Date: Thu, 29 Oct 2009 09:27:44 -0800
Reply-To: Mark Tuovinen <aksyncronaut@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Mark Tuovinen <aksyncronaut@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Nice thing about vanagon keys
In-Reply-To: <4ae9bfdb.1358560a.28ae.010c@mx.google.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Volkswagon has a different system than Honda uses. You lose a newer VW key
and the dealer has to order it precut from their Parts Center. Honda
dealers can cut keys onsite and depending upon the year and model the key
itself is usually $20.00 - $50.00. For some early versions of the
immobilizer keys a Honda dealers Parts dept. can make the key if you still
have one to copy the signal from. Newer versions of the system or if you
don't have a key to copy from it has to go through the Service Dept. and pay
a labor charge. The very first systems had a "learning key" and as long as
you had it you could have new keys made. Lose it and you had to purchase a
complete new sytem, keys, control unit, etc. Some locksmiths can program
Honda immobilizer keys also, not sure about VW but suspect not. The Honda
system also has a work around so the vehicle can be driven without a
programmed key but I do not know if VW's have the same ability. I am not a
big fan of the system as there are other ways to protect your car from theft
that wont leave you stranded. Here in Alaska we have a lot of communities
that are not on the road system and if a person loses their keys in one of
them they are screwed. You think towing fees are bad try flying your car
out for repair at $5,000.00 each way! It would be cheaper to pay for the
technician to fly in with the HDS to program new keys than ship the car out.
Mark in AK
Assistant Parts Manager
Continental Honda
Continental Acura
On Thu, Oct 29, 2009 at 8:16 AM, David Beierl <dbeierl@attglobal.net> wrote:
> At 09:44 PM 10/28/2009, Chris S wrote:
>
>> I agree that newer isn't always better. A new key for my New Beetle
>> needed dealer interven$ion to the tune of nearly $200 for key,
>> cutting, and programming
>>
>
> I wonder if that wasn't Dealer Special Pricing? I had an Accord with
> an Immobilizer system and IIRC it was only about $60 for two keys
> made at the same time.
>
>
> with top secret magical codes which are store
>> on a "computer in Wolfsburg".
>>
>
> Oh dear...it is to laugh. :-) The codes are built into (one each)
> little RFID tags in the heads of the key blanks, each one unique in
> all the universe of keys and key blanks. "Programming" means
> registering every one of those tags with the computer on the vehicle;
> from that point forward the vehicle won't start unless it detects one
> of those particular keys in or near the ignition switch.
>
> The vehicle software is set up so that you can't edit the set of
> registered keys -- you can only start again, with every key
> physically present that will ever be used to start this vehicle
> henceforward.
>
>
> Said magical codes can not be acessesed
>> on a weekend,
>>
>
> Translation: nobody knows how to operate the programming sequence, or
> can find the magic box that may be needed to stimulate the vehicle
> computer to accept a new set of keys.
>
>
> which means a whole lot of headache for a friggin key.
>>
>
> It does that. I think the biggest nuisance is having to have all
> keys physically present, but that is also one of the great strengths
> of the security -- if you lose a key for whatever reason, you take
> all the remaining ones (and the replacement key) and register them
> with the vehicle. From then forward the missing key will no longer
> start the vehicle.
>
>
> Oh, but it's theft-proof.
>>
>
> 'Course it isn't. However it makes drive-away vehicle theft
> enormously more difficult than before; almost impossible really,
> because you have to have the password *and* the magic ring (i.e. a
> key registered to that vehicle), or she's not gonna start -- without
> some mechanic work to bypass the Immobilizer system. Popping the
> ignition lock will no longer get you a running vehicle.
>
> On balance I think the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks -- unless
> the system believes in a master key-ID of some sort. If it does,
> then copies of that key-ID will be available, rendering the whole
> Immobilizer system open to the higher class of thief. Seems very
> unlikely, though.
>
> Yrs,
> D
>
| 
