it's going to be $15 when they lose all their keys. These days, it's typically $150 minimum depending on the car to get a new key.

In some cases, all the locks in the car need to be replaced (maybe not replaced, but you wind up buying an entire set just to get a new ignition lock).

GM vehicles, some Fords, and Chryslers use what's called a "sidebar" in door & ignition locks (by no means is this an "all the time" statement) and they are very difficult to fit a key to (you probably won't find 10 locksmiths in 100 that can generate a key to a sidebar lock). If that's your vehicle, plus it's more than 7 years old, get ready to pay the dealership, locksmith, or mechanic to tear down the ignition column, pull the lock & put it all back together, easily a two hour job.

And the Escort is a different duck entirely, $200 is cheap to get out of that one if it happens again. If I were you I'd get a cool dozen cut when you lose them at that rate!

Lindy

Brewmatic, why are you taking so much ownership of this? You should dump this in the lap of the person who lost not one, not two, but THREE sets of keys. With nary a thought of taking fifteen minutes to go to the hardware store or locksmith for a replacement --or was that someone else's job? I've been driving since I was fourteen. I am now thirty. I'm a woman. I have NEVER lost my keys, although I will admit to once locking myself out of the house.
But women seem to do this all the time. It's things like this that give women the reputation of being airheads. Shouldn't this be like baseball?
First set of keys lost--Strike one.
Second set of keys lost--Strike TWO!
Third set of keys lost--STRIKE THREE! YUR OUTA HERE!!!!!

Maybe it's not the KEYS that need to be replaced.
Lindy

fhqwhgads

Not sure if this is powerful enough, but I've used it several times to pick up large amounts of screws/bolts/etc that I've dropped. Clickity click

Maveric

i know it won't help with your current situation but could help with future key disappearances...

http://www.sharperimage.com/us/en/ca.../sku__SI676FUN

also, don't under estimate the usefullness of a magnet key box that you can hide in the undercarriage of your vehicle.

MSD

If it's light fluffy snow bust out the leafblower and spiral out from where she was standing.

edit: and when all your keys are lost you get a slide hammer, screw it into the ignition, pull it out, and start it with a screwdriver. In case it gets stolen, buy the slide hammer with cash and leave it with the busted ignition under the seat/in the trunk for plausible deniability with insurance.

Plaid13

Just a idea but after you have keys again... get the biggest most annoying keychain you can manage. like put a full size beach ball on the keychain or something like that.