Car Key & Fob Replacement in Plantation, FL
A replacement car key in Plantation, FL starts at $169, most land between $169–369, and a push-to-start fob can go up to about $469. Charlie D. cuts and programs it where the car is parked — your driveway, an office lot or a mall garage — and that includes the night you've lost the only key you had.
- Licensed & insured
- 6-month workmanship warranty
- About 20 min to you
What each kind of key costs
| Kind of key | Often found on | Where it falls in $169–369 |
|---|---|---|
| Plain blade with a transponder chip | Many cars from about 2000 to 2015 | lower part |
| Flip key or key with remote buttons in the head | Many cars from about 2010 | middle |
| Smart fob for push-button start | Many cars from about 2015 | upper part, up to about $469 |
The exact figure comes from your year, make and model, and we give it on the phone. Charlie D. handles the bulk of American, Japanese and Korean vehicles, push-to-start fobs included, and a good share of European ones; with a BMW, Audi or similar, tell us exactly which model and year and he checks it can be done before setting off. A few models can only get keys from the dealer, and we'll tell you if yours is one. Ignition cylinders that stick or won't turn are repaired or replaced too.
I lost my only key — can you still make one?
Yes. With no key to copy, the blade is cut from the car's key code, the new key or fob is programmed to the car through the OBD port under the dashboard, and, on models that permit it, the missing key is deleted from the car's memory, so whoever picks it up can't start your car. You keep driving the same car on the same day.
Streets under the oaks.
Homes from the 1950s and 60s, many still on their first locks.
What's in the price
- The key or fob
- Cutting the blade, if the key has one
- Programming at the car
- Wiping lost keys out of the car's memory, on models that allow it
What moves the total
- Starting from zero keys costs more than cloning a key you still have.
- Push-to-start fobs sit at the high end.
- Adding a remote to a car that came with a plain key depends on what that car will accept.
- Compare with the dealer fairly: include the tow, the wait and the trip back.
How a key job goes
- On the phone: the VIN or year, make and model; how many keys you still have; where the car is.
- The price, given before we head out.
- Ownership check at the car: your photo ID against the registration or title (or the rental contract). In 2023 a thief posed as a locksmith in Broward to get at key fobs (Local10), which is why no key gets made without that check.
- Cut, then program through the diagnostic port.
- Test everything — doors, trunk, panic button, engine start — and erase the lost key. Once Charlie D. reaches the car, a key job usually wraps up within half an hour to an hour.
Have these ready
- The VIN (on the dashboard at the base of the windshield, driver's side, or on your insurance card) — or at least the year, make and model
- Photo ID in the name on the registration, title or rental agreement
- Any key that still works, even a worn one — it lowers the cost
Where we usually make keys in Plantation
Anywhere the car is parked: a driveway in Jacaranda, an office lot in Plantation Technology Park off Sunrise Blvd (City of Plantation), the parking decks at Plantation Walk on University Drive (Wikipedia), or the lot at Plantation Preserve Park and Golf Course on W Broward Blvd (City of Plantation). No tow, no trip to a dealer.
Keeping the new fob safe
Police around South Florida keep repeating one tip: don't leave a fob inside a parked car (Fort Lauderdale Police). At home, keep it away from the front door and windows.
Questions
Will the key I lost still start my car?
Not once we erase it, on cars that allow erasing. We confirm it during the test.
Is this cheaper than the dealer?
Often, and without a tow. Compare full totals.
The key broke off in the ignition or the door. What now?
Leave the stub where it is and don't try a second key. The broken piece is extracted, and on many cars the new key is cut from the two halves; if a key has to be made from scratch, it's priced like any car key, from $169.
I still have one key. Should I add a spare now?
Yes, and that's when it costs least. See all prices, or if the key is simply locked inside, the car lockout page.