A frequent stop for us is Bedford. Bedford is home of the “Bedford Automile” which has many different car retailers including. There are approximately 26 new and used car dealerships and currently employs about 1,700 people. Some of these retailers include: Bedford Automile, Motorcars USA, and Jay Buick GMC. There are also “pop up” car lots that appear on the Bedford Automile.
Buying a car from a used car lot comes with some unique car key challenges. Often times dealerships only provide 1 key or key fob with the vehicle. Many people are interested in having a spare key or spare fob made. So a frequent trip after the car lot is to an automotive locksmith. Newer vehicles often use “smart keys” or “prox keys.” These keys work without sticking a key into the door or ignition. While this is a very convenient feature it can create problems for someone looking for extra car key fobs. Some vehicles are more difficult to program than others and have their unique challenges but we have the equipment and experience to handle most vehicles you’ll find on the road.
The most common problem we see is with the emergency key. Most smart keys or fobs have a small key blade inside the key fob. This is referred to as the emergency key or e-key. If there is an issue with the remote the emergency key can be used to gain entry into the vehicle. Often times the car will still be able to pick up the fob and start the car. In our experience MOST customers that have this type of key are unaware that there is an emergency key. What we often find is that remotes are programmed to these vehicles without a proper emergency key being cut. Customers that are aware of the emergency key or our instructed by us to look for it are often dismayed to discover that the key does not turn the door. So customers are unable to enter their car to even see if the car will read the fob – they then call us to get inside the locked car.
I can not stress how common of a problem this is. If you bought a used car that uses a proximity remote please try out your emergency key. It’s less hassle and money to schedule and appointment with us to create a key and program in extra key fobs than it is to deal with an emergency.
Another common issue we encounter is someone losing all the keys, called All Keys Lost, or AKL for short. Car dealers are dealing with hundreds if not thousands of keys – which means they are also dealing with tracking hundreds and thousands of different car keys and remotes. It’s not uncommon for someone to misplace the key and call us to create a new key. Additionally, the Bedford Automile has pop up car lots. These cars are shipped in from other locations and even out of state. They might be salvaged, repossessed or bought at auctions. It’s very common for the keys to lost in these situations.
If you bought a new car or new to you car in Bedford and are looking for an auto locksmith, give us a call and we will provide you clear pricing and service times.
