Let me paint you this scenario, you find yourself at the end of an awesome day of shopping or relaxing at a spa, you head to the parking lot to pick up your car, reach the car door, and start looking for your car keys in your pockets, your purse, and anywhere else you have in hand, but you just do not have them, you tried to trace back in your steps, but still no luck, your keys are not anywhere, in some cases you may even have a spare hidden away in a special place, but surprise-surprise they do not work and you are still unable to get your car open or started after the initial panic its time to come to peace with that fact and start deciding what are you going to do next, which is getting the keys replaced, but then a question pops in your head, should I go to a locksmith or a dealership? Well, we have no way of influencing your decision and we are not going to suggest picking one over the other, the best we can do, the best anyone can do, really is lay down the pros and cons of both services, and let you decide which one you will pick.
Car keys are of the utmost importance for any car owner, sadly, despite this fact, statistics show that most owners do not have a spare key keep away for emergency situations. Having a replacement key is a very important thing to have to avoid getting locked out of your car, or, getting back in it in case you misplaced the originals. As mentioned above, when the time comes for you to make a set of spare keys, you are presented with two options, going to a locksmith or going to the car dealership who sold you the vehicle. The purpose of this article is to present to you both the positive and negative aspects of these options, this way when you are faced with the frustrating situation of having to get your car keys replaced, you can make an inform decision.
PROFESSIONAL LOCKSMITH VS. CAR DEALERSHIP.
The list of reasons for losing your keys is practically endless, ask any locksmith and they will tell you some of the most unbelievable stories about keys being dropped in the sewer, toddlers throwing them into the garbage disposal, leaving them behind during a camping or fishing trip, the list simply goes on and on. Statistics do not lie there will come a moment in your life in which you are going to need to get a set of replacement keys and when said time comes, you will either head down to the dealership you bought the car or a trusted and reliable locksmith.
Comparing Locksmiths and Dealerships:
– Price: One big advantage locksmith services have over dealerships its the pricing. Getting your spare keys from a certified locksmith technician is always cheaper than other alternatives. As you may very well know, the cost of any kind of service in a Dealership is famously high, regardless of how simple and routinely they are, like rotating the tires or an oil change. If those are considered expensive, imagine the price tag on something a little more high-tech and complicated like making a new car key or replacing a transponder key. You can always do your own research about the pricing, but, it is well known amongst car owner associations that Locksmiths always a more affordable service than dealerships do.
– Convenience: Another great advantage Locksmiths have over dealerships is the level of convenience. A car locksmith service is able to provide roadside assistance in case you need it, this means they have the knowledge and the equipment to make you a replacement key even in the middle of nowhere as long as you provide them with the necessary details when you call them. On the other hand, the dealership will set out an appointment at their earliest convenience to work on your problem, so, unless it isn’t an emergency you can go with them, otherwise, you are better off with the locksmith. Additionally, most roadside assistant providers partner up with local locksmiths to provide a more speedy service connecting you with those who are closest to your location.
Most people will always prefer to work with a mobile locksmith because of how much convenient and fast it is, regardless of the time of day, they offer 24 hours emergency service. Dealerships do not.
Proper Equipment: One of the main concerns most people have about requesting the assistance of a Locksmith is that it may not have the necessary equipment to fix your problem, maybe you have an older model or a brand new, you will always have worries that it may not have the equipment to make you a new key. As a matter of fact, a trusted and professional locksmith service will have the right equipment to issue a new key, no matter how old or new your car is, also, they can replace just about every door lock and even your ignition switches. If you still have questions, you can always call customer service of your preferred locksmith service and find out everything you need to know. The reason why people usually prefers Dealerships to get a replacement key its because they know that no matter how rare and unique the key is, they will always have the tools to make it.
Technology: Nowadays car keys are no longer just pieces of metal. They now come imbued with all sorts of technological doo-hickeys that improves the security of the car. Some keys come with special “chips” which are programmed to match the car, there are also the fobs, which are keys with minicomputers inside of them to control every aspect of your car, opening/looking your doors and trunk, starting it, shutting it off, etc. You may think that having them replaced may be impossible or even expensive, but that will be wrong. Any top car locksmith service will handle your problem, and of course, the dealership is also capable.