Brangeta

This is my first time doing business with this mechanic. He claims he lost my spare set of Camaro keys (ignition key, door key, and keyless entry fob) and claims he can make me a new set just by having the VIN #. Says he'll go to Elliot's hardware store to get the keys cut, and he'll provide a new fob that he'll program to work with the car.

When I would say things like "well, maybe you'll find the original set or someone in the shop will discover they accidentally took them" he wasn't reactive to that like I would be in his shoes. If I was him, and I had misplaced keys or thought another person took them, I'd be assuring the customer that I would try to find the lost set and they'd probably turn up.

He never made a claim like that. Just--I'll make you a new set.

If I were in his shoes, I'd want to find the original set so I wouldn't have to pay for a new set out of my pocket. I know that the cost for getting a new set from a dealership would be over $100, and he is having to replace these keys and fob at his own expense, whatever his reduced expenses are thanks to his connections.

Should I be worried that this is some sort of scam? Originally, he told me I'd need to go with him to Elliot's to get the keys cut, but now that I gave him my VIN #, he said that won't be necessary, I'll just need to come in so he can program the new fob. I can understand how the VIN # would give him access to the VATS resistor # for the ignition key if he has a friend at a dealership, but I don't understand how that would give him the keys unless he's now decided to pay a dealership to cut new keys. I talked to a dealership, and they said without physically coming in with proof of ownership, they couldn't produce new keys for me.

I feel like there's something he's not telling me. I got the impression he knew exactly what happened to the keys and they were not really lost.

N20zuki

Well if he has the car, why does he need to ask you for the VIN number? That part is what im hung up on, also with the fact that he acts like he could care less if he found the keys or not.

Brangeta

We have the car because we paid him for the work and drove it out of there with our other set of keys. We had him make a note on the invoice that he owed us a set of keys.

I talked to him a little while ago, mentioned that I talked to the hardware store, and they said they couldn't copy an ignition key with the chip on it. He said that he's getting the keys made at a Chevy dealership now and they'll be ready tomorrow, because the original plan wouldn't work. It sounds much less fishy now, but only if I ignore that he was able to call a dealership and get them to do this without proof of ownership or insurance. He said that he has known the guy for over 10 years and he trusts him because he has to do this with a lot of the Corvettes he resells.

Ignoring all of that... something still stinks about how he was very quick to say he'd get new keys made, rather than waiting to see if they'd show back up. There's something he isn't telling us, which bothers me.

He said the people who clean up the shop sometimes play tricks on him, but he's never lost a set of keys before. Something just smells bad about this to me.

I don't care if the keys were somehow thrown away... got cut in half by an angle grinder by accident... etc. What I care about is some janitor (or someone) who works for him having a set of our keys. I would feel so much better if the guy said "well, what I think happened is they might have accidentally gotten thrown away..."

He should care about having to spend at least $50 getting us new keys and a fob, and wasting about 3 or more hours of his time dealing with it when he could be working, but he doesn't seem to mind it. If it were me in his shoes... I'd spend all freakin' night tearing the place apart looking for them, be calling my employees with angry phone calls, etc. rather than just saying "I'll make you a new set."

Sh4Dy

iTrader: (9)

If he wanted a set of your keys he could have just went and made a copy instead of making up this story. I would be more worried about what you let him do to your car. If he can't even keep track of the keys, who knows what else he screwed up.

nightmarechevy

iTrader: (5)

Dealerships can get the resistor number and key codes for both keys to get them cut but they need solid proof of ownership in case they get audited by GM. At the dealership I used to work at the service manager was the only one who could get the codes and he wouldn't get the key codes unless he had the title and drivers license to make a copy of period, whether it was for Joe Schmo or the owner of the dealership. They can get in big time trouble for producing a key code for anyone other than the proven owner of the vehicle. The only exception he would make was a very well known repo man that came in almost every day and only when he could produce documentation proving he was to repo the vehicle.

APG12

iTrader: (25)

I would find out what dealership he is using and the name of the person he is dealing with.

LS1121

iTrader: (17)

If it was my Z28, I would go to the Dealer and explain to him what has happened and tell him you are worried about losing you car some night????
He can make you another set of keys with a different resistor chip in them and then reprgram your computer, this way your old keys WILL NOT START THE CAR!!! send this mechanic???? the bill. A lot of people would like to get a free camaro!

01m6ss

iTrader: (1)

this is why i have a small peice of paper covering my vin..getting a key without proof of ownership is easy to obtain.

johnp94

iTrader: (12)

I lost a buddies camaro keys about 10 years ago I called roadside assistance and they sent me to a key service in the area, We showed registration and I D, And got the key. If the key maker knows him he probably is making it simple for him to obtain another one. I understand your worry about the missing set. John

WhiteBird00

iTrader: (4)

Sorry... not possible. A new BCM programs itself to the ignition key resistance the first time it is used. After that, it can't be reprogrammed. You would have to replace the key and install a brand new BCM to do what you suggest.

99monguse

The only think you could do is have the key code changed. You would have to get the code in the lock cylinders changed(doors, truck and ign cylinder) and new keys cut to the new codes but the resistor HAS to be the same.

LS1121

iTrader: (17)

I was told it could be done when I was replacing my steering wheel. If it can't then it is still cheaper than replacing the Car!!